What to do in the Girona Pyrenees in 48 hours

Thinking of spending a couple of days in the Girona Pyrenees? Let’s get planning! This section of the Pyrenees, characterised by its unique Mediterranean flavour, is a truly spectacular part of the world, with impressive mountains that rise from the sea and stunning scenery that can only be described as the stuff of dreams.

It’s a place where it is a joy to linger a while to explore and immerse yourself in the natural, cultural and historical richness of the local area. But if time is not on your side here is a selection of ideas to give you an excellent first taste of what the Girona Pyrenees region has to offer.

Day 1. The Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park

Girona Pyrenees is all about mountain peaks soaring to almost 3,000 metres high and stunningly beautiful valleys, such as Cerdanya, Vall de Camprodon and Vall de Núria. It’s about forests, lakes, rivers and waterfalls, unspoilt nature and rural essence. It’s about places as unique as The Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, an essential stop on any visit to the region, home to forty volcanic cones and 20 lava flows blanketed in an abundance of lush greenery.

1. Walk among volcanoes

The Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park boasts an extensive network of signposted hiking trails. Of these, Trail no. 1 is one of the Girona Pyrenees region’s most popular trails, a circular route that takes around 4.5 hours to complete and enables you to discover three of the Natural Park’s main attractions: the Croscat volcano, the Fageda d’en Jordà beech forest and the Santa Margarida volcano.

It is magical route takes in numerous geological and scenic wonders that will leave you with priceless memories, such as strolling through the immense Fageda d’en Jordà beech forest that sits on top of the Croscat Volcano lava floor and exploring the crater at the top of the Santa Margarida volcano, which today is an idyllic meadow flanked by forests with a small Romanesque chapel nestled in its centre.

2. The medieval charm of Santa Pau

The municipality of Santa Pau is not only home to the natural wonders of the Fageda de Jordà beech forest and many of the craters that make up the Garrotxa volcanic zone, but also contains a magnificent medieval town declared a site of historical-artistic interest, which is a true cultural gem.

The old town of Santa Pau offers a fascinating glimpse of a bygone era, transporting us more than a thousand years back into the past. The ancient walled part of the town contains numerous beautifully preserved architectural elements, such as the porticoed Plaça Major square that was once the thriving local marketplace, where you will also find the Gothic church of Santa Maria, built in the sixteenth century.

Wander the narrow streets to discover the sober and compact castle that has stood guard over the town since the thirteenth century and the Portal del Mar viewpoint from where, on a clear day, you can enjoy panoramic views all the way to the Bay of Roses.

Day 2. A day on the trail of Romanesque art: Ripoll – Camprodon – Beget

The Costa Brava and Girona Pyrenees are guardians of the many Romanesque treasures to be found throughout the region in the form of castles, monasteries, churches and chapels.

The Ripoll – Camprodon – Beget trail will take you on a journey back to the Middle Ages to discover some of the most emblematic exponents of Catalan Romanesque art, providing the perfect opportunity to explore some gorgeous Pyrenean villages and drink in the stunning scenery along the way.

1. The monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll, cradle of Catalonia

Ripoll is one of the gateways to the Girona Pyrenees, and a must-see for anyone interested in art and history. For art, head to the Monastery of Santa Maria, a unique and singular Benedictine complex that features an exquisite set of sculptures on its portico (twelfth century) depicting a number of passages from the Old Testament that make it a real ‘Bible of stone’ and one of Europe’s greatest works of Romanesque art.

This monastery, which was a major religious and cultural centre, is one of the most important in the history of Catalonia and one of the great flagships of Catalan identity. It was founded in 879 by Count Wilfred the Hairy, considered the founder of the Catalan dynasty, whose tomb can be visited as part of the monastery tour.

2. Camprodon: a valley of wonders

The town of Camprodon gives its name to one of the most attractive valleys in the Pyrenees. Here we are going to focus on its Romanesque heritage, but this is also fantastic place to enjoy nature, hiking, skiing (at the Vallter2000 resort), sample the famous local charcuterie and biscuits made here and much more.

You will inevitably start your tour of Camprodon by taking photos of the iconic twelfth century Pont Nou bridge over the River Ter from all possible angles. A few minutes’ walk away is the Church of Santa Maria, a solemn and austere twelfth century building and the only remaining vestige of the Monastery of Sant Pere, which dates back to the tenth century.

3. Beget, art and nature

Beget is an idyllic village set in the heart of the Alta Garrotxa countryside that preserves the beauty of its origins and which has been designated a Cultural Asset of National Interest. And rightly so.

Following the traces of its Romanesque history, we discover the church of Sant Cristòfol, a religious building dating back to the twelfth century that features an impressive 22-metre-high bell tower and also houses a magnificent, two-metre-high polychrome wooden carving of Christ in Majesty, which depicts Christ on the cross in long, flowing robes. A solemn figure that forms a striking contrast with the seventeenth century paintings that sit alongside it on the church’s baroque altarpiece. Take some time to wonder at the beauty of this important example of Romanesque sculpture.