Route to the interior of the Santa Margarida volcano in the Garrotxa region.

Did you know that you can climb to the top of a volcano and descend into its crater without leaving Catalonia?

A trekking route for the whole family.

Put on some comfortable shoes and come for a walk to the Santa Margarida volcano in the Garrotxa 😉.

Technical specifications

Hermitage of Santa Margarida in Garrotxa volcano

Difficulty: low.
Length: 3 km (round trip).
Elevation gain: 150 m.
Travel time: 1 hour.
Start: Santa Margarida parking lot.
End: Santa Margarida parking lot.
Date of completion (photographs): July, 2018.

Hiking route to the Santa Margarida volcano

Santa Margarida Parking

The route starts at the Santa Margarida parking lot.

First you advance along a fairly wide dirt path. Continue until you find the signs to the volcano that make you take a detour to the right.

The road is still wide and easily passable.

You arrive at a small built-up area (a couple of buildings or three), with a bar-restaurant and a handicraft house-workshop.

Of course, when we passed by, the bar was closed, although it had a vending machine at the door that seemed to be still in operation.

Climbing path to the edge of the volcano

Shortly after leaving these buildings behind, the slope begins in an almost straight line that takes you to the highest part of the volcano.

Trail to the Santa Margarida volcano, Garrotxa

It is a very wide dirt road, completely covered by the shade of the trees and accessible to almost the whole family (no wheelchairs or strollers).

Once at the top, the path forks.

We took the path to the left but you can choose whichever one you prefer, as they both lead to the same place 😉.

Warning: Don't expect to see the inside of the volcano from here.

The drone photos you see when you type in Google "Santa Margarida Garrotxa volcano" are wonderful, I know.

But for wingless mortals it is impossible to get views like this (or similar) from the road, as the density of the forest prevents you from seeing the crater until you almost hit it head on.

Crater and hermitage of Santa Margarida

The road around the crater begins to descend gradually until you can finally see the idyllic meadow inside where the Romanesque hermitage that gives its name to the volcano stands out.

Hermitage of Santa Margarida in the crater of the volcano.

Go for it!

The hermitage was closed during our visit, but how often do you get the chance to walk around the cone of such an iconic volcano?

Return

You can pick up the circumference where you left off or shorten it in the center and climb up another access where the different types and colors of volcanic gravel have been exposed by the rains.

Volcanic gravel trail at Santa Margarida

The shapes that nature creates are amazing, don't you think?

Before reaching the starting point of the circular trail, you pass by the door of a rural lodging that, yes, must have privileged views of the interior of the volcano.

Once at the fork you just have to retrace your steps to the parking lot of Santa Margarida.

Directions

By car

In the natural park of the volcanic area of the Garrotxa you will find several parking lots where you can leave your vehicle and go hiking in peace.

In low season they are free, but throughout August and on many special days during the rest of the year (including most weekends and holidays), you can park your car for €4/day.

Specifically, the parking lot from which the route to the Santa Margarida volcano starts, you can't miss it, as it has the same name 😉.

You can see it on the map at the end of this post.

Romanesque hermitage inside the Santa Margarida volcano, la Garrotxa, Catalonia

By bus

With the company Teisa you can reach the surrounding villages and even the parking lots of the Natural Park of the volcanic area of the Garrotxa from cities such as Barcelona, Girona or Figueres.

I leave the direct link to the company at the end of this post in case you want to calculate your route.

What to bring

Food: the trip is very short, so it is not necessary to bring anything to eat. However, it never hurts to carry some nuts in your pocket, don't you think?
Water: I recommend carrying at least 0.5 to 1 liter of water per person, especially in summer (June, July, August or September).
Sun protection: most of the tour takes place in the shade, except when you go down into the volcano, but even so it never hurts to wear sunglasses, hat and sunscreen, especially in summer.
Clothing: light or warm clothing depending on the season and hiking shoes.
Travel insurance: if you do not have Spanish nationality, book your IATI travel insurance through this link and get a 5% discount. They offer customizable coverage according to your needs and will pay all medical expenses in advance if you let them know in advance. I no longer travel without them (outside Spain, of course).

When to go

The best time to visit the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park is spring (April, May and June).

In autumn it tends to be very crowded and in midsummer temperatures limit early morning hiking hours.

However, thanks to a very short trail protected by the shade of the trees, it is possible to walk around the Santa Margarida volcano in July or August, as we did.

Just don't rush and remember to bring sunscreen and water.

Winter is also a good season: few hikers and no sweltering heat. However, you will depend more on the weather.