Hike into the Santa Margarida volcano crater in La Garrotxa

Inside the Santa Margarida volcano in La Garrotxa

Did you know you can climb to the top of a volcano and walk right down into its crater without ever leaving Catalonia?

A hiking trail for the whole family.

Put on some comfy shoes and come take a walk to Santa Margarida Volcano in La Garrotxa. 😉

Technical details

Santa Margarida Hermitage in Garrotxa Volcano

Difficulty: easy.
Distance: 3 km (round trip).
Elevation gain: 150 m.
Walking time: 1 hour.
Start: Santa Margarida parking lot.
End: Santa Margarida parking lot.
Date completed (photos): July, 2018.

Hiking trail to Santa Margarida Volcano

Santa Margarida parking lot

The hike starts at the Santa Margarida parking lot.

First, you follow a fairly wide dirt trail. Keep going until you see the signs for the volcano, which lead you to turn right.

The trail remains wide and easy to walk on.

You'll reach a small cluster of buildings (two or three in total), with a bar-restaurant and an artisan craft workshop.

Keep in mind, when we walked by, the bar was completely closed, although there was a vending machine out front that still seemed to be working.

Trail up to the volcano rim

Shortly after leaving these buildings behind, an almost straight uphill stretch begins, leading you straight up to the highest point of the volcano.

Trail to Santa Margarida Volcano, Garrotxa

It's a very wide dirt trail, fully shaded by trees, and accessible for almost the whole family (wheelchairs and baby strollers not recommended).

Once at the top, the path forks.

We took the left fork, but you can choose either one—they both lead to the exact same spot! 😉

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

Those drone shots you see when you google "Santa Margarida volcano Garrotxa" look amazing, I know.

But for wingless mortals, it's impossible to get views like that (or anything close) from the trail, since the thick forest keeps the crater hidden until you're practically stumbling right into it.

Crater and Santa Margarida Hermitage

The trail that circles the crater gently winds down until you can finally see the idyllic meadow inside, home to the charming Romanesque hermitage that gives the volcano its name.

Santa Margarida Hermitage inside the volcano crater.

Let's go!

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

Return journey

You can rejoin the circular trail right where you left it, or cut through the center and head back up another trail where rainfall has exposed the different types and colors of volcanic gravel.

Volcanic gravel trail in Santa Margarida

The patterns nature creates are just mind-blowing, don't you think?

Before making it back to the start of the loop trail, you'll pass right in front of a rural guesthouse that must boast some truly privileged views of the volcano interior.

Once you're back at the fork, all that's left is to retrace your steps back down to the Santa Margarida parking lot.

How to get there

By car

In the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, you'll find several parking areas where you can leave your vehicle and enjoy your hike worry-free.

During low season, parking is free, but throughout all of August and on many key dates throughout the year (including almost all weekends and public holidays), you can park your car for €4/day.

Specifically, the parking lot where the hike to Santa Margarida Volcano begins is impossible to miss, since it shares the exact same name. 😉

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

Romanesque hermitage inside Santa Margarida Volcano, La Garrotxa, Catalonia

By bus

Using the Teisa bus company, you can reach neighboring towns and even the parking lots in the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park from cities like Barcelona, Girona, or Figueres.

I've included the direct link to the bus company at the end of this post in case you want to plan your route.

What to bring

Snacks: it's a very short walk, so you don't really need to pack food. That said, having a handful of nuts in your pocket never hurts, right?
Water: I recommend bringing at least 0.5 to 1 liter of water per person, especially in summer (June, July, August, or September).
Sun protection: Most of the trail is well shaded, except when you hike down inside the crater, but it's still always a great idea to bring sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen, especially in summer.
What to wear: Light layers or warm clothes depending on the season, along with sturdy hiking shoes.
Travel insurance: if you don't have Spanish citizenship, book your IATI travel insurance through this link and get a 5% discount. They offer customizable coverage to fit your needs and pay all medical expenses upfront if you call them first. I never travel without them anymore (outside of 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 busy, and in the height of summer the temperatures limit hiking to the early morning hours.

However, thanks to a short trail nicely shaded by trees, it is possible to hike around the Santa Margarida volcano in July or August, just like we did.

Just take your time and remember to pack sunscreen and plenty of water.

Winter is also a great time to visit: fewer hikers and no sweltering heat. However, you'll be more dependent on the weather.

Where to sleep

You'll find plenty of places to stay in Olot, as well as some charming spots in smaller villages.

We stayed on the outskirts of Santa Pau, in a villa with a gorgeous private garden that we found on Airbnb.

We absolutely loved it! But it's no longer available for rent.

What I can definitely recommend is staying around Santa Pau and the Santa Margarida volcano to enjoy the cobblestone streets of Santa Pau at sunset.