Medieval Villages & La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Hiking
4.9
11 Ratings
Barcelona
Experience the charm of medieval villages and explore the stunning landscapes of La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone on a hiking adventure. Discover the scenic Castellfollit de la Roca, hike through lava flows, and immerse yourself in the rural way of life. Visit the well-preserved Besalú and step back in time on this unforgettable journey.
Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Besalú - On this Small Group day tour from Barcelona you will explore la Garrotxa county, one of Catalonia’s most interesting areas in Girona province, famous for it’s medieval villages and the volcanos that shaped the valleys of this county. On this experience we will visit 3 medieval towns: Castellfollit de la Roca, Sant Joan les Fonts and Besalú and we will hike though the lava flows at La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park. Our local will introduce you with the local culture.
What's Included
  • Small-group intimacy with a maximum of 8 participants per tour
  • Professional bilingual guide fluent in English and Spanish
  • Scenic hike and exploration of Castellfollit de la Roca
  • Guided visit to the historic town of Besalú
  • Excursion to Sant Joan les Fonts and La Garrotxa Volcanic Area
  • Comfortable transportation in an air-conditioned minivan
  • Complimentary hiking poles and personal insurance
  • Refreshments provided with a complimentary bottle of water
What's Not Included
  • Tips (optional)
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

Our day begins with a relaxed hike and a tour of Castellfollit de la Roca, a visually stunning medieval hamlet located in Catalonia, strategically situated on a cliff at the confluence of two rivers.

We will then venture to Sant Joan les Fonts to marvel at the ancient Romanesque church and 12th century medieval bridge, before embarking on a hike through one of my most cherished trails. This trail traces the path of three old lava flows that have moulded the topography of this region. This is where we absorb the rustic rural lifestyle of La Garrotxa. The sheer beauty of the area induces a meditative state of mind.

Post-hike, we journey to Besalú - Catalonia’s most intact medieval hamlet, where you’ll initially have some leisure time for lunch (we can arrange a local dining spot for you).

To wrap up our day before heading back to Barcelona, we will go on a guided tour of Besalú where I will point out the most distinctive features of this enchanting medieval settlement; it’s like stepping back into another era!

  • Please wear hiking / sport shoes and comfortable clothes
  • This is a rain or shine tour, please dress appropriately to the weather (La Garrotxa gets colder than Barcelona in winter!)
  • This is an active experience and includes a hike
  • Small Group maximum capacity 8 people per tour
  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
  • Remember to bring snacks for the hike. Lunch is not included but we can book a traditional local restaurant for you.
Location
Pg. de Gràcia, 26
Passeig de Gràcia
Meeting point in front of el Nacional restaurant. Your guide will meet you here.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(11 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Susan_h
Apr 3, 2022
Great guide service and enjoyable day! - Ramon is an excellent guide - personable, knowledgeable, and flexible - and made this an excellent day trip. We had a nice hike around the volcano park (easy hiking, moderate pace), stopping along the way to enjoy cheese & sausage snacks he provided, then drove to see some lovely examples of medieval villages after enjoying an excellent (optional) fixed-price lunch at a small restaurant just outside the volcano park. Highly recommend Catalan Trails guide service, and Ramon, who do this and many other day trips. This trip is suitable for all ages, and Ramon catered everything to our interests to make our trip most enjoyable. Thanks Catalan Trails!
Review provided by Viator
Rachelong
Nov 24, 2021
Highly recommended, such an enjoyable day! - We loved our tour with Ramon. He’s so friendly and knowledgeable, and kept the tour and conversation engaging the whole time. La Garrotxa is so beautiful this time of year with the autumn colours, and the hike was easy enough even for amateur hikers. Besalu is so quaint and unique too. All in all, a really memorable day.
Review provided by Viator
Hipposlippers
Aug 15, 2020
Open air release post-lockdown - Our special trip with Ramon truly represents our return to freedom after the very intense lockdown in Barcelona. The fresh air and beautiful views were our reward. Ramon is an outstanding guide. He is so knowledgeable about the area and added a lot of details and context about the geology and history that we wouldn't have gotten on our own. At the same time, he didn't force conversation on the drive, which I think shows a level of comfort with silence that is uncommon in the industry, but also probably appreciated by many clients. All three stops were gorgeous and special. Besalu is definitely a must-see. We opted for the restaurant lunch, and it was really nice. Overall, wonderful tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ali_a
Mar 4, 2020
Fantastic! - I had an absolutely SPLENDID time on this tour! Ramon is highly knowledgeable and a truly excellent travel guide. I very much appreciated his input and explanations to the historical contexts and undertones that explain the existence of specific architectural structures in the medieval towns, not to mention all of the fantastic photo shots. The nature hikes were particularly my favorite part of the whole experience because of the limited exposure to nature in downtown Barcelona. Ramon is also an excellent conversationalist; we chatted for hours on all sorts of topics ranging from travel, to history, to politics. I most appreciate Ramon's help and advice on finalizing my last tourist attraction visits prior to the end of my vacation, as well as for the great restaurant tips. FYI Ramon: I went to La Fonda del Port Olimpic, as you suggested for seafood, and the food was amazing! Thanks again for such a great time!
Review provided by Viator
Caligal328
Oct 29, 2019
Fun and interesting tour - We were lucky to have Ramón as our guide. He was very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. We had a lovely hike followed by a delicious lunch and then tour of the picturesque village of Besalú. Ramón’s knowledge of history and culture made the day much more interesting than if we had done this on our own.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Travel_jlil
Nov 23, 2018
Ramon, the Director of Catalan Trails, is an excellent guide! - Ramon is an excellent guide—knowledgeable, energetic, and kind. He has a positive and generous spirit. I highly recommend any guided tour or hiking experience with Ramon. I went on two of his excursions including La Garrotxa & Besalu as well as Montserrat and I had a wonderful time!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Felix
Oct 27, 2018
EXCELLENT DAY HIKING TRIP IN NORTH CATALONA - Why pay the same price for big tour companies when you can have Ramon's personalised service? He knows his routes well and was very flexible to cater for my active young family. Book his COSTA BRAVA + TOSSA DE MAR tour as well if you enjoy day hikes. My family had a magical time with Ramon. La Garrotxa is special if you get the morning fog. - Felix from down under
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Diazwoods
May 5, 2018
Amazing! - Ramon is a great guide. He was born and raised in Catalan, and has traveled the world. He has so much insight and history to share about the areas we visited and Barcelona as well. We had so many fascinating conversations with him. We decided to do this trip on our honeymoon and my husband's birthday and he couldn't be more impressed! The day was amazing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daydream67372421338
Jun 11, 2019
Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park - We arrived at the meeting point and our guide was punctual, very friendly , puts all the members of the team at ease and is very knowledgeable about the Spanish culture, way of life and the trip. The drive from Barcelona to La Garrotxa takes about one and a half hours in a very comfortable air conditioned minibus. The hike through the Natural Park takes roughly three hours with just a few steep up hills otherwise it is more or less flat. Walking through the beech tree forest was wonderful as it was a hot day giving us shade and coolness. Our guide even carried and gave us bottles of water to quench our thirst. The meal was satisfactory and the service was very quick. I would have loved to have more time in Besalu because I really loved the place but time was given to go shopping in the tourist shops. All in all it was a very satisfying day.
Review provided by Viator
Select Date and Tickets
minimum 2 guests
-
up to 8 guests
2
Adult
May 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today