Marc

AEGM Mountain Guide

Tavernoles, Catalunya

AEGM Rock Climbing Guide

Ever since I was a kid I have been in contact with nature, and this has been my environment. Family traditions led to my first steps in the hiking world. I discovered wonderful places and learned to enjoy and respect the mountains. Still vivid in my memories are the ascents around Ordesa NP and the Catalan Pyrenees during my childhood.

At the age of eighteen I took my first steps in rock climbing. I dedicated some years climbing traditional classic routes, with the Montsec range as my school. With the experience gained I widened my horizons and started discovering new walls: Ordesa, Puig Campana, Penyal d'Ifach, Los Mallos de Riglos, Montrebei, Terradets...

In 2000, I got my Civil Engineer degree. I then spent my holidays climbing. At this point I started exploring the big possibilities France and its walls opened up: Verdon, Vercors, Jonte...

In 2002 I went on a one-year trip to Australia, but without climbing. After that year I realized rock climbing was my real passion. At then started spending as much time as I had climbing. My climbing trips starting taking me further and further. It was in Switzerland where I discovered my favorite climbing terrain: the amazing limestone walls of Wendenstöcke, Rätikon, Sanetsch... After that, new destinations kept coming: UEA, Jordan, Morocco, Dolomites, Sardinia, Corsica...

Finally, I decided to become a Climbing Guide and offer all my climbing experience to you.

My formal training started in 2011, as I became a Climbing Monitor of the High Mountain Catalan Academy (ECAM). Just after that, in 2012, I got my Climbing Sport Technician degree.

Not satisfied with that, I continued my training to get the highest climbing degree available in Spain. In the spring of 2014 I finished my training and became a Climbing Superior Sport Technician.

Programs

Spain - 1 day - Easy - Private & Group

Rock climbing taster in Barcelona

12 reviews

Spain - 2 days - Intermediate - Private & Group

2-day multi-pitch climbing course in Catalonia

28 reviews

Spain - 1/2 day - Easy - Private & Group

Catalonia via ferrata for beginners

6 reviews

Spain - 1 day - Intermediate - Private & Group

Via Ferrata in Barcelona

3 reviews

What People are Saying about Marc

131 reviews

He realizado con Marc dos cursos: un curso de iniciación a vías ferratas y otro curso de iniciación en escalada deportiva. La experiencia fue fenomenal. La adquisición de unos conocimientos y técnicas para progresar con autonomía y seguridad fue total. El trato muy cercano, atento y profesional. Ambos cursos duraron 2 días donde se exploró varios sectores de nuestras montañas de dificultad media, ganando seguridad y confianza tanto en el material como en mi misma. Eso sí, siempre bajo la atención, ayuda y supervisión de los monitores. 100% recomendables

Catexia Mrm

Marc was a fantastic guide! He took us to some great routes, worked with each of us at our level, and even took some photos of us mid-climb. Great experience

Michelle LaFiura

Buen trato muy familiar y conceptos muy bien explicados, volvería contratar sus servicios de nuevo

Jonathan Castillo Gil

We did a two-day self-rescue course that is highly recommended to go with more confidence doing long climbing routes. It was great because it gave us the information we needed to adapt to each of us, and most of all were able to practice a lot.

Pau Contreras

Marc is a great professional, demonstrates a high level of climbing skills, and knows how to teach in a very dynamic way. In addition, it makes you feel at home from the first minute, due to its friendly and forthcoming personality. I definitely recommend it!

Guillem Gallifa

Marc is a great climber and a very good educator. It was great to discover the world of climbing by his side. I did with him an initiation course in climbing (two mornings) in Sabassona (Boulder and rappelling) and in Sorralta in Roda de Ter (climbing) and two climbing outings (in the Soleia of Sant Martí de Centelles and in Montserrat), of all the day, to consolidate and perfect the learnings (in small group, of three and two people).

Jordi Ayats

It is our first time to climb on the real mountain (Climbing in Monestir de Montserrat). So it is very interesting for us. Marc is very helpful and works very hard. It would be easy to learn from him and feel safe. Hope he can strive on this job and help more people to have their first try.

Yilin

Great connoisseur of his work, a lot of kindness, a lot of security, a lot of ability to convey things. Definitely a very good person both personally and at work. We did a self-rescue course for an entire weekend, in a very good environment (Merolla pass). The course was about having tools to solve problems on a climbing route, such as rescuing a rope partner and so on. We have finished the course and know all the necessary maneuvers and more, in order to solve any problem! Sincerely very satisfied with the course, the classmates and especially Marc Vilaplana! Thanks.

Oriol Bertran

He is a lovely guy who adapts a lot to the group! We spent a f* amazing time and we learned a lot. It contributes 120% both in knowledge and in a good atmosphere !! Highly recommended!

Laia

We did an introductory multi-pitch climbing course. It was in September 2020 in Montserrat (Catalonia). Marc is an excellent guide. He knows the routes and explains peculiarities of the area. He knows how to encourage climbers and is patient with the rhythms of each one. He shares usefull tricks to ensure efficiency and safety in maneuvers.

Anna & Clara

This past weekend we did an introductory course on multi-pitch climbing where we learned the systems to be able to start climbing autonomously. Marc is an experienced guide, working in a safe, comfortable and understandable way for customers. I would definitely recommend it for any climbing course you plan to do.

Ignasi

Great experience to strengthen techniques and knowledge, with a very friendly and personal approach!

Raul Marin

Very good experience, we learn and enjoy it, I would recommend it.

Martí García

I had an amazing experience as a first time climber. I learned so much in just one day. Marc was very patient and made sure the spots would be enjoyable. Now I want to climb again!

Candice Clamens

Fantastic trip and highly recommended

Razvan Barsan

We did an introductory course in sport climbing with Marc on the first weekend in July. We come back with a lot of new information and a lot of internalized concepts. From Marc we highlight his patience, knowledge of safety and climbing sectors, passion for it and anticipation of possible problems that may arise climbing and that is easy to solve with the right information. 100% recommended course if you want to start being autonomous in rock. 10 points for Marc .

German

Marc is a great instructor and also a great person! highly recommended

Mariona

I did the climbing initiation course and it was great for me. I learned a lot and gained the confidence to climb. It has been a very good course and Marc is a great instructor. Highly recommended.

Arnald Batlle

A fantastic guide !! I did the multi-pitch climbing course with him and I learned a lot !! Thanks to his knowledge, dedication and patience teaching ... clove hitch.. dynamic knot... double fisherman.. machard.. double cow tail ... I won\'t forget them, and all thanks to Marc !! Thank you for the great work you do !!!

Helena

I took a climbing initiation course with Marc, and he gave us a lot of knowledge so we could gain the confidence to climb on our own. It has been a pleasure, he adapts to all situations and creates a very good vibe! Thank you so much Marc!

Gara

Marc was excellent in explaining all, very patient, fun and easy-going. I really recommend this activity with him!

Valery

Phenomenal and breathtaking experience: Marc + the Montserrat Mountains = Unforgettable climbing experience. Marc is a genuine, kind, and caring host - which added to the already fascinating landscape. A local to the area who can show you the \'ropes\' to the local crag and surrounding region. With his coaching I\'ve completed the hardest route I\'ve done outside! Pros: - Skilled climbing instructor - Beginner friendly - Tailored climbing experience (scaled as needed) - Excellent communication on safety and techniques to execute your climbing route - Instagram worthy shots Cons: - Wishing you had more energy to climb :/ Overall Rating: 11/10 would book again Overall a must for those who want an intro to outdoor climbing, or those who already climb outdoors and want some insight into the local scene. What are you waiting for? Climb on!

Matthew Baluyut

I enjoyed and learned a lot with Marc in this introduction course to multi-pitch climbing. He is really kind and very professional. He made us feel comfortable and safe and his explanations were truly useful. An awesome experience; totally recommended!

Gil Solanes

I did the introductory course in sport climbing with Marc this weekend and it has been a pleasure. Level 0 game and no previous experience. Marc has been very patient and it has been a pleasure to learn from him: knots, belaying, anchors, falling well, how to climb, how to interact in this world, how to find a route... He had no problem at all lending me his equipment. At all times I felt safe and he conveys a lot of security and a very good vibe. At all times!! 100% recommended if you want to get started in this world of climbing! I\'LL DO IT AGAIN!!

Joan Josep Giner Vila

Great experience multi-pitch practical course, Marc was very patient to answer all our doubts and questions and passed on the basics on multi-pitch climbing, theoretically and practically and we got to practise on the wall, leading and on belay. I strongly recommend it!

Unai Arrieta

We did a one day multi-pitch climbing course in Montserrat, and loved it. Marc is a very experienced and patient guide, with a lot of knowledge and easy to talk to, will answer any doubts you may have and gave us confidence first showing us the techniques in a safe place and then climbing the multi-pitch. Totally recommended!

Arnau Orengo

An AMAZING experience! 🔥 Marc Vilaplana Traveria Forever! A Crack and great professional, it gives you all the confidence! Looking forward to going back! 🔥🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🔥

Xavier Esclusa Trias

Super recommended, good course, good locations, adapted to our level, good balance between theory and practice. Marc is the best, he knows how to motivate you and make you progress. We really enjoyed it! we want more!

Núria Vilardell

The best climbing guide in Catalonia. I learned a lot with him in the self-rescue course. Very grateful.

Robert Ribo

Highly recommended the self-rescue course I did with Marc. He has a lot of experience in the mountains and knows how to pass on knowledge.

Pere

Marc is a person with a vocation for his work, I could say that his life and his work are united, which is very favourable because the service he offers is more productive than expected, a very fun but serious guy at work what makes me convey a trust confidence. We went through the Penedes area and the Monistrol de Montserrat area 30 minutes from Barcelona, but in the middle of nature, the views of 10.

Joan

Marc is a perfect instructor, thanks to him I learned many things that I now use in a self-sufficient and safe way.

Toni

Very good partner and professional. With a two-weekend theoretical and practical course, I felt self-sufficient to do sport climbing. Thanks Marc!

Pau

Very professional

Andreu Moreno Martin

Marc is very warm and professional. He is always ready and has an answer at hand. Excellent! I did with him a sport climbing and a multi-pitch climbing course.

Pau Moreno

Very good treatment, friendly, polite and adequate. Professional.

Sergio

Magnific climbing monitor! Very clear explanations, very useful super practical course and gives you all your support during the course and post course to keep improving in the world of climbing!

Sandra Rierola

It was a really fun course and I learned a lot. Apart from climbing he also entrusted me with his love for the mountains and the respect for nature in general. Great memory.

Gemma

This experience was the highlight of our week in Barcelona! Marc was very supportive and accommodating to our climbing levels. We climbed a variety of routes, which were really fun! He is very experienced, and good at what he does. Thanks again!

Molly

Marc was a fantastic guide. My wife and I spent the day with Marc in Montserrat I have climbed for several years, and have never been able to get my wife get on a wall during that time. During our recent trip to Barcelona my wife surprised me with a day of climbing in Montserrat. The highlight of the day was my wife topping out on her first outdoor climb. I think Marc\'s calm and encouraging personality made her feel comfortable and it provided us with a very memorable moment. Marc was also able to quickly assess my climbing level and find climbs that were a perfect fit for what I was looking for. He is a safe and knowledgable guide. Spending the day with Marc was very enjoyable and climbing in Montserrat was fabulous. So if you\'ve never climbed before or are experienced and looking to get out on some rock during your travels Marc is your man!

Ashley Mc Gowan

It was an excellent trip, Marc is a perfect guide, very interesting et highly skilled. I recommend Marc and the climbing spot.

Martina Gagliardi

I think it would be hard to give a short review about my experience with Marc. This was an experience of a life time. Marc is so knowledgeable and patient. He allowed us to ask questions about the history and culture of the towns and villages. He made me feel safe when climbing. He has so much knowledge about the mountain that he had back up routes for the weather. He went over safety a few times which made me feel that much better. He asked what type of climbing I was looking to do and customize my experience to what I wanted and needed. One of the NICEST people you will ever meet. I live in the states. Someone local to me suggested climbing with Marc. I rearranged my entire Europe vacation around climbing with Marc and I’m SO thankful I did. Best experience I’ve ever had. My friend highly recommended Marc and I HIGHLY recommend Marc. I will be back to climb with him again. I’ve already tried to figure out next steps. That is how meaningful this experience has been to me.

Alex Westfall

We had an unforgettable day climbing with Marc in Montserrat. Marc is an excellent and very experienced rock climbing guide. We felt safe throughout the entire tour and he was also very encouraging. Whether you’ve never climbed or are an experienced climber, he can adapt the climb to suit different skill levels. His tours are perfect for many tourists because he speaks English really well. Leading up to the trip, he was easy to coordinate with and when we arrived he had all the gear we needed. If you are looking to have an adventurous experience while in Spain, Marc is the right person to show you how!

Shannon C

Very good professional and a great teacher. I did with him a self-rescue course, which was a success!

Josep

Very good guide to learn rigorously and safely. Comfort and good vibes with a top one climber. From beginners to experts.

Bruna

I did two climbing courses (in 2019 and Feb 2020) with Marc and I\'m sure I will do more. Highly recommended to learn and enjoy the rock climbing world! Marc is a great professional!

Berta Sala

Marc has extensive knowledge of the subject, he knows how to transmit them so that you understand the reason for the manoeuvres, he is a flexible and pleasant person. He was open to proposals and considerations made by those of the group. Surely I will repeat some training with him. Some of the people I shared the course with had already done previous ones with Marc.

Pablo Navarro

Do you think rock climbing in winter does not work well? Forget it! Marc shows you that Catalunya in January is an amazing experience. Above all, we appreciate his flexibility that allowed us to focus only and only on things that we wanted and he took care of everything else (finding the only place without rain, lending me his jacket and saving my fallen cell phone). In short, superb experience with a superb instructor!

Ariel

Marc is an excellent guide and I would climb with him again any time. I learned a lot climbing with him and felt safe and comfortable the entire time. Thanks Marc!

Cael

I found Marc through his Instagram profile and knew immediately that he would be the perfect guide to help me deepen my knowledge and experience of outdoor climbing. We spent a full 10-hour day together where he taught me the basics of rocks climbing, practicing top roping, leading, multi-pitching and rappelling. His clear explanations, skill, guidance, and not to mention patience and confidence in my abilities were remarkable, and I was so happy with the service provided. I very much look forward to climbing again with Marc and hope to bring some friends along the next time! Thank you Marc and hasta pronto!

Sarah T

Experience was very good and the highlight of my first trip to Europe

Saleh Hindi

Great place, great view, great coaching. The skill of multi pitch is a bit complicated but we managed to get the hang of it under Marc’s coaching.

Daniel Yiu

Marc was fantastic. One of the most knowledgable and efficient guide i\'ve had. Me and my partner have been climbing in the gym for a number of years now, but i\'m unfortunately still afraid of height. Marc made us feel very safe throughout the whole trip and was very encouraging when i got stuck. He made sure that we had fun and at the same time improving our climbing skills. I would definitely recommend Marc to anyone considering a climbing trip.

Excellent professional rock climbing. Humble and great person. UN MÀQUINA !! I did with Marc a Master of three years of sport climbing, and several guided outings (Montserrat - Via Stromberg al Gorro Frigi + Via Ignasi Jorba ala Magdalena Superior /Terradets : Paret de les bagasses - Combinant Vies Quo Vadis i CADE - i d\'altres)

Maria Padrós

He is the f*cking boss of climbing. The best guide for climbing of all kinds!

Albert Donado

Marc was a great guide and we can definitely recommend him regardless of your grade level. He not only knew the area well, but he also gave valuable tips on how to improve our climbing

Tom Eklöf

It was wonderful trip. Marc was professional and pleasant. Nice day, nice people, nice climbing.

Maja

The reviewer did not leave a comment

Jean Lim

Totally useful course very adapted to the activities we usually do. Many problems and doubts that arose were resolved. Very good group atmosphere and a lot of fun.

Agustí

Marc gave us a very complete and professional self-rescue course, and above all adapting a lot to our requests, which were not few. He is a great professional and enjoys the work he does.

Ramon Jorba

Marc was an incredible guide! He kept very strong communication leading up to the trip to ensure our goals were met. On the trip itself Marc went above and beyond to ensure we were safe and having fun while learning a ton on our first multi pitch climb. My girlfriend and I had an issue finding a place to camp for the night and Marc never left our side and ensured we had the right accommodations. This was a trip we’ll never forget thanks to Marc’s engagement.

Anna Cevallos

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed climbing with Marc. He was incredibly knowledgeable of the area in Montserrat and assessed our skill set very quickly. He was very safe and thorough in all his systems and we felt very comfortable with his experience. We hope to be back in the area soon to hopefully spend 2-3 days climbing in the area with Marc!

Dan Wolfskill

He was incredibly kind, helpful and taught us so much during our tour! We had a fantastic time!

Shoshana

Marc was an awesome guide. I highly recommend anyone in Costa Brava to check out Via ferrata. I had the best time and I owe that to Marc.

George

We had a great 2 days tour with Marc in Montserrat, a stunning spot one hour away from Barcelona. On the first day, Marc initiated us to climbing in a very didactic and professional way. The following day, we embarked on a multi-pitch climbing journey of stunning beauty. A must do with a great pro!! Highly recommended for the climbing amateurs willing to discover a new spot. Thank you to the Explore-share team for making it possible.

Xavier van Campenhout

Marc was a great guide for our inexperienced group - he chose great routes, quickly increasing the difficulty of what he saw we could handle, so it was never boring. He is very experienced, and speaks great english, which was very useful when asking or listening for directions in more intense situations, as there were no miscommunications. This helped a lot as some members of our group had never climbed before, but at no point we felt insecure. I would definitely hire him again if I\'ll find myself in that part of the world.

Vytautas

Marc created an amazing 3-day trip catered to my climbing goals. I am an experienced climber so we also did wilderness camping. He is super professional, an excellent climbing partner, and a joy to hang out with for 3 days! I saw so much of Catalonia thanks to his guidance, top notch experience!!

Cassie

Marc is the perfect climbing guide: excellent communication, super professional, very safe, and highly encouraging. He has a passion for Catalonia, for climbing, and for teaching climbing skills and that shows in his knowledge and disposition. I am an experienced climber and wanted to expand my technical skills and push my limits, so I booked a 3-day multi-pitch trip that included wilderness camping. Marc created the perfect trip based around my goals. As a guide he chose locations that were perfect in that I could climb easy routes to build my confidence as well as harder ones that were appropriately challenging. As a teacher he explained methods and technical skills clearly and confidently and always made sure I felt safe. As a climbing partner he is super encouraging, giving me beta when I needed it but also allowing me the space to figure things out. I am truly a better climber after this experience, and I also got to see parts of Catalonia I wouldn’t have been able to access on my own. I highly, highly recommend Marc for first-time climbers who want to learn the basics as well as experienced climbers who want to explore and expand their skills. Thank you for everything Marc!!!

Cassie Absher

Was great fun and very safe. At some points we were not feeling too safe since we did not have much experience. Marc helped a lot and gave us confidence that we can do it.

Matt

Marc is everything you want in a guide - a great communicator, a highly skilled climber, and a kind and interesting person. Do not hesitate to book Marc for your climbing adventures!

Megan

I\'ve booked Marc to be my guide four different times now. The first time, with my teenaged daughter, to do the Via Ferrata at Cala del Moli. I\'ve done ferratas before, but she hasn\'t, so we wanted to make use of his experience to give my daughter the best possible experience. Frankly, it was excellent. Next, I went climbing with Marc. Again, excellent. He quickly got to know my capabilities, limitations and specific goals. In one day we knocked off three different routes, exceeding my expectations. On another trip to the country, I hired Marc to be my climbing guide again, this time on two different days to two new climbing areas. Our previous experience together let us hit the ground running perfectly. He had picked some specific routes that he knew would suit me well, again exceeding my expectations for the trip. So, to sum it up, I\'ve been on four different trips with Marc (Via ferrata in Cala Molí, and climbing in Monserrat, Roca del Arcs, and Rocamaura), each and every one of them has been excellent. So, when I say that I recommend him highly, know that this is based on more than just one experience.

Dave Baker

Marc set me up with Fran who was the best guide I could have asked for. I had some climbing experience (sport 5.10-5.11 level) before going on the trip and Fran assessed my skills and tailored the trip to me. I wanted to learn how to multipitch more than try harder routes so he took it slowly enough to show me the basics of multipitch and even let me lead a route. Fran was a delight to spend the day with and this was a trip I\'ll remember for the rest of my life.

Eric LaPrairie

This was an amazing trip. Marc was very responsive before the trip to understand what we want and to design a trip around it. He was also great at reacting on the fly to any requests we had the day of. He is a super fun guy to climb with. Overall, I highly recommend Marc.

Christopher Choquette Choo

Marc went above and beyond to make sure we had a great holiday. We had never done lead climbing outdoors, but Marc showed us the ropes and taught us the essentials in a safe and thorough manner. It was one of the best trips of my life, and we have Marc to thank for teaching us, and showing us the hidden gems that only an experienced local would know! I look forward to climbing with you again, ojala!

Tom Boyce

I would highly recommend Marc for climbers of all levels. He can provide you with all your equipment needs and is a great teacher that speaks fluent english, spanish, and catalan. We had excellent communication together through the explore-share app and also personal email. I received specific information on how to meet Marc from the R5-GFC line from Placa Espanya in Barcelona to the estacion Monistrol de Montserrat. I was picked up at the station in Marc\'s car and we drove up to the Monastery and parked. From there we rode a funicular from the Monastery to easy access trails to all of our climbs. As an experienced climber away on vacation with my family, I was able partner up with Marc and lead as many pitches as I wanted! I benefited from Marc\'s expertise as a rock climbing guide and rock climbing beta. Additionally, Marc is a local and provided me with information about the area and potential future trips. I would highly recommend using Marc as a guide. Paul Connecticut, USA

Paul Garasimowicz

The experience with Marc was very good. He explained very well and we learned a lot, it is 100% recommended.

Carles Bautista

Marc was a fantastic guide for our two days of climbing. We were visiting Barcelona from Los Angeles, and my twin 16 year olds are experienced indoor climbers and relatively new to outdoor lead climbing. Marc made everything easy,

Gillian Wright

Marc was very polite and responsive to our questions and needs about directions and scheduling. Gave great advice about doing via ferrata.

Lorinda Franklin

Marc is a professional and very knowledgeable tour guide. He ensured: we had the proper equipment; we understood the trek; we were safe; we had fun.

Tony Porfilio

It was a day that I climbed 90 meters of wall for the first time, with the company of my father and the great help of Marc Vilaplana. I learned a lot, a very good time when we reached the top, we had lunch at the needle top of Magdalena Inferior. I highly recommend Marc as a teacher because he inspires a lot of confidence, a lot of calm and security, I learned a lot from him.

Gerard Aceves

Marc was amazing, very knowledgeable and friendly. Had a great first experience doing multi pitch. Highly recommended!

TJ Yap

Marc has complete dominion over the english language, and was very communicative over emails and ensured we had a safe and fun climb. He\'s a local and knows the topology incredibly well. Incredible experience!

Ronald Rivera

His passion for climbing is 100% passed on to students! A great guide!

Gil Erra

My day of climbing with Marc was the highlight of my trip to Catalunya! I felt safe the entire time because he knew what he was doing and did a great job of teaching me. It was my first time doing any multi-pitch climbing and his instructions, tips, and supervision was perfect. He speaks excellent English. Marc helped me develop a lot as a climber. He knew the ins and outs of the routes we took and made the climbing experience very tailored to me - we climbed three routes in one day and I was exhausted by the end, in the best way possible. Marc brought along a camera and took about 40 great pictures during the climb which he emailed me the same evening. I appreciated that a lot because I wanted to share the experience with my family. The views are amazing in Montserrat too and the hike up (optional) was a nice warmup and fun. You can also take the Funicular, but it starts pretty late in the morning. The rock was super really fun to climb on because of how diverse the holds were and I felt the route ratings were very accurate. Great protection, but not a lot of exposure, depending on the route (lots of low angle slab, especially at the start of routes). Marc knew the larger area too. Unfortunately, it rained on one day, but we were going to go to another mountain range, which I was very excited for, the second day. I would 100% climb again with Marc and plan to if I am ever in Spain again. It was an absolutely amazing experience in great part because of him. Thank you, Marc!

Eric Christopherson

Climbing with Marc at Montserrat was awesome! He contacted us before the trip to get an idea of what our experience was, and what we hoped to get out of the trip, and he used the info to help design the perfect climbing day for us! We felt completely safe climbing under his guidance. Very nice guy, we had a great time with him. He was also kind enough to capture action photos of us during the climb. Also, the location is undeniably gorgeous. It made for an unforgettable and truly life-changing experience! I absolutely would recommend Marc, to climbers of any level!!

Hannah Gubbels

Marc is a great guide. He was very professional, patient and super-friendly :) Thanks for the memorable adventure!

Ilya Flarin

Thank you so much for this unique and incredibly exciting experience! You encouraged us to push our limits and helped us out of our comfort zone whilst keeping us safe at all times! Your skills, experience, professionalism, and calming nature made us feel safe and looked after throughout the day. We hope that many other happy adventurers will have the opportunity to climb with you. Above all, you’re also an AMAZING photographer!!!! Thank you so much!

Laura Bernhard

Muy buen profesional y muy buen técnico con trato inmejorable. Recomendable 100x100. Muchas gracias Marc!

Marta Sanjuan

Professional and funny guide! Really easy to learn with him

Quim Ares

Marc introduced me to climbing during february 2019. I took part in one of his initiation groups where we learnt both theory and practical skills. It was amazing and with no doubt I would recommend him to everyone who wants to start climbing or to improve the technique because of his incredible knowledge, skills, passion and patience.

Paula Marmol

Hoy hemos finalizado el curso de Nivel Inicial con Marc en Montserrat!! De nuevo, ha sido una jornada muy agradable. Marc es un profesional en la materia, nos ha hecho pasar un día de escalada estupendo y quedarnos con ganas de repetir! Sin duda, recomendado 100%!

Helena Repe

Altament recomanable per als qui ens agrada disfrutar de la verticalitat amb total seguretat.

Neus Capdevila Colom

The guide\'s work has been impeccable. I wanted to thank Marc for his time and work, it\'s been a real pleasure to do a self-rescue course with him, and I found it very useful and interesting! I\'ll do another course with him in the near future.

Miriam

Muy buena experiencia, me he sentido muy cómoda, ha sido muy eficaz la información y el desarrollo del curso.

Miriam Mo

I booked a 2-day multipich course with Marc and it was awesome! He took care of every detail and adapted the activity to our previous level of skills. Safety was guaranteed during the whole journey and we had a lot of fun as well! I strongly recommend Marc as climbing guide, if I give trad climbing a try, I’ll call him for sure!

Vicky

Moltes gràcies al Marc per la paciencia i les ganes amb les que ens va ensenyar la seva passió per l\'escalada esportiva. Ha estat una experiencia increible. Un cap de setmana d\'esport, riures i natura. Segur que tornarem a estar en contacte per properes sortides.

Paula Marmol

He was a fantastic guide! He passed on to us his passion for the mountains and the technique to enjoy it.

Cristina

Marc’s via Ferrata tour was amazing, and Marc was very accommodating and patient. First off I think you really need to be adventurous and have some level of fitness. It’s strenuous but all is worth the thrill and views along the way. I totally recommend this tour. I have been looking forward to exploring other via ferrata tours as well.

Lena

I would absolutely recommend Marc to anyone looking for adventure in the Barcelona/Costa Brava area. We had an amazing and one of a kind experience and were able to see the coastline from an incredible perspective. He is extremely knowledgeable, professional, and FUN! I can’t recommend this experience enough!

Molly

We had a very nice time! Marc was a very nice guide and we really enjoyed climbing with him!!

Jianbo Yin

My girlfriend and I had Marc as a Via Ferrata instructor. Even though we were new and a little slow, not once did he rush or hurry us. All he focused on was safety and encouragement. This review will not do Marc justice. Truly an outstanding instructor

Yaron Sela

I had Marc as a guide when I went climbing in Montserrat in November this year. I can highly recommend Marc, he was not only very professional (safety, equipment, etc) he also selected the routes very carefully to meets my needs and experience. Altogether I had 3 great days with Marc, super friendly and easy going guide! I’m certainly coming back to Catalunya to do more climbing trips

Niklas Bergvall

My friend and I visited Spain from the US. Marc took us to rock climb outdoors for the first time in Monsterrat! It was an amazing experience. Marc went above and beyond to make our experience safe and super fun! He had all the proper equipment and as a first-time outdoor rock climbing experience, we felt so safe! He took amazing photos for us too. Oh, and he was super patient with us! Thank you, Marc!!

Nicole

Marc has been a crack in this rescue course, he is a professional who immediately shows confidence, with a calm temperament, without haste but without pause, who adapts to the group, very professional and who puts safety first, a quality that I consider basic in professionals who are dedicated to mountain guides. I recommend him 100%, he is also a person who creates a warm climate, very close, familiar, intrepid and restless.

Anna Carmona

It was great, would recommend, 5/5 :)

Laurent Levesque

It was great, would recommend, 5/5 :)

Laurent Levesque

I hired Marc for one day\'s guided rock climbing on the south face of Montserrat. Marc was a very pleasant guide with a fun sense of humour. He knew the climbing in the area incredibly well and was able to tailor the routes he chose for us to suit my level of experience and competence. I highly recommend him, whatever level of rock climber you are!

Peta Glew

Absolutely fantastic day out in Montserrat mountains. Marc is super friendly and easy going and helped me to achieve my goals while lead climbing. The area is also gorgeous with over 4000 routes to suit any skill level. Can not recommend enough!!

John Neskudla

Beautiful climb on spectacular conglomerate rock. To top it off, Marc is very knowledgeable and friendly!

Laurent Levesque

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Alex Athanasiadis

Super nice and experienced guy!!! Strongly recommend for anyone that wants to get the adrenaline going

Alex Athanasiadis

Marc was an excellent guide, he brought me to very interesting climbs and also was very professional in terms of safety and organization. He was also very easy to chat with, and it was 3 very enjoyable days!

Niklas Bergvall

Great day, Mark is a fantastic guide.

Tim Fink

Hicimos la vía ferrata de Sant Feliu de Guíxols y todo fué perfecto. Marc transmite toda la seguridad y confianza que necesitamos los primerizos. Además, dejarte guiar por alguien que ves que lleva las montañas y la naturaleza dentro enriquece más la experiencia. Ya estamos pensando en repetir porque nos ha enganchado!

Celia Suarez

I had one of the coolest experiences of my life on the Via Ferrata with Marc! He made sure that we felt safe and let us choose the level of difficulty that we wanted. He also took pictures of us climbing which I thought was really nice! Highly recommend

Madelyn Smith

I had a marvelous first time climbing experience with my guide Jordi. Thank you!

Darren Klish

Me and my boyfriend had a perfect climbing via ferrata experience with Marc as our guide in Sant Feliu de Guíxols. As we have not been doing via ferrata in Spain before Marc made us feel safe about the whole thing. To find a guide that could customize the trip for just us two was exactly what we wanted. We highly recommend him!

Helena Holts

Marc was awesome! My wife and I couldn\'t have asked for a better guide! He made everything so fun and he was patient, had a great attitude, is knowledgeable about climbing and the Montserrat area, everything needed for an amazing experience!

Matt Lucchesi

Marc was the best guide I could have asked for. Traveling alone as an 18 year old female from North Carolina, Marc went out of his way to make sure I felt safe. It is so important to have a guide that encourages you and is patient with you. Marc took time to find routes that were perfect for my style and skill level. I loved every second of climbing in Spain. Kind, passionate, knowledgeable, respectful, understanding... thank you Marc!

Cassie Dockery

It was great time.. Enjoyed multi rock climbing with good guide Mark.. Next time I will go again with Mark.

young

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young

Molt agraïda al marc per la seva feina! Va ser un dia espectacular vaig assolir molt més del que em pensava i em vaig sentir molt ben acollida en tot moment. La seva tècnica docent és excelent i és molt pacient a la hora de explicar-te les coses. Gràcies Marc!!!

Alin Sitoe Diatta

I had the best experience of my entire holiday with Marc. I never climbed before and with him coaching in safety and technique I managed to advance ALOT in my 2 day course. He does that little extra to make the experience truly unique. I would recommend this to anyone who who is up for a great challenge and adventure, in spectacular environments, with a fantastic guide/coach/teacher. Thank you Marc.

Daniel nordström

two friends and I did a via ferrata trip at Costa brava and he was a great guide!! He was encouraging and a great teacher. He even picked us up from the train station! overall a really fun experience, I would highly recommend going on a climbing trip with Marc!!

Sarah Edwards

Marc was great, he even went back to grab me climbing shoes when I left mine at home. He taught me some of the history of the beautiful area, and put us up on some of the most spectacular lines I\'ve been on. Will recommend to all of my climbing friends, as well as book with him again when I eventually return to this magical place! Marc spoke English well and was very receptive, helpful and accommodating.

Ryan Suarez-Melcon

It was amazing and unforgatable day in rocks near Barcelona. Very exсiting view during the all route. Marc is the best guide ever, communicative, cheerfull and very responsive. Thanks him to share this greate experience with us. No fear anymore ;)

Marc arrived early for our day, and provided a great day of climbing. He selected perfect routes in a spectacular setting, and offered more than a days worth of climbing. Marc is friendly, informative and speaks perfect English. I would love have another opportunity to climb with him some day.

Tim Creamer

A magnificent guide. He taught us a lot, with patience and a lot of humour. I recommend him to everyone.

Lluis

Dedication and Passion for this great world that is climbing. Dynamic theoretical-practical course. Above all, Marc is a great person.

Marcos Montero

Marc was skilled, friendly and awesome with everything! Highly would recommend him and this trip!

Mark Palomba

The climb was amazing!! Such a great day and Montserrat was such a beautiful place to spend a day to climb!!! Marc Vilaplana was such an incredible guide!! So knowledgeable of both the area and climbing! He really made it so much fun and kept it very safe! He also picked us up from the train station in the morning and gave us a ride back to the station, which felt like he was going above and beyond for us!!He is great for beginners, experts, and anything in between!!! Thanks so much for such an incredible climb!!!

Matt

He realizado con Marc dos cursos: un curso de iniciación a vías ferratas y otro curso de iniciación en escalada deportiva. La experiencia fue fenomenal. La adquisición de unos conocimientos y técnicas para progresar con autonomía y seguridad fue total. El trato muy cercano, atento y profesional. Ambos cursos duraron 2 días donde se exploró varios sectores de nuestras montañas de dificultad media, ganando seguridad y confianza tanto en el material como en mi misma. Eso sí, siempre bajo la atención, ayuda y supervisión de los monitores. 100% recomendables

Catexia Mrm

Marc was a fantastic guide! He took us to some great routes, worked with each of us at our level, and even took some photos of us mid-climb. Great experience

Michelle LaFiura

Buen trato muy familiar y conceptos muy bien explicados, volvería contratar sus servicios de nuevo

Jonathan Castillo Gil

We did a two-day self-rescue course that is highly recommended to go with more confidence doing long climbing routes. It was great because it gave us the information we needed to adapt to each of us, and most of all were able to practice a lot.

Pau Contreras

Marc is a great professional, demonstrates a high level of climbing skills, and knows how to teach in a very dynamic way. In addition, it makes you feel at home from the first minute, due to its friendly and forthcoming personality. I definitely recommend it!

Guillem Gallifa

Marc is a great climber and a very good educator. It was great to discover the world of climbing by his side. I did with him an initiation course in climbing (two mornings) in Sabassona (Boulder and rappelling) and in Sorralta in Roda de Ter (climbing) and two climbing outings (in the Soleia of Sant Martí de Centelles and in Montserrat), of all the day, to consolidate and perfect the learnings (in small group, of three and two people).

Jordi Ayats

It is our first time to climb on the real mountain (Climbing in Monestir de Montserrat). So it is very interesting for us. Marc is very helpful and works very hard. It would be easy to learn from him and feel safe. Hope he can strive on this job and help more people to have their first try.

Yilin

Great connoisseur of his work, a lot of kindness, a lot of security, a lot of ability to convey things. Definitely a very good person both personally and at work. We did a self-rescue course for an entire weekend, in a very good environment (Merolla pass). The course was about having tools to solve problems on a climbing route, such as rescuing a rope partner and so on. We have finished the course and know all the necessary maneuvers and more, in order to solve any problem! Sincerely very satisfied with the course, the classmates and especially Marc Vilaplana! Thanks.

Oriol Bertran

He is a lovely guy who adapts a lot to the group! We spent a f* amazing time and we learned a lot. It contributes 120% both in knowledge and in a good atmosphere !! Highly recommended!

Laia

We did an introductory multi-pitch climbing course. It was in September 2020 in Montserrat (Catalonia). Marc is an excellent guide. He knows the routes and explains peculiarities of the area. He knows how to encourage climbers and is patient with the rhythms of each one. He shares usefull tricks to ensure efficiency and safety in maneuvers.

Anna & Clara

This past weekend we did an introductory course on multi-pitch climbing where we learned the systems to be able to start climbing autonomously. Marc is an experienced guide, working in a safe, comfortable and understandable way for customers. I would definitely recommend it for any climbing course you plan to do.

Ignasi

Great experience to strengthen techniques and knowledge, with a very friendly and personal approach!

Raul Marin

Very good experience, we learn and enjoy it, I would recommend it.

Martí García

I had an amazing experience as a first time climber. I learned so much in just one day. Marc was very patient and made sure the spots would be enjoyable. Now I want to climb again!

Candice Clamens

Fantastic trip and highly recommended

Razvan Barsan

We did an introductory course in sport climbing with Marc on the first weekend in July. We come back with a lot of new information and a lot of internalized concepts. From Marc we highlight his patience, knowledge of safety and climbing sectors, passion for it and anticipation of possible problems that may arise climbing and that is easy to solve with the right information. 100% recommended course if you want to start being autonomous in rock. 10 points for Marc .

German

Marc is a great instructor and also a great person! highly recommended

Mariona

I did the climbing initiation course and it was great for me. I learned a lot and gained the confidence to climb. It has been a very good course and Marc is a great instructor. Highly recommended.

Arnald Batlle

A fantastic guide !! I did the multi-pitch climbing course with him and I learned a lot !! Thanks to his knowledge, dedication and patience teaching ... clove hitch.. dynamic knot... double fisherman.. machard.. double cow tail ... I won\'t forget them, and all thanks to Marc !! Thank you for the great work you do !!!

Helena

I took a climbing initiation course with Marc, and he gave us a lot of knowledge so we could gain the confidence to climb on our own. It has been a pleasure, he adapts to all situations and creates a very good vibe! Thank you so much Marc!

Gara

Marc was excellent in explaining all, very patient, fun and easy-going. I really recommend this activity with him!

Valery

Phenomenal and breathtaking experience: Marc + the Montserrat Mountains = Unforgettable climbing experience. Marc is a genuine, kind, and caring host - which added to the already fascinating landscape. A local to the area who can show you the \'ropes\' to the local crag and surrounding region. With his coaching I\'ve completed the hardest route I\'ve done outside! Pros: - Skilled climbing instructor - Beginner friendly - Tailored climbing experience (scaled as needed) - Excellent communication on safety and techniques to execute your climbing route - Instagram worthy shots Cons: - Wishing you had more energy to climb :/ Overall Rating: 11/10 would book again Overall a must for those who want an intro to outdoor climbing, or those who already climb outdoors and want some insight into the local scene. What are you waiting for? Climb on!

Matthew Baluyut

I enjoyed and learned a lot with Marc in this introduction course to multi-pitch climbing. He is really kind and very professional. He made us feel comfortable and safe and his explanations were truly useful. An awesome experience; totally recommended!

Gil Solanes

I did the introductory course in sport climbing with Marc this weekend and it has been a pleasure. Level 0 game and no previous experience. Marc has been very patient and it has been a pleasure to learn from him: knots, belaying, anchors, falling well, how to climb, how to interact in this world, how to find a route... He had no problem at all lending me his equipment. At all times I felt safe and he conveys a lot of security and a very good vibe. At all times!! 100% recommended if you want to get started in this world of climbing! I\'LL DO IT AGAIN!!

Joan Josep Giner Vila

Great experience multi-pitch practical course, Marc was very patient to answer all our doubts and questions and passed on the basics on multi-pitch climbing, theoretically and practically and we got to practise on the wall, leading and on belay. I strongly recommend it!

Unai Arrieta

We did a one day multi-pitch climbing course in Montserrat, and loved it. Marc is a very experienced and patient guide, with a lot of knowledge and easy to talk to, will answer any doubts you may have and gave us confidence first showing us the techniques in a safe place and then climbing the multi-pitch. Totally recommended!

Arnau Orengo

An AMAZING experience! 🔥 Marc Vilaplana Traveria Forever! A Crack and great professional, it gives you all the confidence! Looking forward to going back! 🔥🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🔥

Xavier Esclusa Trias

Super recommended, good course, good locations, adapted to our level, good balance between theory and practice. Marc is the best, he knows how to motivate you and make you progress. We really enjoyed it! we want more!

Núria Vilardell

The best climbing guide in Catalonia. I learned a lot with him in the self-rescue course. Very grateful.

Robert Ribo

Highly recommended the self-rescue course I did with Marc. He has a lot of experience in the mountains and knows how to pass on knowledge.

Pere

Marc is a person with a vocation for his work, I could say that his life and his work are united, which is very favourable because the service he offers is more productive than expected, a very fun but serious guy at work what makes me convey a trust confidence. We went through the Penedes area and the Monistrol de Montserrat area 30 minutes from Barcelona, but in the middle of nature, the views of 10.

Joan

Marc is a perfect instructor, thanks to him I learned many things that I now use in a self-sufficient and safe way.

Toni

Very good partner and professional. With a two-weekend theoretical and practical course, I felt self-sufficient to do sport climbing. Thanks Marc!

Pau

Very professional

Andreu Moreno Martin

Marc is very warm and professional. He is always ready and has an answer at hand. Excellent! I did with him a sport climbing and a multi-pitch climbing course.

Pau Moreno

Very good treatment, friendly, polite and adequate. Professional.

Sergio

Magnific climbing monitor! Very clear explanations, very useful super practical course and gives you all your support during the course and post course to keep improving in the world of climbing!

Sandra Rierola

It was a really fun course and I learned a lot. Apart from climbing he also entrusted me with his love for the mountains and the respect for nature in general. Great memory.

Gemma

This experience was the highlight of our week in Barcelona! Marc was very supportive and accommodating to our climbing levels. We climbed a variety of routes, which were really fun! He is very experienced, and good at what he does. Thanks again!

Molly

Marc was a fantastic guide. My wife and I spent the day with Marc in Montserrat I have climbed for several years, and have never been able to get my wife get on a wall during that time. During our recent trip to Barcelona my wife surprised me with a day of climbing in Montserrat. The highlight of the day was my wife topping out on her first outdoor climb. I think Marc\'s calm and encouraging personality made her feel comfortable and it provided us with a very memorable moment. Marc was also able to quickly assess my climbing level and find climbs that were a perfect fit for what I was looking for. He is a safe and knowledgable guide. Spending the day with Marc was very enjoyable and climbing in Montserrat was fabulous. So if you\'ve never climbed before or are experienced and looking to get out on some rock during your travels Marc is your man!

Ashley Mc Gowan

It was an excellent trip, Marc is a perfect guide, very interesting et highly skilled. I recommend Marc and the climbing spot.

Martina Gagliardi

I think it would be hard to give a short review about my experience with Marc. This was an experience of a life time. Marc is so knowledgeable and patient. He allowed us to ask questions about the history and culture of the towns and villages. He made me feel safe when climbing. He has so much knowledge about the mountain that he had back up routes for the weather. He went over safety a few times which made me feel that much better. He asked what type of climbing I was looking to do and customize my experience to what I wanted and needed. One of the NICEST people you will ever meet. I live in the states. Someone local to me suggested climbing with Marc. I rearranged my entire Europe vacation around climbing with Marc and I’m SO thankful I did. Best experience I’ve ever had. My friend highly recommended Marc and I HIGHLY recommend Marc. I will be back to climb with him again. I’ve already tried to figure out next steps. That is how meaningful this experience has been to me.

Alex Westfall

We had an unforgettable day climbing with Marc in Montserrat. Marc is an excellent and very experienced rock climbing guide. We felt safe throughout the entire tour and he was also very encouraging. Whether you’ve never climbed or are an experienced climber, he can adapt the climb to suit different skill levels. His tours are perfect for many tourists because he speaks English really well. Leading up to the trip, he was easy to coordinate with and when we arrived he had all the gear we needed. If you are looking to have an adventurous experience while in Spain, Marc is the right person to show you how!

Shannon C

Very good professional and a great teacher. I did with him a self-rescue course, which was a success!

Josep

Very good guide to learn rigorously and safely. Comfort and good vibes with a top one climber. From beginners to experts.

Bruna

I did two climbing courses (in 2019 and Feb 2020) with Marc and I\'m sure I will do more. Highly recommended to learn and enjoy the rock climbing world! Marc is a great professional!

Berta Sala

Marc has extensive knowledge of the subject, he knows how to transmit them so that you understand the reason for the manoeuvres, he is a flexible and pleasant person. He was open to proposals and considerations made by those of the group. Surely I will repeat some training with him. Some of the people I shared the course with had already done previous ones with Marc.

Pablo Navarro

Do you think rock climbing in winter does not work well? Forget it! Marc shows you that Catalunya in January is an amazing experience. Above all, we appreciate his flexibility that allowed us to focus only and only on things that we wanted and he took care of everything else (finding the only place without rain, lending me his jacket and saving my fallen cell phone). In short, superb experience with a superb instructor!

Ariel

Marc is an excellent guide and I would climb with him again any time. I learned a lot climbing with him and felt safe and comfortable the entire time. Thanks Marc!

Cael

I found Marc through his Instagram profile and knew immediately that he would be the perfect guide to help me deepen my knowledge and experience of outdoor climbing. We spent a full 10-hour day together where he taught me the basics of rocks climbing, practicing top roping, leading, multi-pitching and rappelling. His clear explanations, skill, guidance, and not to mention patience and confidence in my abilities were remarkable, and I was so happy with the service provided. I very much look forward to climbing again with Marc and hope to bring some friends along the next time! Thank you Marc and hasta pronto!

Sarah T

Experience was very good and the highlight of my first trip to Europe

Saleh Hindi

Great place, great view, great coaching. The skill of multi pitch is a bit complicated but we managed to get the hang of it under Marc’s coaching.

Daniel Yiu

Marc was fantastic. One of the most knowledgable and efficient guide i\'ve had. Me and my partner have been climbing in the gym for a number of years now, but i\'m unfortunately still afraid of height. Marc made us feel very safe throughout the whole trip and was very encouraging when i got stuck. He made sure that we had fun and at the same time improving our climbing skills. I would definitely recommend Marc to anyone considering a climbing trip.

Excellent professional rock climbing. Humble and great person. UN MÀQUINA !! I did with Marc a Master of three years of sport climbing, and several guided outings (Montserrat - Via Stromberg al Gorro Frigi + Via Ignasi Jorba ala Magdalena Superior /Terradets : Paret de les bagasses - Combinant Vies Quo Vadis i CADE - i d\'altres)

Maria Padrós

He is the f*cking boss of climbing. The best guide for climbing of all kinds!

Albert Donado

Marc was a great guide and we can definitely recommend him regardless of your grade level. He not only knew the area well, but he also gave valuable tips on how to improve our climbing

Tom Eklöf

It was wonderful trip. Marc was professional and pleasant. Nice day, nice people, nice climbing.

Maja

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Jean Lim

Totally useful course very adapted to the activities we usually do. Many problems and doubts that arose were resolved. Very good group atmosphere and a lot of fun.

Agustí

Marc gave us a very complete and professional self-rescue course, and above all adapting a lot to our requests, which were not few. He is a great professional and enjoys the work he does.

Ramon Jorba

Marc was an incredible guide! He kept very strong communication leading up to the trip to ensure our goals were met. On the trip itself Marc went above and beyond to ensure we were safe and having fun while learning a ton on our first multi pitch climb. My girlfriend and I had an issue finding a place to camp for the night and Marc never left our side and ensured we had the right accommodations. This was a trip we’ll never forget thanks to Marc’s engagement.

Anna Cevallos

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed climbing with Marc. He was incredibly knowledgeable of the area in Montserrat and assessed our skill set very quickly. He was very safe and thorough in all his systems and we felt very comfortable with his experience. We hope to be back in the area soon to hopefully spend 2-3 days climbing in the area with Marc!

Dan Wolfskill

He was incredibly kind, helpful and taught us so much during our tour! We had a fantastic time!

Shoshana

Marc was an awesome guide. I highly recommend anyone in Costa Brava to check out Via ferrata. I had the best time and I owe that to Marc.

George

We had a great 2 days tour with Marc in Montserrat, a stunning spot one hour away from Barcelona. On the first day, Marc initiated us to climbing in a very didactic and professional way. The following day, we embarked on a multi-pitch climbing journey of stunning beauty. A must do with a great pro!! Highly recommended for the climbing amateurs willing to discover a new spot. Thank you to the Explore-share team for making it possible.

Xavier van Campenhout

Marc was a great guide for our inexperienced group - he chose great routes, quickly increasing the difficulty of what he saw we could handle, so it was never boring. He is very experienced, and speaks great english, which was very useful when asking or listening for directions in more intense situations, as there were no miscommunications. This helped a lot as some members of our group had never climbed before, but at no point we felt insecure. I would definitely hire him again if I\'ll find myself in that part of the world.

Vytautas

Marc created an amazing 3-day trip catered to my climbing goals. I am an experienced climber so we also did wilderness camping. He is super professional, an excellent climbing partner, and a joy to hang out with for 3 days! I saw so much of Catalonia thanks to his guidance, top notch experience!!

Cassie

Marc is the perfect climbing guide: excellent communication, super professional, very safe, and highly encouraging. He has a passion for Catalonia, for climbing, and for teaching climbing skills and that shows in his knowledge and disposition. I am an experienced climber and wanted to expand my technical skills and push my limits, so I booked a 3-day multi-pitch trip that included wilderness camping. Marc created the perfect trip based around my goals. As a guide he chose locations that were perfect in that I could climb easy routes to build my confidence as well as harder ones that were appropriately challenging. As a teacher he explained methods and technical skills clearly and confidently and always made sure I felt safe. As a climbing partner he is super encouraging, giving me beta when I needed it but also allowing me the space to figure things out. I am truly a better climber after this experience, and I also got to see parts of Catalonia I wouldn’t have been able to access on my own. I highly, highly recommend Marc for first-time climbers who want to learn the basics as well as experienced climbers who want to explore and expand their skills. Thank you for everything Marc!!!

Cassie Absher

Was great fun and very safe. At some points we were not feeling too safe since we did not have much experience. Marc helped a lot and gave us confidence that we can do it.

Matt

Marc is everything you want in a guide - a great communicator, a highly skilled climber, and a kind and interesting person. Do not hesitate to book Marc for your climbing adventures!

Megan

I\'ve booked Marc to be my guide four different times now. The first time, with my teenaged daughter, to do the Via Ferrata at Cala del Moli. I\'ve done ferratas before, but she hasn\'t, so we wanted to make use of his experience to give my daughter the best possible experience. Frankly, it was excellent. Next, I went climbing with Marc. Again, excellent. He quickly got to know my capabilities, limitations and specific goals. In one day we knocked off three different routes, exceeding my expectations. On another trip to the country, I hired Marc to be my climbing guide again, this time on two different days to two new climbing areas. Our previous experience together let us hit the ground running perfectly. He had picked some specific routes that he knew would suit me well, again exceeding my expectations for the trip. So, to sum it up, I\'ve been on four different trips with Marc (Via ferrata in Cala Molí, and climbing in Monserrat, Roca del Arcs, and Rocamaura), each and every one of them has been excellent. So, when I say that I recommend him highly, know that this is based on more than just one experience.

Dave Baker

Marc set me up with Fran who was the best guide I could have asked for. I had some climbing experience (sport 5.10-5.11 level) before going on the trip and Fran assessed my skills and tailored the trip to me. I wanted to learn how to multipitch more than try harder routes so he took it slowly enough to show me the basics of multipitch and even let me lead a route. Fran was a delight to spend the day with and this was a trip I\'ll remember for the rest of my life.

Eric LaPrairie

This was an amazing trip. Marc was very responsive before the trip to understand what we want and to design a trip around it. He was also great at reacting on the fly to any requests we had the day of. He is a super fun guy to climb with. Overall, I highly recommend Marc.

Christopher Choquette Choo

Marc went above and beyond to make sure we had a great holiday. We had never done lead climbing outdoors, but Marc showed us the ropes and taught us the essentials in a safe and thorough manner. It was one of the best trips of my life, and we have Marc to thank for teaching us, and showing us the hidden gems that only an experienced local would know! I look forward to climbing with you again, ojala!

Tom Boyce

I would highly recommend Marc for climbers of all levels. He can provide you with all your equipment needs and is a great teacher that speaks fluent english, spanish, and catalan. We had excellent communication together through the explore-share app and also personal email. I received specific information on how to meet Marc from the R5-GFC line from Placa Espanya in Barcelona to the estacion Monistrol de Montserrat. I was picked up at the station in Marc\'s car and we drove up to the Monastery and parked. From there we rode a funicular from the Monastery to easy access trails to all of our climbs. As an experienced climber away on vacation with my family, I was able partner up with Marc and lead as many pitches as I wanted! I benefited from Marc\'s expertise as a rock climbing guide and rock climbing beta. Additionally, Marc is a local and provided me with information about the area and potential future trips. I would highly recommend using Marc as a guide. Paul Connecticut, USA

Paul Garasimowicz

The experience with Marc was very good. He explained very well and we learned a lot, it is 100% recommended.

Carles Bautista

Marc was a fantastic guide for our two days of climbing. We were visiting Barcelona from Los Angeles, and my twin 16 year olds are experienced indoor climbers and relatively new to outdoor lead climbing. Marc made everything easy,

Gillian Wright

Marc was very polite and responsive to our questions and needs about directions and scheduling. Gave great advice about doing via ferrata.

Lorinda Franklin

Marc is a professional and very knowledgeable tour guide. He ensured: we had the proper equipment; we understood the trek; we were safe; we had fun.

Tony Porfilio

It was a day that I climbed 90 meters of wall for the first time, with the company of my father and the great help of Marc Vilaplana. I learned a lot, a very good time when we reached the top, we had lunch at the needle top of Magdalena Inferior. I highly recommend Marc as a teacher because he inspires a lot of confidence, a lot of calm and security, I learned a lot from him.

Gerard Aceves

Marc was amazing, very knowledgeable and friendly. Had a great first experience doing multi pitch. Highly recommended!

TJ Yap

Marc has complete dominion over the english language, and was very communicative over emails and ensured we had a safe and fun climb. He\'s a local and knows the topology incredibly well. Incredible experience!

Ronald Rivera

His passion for climbing is 100% passed on to students! A great guide!

Gil Erra

My day of climbing with Marc was the highlight of my trip to Catalunya! I felt safe the entire time because he knew what he was doing and did a great job of teaching me. It was my first time doing any multi-pitch climbing and his instructions, tips, and supervision was perfect. He speaks excellent English. Marc helped me develop a lot as a climber. He knew the ins and outs of the routes we took and made the climbing experience very tailored to me - we climbed three routes in one day and I was exhausted by the end, in the best way possible. Marc brought along a camera and took about 40 great pictures during the climb which he emailed me the same evening. I appreciated that a lot because I wanted to share the experience with my family. The views are amazing in Montserrat too and the hike up (optional) was a nice warmup and fun. You can also take the Funicular, but it starts pretty late in the morning. The rock was super really fun to climb on because of how diverse the holds were and I felt the route ratings were very accurate. Great protection, but not a lot of exposure, depending on the route (lots of low angle slab, especially at the start of routes). Marc knew the larger area too. Unfortunately, it rained on one day, but we were going to go to another mountain range, which I was very excited for, the second day. I would 100% climb again with Marc and plan to if I am ever in Spain again. It was an absolutely amazing experience in great part because of him. Thank you, Marc!

Eric Christopherson

Climbing with Marc at Montserrat was awesome! He contacted us before the trip to get an idea of what our experience was, and what we hoped to get out of the trip, and he used the info to help design the perfect climbing day for us! We felt completely safe climbing under his guidance. Very nice guy, we had a great time with him. He was also kind enough to capture action photos of us during the climb. Also, the location is undeniably gorgeous. It made for an unforgettable and truly life-changing experience! I absolutely would recommend Marc, to climbers of any level!!

Hannah Gubbels

Marc is a great guide. He was very professional, patient and super-friendly :) Thanks for the memorable adventure!

Ilya Flarin

Thank you so much for this unique and incredibly exciting experience! You encouraged us to push our limits and helped us out of our comfort zone whilst keeping us safe at all times! Your skills, experience, professionalism, and calming nature made us feel safe and looked after throughout the day. We hope that many other happy adventurers will have the opportunity to climb with you. Above all, you’re also an AMAZING photographer!!!! Thank you so much!

Laura Bernhard

Muy buen profesional y muy buen técnico con trato inmejorable. Recomendable 100x100. Muchas gracias Marc!

Marta Sanjuan

Professional and funny guide! Really easy to learn with him

Quim Ares

Marc introduced me to climbing during february 2019. I took part in one of his initiation groups where we learnt both theory and practical skills. It was amazing and with no doubt I would recommend him to everyone who wants to start climbing or to improve the technique because of his incredible knowledge, skills, passion and patience.

Paula Marmol

Hoy hemos finalizado el curso de Nivel Inicial con Marc en Montserrat!! De nuevo, ha sido una jornada muy agradable. Marc es un profesional en la materia, nos ha hecho pasar un día de escalada estupendo y quedarnos con ganas de repetir! Sin duda, recomendado 100%!

Helena Repe

Altament recomanable per als qui ens agrada disfrutar de la verticalitat amb total seguretat.

Neus Capdevila Colom

The guide\'s work has been impeccable. I wanted to thank Marc for his time and work, it\'s been a real pleasure to do a self-rescue course with him, and I found it very useful and interesting! I\'ll do another course with him in the near future.

Miriam

Muy buena experiencia, me he sentido muy cómoda, ha sido muy eficaz la información y el desarrollo del curso.

Miriam Mo

I booked a 2-day multipich course with Marc and it was awesome! He took care of every detail and adapted the activity to our previous level of skills. Safety was guaranteed during the whole journey and we had a lot of fun as well! I strongly recommend Marc as climbing guide, if I give trad climbing a try, I’ll call him for sure!

Vicky

Moltes gràcies al Marc per la paciencia i les ganes amb les que ens va ensenyar la seva passió per l\'escalada esportiva. Ha estat una experiencia increible. Un cap de setmana d\'esport, riures i natura. Segur que tornarem a estar en contacte per properes sortides.

Paula Marmol

He was a fantastic guide! He passed on to us his passion for the mountains and the technique to enjoy it.

Cristina

Marc’s via Ferrata tour was amazing, and Marc was very accommodating and patient. First off I think you really need to be adventurous and have some level of fitness. It’s strenuous but all is worth the thrill and views along the way. I totally recommend this tour. I have been looking forward to exploring other via ferrata tours as well.

Lena

I would absolutely recommend Marc to anyone looking for adventure in the Barcelona/Costa Brava area. We had an amazing and one of a kind experience and were able to see the coastline from an incredible perspective. He is extremely knowledgeable, professional, and FUN! I can’t recommend this experience enough!

Molly

We had a very nice time! Marc was a very nice guide and we really enjoyed climbing with him!!

Jianbo Yin

My girlfriend and I had Marc as a Via Ferrata instructor. Even though we were new and a little slow, not once did he rush or hurry us. All he focused on was safety and encouragement. This review will not do Marc justice. Truly an outstanding instructor

Yaron Sela

I had Marc as a guide when I went climbing in Montserrat in November this year. I can highly recommend Marc, he was not only very professional (safety, equipment, etc) he also selected the routes very carefully to meets my needs and experience. Altogether I had 3 great days with Marc, super friendly and easy going guide! I’m certainly coming back to Catalunya to do more climbing trips

Niklas Bergvall

My friend and I visited Spain from the US. Marc took us to rock climb outdoors for the first time in Monsterrat! It was an amazing experience. Marc went above and beyond to make our experience safe and super fun! He had all the proper equipment and as a first-time outdoor rock climbing experience, we felt so safe! He took amazing photos for us too. Oh, and he was super patient with us! Thank you, Marc!!

Nicole

Marc has been a crack in this rescue course, he is a professional who immediately shows confidence, with a calm temperament, without haste but without pause, who adapts to the group, very professional and who puts safety first, a quality that I consider basic in professionals who are dedicated to mountain guides. I recommend him 100%, he is also a person who creates a warm climate, very close, familiar, intrepid and restless.

Anna Carmona

It was great, would recommend, 5/5 :)

Laurent Levesque

It was great, would recommend, 5/5 :)

Laurent Levesque

I hired Marc for one day\'s guided rock climbing on the south face of Montserrat. Marc was a very pleasant guide with a fun sense of humour. He knew the climbing in the area incredibly well and was able to tailor the routes he chose for us to suit my level of experience and competence. I highly recommend him, whatever level of rock climber you are!

Peta Glew

Absolutely fantastic day out in Montserrat mountains. Marc is super friendly and easy going and helped me to achieve my goals while lead climbing. The area is also gorgeous with over 4000 routes to suit any skill level. Can not recommend enough!!

John Neskudla

Beautiful climb on spectacular conglomerate rock. To top it off, Marc is very knowledgeable and friendly!

Laurent Levesque

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Alex Athanasiadis

Super nice and experienced guy!!! Strongly recommend for anyone that wants to get the adrenaline going

Alex Athanasiadis

Marc was an excellent guide, he brought me to very interesting climbs and also was very professional in terms of safety and organization. He was also very easy to chat with, and it was 3 very enjoyable days!

Niklas Bergvall

Great day, Mark is a fantastic guide.

Tim Fink

Hicimos la vía ferrata de Sant Feliu de Guíxols y todo fué perfecto. Marc transmite toda la seguridad y confianza que necesitamos los primerizos. Además, dejarte guiar por alguien que ves que lleva las montañas y la naturaleza dentro enriquece más la experiencia. Ya estamos pensando en repetir porque nos ha enganchado!

Celia Suarez

I had one of the coolest experiences of my life on the Via Ferrata with Marc! He made sure that we felt safe and let us choose the level of difficulty that we wanted. He also took pictures of us climbing which I thought was really nice! Highly recommend

Madelyn Smith

I had a marvelous first time climbing experience with my guide Jordi. Thank you!

Darren Klish

Me and my boyfriend had a perfect climbing via ferrata experience with Marc as our guide in Sant Feliu de Guíxols. As we have not been doing via ferrata in Spain before Marc made us feel safe about the whole thing. To find a guide that could customize the trip for just us two was exactly what we wanted. We highly recommend him!

Helena Holts

Marc was awesome! My wife and I couldn\'t have asked for a better guide! He made everything so fun and he was patient, had a great attitude, is knowledgeable about climbing and the Montserrat area, everything needed for an amazing experience!

Matt Lucchesi

Marc was the best guide I could have asked for. Traveling alone as an 18 year old female from North Carolina, Marc went out of his way to make sure I felt safe. It is so important to have a guide that encourages you and is patient with you. Marc took time to find routes that were perfect for my style and skill level. I loved every second of climbing in Spain. Kind, passionate, knowledgeable, respectful, understanding... thank you Marc!

Cassie Dockery

It was great time.. Enjoyed multi rock climbing with good guide Mark.. Next time I will go again with Mark.

young

The reviewer did not leave a comment

young

Molt agraïda al marc per la seva feina! Va ser un dia espectacular vaig assolir molt més del que em pensava i em vaig sentir molt ben acollida en tot moment. La seva tècnica docent és excelent i és molt pacient a la hora de explicar-te les coses. Gràcies Marc!!!

Alin Sitoe Diatta

I had the best experience of my entire holiday with Marc. I never climbed before and with him coaching in safety and technique I managed to advance ALOT in my 2 day course. He does that little extra to make the experience truly unique. I would recommend this to anyone who who is up for a great challenge and adventure, in spectacular environments, with a fantastic guide/coach/teacher. Thank you Marc.

Daniel nordström

two friends and I did a via ferrata trip at Costa brava and he was a great guide!! He was encouraging and a great teacher. He even picked us up from the train station! overall a really fun experience, I would highly recommend going on a climbing trip with Marc!!

Sarah Edwards

Marc was great, he even went back to grab me climbing shoes when I left mine at home. He taught me some of the history of the beautiful area, and put us up on some of the most spectacular lines I\'ve been on. Will recommend to all of my climbing friends, as well as book with him again when I eventually return to this magical place! Marc spoke English well and was very receptive, helpful and accommodating.

Ryan Suarez-Melcon

It was amazing and unforgatable day in rocks near Barcelona. Very exсiting view during the all route. Marc is the best guide ever, communicative, cheerfull and very responsive. Thanks him to share this greate experience with us. No fear anymore ;)

Marc arrived early for our day, and provided a great day of climbing. He selected perfect routes in a spectacular setting, and offered more than a days worth of climbing. Marc is friendly, informative and speaks perfect English. I would love have another opportunity to climb with him some day.

Tim Creamer

A magnificent guide. He taught us a lot, with patience and a lot of humour. I recommend him to everyone.

Lluis

Dedication and Passion for this great world that is climbing. Dynamic theoretical-practical course. Above all, Marc is a great person.

Marcos Montero

Marc was skilled, friendly and awesome with everything! Highly would recommend him and this trip!

Mark Palomba

The climb was amazing!! Such a great day and Montserrat was such a beautiful place to spend a day to climb!!! Marc Vilaplana was such an incredible guide!! So knowledgeable of both the area and climbing! He really made it so much fun and kept it very safe! He also picked us up from the train station in the morning and gave us a ride back to the station, which felt like he was going above and beyond for us!!He is great for beginners, experts, and anything in between!!! Thanks so much for such an incredible climb!!!

Matt

He realizado con Marc dos cursos: un curso de iniciación a vías ferratas y otro curso de iniciación en escalada deportiva. La experiencia fue fenomenal. La adquisición de unos conocimientos y técnicas para progresar con autonomía y seguridad fue total. El trato muy cercano, atento y profesional. Ambos cursos duraron 2 días donde se exploró varios sectores de nuestras montañas de dificultad media, ganando seguridad y confianza tanto en el material como en mi misma. Eso sí, siempre bajo la atención, ayuda y supervisión de los monitores. 100% recomendables

Catexia Mrm

Marc was a fantastic guide! He took us to some great routes, worked with each of us at our level, and even took some photos of us mid-climb. Great experience

Michelle LaFiura

Buen trato muy familiar y conceptos muy bien explicados, volvería contratar sus servicios de nuevo

Jonathan Castillo Gil

We did a two-day self-rescue course that is highly recommended to go with more confidence doing long climbing routes. It was great because it gave us the information we needed to adapt to each of us, and most of all were able to practice a lot.

Pau Contreras

Marc is a great professional, demonstrates a high level of climbing skills, and knows how to teach in a very dynamic way. In addition, it makes you feel at home from the first minute, due to its friendly and forthcoming personality. I definitely recommend it!

Guillem Gallifa

Marc is a great climber and a very good educator. It was great to discover the world of climbing by his side. I did with him an initiation course in climbing (two mornings) in Sabassona (Boulder and rappelling) and in Sorralta in Roda de Ter (climbing) and two climbing outings (in the Soleia of Sant Martí de Centelles and in Montserrat), of all the day, to consolidate and perfect the learnings (in small group, of three and two people).

Jordi Ayats

It is our first time to climb on the real mountain (Climbing in Monestir de Montserrat). So it is very interesting for us. Marc is very helpful and works very hard. It would be easy to learn from him and feel safe. Hope he can strive on this job and help more people to have their first try.

Yilin

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