Pretty Villages Near Olot: 8 Escapes Among Volcanoes and Balconies

The Garrotxa is seen with your feet on the ground and your head tilted. Beneath the beech woods lie the cones of dormant volcanoes, and among lava flows thousands of years old hide houses of dark stone, hermitages and squares with arcades.

The pretty villages near Olot are discovered on short drives, along roads that wind between fields and forests. In the morning, mist stays trapped in the valleys. In the afternoon, the sun picks out the rooftops and the balconies with geraniums.

These eight stops mix basalt-wall postcards with smaller villages, where you hear the cowbells and breathe calm. Each comes with an idea of what to photograph and what to try, and all work for a day trip or a quiet weekend.

1 Castellfollit de la Roca: the village over the abyss

Castellfollit de la Roca is one of the best-known images of Catalonia. The village sits on top of a basalt cliff about fifty metres high, formed by two superimposed lava flows, with the Fluvià and Toronell rivers at its feet.

The streets are narrow and of dark stone. At the end, on the edge of the crag, is the church of Sant Salvador, and next to it a viewpoint from which you can see the drop. For the photo of the whole village, stand at the base of the wall, outside the village.

If you like photography, there is a simple rule: go in soft light, first thing or at the end of the afternoon. Volcanic stone is dark and absorbs a lot, so midday sun flattens the details. And leave a while to talk to the local people, who almost always have a story about the crag.

2 Santa Pau: a medieval enclosure in the volcanic park

Santa Pau lies in the middle of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park. It keeps its medieval layout around the Plaça Major, also called the Firal dels Bous, an arcaded square with uneven arches. The castle rises above the village.

It is a very rewarding village in autumn, when the stone and the trees light up in copper tones. Try the fesols de Santa Pau, a local bean that is part of the region’s cooking. Order them in a local restaurant.

From Santa Pau, paths lead to the Fageda d’en Jordà, a beech wood growing on a flow from the Croscat volcano. It is a nature reserve and one of the best-known routes in the region, suitable for anyone who wants to extend the morning with a short walk under the trees.

3 Els Hostalets d’en Bas: balconies with geraniums

Els Hostalets d’en Bas is in the Vall d’en Bas. The village was born in the 18th century around an old inn, on the road that linked Vic with Olot. That is where its name comes from.

Its most photographed postcard is on Teixeda street, with wooden balconies loaded with flowers and the church tower at the back. Arrive early, to have the street clear of people and the morning light from the side.

4 Besalú: the great medieval village

It is a little farther away, but Besalú deserves a place on this list. You enter over a medieval bridge across the Fluvià river, fortified in appearance, which acts as a gateway to the past. It is one of the most complete ensembles in Catalonia.

In its Jewish quarter the Miqvé is preserved, a 12th-century ritual purification bath, one of the few in Europe. Ask at the tourist office how the guided visits are organised. The monastery of Sant Pere and the Plaça de la Llibertat complete the route.

If you are short of time, go straight to the old town and save the rest for crossing the bridge at dusk, when the water reflects the stone. It is a much-visited village at weekends, and better on a weekday if you want to walk without crowds.

5 Joanetes: a nativity-scene village

Joanetes is a small rural hamlet, a short distance from Olot, below the Sierra de Finestres and the Puigsacalm massif. It is known as a “nativity village” for its stone houses and its air of a staged scene.

Here silence is part of the visit. Stroll among the houses, look at the church of Sant Romà and head back calmly. If it coincides with the Christmas festivities, ask in the village what activities are organised.

6 Sant Feliu de Pallerols: a river village

Sant Feliu de Pallerols is in the basin of the Brugent river. The water runs through the village and forms corners with stone bridges and quiet banks. It is a good plan in summer, when you fancy a cool break.

Easy paths set off from the village beside the water. Bring comfortable footwear, some food and a towel if you want to take a dip. Before going, ask which areas are suitable for swimming, because not all of them allow it.

7 Sant Esteve d’en Bas: a 12th-century church

Very close to Hostalets is Sant Esteve d’en Bas, another village of the Vall d’en Bas, with a 12th-century church and the façade of the old rectory. It has a serene air, that of an unhurried village.

It is a good place to stop for something simple to eat after exploring Hostalets. Walk through its streets and notice the nearby farmhouses: rural Catalan architecture is here in its quietest version.

8 Mallol: the former capital of the viscounty

Mallol sits on top of a small hill above the plain of the Vall d’en Bas. For centuries it was the administrative capital of the viscounty of Bas, and today it is a historic-artistic ensemble of narrow, steep streets, with a very narrow medieval jail.

Climb without hurry and look at the plain from above. On clear days, the Puigsacalm massif stands out in the background. It is the most unhurried village on the list, ideal for closing the route.

How to plan your route through the pretty villages near Olot

Olot is a good base, because from there everything is a short drive away. Without your own vehicle, getting around the small villages is complicated.

• Best season: autumn, with the beech woods in colour, and spring, with green fields.
• What to bring: comfortable footwear, a raincoat and a jacket, because it is cool in the area.
• Driving: the roads of the valley villages are narrow and winding. In winter there can be ice in shaded areas.

If you have two days, give one to Castellfollit, Santa Pau and Besalú, and another to the Vall d’en Bas. Between one and the other you have pauses for the countryside and the forest.

Which village will you photograph first: the one hanging from the basalt or the one with balconies of geraniums?