Olot and the Volcanoes

Olot, aside from having a delightfully funny name is a small town about 50 minutes by car from Girona. The drive to get there is beautiful and quite scenic. You pass through picturesque green rolling hills and rich farmland. Olot is most famous for being situated in the Volcanic National Park and within the city limits contains 4 extinct volcanoes.

Aerial view of the Volcano we hiked courtesy of the Olot tourism website

We drove to the tourist center. In this brightly lit and welcoming space we were given a map of the town, the best route to walk from the city to one of the smaller volcanoes. Along the route we were promised some of the cities modernisme architecture and to pass by the bull fighting arena.

Awesome Modernisme building in Olot

Olot Cathedral

Another super awesome Modernisme building

Close up of the same building

Bull Fighting Arena in Olot

It was a solid like 93 degrees when we decided to hike up the side of this extinct volcano. We had done a lot of hiking in the pacific Northwest but never in extreme heat. The map given to us at the visitor center recommended we bypass an ancient set of stairs and walk around the base of the volcano and ascend on the far side. Seemed easy enough but somehow we started our ascent at a foot trail that was not the well paved and sanctioned route. This climb had us walking along the edge of private property up the side of the volcano in matted high grass in full sun. It wasn't a very big climb but in the heat it was grueling and honestly it was the closest I have ever come to passing out. But we made it. We reached the top right at an old monastery. Around the top of the volcano was a well marked paved path and stairs leading down into the exposed caldera. Once the magma center of this adorably sized volcano the crater is now laced in high meadow grass with the occasional wild flower. Its own ecosystem recognizable from the deafening buzz of insects (likely cicadas which are common in Spain and most prevalent in June). This particular volcano erupted about 100,000 years ago. We walked around the top of the volcano and ran into the intended path we were to take. We decided to take it down. And indeed it was well shaded, with benches, and paved but still very steep.

View from the top of the Volcano

Another awesome view from the top

Sean in the middle of the Caldera (volcano crater)

After our little hike, we headed back to the visitor center and asked about restaurants that serve volcanic cuisine (which is suppose to be a specialty of the region). We were directed to a nature preserve with two restaurants that both serve volcanic cuisine. Nestled among lush trees was a massive restaurant with an extensive patio and voluminous indoor area. It was one of the largest restaurants I have ever seen with a parking lot to match. Given the heat we decided to eat indoors. Reading the lonely planet Spain book, it describes volcanic cuisine as consisting of the rich bounty of vegetables able to be grown in volcanic soil and wild mushrooms and wild boar. In practice however it would seem that volcanic cuisine is pretty much just hearty and rustic. Typical volcanic items include things like potatoes.

The specialty of the house was a potato appetizer that was essentially half a potato cut and hollowed, stuffed with a meat mixture and deep fried. Like a potato hot pocket. It was quite tasty but hardly earth shattering. In fact potatoes despite being associated with Ireland are on the menu at EVERY restaurant in Spain. There is even a tapa (patata  brava) that is essentially fried tiny potatoes. Every meat is served with fries or mashed potatoes or sauteed butter potatoes. Potatoes are everywhere. The main courses were both slow cooked meats in a gravy made from their own juices leading Sean to refer to volcanic cuisine as anything smothered in gravy. The desserts were possibly the most unique part of the meal. Sean got milk curds with local honey and I got a small cake made out of buckwheat (another volcanic ingredient) and coated in a sauce made from a traditional Catalan liqueur Ratifia made with walnuts and herbs. Overall the meal was quite good and well priced but I think it is a bit far to highlight it as its own special cuisine.

None the less it was a cool little day trip. We got to see some really beautiful countryside, climb a tiny volcano, eat a good meal and make it back to Girona in time for a late nap.