Vall de Sant Daniel

This is one of the city's best green spaces, despite the terrible decision to build the eastern ring road nearby. Put on your trainers or grab your bikes and, with the kids in tow, head to the massif of the Gavarres or the valley that's been variously named Shady, Gloomy or Profound thanks to its depth, and that was formed by the river Galligants. In the area there are many springs with water that's low in minerals, the flow of which depends on how much rain has fallen recently. The Font d'en Pericot is the oldest ('font' means spring), but there's also the Fita, Bisbe, Lleons and Ferro springs to discover - from the last of these, the water that emerges is hot. There are some hills but none of them are excessive, unless you want to get to the Castell de Sant Miquel or the Santuari dels Àngels (Sanctuary of the Angels) - they're outings that are well worth doing, and both include spectacular views of the surrounding area that more than make up for the effort to get to them. Old houses with fortified towers and the 11th-century Benedictine monastery founded by Ermessenda (a French noblewoman from southern France who became Countess consort of Barcelona, Girona and Osona) are other points of interest that you'll find along the way. Without doubt, a fantastic day out.