Garrotxa Volcanoes & Horseback
🧭 Trip Overview
10 hours
Spain
Hotel pickup
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.
✨ Trip 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
🗺️ Detailed 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. The ingredients come from 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. Max rider weight: 120 kg.
Late afternoon: return
Back to Barcelona, arriving early evening.
🧢 What’s Included
What is included
Lunch
Entrance to important places
What to bring
Closed-toe hiking shoes with firm, non-slip soles (required)
Comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing
Sun protection (hat, sunscreen) and reusable water bottle
Personal items in a small backpack
Maximum rider weight: 120 kg (265 lbs)
🌍 Location
Garrotxa, Catalonia
Trip Details
Duration:
10 hours
Difficulty:
Easy
Language:
English, Spanish
Price:
EUR 1,300
Inclusions:
Tours, meals