Girona Small Group Tour: Explore Besalu, Banyoles Lake and Volcanoes of La Garrotxa Natural Park
4.9
29 Ratings
Girona
Embark on a full-day small group tour from Girona to explore the medieval heritage of Besalú, the volcanic landscapes of La Garrotxa Natural Park, and the picturesque Banyoles Lake.
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Bridge of Besalu - You will have a guided walking tour to the medieval and Jewish quarters of Besalu. Also you will discover one of the nicest Medieval Bridge of Spain.
  • Castellfollit de la Roca - We will stop just a few minutes to take some photos to the houses on the top of this amazing Basaltic cliff.
  • Volcan de Santa Margarida - You will have a guided walk to reach the Santa Margarida church located inside the crater of the Santa Margarida volcano.
  • Restaurant Can Xel - You will have time to have lunch at the Restaurant Can Xel to taste the specialyties of this area.
  • La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park - Santa Pau is an small Medieval village in the middle of the Volcanoes. You will have a walking tour to visit the old quarter, the church and the castle.
  • Lake Banyoles - Time to walk along the Lake of Banyoles, the largest lake of Catalonia but If you prefer not to walk, you can sail with the ecological boat La Tirona. Tickets not included!
What's Included
  • Bottled water included
  • Guided tour with local history expert
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
Additional Information

If you’re passionate about nature and keen on exploring novel regions, this is your ideal pick!!

During this comprehensive day trip, you’ll traverse various territories. We’ll initially delve into an area teeming with history, where our guide will illuminate the medieval and Jewish inheritance of Besalú. Subsequently, we’ll spend part of the day basking in the natural beauty of La Garrotxa Natural Park in the pre-Pyrenees region, which is home to over 40 dormant volcanoes. You’ll experience this first-hand by visiting a Medieval hermitage positioned smack in the center of a volcano crater. Additionally, you’ll stopover at Castellfollit de la Roca to snap a few pictures of the Basaltic precipice and visit Santa Pau, a quaint village encircled by volcanoes.

To conclude this spectacular day, you’ll have the chance to stroll or navigate the waters of Banyoles lake, the biggest lake in Catalonia.

We plan to return to Girona city around 5/5.30pm, subject to traffic conditions.

Location
Plaça de Sant Feliu
Our meeting point is in Sant Feliu Square, beside The River Caffe, Girona city (Spain)
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(29 Ratings)
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Hwasunlee
May 16, 2024
Girona is calling you… - My wife and I just returned from a beautiful day exploring some charming medieval villages, hiking up and down into an inactive volcano crater as well enjoying a relaxing lakeside walk. Our tour was well organized by Gironaexperience tours & transfers. Our driver Alex and our guide Eduardo (both fluent in English) were our joyful companions for this full day tour. Eduardo was a font of local knowledge and folklore and kept us both informed and entertained throughout our day together. We had a wonderful experience and would highly recommend this company. You will not be disappointed. Spending some extra time in the charming city of Girona is also highly recommended, and Gironaexperience can also provide you with a number of in town tours to round out your time here. Have fun and enjoy your stay.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maureensk8518ps
May 5, 2024
A most excellent tour! - Our guide was knowledgable and very well spoken. It was a pleasure to spend the day with him enjoying the beautiful scenery and learn of the history and culture of the region. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of regional cuisine after an interesting hike up and in the volcanoe crater.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathryn_b
Apr 27, 2024
Not to be missed - The whole trip was exceptional. Loved Bessalu, Santa Pau, walking the reserve and Lake Banyoles. Our guide Eduardo was knowledgeable and informative. A wonderful day.
Review provided by Viator
Beth_r
Apr 18, 2024
Great combination of experiences. - We liked going to Besalu, especially in the cool and quiet part of the morning. We also enjoyed getting out to the volcano and seeing views of Catalonia. Found the history and political movements very interesting.
Review provided by Viator
Helen_s
Apr 11, 2024
Perfect Day - From beginning to end our day was perfect. My husband and I were the only people on the tour (it’s out of season) but Alex didn’t cancel of which we were grateful. Basically, we had a private tour with Alex safely delivering us from stop to stop and Eduardo providing historical facts and information ranging from architectural styles to the Spanish Revolution; we learnt so much. Besalu was beautiful and we arrived well before bus loads of tourists. The walk up the volcano and into the crater to view the chapel was the perfect preparation for lunch which was prepared with plentiful and tasty local produce. Each town had its own charm and plenty of photo opportunities. If you want to get out into the country and wander in beautiful century old towns and enjoy some peace and beautiful scenery - even a glimpse of the Mediterranean Sea - this trip has to be at the top of your list. Thank you Alex and Eduardo for a truly wonderful day.
Review provided by Viator
Heidilz3277xe
Nov 30, 2023
Relax and let someone show you Catalonia history - Great way to relax and see some of Catalonia outside of Girona. We saw several historical towns and sights. Eduardo provided insight and historical info along the way. Thumbs up.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deborah
Nov 4, 2023
A Wonderful Visit - We greatly enjoyed the day we spent with Eduardo and Carme touring Besalú, Banyoles, and an ancient volcano. The day gave us a glimpse into the Pre-Pyrenees area: Besalú and other medieval towns were charming; the ancient volcano was interesting; and the lake at Banyoles was very picturesque. We stopped at a local restaurant with excellent local food for lunch. All in all, a wonderful day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nance_w
Oct 27, 2023
Begur, Banyoles Lake - Loved the climb to the top then bottom of the volcano. Great tour with Eduardo. Banyoles Lake was amazing!
Review provided by Viator
Faloncc
Sep 1, 2023
Breath taking town and get ready to hike for the volcano - Absolutely fantastic and an amazing discovery! The bridge is really cool and it transport you back in time! The town of Besalu was really cool to walk through, parking is available but limited on the out skirts of the town. The volcano no longer had a church in the middle of it, but it was the only volcano we found under this name. It was quit the hike up, not for the weary. Bring water!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
727keeleyb
Jun 26, 2023
Fantastic Perfect Tour and Day! - Me and my partner Aaron had a fantastic time on this trip. Excellent communication prior to departure and the lovely new air conditioned minibus was there to meet us with Carmen driving us for the day and Dylan as our guide. The whole tour from start to finish was a perfect day. We loved the medieval villages and Dylan as tour guide spoke excellent English and was really friendly and knowledgeable. The hike up to the volcano and into the crater was steep and I had to take my time but Dylan and the small group were patient, it was a very hot and humid day!!! We went into a volcano crater! Just 😲! Stop for lunch was good. None of the day was rushed and the lake at the end was a beautiful end to the day. There was only 4 people on this tour and the other couple were from Australia and lovely to meet them too. Would recommend to all nature and history lovers. Our favourite tour of the holidays. Many thanks to Carmen and Dylan!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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minimum 2 guests
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2 Adult
June 2024
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