Garrotxa, Catalonia · Catalonia
Garrotxa Volcanoes & Horseback
- 10 hours
- Private tour
- Easy
- English, Spanish
- Hotel pickup
Overview
Spend a full day in La Garrotxa, where dormant volcanic craters hide stone chapels and a beech forest grows over ancient lava. Walk the crater floor, cross the misty Fageda d'en Jordà, and ride on horseback through open countryside.
La Garrotxa is one of the best-preserved volcanic landscapes in Europe, with over 40 inactive cones, fertile valleys and medieval villages built from dark basalt stone. The air is cooler here, the forests are thick, and the pace of life is slower than anywhere else in Catalonia. Most visitors to Barcelona never discover it exists.
Horseback riding is optional and can be swapped for more time in the medieval villages.
Highlights
- Walk the floor of the Santa Margarida crater, with its lone chapel at the centre
- Cross the Fageda d'en Jordà, a beech forest grown over an ancient lava flow
- A calm guided horseback ride, suited to complete beginners and to children
- Lunch in a village kitchen, cooked with produce from the volcanic soil
- Private transport from Barcelona and back, at your own pace
- Private guide, no fixed schedule to keep up with
Itinerary
- Morning
Barcelona pickup
Private transfer from your hotel, heading north through the Catalan countryside. Around two hours, with a stop along the way if you want one.
- Late morning
Santa Margarida crater
A gentle walk down into the crater floor, where a small stone chapel sits completely alone at the centre. You only understand the scale once you are standing inside it.
- Midday
Fageda d’en Jordà
A slow loop through the beech forest that grew over an old lava flow. Soft filtered light, moss-covered ground, and almost no sound at all.
- Lunch
Santa Pau
A long table in a village restaurant. Local beans, cured meats, and whatever the kitchen has that week, grown in the volcanic soil around you.
- Afternoon
Horseback ride
A calm, guided ride through open country. No experience needed. The horses are chosen for their steadiness, and children are welcome.
- Late afternoon
Return to Barcelona
Back at your hotel in the early evening.
What is included
Included
- Hotel pickup in central Barcelona
- Lunch
- Natural park entrance
- Insurance
- Expert guide (English and Spanish)
Not included
- Alcoholic drinks
What to bring
- Closed-toe hiking shoes with non-slip soles
- Weather-appropriate clothing
- Hat, sunscreen and water
- A small backpack
Maximum rider weight for the horseback ride: 120 kg (265 lbs).
Location
Garrotxa, Catalonia. About two hours north of Barcelona.