Walking holidays, tours and vacations in Catalonia (Catalunya), Northern Spain

Beautiful Besalú and extinct volcanoes

This walk begins in the beautifully preserved medieval town of Besalú, where you stay in the comfort of a stylish hotel next to the old bridge. From here you walk through the heart of La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park with its numerous (now extinct) volcanoes.

Winding up through the beech woods and rolling pastures of El Cabrerès, the cliff-girt plateau, the views are over the Catalonian hills, the towering heights of Mt. Puigsacalm and the (hopefully) snow-capped Pyrenees, before you move down finally for your stay in a converted farmhouse in the rural calm of La Vall d'en Bas.

You might consider a return to Besalú for a further night to explore in more detail its medieval alleys and Catalan restaurants.

Difficulty: medium - hard
Hills and valleys rather than mountains, with most walking along tracks or footpaths. Some steepish and hilly sections. Average cumulative uphill stretches (CUSs) 334m per day.

GPS referenced

Total 7 nights in shared room, all breakfasts, luggage transfers, 5 picnics and 5 evening meals

Savings and supplements

Single Room Supplement £85

Lone Traveller Additional Supplement £55
3rd person and over £95 off per person

3+ bedded rooms - call us for savings

Shorter breaks

6 nights (miss night 7) £600; SRS £65

LTAS £40; 3rd person+ £81 off pp

5 nights (miss nights 2 & 7) £545; SRS £54;

LTAS £32; 3rd person+ £68 off pp

Fly to Barcelona (B) or Gerona (G)

(All flights are subject to change at short notice - please check carefully before you book your holiday)

From:

Aberdeen Flyglobespan (B);

Belfast Aer Lingus (B), Easyjet (B) Jet2 (B) ;

Birmingham bmibaby (B), Flythomascook (G), Ryanair (G), Thomsonfly (G);

Blackpool Ryanair (G);

Bournemouth Ryanair (G);

Bristol BMIbaby (B), Easyjet (B), Ryanair (G);

Cardiff Thomsonfly (G);

Cork Aer Lingus(B);

Doncaster-Sheffield Ryanair (G);

Dublin Aer Lingus (B), Clickair (B), Ryanair (G);

Durham Tees Valley Ryanair (G);

East Midlands Easyjet (B), Ryanair (G);

Edinburgh Clickair (B), Flyglobespan (B);

Gatwick BA (B) Easyjet (B) Iberia (B);

Glasgow Flyglobespan (B), Flythomascook (G), Ryanair (G), Thomsonfly (G);

Heathrow BA (B) Iberia B);

Leeds Bradford Jet 2 (B);

Liverpool Easyjet (B), Ryanair (G);

London City BA (B);

Luton Easyjet (B), Ryanair (G);

Manchester BMIbaby (B), Flythomascook (G), Monarch (B), Ryanair (G), Thomsonfly (G);

Newquay Ryanair (G);

Newcastle Easyjet (B), Ryanair (G), Thomsonfly (G);

Norwich LTE (B);

Shannon Ryanair (G);

Stansted Easyjet (B), Ryanair (G)

Other Charter flights, eg My Travel (Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Gatwick, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle)

Typical rail journey

London: 15:30 Eurostar to Paris (N) (18:56) transfer by metro to Paris (A) for 20:32 night train to Gerona, arrive 06:54.  ~14.5 hrs.

Gerona: 22:17 Night train to Paris (A) (09:00) transfer by metro to Paris (N) for 11:13 Eurostar, arrive 12:28. ~15 hrs.

The first hotel is in Besalu and the last in La Pinya, near Olot. Best airport is Gerona, however Barcelona also has good public transport links to Besalu/Olot.

GERONA AIRPORT:

Land by: 20:00 (no time limit if using taxi)

Outward: 2 buses, 1½ hrs (c. €10)

OPTION: Pre-booked taxi transfer from Gerona airport to Besalu c. 1hr  

Return: 2 buses, 2½ hrs (c. €12)

OPTION: Pre-booked taxi transfer from Olot to Gerona airport c. 2hrs or from Besalu to Gerona airport c. 1hr

Return flight earliest:  13:00 hrs (no time limit if using taxi)

BARCELONA AIRPORT:

Land by: 16:30 

Outward: 2 buses 3 hrs (c. €25) - taxi not recommended

Return: 2 buses 3 hrs (c. €25) - taxi not recommended

Return flight earliest: 16:00

For pre-bookable taxi prices, see "Price includes"

Nearest railway station:

Start: Gerona

Finish: Gerona

IMPORTANT: Do not book your flights until we have confirmed that we have provisionally reserved accommodation for you.