Montseny Hike: Viladrau to Sant Segimon via Forest Waterfalls

About Montseny Valldrau to Sant Seigimon via waterfalls

La Castanyada is a deeply rooted Catalan tradition celebrated around All Saints’ Day (1 November). Originating from ancient harvest rituals and seasonal transitions, it marks the arrival of colder weather and honours ancestors. While Barcelona fills with street stalls roasting chestnuts, sweet potatoes and panellets, the most authentic way to experience La Castanyada is in the rural villages surrounded by chestnut forests.

The town of Viladrau, on the northern edge of the Montseny Natural Park, is famous for producing the finest chestnuts in Catalonia. For generations, Barcelona’s street vendors insisted on roasting only Viladrau chestnuts. Today, the village celebrates this heritage with the annual Fira de la Castanya, a lively autumn festival of open fire pits, roasted nuts and local culture.

This 16km circular hiking route begins and ends in Viladrau and is at its best in autumn, when the chestnut, beech and oak forests explode with colour. The trail passes waterfalls, historic hermitages and the dramatic Sant Segimon Sanctuary, making it one of the most atmospheric autumn hikes in Montseny.

The Fair of the Viladrau Chestnut, La Castanyada de Viladrau

Until the mid‑20th century, chestnuts harvested around Viladrau were considered the finest in Catalonia. Vendors in Barcelona’s streets would only toast Viladrau chestnuts, prized for their flavour and quality.

Since 1995, the village has hosted the annual Fira de la Castanya, a weekend festival celebrating chestnut culture, local produce and rural traditions. Combining this hike with the fair creates a perfect autumn weekend: colourful forests by day, firelit festivities by night.

Notable historic Buildings along the Hiking Route

Ermita de la Mare de Deu de l'Erola This mixed‑use building served both as a farmhouse and a chapel until 1956. The entrance floor is paved with river stones, and several dates carved into the structure — 1641, 1664, 1689 — reflect centuries of habitation. The hermitage was originally built as a winter residence for the hermits of Sant Segimon, who stayed here from November to April when conditions at the sanctuary were too harsh. The current chapel dates from 1630–1659 after a fire destroyed the earlier structure.

Sant Segimon Sanctuary dates from the 13th Century (documentation from 1290) when a chapel was built using a cave and took the name of Segimon which is the Catalan for King Sigismund of Burgundy who was supposedly a hermit at the cave between 516AD and 520AD. According to legend, construction of the sanctuary began centuries later when a pastor found wooden crosses buried in the caves. The Sanctuary was burned in 1810 by the French troops under the orders of General Saint-Cyr and was restored by the citizens of the surrounding towns and villages. In 1837 the Sanctuary became the property of the owner of Can Gad (farm). The sanctuary and shelter were subjected to destruction during the Civil War and are currently under restoration.

Sant Miquel dels Barretons chapel Likely built in the 16th century by a hermit named Miquel, this small chapel sits on a rocky viewpoint above Sant Segimon. Its name — “Barretons” — comes from a legend claiming that Roman travellers relieved headaches by leaving their hats inside as offerings. Today it remains one of the best viewpoints over the sanctuary and surrounding forests.

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