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Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Natural Park is in Girona (province), the best example of volcanic landscape on the Iberian Peninsula. It has about forty volcanic cones and more than 20 basaltic lava flows. None of its many volcanoes are still active.
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It is the last volcano to emerge in the Olot plain. It erupted about 100,000 years ago. During the French occupation of 1812, the hermitage on the edge of the crater was walled in, and the two defence towers that are still preserved were built. The Viacrucis path, built in the 19th century, rises from the Olot cemetery and skirts the crater, following a circular path with birches and benches that is a magnificent 360° viewpoint of the city of Olot and its surroundings. The Montsacopa volcano had been completely deforested and cultivated. The bottom of its circular crater is occupied by fields and the southern flank has orchards, while on the northern flank the forest vegetation has recovered spontaneously.
Sant Marc volcano is horseshoe-shaped, while the conduit of Puig Roig volcano is in the open as it used to be used as a basalt quarry.
The town is located at an altitude of 296 m and sits on a basalt cliff, the Castellfollit cliff. It is more than 50 m high and almost a kilometre long. This basalt cliff is the result of the erosive action of the Fluvià and Toronell rivers on volcanic remains from thousands of years ago. The cliff is the superposition of two lava flows: the first, 217,000 years old, comes from Batet de la Serra (Olot) and is formed by slabs. The second is about 192,000 years old and comes from the Begudà volcanoes (Sant Joan les Fonts).
Although its age is unknown, it predates the eruption of the Croscat volcano (which erupted about 11,500-13,000 years ago). It is a horseshoe-shaped crater of great scientific and educational interest.
It is one of the most important volcanic buildings in the sector and its extensive mouth has about 2,000 m. of perimeter. In the middle of the plain formed by the crater is the hermitage of Santa Margarida de Sacot, of Romanesque origin, which gives its name to the volcano. The crater has a diameter of almost 350 m and a depth of 79 m. It is one of the craters that best preserves the typical circular morphology and its cone is surrounded by a wooded area. It erupted about 11,000 years ago.
Fageda d’en Jordà
The Jordà beech forest is an exceptional beech forest because it grows on flat land and sits on a lava flow from the Croscat volcano, which offers a rugged relief, with abundant very characteristic prominences, which can reach more than 20 m in height and which are locally called "tossols".
It is the highest volcano in the volcanic region of the Olot region (789 m above sea level), and the cone is 800 m in diameter at the base. With a height of 160 m (prominence), it is the largest in the Iberian Peninsula. The crater opens, open and capped, on the western slope (Clot Segolla), while on the northeastern slope there is the clay pit (Grederes del Croscat). At the summit are the remains of an old defense tower (Torre del Croscat). It was exploited for 25 years as a clay quarry, hence its current state.
Renaissance cloister of El Carme, the church of Sant Esteve and the Parochial Museum –featuring Christ embracing the cross by El Greco–, Can Trincheria House-Museum, the Regional Museum of Garrotxa, the Museum of the Saints and several Art Nouveau buildings.
take an urban itinerary to discover the historic centre, the medieval bridges over River Brugent, the Gros and the Conqueta mills –the latter of which can be visited–, and Art Nouveau buildings.
The municipality is in the Fluvià valley, which includes the final sector of the Bianya valley, rugged by the mountains of Sant Julià del Mont (903 m), Cau (824 m) and Bosc (733 m) and Mont-ros (672 m), where there are some ancient volcanoes of the Olot region (Puig de l'Estany, Tries, Aiguanegra and the Claperols quarry) and at 342 m altitude. There are beech and holm oak forests.
Firal dels Bous: Porticoed square presided over by the parish church (15th-16th centuries). The houses form a group attached to the old wall. Place where markets and fairs were held, hence the name Firal dels Bous (Ox fair).
The urban area is bordered by the confluence of the Fluvià and Toronell rivers. The town sits on a basaltic cliff, which is the superposition of two lava flows.there are nice views either from the river up to the town and from the town several viewpoints.
A reference exhibition on volcanism. A fully interactive exhibition, with audiovisuals, immersive experiences, augmented reality, gamification and video mapping. The Espai Cràter allows you to learn about volcanoes from inside a volcano
An art museum located in the city of Olot specializing in Catalan painting and more specifically in the members of the Olot school and their followers.
Castell de Colltort
It is located in the lower part of a ridge between the Sierra del Corb and the Sierra de Finestres, a short distance from the Colltort pass. The remains of the seat on the Font-pobra volcano remain. There are remains of the walls of a rectangular tower and of a disappeared enclosure.The first documented mention of the Colltort castle is from the year 1017.
Torre de les Bisaroques
At the top of the Bisaroques volcano there is a defence tower that reminds us of the Carlist wars. It is located at the top of the hill. Its situation is completely ruined, like its sisters located on the Montolivet and Montsacopa volcanoes. It was made of volcanic stone.
Torre de Can Badia -telegrafia òptica
It is an optical telegraphy tower located on the top of the mountain of the same name. Built in the mid-19th century, it was part of the military optical telegraphy branch. It is identical to the Ginestar tower.
Castell de Puig-alder
It was first documented in 1021, in the will of Count Bernat Tallaferro of Besalú. The castle was destroyed by earthquakes, and today there are only remains of walls on the mountain of Sant Salvador. The only witness to its existence is the church of San Salvador, a vestige of what had been the old chapel of the castle, but nothing remains of the Romanesque building dating from the 12th century, since the current construction is a recent reconstruction.
Castell d'Hostoles
It is a rock castle, built in the 9th-10th centuries, of which only ruins remain. It is located in the Hostoles valley, on the left slope of the Brugent river, formerly called Amera.
discover the beech forest in carriages (1h), Trolley tour through the volcanoes of La Garrotxa (1h), Horse riding in the park (45 min), Pony Ride for kids (30')
Regional food
Regional food
Regional food
La Fageda is a social project whose mission is to improve the quality of life and promote the social integration of vulnerable people in La Garrotxa, through real and dignified work. It has excellent quality dairy products. They offer visits and kids' experiences.
You will find authentic local products such as honey, cold cuts, cheeses and much more. Of particular note are the prized DOP beans from Santa Pau, an exceptional ingredient that you cannot miss trying.
By plane
By train
No easy train connections. Closest trains are in Girona and Ripoll.
By bus
Take the Bus lines that from Figueres, Girona, Ripoll, Vic, or Barcelona reach the towns of the Natural Park, from the Teisa company.
By car
The main park entrance is near Olot in road
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Girona · International · GRO
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