Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Natural Park

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. == Understand == There are 3 main parts on the park Olot and the route until Santa Pau Castellfollit de la Roca Sant Feliu de Pallerols area The park is in La Garrotxa county, which has an entrepreneurial spirit that is reflected in its culture and social network, in its traditions, and also in its economy and gastronomy. In La Garrotxa, a deep-rooted tradition with long experience in artistic teaching stands out, related to the centuries-old religious imagery industry. This spirit is also reflected in Garrotxa society, with an associative network with many entities — there are more than 350 socio-cultural entities in the natural park — and where popular festivals and traditions are well-rooted and very participatory. The industry and services of the region are mostly run by local companies with great drive. Many have expanded beyond the boundaries of the region. Gastronomy has always been a pillar of the region and has known how to take advantage of a quality pantry. === Tourist office === 1 Tourist office Olot (Casal dels Volcans), Av. de Santa Coloma, 47, Olot, ☏ +34 972 26 60 12, pnzvg@gencat.cat. (updated Sep 2025) 2 Santa Pau Tourist office, Avda. dels Volcans, 14 – 17811 – Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 68 03 49, info@visitsantapau.com. (updated Sep 2025) 3 Fageda d'en Jordà Tourist office (Centre d'Informació Can Serra - Fageda d'en Jordà), Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524, ☏ +34 972 19 50 74. M-F 10:00-15:00, Sa Su holidays 09:00-15:00. (updated Sep 2025) 4 Sant Feliu de Pallerols Tourist office, Carrer de l'estació, Sant Feliu de Pallerols. (updated Sep 2025) 5 Can Passavent (Centre d'informacio Can Passavent), Ctra. Olot-Santa Pau, km 7 (Inside Croscat volcano), ☏ +34 972 19 50 94, cps@tosca.cat. 10:00-16:00. (updated Sep 2025) === History === The Parliament of Catalonia unanimously approved the creation of the volcanic area of ​​La Garrotxa, declaring the area a Natural Site of National Interest, with the aim of preserving its flora, its geomorphological constitution and its special beauty, and in view of the unique character of the territory. It also declared twenty integral reserves of geobotanical interest, with the aim of avoiding any action that could lead to the destruction, deterioration, transformation or disfigurement of its geomorphology or flora. The first Special Protection Plan for the natural park was approved in 1994 and the current one was approved in 2010. === Landscape === 40 catalogued volcanoes, with 10 well-preserved phreatomagmatic explosion craters and 23 well-preserved scoria cones resulting from Strombolian activity (Croscat, Montsacopa, Bisaroques, Rocanegra…), More than 20 lava flows, one of which is the best-preserved block flow in the Iberian Peninsula (Fageda d'en Jordà) The volcanoes age is between 8,000 years and 700,000 years. === Climate === The park has a humid, mild Mediterranean mountain climate, with abundant rainfall and cool summers.The area experiences rain well distributed throughout the year, although winter is the driest season. Frequent showers and cloud cover moderate summer temperatures, while the proximity of the Pyrenees brings cold winters with occasional frosts. This climate supports lush vegetation, including holm oak, oak and beech forests, which change with altitude and exposure. Overall, the park’s climate creates green landscapes, comfortable summer hiking conditions and marked seasonal contrasts in temperature and humidity. === Flora and fauna === The flora represented in this space is extremely rich, due to its location and biogeographic history, both quantitatively (some 1,125 species of higher plants have been identified) and qualitatively (there are several very rare plants in the Catalan flora as a whole), with a clear predominance of Mediterranean and Central European species. Almost 65% of the natural park is occupied by forest formations, especially holm oak, oak and beech forests (fageda in Catalan), but also mixed forests and oak forests. == Get in == The protected area is made up of the territory of 11 municipalities and has different entrances. === By plane === Barcelona El Prat Airport BCN IATA is around 125 km (78 mi) from the park Girona-Costa Brava aiport GRO IATA is around 53 km (33 mi) from the park === 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. Teisa, c. Sardenya nº16, Girona, ☏ +34 972204868. (updated Sep 2025) RUMBUS is a public transport service operated by TEISA that runs along the park main atractions. The route is Les Preses - centre of Olot - Fageda d’en Jordà - Àrea de Santa Margarida - Santa Pau runs on weekends, bank holidays, public holidays and other dates. The ticket allows, for only €2 (Sep 2025), an unlimited number of trips throughout the day and thus discover, at your own pace, all the attractions of the central area of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park. You can purchase the ticket online in advance on the TEISA website, or on the bus on the same day. === By car === The main park entrance is near Olot in road GI-524 From Barcelona take C-33 direction France, then in Mollet take C-17 direction Vic/Ripoll, then in manlleu take C-37 direction Olot. From Girona take C-66 direction Banyoles until N-260 - A-26 (Eix Pirinenc) junction in Besalú. Take direction Olot. From France take A-9 ( E15 ) direction Spain, then AP-7 ( E15 ) until Figueres then take N-260 - A-26 (Eix Pirinenc) direction Olot. To access Sant Feliu de Pallerols use C-63 from AP-7 ( E15 ) To access Santa Pau follow GI-524 from Olot or GI-524 from Banyoles == Fees and permits == It's free to enter. Organized groups (school and university groups, hikers, cultural, leisure groups, etc.) who want to access the natural reserves of the Croscat volcano, the Fageda d'en Jordà and the Santa Margarida volcano must request authorization to visit.For more information you can contact the Park management team pnzvg@gencat.cat == Get around == The park is crossed by the GI-524 road which goes from Olot to Santa Pau. It can be done by car or bus . In this road you can find the main attractions of the park. In the southwest part of the park the is the C-63 which gives you access to Sant Feliu de Pallerols. Also in this part there is the cycleway El carrilet that runs from Girona until Olot, and is part of the Pirinexus route, which is great for cycling with kids or to do a long Bikepacking route. The north part is crossed by A-26 (Eix Pirinenc), which gives you access to Castellfollit de la Roca === Parking === 1 Parking Parc Nou, Avinguda de Veneçuela, Olot. Acces to tourist office and volcanoes museum. free. (updated Sep 2025) 2 Mercat Municipal Parking (Aparcament Mercat Municipal), Carrer de Camil Mulleras, Olot, ☏ +34 972 26 5264. underground. paid. (updated Sep 2025) 3 Parc de Pedra Tosca Parking, GIV-5224. free. (updated Sep 2025) 4 Sant Joan les Fonts motorhome Parking, Carrer de Sant Pere, Sant Joan les Fonts. Maximum stay 48 hr. paid. (updated Sep 2025) 5 Castellfollit de la Roca Parking, carrer nou, Castellfollit de la Roca. (updated Sep 2025) 6 Santa Pau motorhome Parking, Carrer de Muriel Casals, Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 68 03 49. Maximum stay 48 hr. €8. (updated Sep 2025) 7 Santa Margarita Volcano Parking (Pujada del Volcà de Santa Margarita), Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524. To visit Sta. Margarita Volcano and the church it has inside. €4. (updated Sep 2025) 8 Puig de la Costa volcano parking, Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524. (updated Sep 2025) 9 Fageda d'en Jordà parking, Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524. To visit the Beech forest (fageda). €4. (updated Sep 2025) 10 Sant Feliu de Pallerols parking, Carrer de l'estació, Sant Feliu de Pallerols. (updated Sep 2025) == See == ==== Volcanoes ==== 1 Montsacopa Volcano Nature Reserve. 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. (updated Sep 2025) 2 Sant Marc and Puig Roig Volcanoes Nature Reserve, Sant Feliu de Pallerols. 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. (updated Sep 2025) 3 Castellfollit de la Roca basaltic cliff. 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). (updated Sep 2025) 4 Rocanegra volcano. 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. (updated Sep 2025) 5 Santa Margarida Volcano. 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. (updated Sep 2025) 6 Jordà Beech forest (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". (updated Sep 2025) 7 Croscat volcano. 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. (updated Sep 2025) ==== Cities around the park ==== 8 Olot old town. 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. (updated Sep 2025) 9 Sant Feliu de Pallerols old town. 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. (updated Sep 2025) 10 Sant Joan les Fonts old town. 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. (updated Sep 2025) 11 Santa Pau old town. 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). (updated Sep 2025) 12 Castellfollit de la Roca old town. 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. (updated Jan 2026) ==== Buildings & museums ==== 13 Espai crater, Carrer Macarnau, 55, 17800 Olot. Oct-May: M-F 10:00-14:0, 15:00-18:00; Oct-May: Sa 10:00-14:00, 15:00-19:00; Oct-May: Su 10:00-14:00; Jun-Sep: daily 10:00-14:00, 16:00-20:00. 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 €7.5. (updated Sep 2025) 14 Museu de la Garrotxa, Carrer Hospici, 8, 17800 Olot. 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. (updated Sep 2025) 15 Colltort castle ruins (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. (updated Sep 2025) 16 Bisaroques tower (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. (updated Sep 2025) 17 Can Badia tower (ruins) (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. (updated Sep 2025) 18 Puig-alder castle ruins (Castell de Puig-alder) (To get there, you have to go to the village of Cogolls, and take the path that goes up there.). 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. (updated Sep 2025) 19 Hostoles castle ruins (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. (updated Sep 2025) === Itineraries === Main atractions by car: start in Fageda d'en Jordà Tourist office parking, from there take a short walk in the forest(i.e. route 2: fageda d'en Jordà), then go until Santa Margarida parking area and do the walk to inside de santa Margarita Volcano, after that drive to Santa Pau and visit the old downtown. == Do == === Hiking === Long range GR-2 goes from French border in La junquera until Aiguafreda. enters the park from the west in El Sallent , passes through Santa Pau and exits in Les presses . GR-83 (cami del nord or cami del Canigó) goes from Mataró until Coll de Malrem in the French border. enters the park in Les planes d'Hostoles' until Olot Local hikes === Mountain biking === The Pirinexus route borders the west side of the Park There are many bike routes inside the park. Some of them are: Santa Pau cycle-way : starts in Olot , passing through the Can Blanc neighborhood, the Fageda d'en Jordà (Can Serra) car park and La Cot, to finally reach the Santa Margarida Area. from there you can continue until Santa Pau village. Sant Iscle and Vallac Valleys: volcanoes and castles. Itinerary 19 Natural Park. The route begins at the car park of the old train station of Sant Feliu de Pallerols. Follow the Carrilet greenway to the Sant Miquel de Pineda intersection. Enter the Sant Iscle valley following the asphalt. After Sant Iscle, past the hermitage, a paved path takes us closer to the volcano. The route continues towards the Traiter volcano and continues along the farmhouses in the area. In Can Estanyol de Baix we find access to Sant Salvador de Puig-alder. We will arrive in Sant Feliu de Pallerols along the street next to the football field. === Road cycling === The road GI-524 (Carretera de Santa Pau) crosses the park === Horse riding === 1 Centre Hipic Garrotxa, Mas Casamitjana,Batet de la serra, ☏ +34 659 69 89 73, centrehipicgarrotxa@gmail.com. (updated Jan 2026) 2 Centre Eqüestre La Vall, Carretera de Sant Esteve d'en Bas a Riudaura, Olot, ☏ +34 679 671 492, cequestrelavall@gmail.com. (updated Jan 2026) 3 Hípica Bonavista, Les Presses, ☏ +34 622 553 916, hipicabonavista@gmail.com. (updated Jan 2026) === Hot air balloon === 4 Vol de coloms, Ctra. del volcà Croscat s/n, 17811 Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 680 255, info@voldecoloms.cat. (updated Sep 2025) === Kid activities === 5 Activitats Garrotxa, Crta Olot Santa Pau km 7, Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 680 358. 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') (updated Jan 2026) == Buy == 1 La Fageda dairy products, Camí de la Fageda, Sant Miquel Sacot, Santa Pau, ☏ +972 68 1011. 09:00-15:00. 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. (updated Sep 2025) 2 Agrobotiga de Cal Sabater, C. Major, 24.Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 680 078. 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. (updated Sep 2025) == Eat == 1 Restaurant la Francesa, C/ Pi, 27 · Ctra. d'Olot a Santa Pau Km 3, 17811 Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 26 22 41, info@lafrancesa.cat. Regional food (updated Sep 2025) 2 Santa Margarita Restaurant, Crtra Santa Pau km 6.2, Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 680 477, santamargaridarestaurant@gmail.com. W-M 08:00-17:00. Regional food €30. (updated Sep 2025) 3 Masnou Restaurant, Passeig Mas Masnou, s/n 17811 Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 680 061. closed Monday. Regional food (updated Sep 2025) 4 Can Xel, Ctra. Santa Pau, s/n - 17811 Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 68 02 11, canxel@canxel.com. (updated Sep 2025) 5 Restaurant camping La fageda, Ctra. Olot - Santa Pau, km 4, Olot. Tu-Th 10:30-16:30 , F 10:30-16:30, 20:00-23:00, Sa 9:00-16:30, 20:00-23:00, Su 9:00-16:30. daily menu €18, week end menu €30. (updated Jan 2026) === Picnic === 6 Santa Margarita Picnic area, Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524. (updated Sep 2025) 7 Can Xel Picnic area, Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524. (updated Sep 2025) == Drink == Look for bars and cafeterias in the villages around the park. == Sleep == There are several Hotels in Olot === Lodging === 1 Can Menció ***, Passatge Noguer, 11-13, Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 68 00 14, info@canmencio.com. (updated Jan 2026) 2 Hotel Cal Sastre ****, ☏ +34 972 68 00 95, hotel@calsastre.com. (updated Jan 2026) 3 Ca la Paula **, Plaça Sant Roc, 3, Castellfollit de la Roca, ☏ +34 972 29 40 32, calapaula@calapaula.net. (updated Jan 2026) 4 Hostal Mont-Rock, Barri carrera, n 16, Montagut (it is across the river at the entrance of Castellfollit de la Roca on the old road (N-260z)), ☏ +34 645 83 54 23, juanmontrock@gmail.com. (updated Jan 2026) === Camping === 5 Lava Eco-Camping, Ctra. Olot – Santa Pau km 7, ☏ +34 972 680 358, reserves@campinglava.com. (updated Sep 2025) 6 Camping Vall d'Hostoles, c/ Volcà Traiter nº23 17174 St. Feliu de Pallerols, ☏ +34 972 444 104, vallhostoles@gmail.com. (updated Sep 2025) 7 Camping Alguer, Ctra Les Encies S/N, 17172 Les Planes d'Hostoles, ☏ +34 972 44 86 00, info@campingalguer.com. (updated Sep 2025) 8 Camping La Fageda, Ctra. Olot - Santa Pau, km 4 .Olot, ☏ +34 972 27 12 39. (updated Jan 2026) == Go next == Olot is popular with tourists for its volcano and rock landscapes, especially the fagus sylvatica forest of La Fageda d'en Jordà and the extinct volcanoes of the Garrotxa Natural Park. It has a nice downtown. Castellfollit de la Roca Its most striking aspect is that the entire town is constructed on a narrow sliver of a cliff that sticks out in to a valley with the town church at the front of it. Besalú is a pleasing, compact town with stone homes and businesses that is easily walkable. The main attractions are the 12th-century Romanesque bridge over the Fluvià river, 11th century Church of Sant Pere, and a number of restored Jewish structures. Banyoles is the capital of watersports thanks to its stunning natural lake, the largest in Catalonia, and its rich historical heritage. The town boasts medieval charm with landmarks such as the Gothic-style Church of Santa Maria dels Turers and the Monastery of Sant Esteve. Ripoll It sits at the confluence of the Ter river and its tributary Freser, in the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees. the main sight is the Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll