What to visit in La Garrotxa

Besalú

answer the question what to visit in La Garrotxa It requires us to talk to you about magnificent monuments, but also about impressive natural spaces. Because this region located to the northeast of the province of GeronaBetween the Ripollés and Alto Empordà, offers you both.

Regarding the second, their lands make up the Natural Park of the Volcanic Zone of La Garrotxa, which forms one of the landscapes of this type most important of all Europa. And, in terms of monumental heritage, it includes historical locations that take us to the Middle Ages. For all this, if you want to know what to visit in La Garrotxa, we encourage you to continue reading.

Natural Park of the Volcanic Zone of La Garrotxa

Santa Margarida volcano

Aerial view of the Santa Margarida volcano

We begin our tour of this Girona region, precisely, in the natural park that we have just mentioned. There are some fifteen thousand hectares that include twenty-eight nature reserves and twenty lava flows. Likewise, with thirty-eight volcanoes, it is the area of highest volcanic density in the entire Iberian Peninsula.

Among them, perhaps the most popular is that of Santa margarida, whose top you can access. But they are also very visited of the Croscat; Montsacopa, in the heart of the city of Olot; Bisaroques y of the Garrinada. Likewise, the impressive landscape of this area is complemented by beech forests such as those of Jordan, wetlands like those of the Spring, forests like the one from Tosca or plateaus like Batet's.

You can tour in bike many routes through this Volcanic Zone of La Garrotxa. As an example, we will cite the one that reaches the wetlands of La Moixina, cataloged as Natural Reserve of Geobotanical Interest. But you also have other cycling routes. For example, those that reach the aforementioned Santa Margarida volcano and Jordá beech forest. However, this Catalan region does not only offer you natural wonders. Now let's get to know your most beautiful towns.

Olot, the capital of the region

Volcanoes Museum

Headquarters of the Volcanoes Museum, in Olot

We begin our tour of the towns to visit in La Garrotxa in the capital of the region, Olot. With some thirty-five thousand inhabitants, it has an important religious statuary industry. But, above all, it has interesting monuments, both religious and civil.

Among the first, the Church of San Esteve, built in the XNUMXth century following neoclassical canons. Also noteworthy is its imposing tower. But a surprise is still waiting for you inside. It is a painting of Greco depicting Christ carrying the cross. It is not the only temple that you should visit in the town or its surroundings. The church of the Trinity of Batet It is a Romanesque marvel and that of Santa Maria del Tura It keeps an image of the patron saint of the city created in the XNUMXth century. All this without forgetting the Cloister of the old convent of El CarmenA Renaissance marvel.

Regarding the civil heritage of Olot, you have spectacular modernist buildings. Among them stand out the House Gaieta Vila and Villa Torre Malagridabut, above all, the Sola Morales House. It was designed by the prestigious architect Lluís Doménech i Montaner, to whom the Palacio de la Música de Barcelona or the Hospital de San Pablo are also due. And it stands out for its façade originally decorated with plant motifs.

Finally, you have in Olot some museums. Among them, the one of the volcanoes y that of La Garrotxa, which is located in a beautiful neoclassical building due to Ventura Rodríguez. It is part of National Museum of Art of Catalonia and houses archaeological, ethnographic and pictorial collections. Also, do not leave this beautiful town in Girona without trying its call volcanic kitchen, which is characterized by being made on the grill. We advise you to taste the potatoes from Olot or the beans from Santa Pau.

Besalú, essential among what to visit in La Garrotxa

Besalu center

Besalú Town Hall square

On our journey through the region of La Garrotxa, we now come to Besalú, One most beautiful towns in Catalonia. It is located in the interior of the province of Gerona, on the banks of the Fluviá river and walking through its narrow cobbled streets will make you go back to the Medieval. The access to the villa itself, through the bridge, it will make you have that feeling. This Romanesque construction, with its imposing dimensions, its fortified hexagonal tower and its magnificent state of conservation, is a worthy gateway to beautiful Besalú.

Once in the town, you can walk through the streets that made up its Jewish neighborhood. Among them, those of Pont Vell, Rocafort or Portalet. Similarly, under the remains of the old synagogue, you can visit the mivke, where the ritual baths were performed. On the other hand, to the religious patrimony belong the Romanesque church of San Vicente y that of the Hospital of San JuliánBoth from the XNUMXth century. But, above all, we advise you to visit the Monastery of San Pedro de Besalu, another Romanesque wonder of the X, although reformed in the XII. Inside, the great central apse stands out with its ambulatory. Also, near it you have another sample of medieval architecture, although in this civil case. We talk to you about the Cornella House.

Finally, another surprise awaits you in Besalú. Is about circusland, a museum dedicated to the world of the circus that is located in the old modernist house of the abbot of San Pedro. Among the collections it keeps, the one of circus-themed stamps stands out and it also has the largest miniature circus in the world. And finally, a piece of advice. If you want to immerse yourself in the Middle Ages, visit Besalú at the beginning of September, when it celebrates its medieval fair, with crafts and jousting recreations.

Castellfollit de la roca

Castellfollit de la roca

Impressive panoramic view of Castellfollit de la Roca

Barely fourteen kilometers from Besalú, you have this other gem to visit in La Garrotxa. It is a small population located on a large basaltic plateau at about fifty meters above sea level. Panoramic view, it will seem to you that their houses are lined up on the very edge of the precipice. As a curiosity, we will tell you that it is one of the smallest towns in Spain, since it has less than a square kilometer in area.

You should also go through your historic helmet of narrow, cobbled streets and houses built with volcanic rock from the area. Also, visit the Church of San Salvador, dating from the XNUMXth century, although its current form, in Renaissance style, is from the XNUMXth century. However, you can see a window and several Romanesque capitals. Finally, Castellfollit has two museums. One is dedicated to sausage, but more curious is the second. Its about vietnam museum, where you can see clothes and instruments used in the war of that country.

Santa Pau, another wonder of the Middle Ages

Santa Pau

The medieval castle of Santa Pau

We now move to the center of the natural park of the Volcanic Zone of La Garrotxa to visit Santa Pau, a town that has nothing to envy to the previous ones due to its medieval features. This villa was built around its castle from the XNUMXth century and is declared Historic Artistic Monument.

Thus, it stands out especially for its romanesque buildings. Among them, the churches of San Vicente and San Honorato, the latter with a precious alabaster altarpiece from the XNUMXth century. And also him Monastery of San Julián del Monte and Sanctuaries of the Virgen de los Arcos and Santa Margarita de la Cot, is located, precisely, in the crater of the homonymous volcano. Back is the church of Santa Maria, dated in the fifteenth century.

No less pretty is her Plaza Mayor, equally medieval and made up of houses attached to the old wall. It's not the only one. Even older is the Vila Vela square, which is accessed through the door of the same name and which dates from the beginning of the XNUMXth century. And, as a contrast to so many wonders of the Middle Ages, you have the call RYoung Artists Route, a set of works distributed throughout the town and made during a meeting of creators in the town that took place in 1992.

Sant Joan les Fonts

Sant Joan les Fonts

Medieval bridge of Sant Joan les Fonts, another wonder to visit in La Garrotxa

We finished our review of what to see in La Garrotxa in this other monumental wonder formerly known as begudá. It is located on the banks of the Fluviá river, over which its medieval bridge, the main connection between the old town and the Castanyer neighbourhood.

It is not the only construction from that period that Sant Joan has, although the earthquakes that occurred in 1427 and 1428 destroyed many of them. In any case, it stands out Juvinyá Ranch, a fortified manor house with a defensive tower that is the oldest Romanesque building in all Catalonia. And also the canadell tower, four stories and loopholes.

But above all, you must see the Monastery of Sant Joan les Fonts. its magnificent romanesque church It is from the XNUMXth century and is cataloged with A Cultural. You will be struck by the pink color of its walls and the decoration of the apses. Look also at the sculpted stone on one of its side walls. It contains an inscription from the Visigothic period. On the other hand, inside, it has a baptismal font from the same century as the temple, with decorated capitals and other works of art.

In conclusion, we have shown you the main What to visit in La Garrotxa. But we could also advise you to approach The Planas, with its Romanesque church of Santa María de les Encies; a San Feliu de Pallarols, with the ruins of the castle of Hostoles; to the small village of The Mallol, declared a Historic-Artistic Site, or Argelaguer, with its Montpalau palace house, built in the XNUMXth century. Dare to know this beautiful region of the province of Gerona.


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