Barely 15 kilometers in a straight line separate the always busy Plaza Catalunya in Barcelona from the Remolar-Philippines marshes, in Viladecans. And the landscape couldn’t be more different. While in the city center pedestrians make their way through hordes of tourists as best they can and the horns of cars are the usual soundtrack, in Remolar-Philippines the tranquility is absolute; You can only hear ducks splashing in the water and the occasional plane taking off.
And not many people who live in the large metropolitan area of ??Barcelona know about this little paradise that is located next to the Prat airport and that occupies the space that goes from the long-term parking lot to the sea. Remolar-Philippines is not only an oasis of peace, it is also a perfect destination for bird lovers and spotters.
El Remolar is one of the natural spaces managed by the Consorci dels Espais Naturals del Delta del Llobregat, an organization that was created in 2005 to guarantee the management and protection of the natural spaces of the delta, a very extensive plain that occupies 98 km2 between the sea, Garraf and Montjuïc. In these marshes you can see more than 300 different types of birds (which is why it is a special protection area for birds), a large number of butterflies, several species of orchids and, if you are lucky, even horses in the wild.
The tour begins with a pleasant walk along a paved track where there is no motor vehicle traffic. The path runs parallel to the Vidala arm, a sleeve of water that feeds the marshes. There are benches to rest, openings to see the birds and also an elevated viewpoint from where you can get a beautiful panoramic view and enjoy the takeoffs of the planes flying south. Just a kilometer and a half further on, the road leads to an esplanade where there is a picnic area and the Remolar-Philippines environmental information center.
To reach the different bird hides you have to leave the information center behind and then cross a small bridge. Bicycles and scooters are no longer allowed in this area and must be left tied in the picnic area.
The plan is simple, but very enjoyable: enter the different wooden viewpoints located in this area and observe the fauna, which lives outside of an airport where nearly a thousand daily operations are recorded. In most of these hides there are signs with the photograph and name of the birds before us. That is why it is advisable to bring binoculars, even if they are from the bazaar. And for those who want to go deeper, the Consorci dels Espais Naturals del Delta del Llobregat organizes ornithological visits from time to time, which they previously publish on their website.
If we want to extend the walk, we have the option of walking another half kilometer to Remolar beach, where there is another elevated wooden viewpoint. Nudism can be practiced on this virgin beach, but it is closed to the public between March 1 and July 31 to allow birds to reproduce.
Further south we find other beaches that are equally beautiful and wild, such as Filipines or Murtra, where small dunes and vegetation naturally delimit the space.
Both the Vidala pedestrian route and the picnic area located in front of the Remolar information office are open 24 hours a day all year round. However, if we want to explore the different viewpoints that pass the Pont de la Vidala, from where we can observe birds and see planes take off, we will have to stick to the information center’s schedule, which is normally from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon from Tuesday to Sunday (it is advisable to check in advance on the consortium website).
There are different ways to get to this little oasis. The private vehicle is the fastest. We must go to Barcelona airport from the C-31 and just before entering the terminal, take the Viladecans-Les Filipines exit. After avoiding some roundabouts, we can park the car for free in a large outdoor space that is very close to the long taxi waiting area.
An alternative, more sustainable and much more pleasant, is to go by bike, either from Viladecans (on the Camí de Mar) or from Prat de Llobregat (on Avenida de l’Aeroport). At the Remolar service center there is a bike rack, although we will have to bring our own locks.
By public transport, the best option to get to Remolar-Filipines is the L-99 bus, which is taken near the Gavà and Viladecans train stations and has a stop near the T1 employee parking lot, a few minutes away. 500 meters from natural space.
