The beautiful medieval town lost among more than 40 volcanoes perfect to discover in a balloon

Tonight it's early morning because at 6 in the morning you have to be ready to see how they prepare the

from which the lucky occupants will then see

We are not exaggerating, because where else apart from the Garrotxa region of Girona can you see more than 40 volcanoes from above?

Here, among medieval towns, fortresses, mountains, forests, wineries, basaltic lava flows and... forceful sausages, is

, a unique spot in Europe included within the tourist demarcation of Costa brava.

Its many sleeping giants are the undisputed protagonists, especially those of

,

and

The latter, moreover, "is the tallest (it is 160 meters high and has a base diameter of 800 meters) and the youngest in the Iberian Peninsula," explains Xevi Port, founder of

, one of the companies that operates balloon rides in the area.

In their case, they have been doing it

, so they can be considered true pioneers.

Balloon flight over the Garrocha volcanoes.

Today, the balloon he drives (it has its own license plate: EC-LDX) reaches a maximum height of

.

"We are on a good day because there is enough wind, not too much and not too little," she adds as she offers a gigantic sweet coke to the participants in the experience.

The

is not missing either.

Of course, the real breakfast comes once we are on land.

And it is that what he expects when he goes down are big words: a breakfast based on

and, why not, a good jug of wine.

Beans, tumaca bread, local sausage and ali-oli.

Meanwhile, Port is telling that not everything is volcanoes in the

"An infinite number of holm oaks, oak groves and beech forests complete the landscape".

Among the latter, the

stands out , with a great diversity of fauna.

All this can be seen from up there, but also medieval towns such as Besalú or Santa Pau,

, yes, but also in Catalonia and even in all of Spain.

After the balloon ride, we spend the day in the second one, where we also spend the night.

And not just any hotel, but

, a rustic-style accommodation with (very much) charm built on two historic stone houses from the 15th century.

The stone facades of Santa Pau.

The owners are the charming married couple

.

The name of the hotel, Cal Sastre (the house of the tailor) recalls the grandfather of the former, who was the

.

Together with his wife, Ramona, he opened the first inn in the area at the beginning of the 20th century in what is the hotel today.

Between arcades and castles

The building is located in the very

, that one sheltered by ancient arcades with an irregular profile, so characteristic of this town in La Garrotxa.

The square used to be called

(Fair of the Bulls), since the

typical of the Middle Ages were held there, which continued to be held long after.

One of the rooms at the Cal Sastre hotel.

It is not the only jewel of this walled municipality.

So are "the Portal del Mar, the castle with a quadrangular floor plan from the 13th and 14th centuries and the

", as Moliner tells it, since from his hotel they not only provide accommodation and

, but also recommendations on routes through the town and the entire region, including the aforementioned balloon flights.

"Seeing the volcanoes from above is a unique experience that we recommend to everyone," he adds.

Back at the hotel, all the rooms (from the rooms to the lobby or the dining room) are

with tools from the tailor grandfather, old magazines, illustrated calendars, sewing machines and collections of buttons and threads.

The

room is also reminiscent of the inn it once was.

Breakfast time at the Cal Sastre hotel.

Don't miss out on trying the wonderful

that Moliner prepares every morning.

"Some French customers told me they were the best croissants she had ever eaten in her life," she says proudly.

They are accompanied by other homemade sweets, as well as sausage and cheese from the area, freshly baked bread, natural juice and

"The jam, yes, is from my mother-in-law," adds the woman.

The classic 'fesols' from Santa Pau.

Her husband, Pont, runs the hotel's renowned

, whose terrace overlooks the Plaza Mayor itself.

The

, the most emblematic dish in the area, cannot be missing from the order.

Not surprisingly, they have their own

.

"Their uniqueness lies in the volcanic soil in which they are grown, hence their different flavor and buttery texture," explains Ponts.

You also have to try the

with truffle bechamel, served at a dinner at the tourism fair of the World Travel Market in London, according to the gastronomic expert.

Two sewing machines from Cal Sastre recall the grandfather's profession.

There are more treasures on the menu: tomato soup from their organic garden,

with red fruits or veal cheeks with ratafía sauce, a local brandy that could be compared to

based on the maceration of different products like walnuts, sour cherries, rosemary, fennel, thyme... For dessert, you have to order the

with beeches from Jordà or the Catalan cream with burnt orange.

Impossible best dinner-banquet to end the day.

PRACTICAL GUIDE

HOW TO GET THERE

.

The AVE reaches the cities of Figueras and Girona and the plane also to the latter.

From any of them you can get to Santa Pau by car.

WHERE TO SLEEP.

The

hotel is a cozy accommodation built on two 15th century houses.

Its restaurant serves exquisite (and hearty) local cuisine.

Watch out for breakfast, with its homemade croissants and jam.

Its owners, and Eva, cannot be better hosts.

WHERE TO EAT.

The

hotel restaurant is one of the gastronomic essentials of the Garrotxa region.

You should not leave without trying the Santa Pau beans, the Butifarra canalón or the entrecote.

The Vol de Coloms company, in addition to organizing balloon flights in the area, also offers typical native breakfasts with beans, sausage, tumaca bread and ali-oli.

MORE INFORMATION.

website

: www.costabrava.org

You can follow

on

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

Know more

See links of interest

• Last News

• Topics

• Work calendar 2022

• Time change

• best colleges

• Qatar Motorcycle Grand Prix live

• Genoa - Empoli

• Cadiz - Vallecano Ray

• Lugo - Alcorcon

• Watford-Arsenal