Welcome to one of the most interesting regions of Catalonia and Spain. We are talking about La Garrocha, or La Garrotxa in Catalan. A corner of the northern lands of Girona in which the green of its territory stands out and which is made up of some of the most impressive volcanoes.
In fact, La Garrotxa is the area of Catalonia with the highest number of dormant volcanoes in the Iberian Peninsula, an amazing sight in which you can lose yourself thanks to the large number of activities available in the region.
The capital of the region is Olot, a town that has reinvented itself thanks to the influx of tourism that has been generated by the fact of having a volcanic area, in this case the Volcanic Area of La Garrotxa, which has been considered a Natural Park since 1982.
You can imagine the variety of this terrain and its profile that forms part of the eastern Pyrenees where you can see more than 40 volcanoes that, for your peace of mind, are inactive but from which the tongues of lava have left their personal mark.
What can I do in La Garrotxa?
One of the star visits in the region is to the Frageda d'en Jordà, which is an extensive beech forest on the lava of the Croscat volcano, where you can also stroll through a spectacular landscape of dunes. This is one of the most important, but not the only one, as the Montascopa volcano is another of the most popular tourist attractions, due to its spectacular nature and the fact that it is also located near the old town.
Everything here revolves around volcanoes, and its heritage is no exception, which is why we recommend a visit to the Santa Margarida volcano chapel. You heard right. A hermitage in the centre of a volcanic crater.
However, it is also worth visiting the emblematic villages and stopping off to discover their heritage and nature. Among the most outstanding are Besalú, an authentic mediaeval village where you can visit the Old Bridge that spans the river Fluvià or the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria.
Santa Pau, in the heart of the Garrotxa Natural Park, is another of those villages that take you back to the Middle Ages, with its cobbled streets and its views of the volcanoes and the valley, but always without forgetting Castellfollit de la Roca, one of the most curious, as it is located on the edge of a volcanic cliff 50 metres above sea level. Without a doubt, a visit not suitable for those who suffer from vertigo because the views, apart from breath-taking, are also quite intimidating.
And if you want to enjoy a general view of the entire Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, there is nothing better than walking up to the Puig Rodó viewpoint, at an altitude of almost 1,000 metres and located in the Xenacs area.
Finally, you can't leave La Garrotxa without enjoying its gastronomy, known as Valcanic gastronomy.
It mainly consists of red meat and cold cuts, although vegetable products are also very important in its recipes. The wines and traditional sweets from here, such as puff pastries, are also a local delight for everyone who tastes them.
