How to choose the right one for your next trip
Words & photography by Caro & Eduardo, Climb & Relax co-founders
Last updated on 18 April 2026
Catalonia is one of the best sport climbing regions in Europe and one of the key references for sport climbing in Spain. From the steep limestone of Lleida to the pocketed walls of Tarragona, the crags around Barcelona, and the quieter northern areas near Girona, Catalonia offers a huge variety of climbing styles within a relatively small region.
There is no single Catalonia climbing guidebook that covers everything in detail. Some books give a broad overview of several areas or even a whole province, while others focus on one destination in much more detail. Together, they are one of the best ways to understand what climbing in Catalonia is really like, from rock type and season to the range of climbing grades in Catalonia, and to choose the right area for your trip. Choosing the right Catalonia climbing guidebook depends on where you want to climb, the season, and the kind of trip you want to build.
Many of the best climbing crags in Catalonia are spread across the areas covered here, but each region has its own character, season, and style of climbing.
In this article, we have collected some of the main sport climbing guidebooks in Catalonia and organized them by four main areas: Lleida and the pre-Pyrenees, Tarragona, Barcelona and nearby crags, and Girona and the eastern Pyrenees.
We will be focusing only on sport climbing, so this list does not include bouldering areas or multi-pitch guidebooks. For each guidebook, we also include a few ways to buy it online and some of the places where it is commonly found in local shops.
Quick comparison of the main guidebooks
This quick comparison is designed to make climbing trip planning easier and to help you see at a glance which guidebook fits your destination best.
| Guidebook | Main area | Coverage type | Best use | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lleida Climbs | Lleida | Broad | One guide for several major crags in the area north of Lleida | New edition expected in September 2026 |
| Alt Urgell | Alt Urgell | Specific | Focused trips around Oliana, Perles, Coll de Nargó, and Tres Ponts | Currently hard to find online |
| Tarragona Climbs | Tarragona | Broad | Trips combining several Tarragona crags | Available |
| Siurana | Siurana | Specific | Dedicated guide for one of Catalonia’s most iconic areas | Sold out; reprint pending regulation updates |
| Margalef | Margalef | Specific | Best option for up-to-date local coverage | Available |
| Barcelona y alrededores vol. I | Barcelona area | Broad | Southern and southwestern crags near Barcelona | Available |
| Barcelona y alrededores vol. II | Barcelona area | Broad | Northern and northwestern crags near Barcelona | Available |
| Montserrat cara sur vol. I | Montserrat | Specific | Detailed coverage of the south face of Montserrat | Available |
| Montserrat vertiente norte | Montserrat | Specific | Dedicated guidebook for the north face of Montserrat | Available |
| Berguedà vertical | Berguedà | Specific | Local climbing in Berguedà and the Malanyeu area | Currently unavailable; may be out of print |
| Sadernes i Beuda | Alta Garrotxa | Specific | Historic reference for Sadernes and Beuda | 1999 guide; no longer in print |
| Escalades al Ripollès | Ripollès | Broad | Best option for Ripollès, including Montgrony | Available |
Lleida and the Pre-Pyrenees
Lleida is home to some of the best-known sport climbing in Catalonia. This is where you find steep limestone, long endurance lines, and many winter-friendly crags, along with plenty of variety across grades and styles.
Lleida Climbs
Lleida Climbs is one of the main guidebooks for sport climbing in Catalonia. Rather than focusing on a single destination, it covers a selection of major areas across the province, so it works especially well if you want to explore several crags on the same trip.
It is particularly useful if you want one book that includes areas such as Santa Linya, Camarasa, Vilanova de Meià, and Oliana.
Buy online: Goma2 (currently unavailable, as the guide is not being printed right now and the new edition is expected in September 2026)
Buy in person: Goma 2 (Cornudella de Montsant)
Alt Urgell
If you want something more local, Alt Urgell is an important guidebook for this part of Catalonia. It covers an area with a strong climbing identity and a large number of routes spread across the comarca.
It is especially relevant for climbers interested in Oliana, Perles, Coll de Nargó, and Tres Ponts. If you already know this zone will be your main base, a more focused guide like this is usually more useful than a broad selective book.
Buy online: Librería Desnivel (currently unavailable, but availability may change over time)
Buy in person: La Societat – Bar & Rocodrom (Coll de Nargó)
Tarragona
Tarragona is one of the most important sport climbing regions in Catalonia. It includes world-famous destinations such as Siurana and Margalef, along with many other crags across the Prades and Montsant area. The concentration of sectors and the variety of styles make it one of the strongest climbing zones in southern Europe.
Tarragona Climbs
Tarragona Climbs is a good choice if you want a broader view of the province instead of focusing on a single destination. It brings together several major areas and works well for climbers planning to move around during the same trip.
It is also useful for discovering less obvious but very worthwhile sectors such as La Riba, Vilanova de Prades, Montsant, and Arbolí, not only the most famous spots.
Buy online: Librería Desnivel
Buy in person: Goma 2 (Cornudella de Montsant)
Siurana
Siurana is one of the most famous sport climbing destinations in Europe, known for technical face climbing, precise footwork, and an exceptional concentration of high-quality routes. A dedicated guidebook makes sense here because the area is large and deserves more detail than a selective regional topo can provide.
If Siurana is one of your main objectives, this is usually the best guide to use. For the latest updates on newly equipped routes, you can follow @siurana_guidebook.
Buy online: Currently sold out, and the guide is not expected to be republished until the new Natural Park project defines and clarifies the area’s updated regulations.
Buy in person: Goma 2 (Cornudella de Montsant)
Margalef
Margalef is one of the key sport climbing destinations in Catalonia, but with a very different style from Siurana. It is best known for steep conglomerate walls, endless pockets, and a huge number of sectors.
A dedicated Margalef guidebook is especially useful because the area is extensive and keeps growing. New sectors and routes continue to appear, so it is worth buying the latest edition if you want the most up-to-date information. If you want a broader overview of the destination, you can also read our guide to climbing in Margalef. For updates on newly opened routes, you can follow @margalefclimb and @climbingmargalef.
Buy online: Margalef Climb
Buy in person: Bar Cafè Vernet (Margalef) · La Botiga (Margalef)
Barcelona and nearby crags
Barcelona is the starting point for many climbing trips in Catalonia, and the surrounding areas offer far more sport climbing than many visitors expect. Although the guidebook series is called Barcelona y alrededores, it actually covers a fairly wide area around the city, including sectors that can be about one hour away by car. These crags may be less internationally famous than Siurana or Margalef, but they are highly relevant for local climbers, weekend trips, and visitors looking for accessible day climbing.
Barcelona y Alrededores Vol. I
Barcelona y Alrededores Vol. I covers part of the sport climbing around Barcelona and is a useful resource for discovering crags in the wider area. It is especially practical for climbers based in or near the city who want a good range of day-trip options.
Buy online: Librería Desnivel · Altaïr
Buy in person: Altaïr (Barcelona)
Barcelona y Alrededores Vol. II
Barcelona y Alrededores Vol. II complements the first volume and expands the picture of climbing near the city. Together, both books offer one of the most complete overviews of sport climbing crags around Barcelona.
Buy online: Librería Desnivel · Altaïr
Buy in person: Altaïr (Barcelona)
Berguedà Vertical
Although Berguedà is often associated with the Pyrenean side of Catalonia, it fits well here as part of the wider inland Barcelona area. Berguedà Vertical is an important guidebook for a zone with a strong local climbing culture and a good variety of sectors.
It is especially relevant for climbers interested in Malanyeu and other crags in the comarca, and for those who want to explore beyond the best-known international destinations.
Buy online: We have not found any website with the guide currently available online.
Buy in person: We have not found any physical shop currently selling it.
At the time of writing, the guide appears to be very hard to find and may be out of print.
Montserrat
Montserrat is one of the most iconic climbing areas in Catalonia and deserves its own place within the wider Barcelona section. The mountain is around 40 minutes from Barcelona by car, and because of the size and complexity of the massif, more specific guidebooks are often better than broad books covering crags near the city.
Montserrat Cara Sur Vol. I
Montserrat Cara Sur Vol. I is the dedicated guidebook for the south face of Montserrat. It covers the best-known and most classic sectors on the south side of the massif in more detail than the broader Barcelona-area guidebooks.
Even so, if you move away from the busiest sectors, it is still possible to find quieter crags and enjoy a more relaxed day of climbing. This side of Montserrat is also a very good option in winter.
Buy online: Librería Desnivel
Buy in person: Estanco del Bruc
Montserrat Vertiente Norte
Montserrat Vertiente Norte is the guidebook for the north face of Montserrat. It is an older guide, but it still covers the sectors on this side of the massif.
These are usually smaller crags where you can often climb away from the crowds and enjoy a quieter atmosphere. The north face works especially well from spring to autumn, and the style varies a lot from sector to sector and from route to route. There are many real hidden gems scattered across the different sectors, and you are much more likely to find local climbers here than tourists.
Buy online: Librería Desnivel
Buy in person: Estanco del Bruc
For current route information, the north face of Montserrat is also available in the ClimbAround app, just like Sadernes.
Girona and the Eastern Pyrenees
The northern and eastern side of Catalonia has a different feel from Lleida or Tarragona. Here, climbing is often quieter, more local, and closely tied to the mountain landscape.
Sadernes i Beuda
Sadernes i Beuda is an important reference for this historic climbing area in northern Catalonia. Even though the guidebook is old and difficult to find, it is still worth mentioning because it is the only guide for the zone.
Buy online: Librería Desnivel (this is the only guidebook for the area, but it dates from 1999 and is no longer in print)
Buy in person: The guide is no longer being printed. For current route information, you can find the topos in the ClimbAround app, available for Android and iPhone.
Escalades al Ripollès
Escalades al Ripollès is one of the key guidebooks for the Ripollès area and brings together many of the crags in this part of northern Catalonia. It is a good choice if you want to explore a less internationally known side of the region.
One of the most important areas covered in the guide is Montgrony, which is also one of the largest and most significant climbing areas in Ripollès, and one of the best known for its tufa climbing and limestone walls.
Buy online: Goma2 · Librería Desnivel · Alibri
Buy in person: Santuari de Santa Maria de Montgrony · Cal Corraler (Gombrèn)
No single answer – Just the right one for your trip
The best Catalonia climbing guidebook depends on how you want to travel.
If you want to move around and sample several destinations, broader books such as Lleida Climbs or Tarragona Climbs are a practical place to start. If your trip will focus on one major destination, a dedicated topo such as Siurana or Margalef is usually the better choice.
For climbing near the city, the Barcelona y Alrededores volumes are the most useful references. For quieter northern areas, books covering Ripollès, Sadernes, Montgrony, or Berguedà may be a better fit.
There is no single Catalonia climbing guidebook that is best for every climber or every trip. Choosing the right one depends on your travel plans, your priorities, and the kind of climbing you want to do. Some books are broad and selective, while others focus on a single destination in much more detail.
Together, they offer a strong overview of sport climbing in Catalonia and make it much easier to choose the areas that best match your style and travel plans.
Still not sure which guidebook or area is right for your trip?
At Climb & Relax, we help climbers choose the best area in Catalonia based on the season, climbing style, conditions, and travel plans. Use the contact form below if you want local advice or help with climbing trip planning before your trip.