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If you drive often along the AP-7 highway to Barcelona, you probably noticed a formidable fortress located on the top of a high basaltic hill near the town of Hostalric. The place here is truly unique from a strategic point of view – the road connecting Girona and Barcelona is perfectly visible and controlled from the top of the hill. Trade and military caravans passed here since a long time, which is why the location for the construction of the fortress can’t be better than here. As a result of numerous armed clashes, the fortress was destroyed, then was built again. The present appearance of the fortress acquired as a result of the latest reconstruction in the end of the XVIII century. Until 1929 there was a permanent garrison in the fortress. And finally in 1963 this place was ranked among the objects of national cultural heritage.

A short story of the Hostalric fortress and photographs taken during a walk through it can be viewed at the link.

In Sant Feliu de Guixols, in addition to the famous Benedictine monastery, the market square, the Rambla and the building of the Constancia casino, there is another attraction that is mostly known only to locals. It is about Pedralta rock, which until 1996 was the largest detached and freely swinging rock in Spain and the second largest in Europe.

In 1996, the strongest hurricane threw a rather big (about 80 tons!) “pebble” down. But the locals were able to lift it into place with the help of cranes, not forgetting to fix it securely. Now the stone does not swing, but all the same, residents are drawn here to admire it; here, not far from the stone itself, on the top of a nearby cliff, there is an observation point, from where there are wonderful views of the surrounding Vall d’Aro valley.

More photos of the Pedralta rock in Sant Feliu de Guixols can be found in our information blog following the link.

The province of Girona includes the province of La Garrotxa, to which the word “volcanic” is usually added. Indeed, once there was a large number of active volcanoes, which could not but affect the profile of the area, as well as the fertility of the surrounding lands.

The capital of the province is the city of Olot, but today we will go to the small picturesque medieval village of Santa Pau, famous for its production of beans. The local castle around which the village was formed dates from the 13th-15th centuries. Fortunately, buses with tourists rarely come here, so even on a day off the streets are not crowded. Therefore, you have a chance to stroll slowly through the narrow streets, take refuge in the shade of numerous stone arches and enjoy the atmosphere of the Middle Ages.

And between Olot and the village there is a local outdoor recreation center, Camping Lava. There guests are offered a wide range of services; you can ride a small train along volcanoes, or you can take a wheeled cart driven by horses through a dense forest located in the mouth of an ancient volcano.

A short story and photos can be viewed at the link – Santa Pau and Camping Lava.

If you are traveling around Catalonia by car, do not miss the chance to visit the small seaside town of Collioure. This city belongs to southern French department of Pyrénées-Orientales, very close to the Spanish border.
Already on the way you can enjoy the most picturesque views of the mountains, vineyards and, of course, the Mediterranean sea!
In the city itself there is an old fortress, in which the Palace of the Kings of Aragon and Mallorca is located. It is also worth noting the famous Gothic cathedral Notre-Dame-des-Anges.
The city is considered the cradle of Fauvism; this is an artistic movement whose parents are called Henri Matisse and André Derain. In the narrow streets of the old city you will not be able to pass by the numerous workshops of local artists – followers of this trend; and indeed, it’s a sin not to draw pictures in this bright and amazing city!

A detailed story about Collioure accompanied by photographs can be viewed at the link.