Old Catalonia: Volcanoes & ….

What sort of weather can I expect?

Meteorological records for the area, taken over a period of more than 10 years, are represented in the Weather Chart provided with each itinerary. Spring and autumn have warm days and
very changeable weather, some rain. Summer (mid- June to mid-September) can be very hot.

What sort of walking can I expect?

8-day itinerary: Walks are offered on 6 days. 5-day itinerary: Walks are offered on 3 days. The walk lengths vary from from 2 hours to a maximum of 7 hours walking. Hours of walking, which may vary from individual to individual, means hours of actual walking and does not include stops for lunch, sightseeing, rests or siestas. On certain days the paths cross may more rugged terrain – please make sure that your foot-wear provides sufficient ankle support.

The fitness level of this trip is Grade 2 - 3. You set out from the picturesque medieval village of Rupit which is situated in the Collsacabra, a high open
plateau with spectacular rock formations – which you walk across, to the hermitage of Sant Miquel de Castelló perched on the edge of a cliff. You then descend on small woodland tracks into the fertile Vall de Bas, to follow paths through the volcanic zone within the Natural Park of the Garrotxa. From Santa Pau you follow well-marked routes past natural waterfalls and pools up into the mountains again, before descending to the historic town of Besalú.

The paths are mostly tracks (farm, woodland and country tracks). Landscape is gentle hills and medium-sized mountains. The route starts at a 1,000m high plateau and ends at 200m. There
are no vertiginous patches.

What if I don't want to walk?

You don’t have to! You can get a lift with the Route Manager to the next hotel when your bags are moved on, or we can arrange taxis and advise you of local transport options to facilitate shortening the walks.

How do I get to the start of the route?

TRAVEL TO SPAIN

The recommended destination airports for this route are Barcelona or Girona.

TRAVEL FROM THE AIRPORT BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT

From Barcelona airport:

Either take the Aerobus from outside the airport (just outside the exit) which takes you to Sants Estació station (leaves every 15 mins and costs €6). Or take the train to Sants Estació from the RENFE station (leaves twice an hour and takes 12 mins, €4-5). 

From Sants Estació you want to take the train to Vic (pronounced BEEK, or write it down). If you have purchased a through ticket and encounter any difficulties at the ticket machine in Sants station simply go around the corner and show the ticket to the ticket man who will allow you through. Please note that you cannot purchase a ticket from Barcelona to Vic earlier than 2 hours prior to your journey and it is simplest to purchase this from the machine. 

If needed, there are left luggage lockers at Sants Estació station, Passeig de Gracia train station and at 58 La Rambla (information office).

Trains continue to Ripoll, Ribes de Freser, Puigcerdà and Tour de Querol (in France) and one of these will be the destination on the departures board. You need to join the queue for Regionales trains. The journey to Vic takes 1.5 hours, costs €8.

Trains from Barcelona to Vic depart regularly until 22.30 (from Barcelona Sants, 5 mins later from Barcelona Plaça Catalunya). Please check times locally, either at the Renfe counter in the station or at the Tourist Information in the airport prior to your journey. 

The train to Vic passes through Plaza Catalunya in the centre of Barcelona. If you are planning on staying in the city before the start of your Footloose holiday you may find it easier to take the train from Plaza Catalunya to Vic rather than making your way to Sants station. Or take the Aerobus to Plaza Catalunya. 

From Vic Station you can take a taxi direct to your hotel in Rupit or a bus, see details below.

By bus:

Alternatively, having taken a train or the aerobus from Barcelona airport to Plaza Catalunya, you can take a bus from Barcelona to Rupit, changing at Vic. The bus to Vic leaves from Calle Casp, 30 next to the bar ‘Las 4 Encinas’.  Timetables: www.sagales.com

To get to Calle Casp from Plaza Catalunya, go up Passeig de Gracia, take first R along Calle (Carrer in Catalan) de Casp. After crossing over the first street, which is Carrer Pau Claris, the bus stop is on the RHS. The buses are at the bus stop 10-15 mins before departure. Please tell the driver you are going to Rupit. Price €10. 

From Girona airport:

There are regular airport buses to Girona bus and train station (next to each other). The journey takes 20 mins. Buses from Girona city to Vic take 1 hour (€.4.50).

Please see TEISA bus timetablesand click on EIX bus. Please note there are many more departures from Girona central bus station than Girona airport, therefore most likely you are better off first taking an airport bus to Girona station.

From Vic:

From Vic Station you can take a taxi direct to Rupit which will cost approx €55. If you would like us to arrange a taxi from Vic station to the hotel in Rupit please ring the office and order one before your departure. We recommend you do this if you are travelling on a Sunday, as taxis are hard to find. 

There is also a bus from Vic to Rupit. Check timetables at www.sagales.com . If you arrive at Vic by train the bus station at Vic is easy to reach – turn left out of the train station and it is 200m up the road. The bus leaves from stand no 1. Price approx. €4. 

If you are travelling to Rupit by bus or train and there is a wait for the connecting bus service to Vic, you may wish to explore the old part of Vic with its main square and old streets.  It is within close walking distance of the bus and train stations (although there are no left-luggage facilities) and details can be obtained in advance by visiting Vic Tourism's Website.

THE FIRST HOTEL

When you arrive in Rupit the bus will leave you outside the main town in a large car park. Follow the main road into town until you come to the main square with Hostal Estrella on your right hand side. Rupit is tiny and there is only one main street running through it.

Taxi bookings

We can book you a taxi to the first hotel. The taxi holds 3-4 passengers (depending on luggage), and costs approx €160 from Barcelona airport or €115 from Girona airport.

Please place your booking with the ATG office at least two weeks before departure. The cost of the taxi will be confirmed to you once the booking is secured. Payment of the taxi fare should be made locally, not to ATG. The driver will have your flight details and will be waiting in Arrivals with a sign showing your name or ATG.

• If you change your flight please notify us  so we can contact the taxi company to reschedule the taxi for you.

• If, on the day of departure, your flight is cancelled or you miss or change it, please immediately contact the ATG emergency number (number is provided in trip documentation) so we can contact the taxi company to reschedule or cancel the taxi for you.

• If your flight is delayed and you have arranged for the taxi to meet you at the destination airport, your taxi driver will wait for you.

• If you are delayed and you have arranged for a taxi to meet you at a non airport location (e.g. train station) it is essential that you contact your Route Manager or call the ATG emergency
line to notify us at the earliest possible moment, so we can contact the taxi company to re-schedule or cancel the taxi for you.

• Please note that failure to advise ATG that you cannot meet the taxi booked for you, may result in the taxi costs being passed back to you.

Important: Taxi prices quoted apply to the local firm used regularly by ATG – and are guaranteed only if you book through the office in advance. If you get a taxi off a taxi rank please ask the driver to confirm the price for the journey before departing.

Where can I leave my car if I drive to the route?

There is large, free car park at the entrance to the village.

What should I bring?

Bring whatever clothes and footwear you find most comfortable for everyday wear, and a change or two for the evenings – smart/casual.
Some trips include quite distinguished hotels and restaurants, for which you may wish to ‘dress up’ in the evening, however on Independent trips you have more flexibility in determining how casual you wish to be. For walking we recommend lightweight walking boots with firm ankle support (make sure you wear them in before the trip!), a small daypack for your lightweight waterproof clothing, camera, fleece etc. An increasing number of people bring telescopic walking poles. For a comprehensive packing list click here: what to bring

What sort of food can I expect?

Catalunya boasts an excellent and varied cuisine, which owes as much to its history as to the influence of the many cultures that have passed through its lands. The Greeks and the Romans brought with them many new crops and being a coastal region, fish is enthusiastically eaten.

The Catalan mar i montanya (sea and mountain) paella is famous. The region’s many almond and hazelnut groves inspire delicious pastries, whilst the rich game hunted in the sierras gives rise to a varied assortment of meat dishes, and rich and wholesome stews. Catalunya also prides itself on innovative and
imaginative variations on previous traditions and has an exciting ‘new’ cuisine.

In the Garrotxa they have developed a Cuina Volcànica (Volcanic cuisine!) which is a cuisine that has been born from the regional dishes and uses locally grown ingredients and traditional recipes. Santa Pau kidney beans (Fesols de Santa Pau) are found on many menus and other specialities include wild boar, lamb, rabbit, cured meats and wild mushrooms (bolets). Bottifarra (sausage) with white beans is a Catalunyan favourite!

Breakfast

Most of the hotels we use offer a buffet-style breakfast with a wide range of both hot and cold choices. 4- and 5-star hotels almost always offer ‘cooked’ breakfast. Occasionally, in more remote areas, or in some 2 or 3-star hotels, breakfast can be a decidedly more ‘contenental’ affair – i.e. bread, croissant, juice, coffee.

Lunch

The ATG Route Booklets and our ‘Sustainable Shopping Guides’ are filled with information about markets and shops in which to buy your lunch. From seasonal fruits, local cheeses, cured hams and freshly baked breads, you are limited only by what you can carry in your pack!

Dinner

On some routes, usually where there is no other restaurant within walking distance, half-board accommodation is included (see ‘what is included’ for this trip). In other areas where there is a selection of restaurants, ATG includes a list of recommendations in your ATG Route Booklet. Some restaurants are recommended because they have provided meals that have been regularly enjoyed by ATG clients; other restaurants are renowned internationally (e.g., within the Guide Michelin).

Restaurant bookings

Your Route Manager will be delighted to book restaurants for you if required, ensuring the places you eat at are...

•Your first choice

•The highest standard

• The best value

...and you are not disappointed by finding the restaurant full.

Wines

There are many Catalan wines of note, in particular those of the Penedès region to the south. Alella is one of the smallest wine-producing areas in Spain just north of Barcelona off the coast road, and it produces fresh and fruity white wines, which are sold under the label of ‘Alella Legítima’. Vi rosat – rosé, is often drunk very chilled with richer fish dishes.  Another region close to the Garrotxa is the Emporda. Table wines come from Espolla and the bottled and more sophisticated red wines come from Perelada.

Several of the independent routes pass through well-known wine producing regions, with opportunities for wine tasting along the route. If you are particularly interested in wine you may like to consider...

• Classic Alsace

• Provence: Vaucluse & the Lubéron

• Siena to Florence

• Southern Tuscany

• Ancient Volcanic Landscapes

• Tuscany & Siena

• Tuscan Hills

• Roman Roads to Orvieto

• Etruscan Lanes to Orvieto

• Umbria & Assisi

• Sintra & the Portuguese Coast

What if I have a dietary restriction or food allergy?

When you book, let us know about any restrictions. Most dietary restrictions do not present a problem on our routes due to the wide variety of shops and restaurants available. Your Route Manager will provide you with advice and recommendations at your briefing.

What should I bring to wear in the evenings?

There is no need to dress up for restaurants in this area, unless you plan to extend your trip in Barcelona and treat yourself to a special restaurant.

How much should I budget for items not included?

You can get an idea of transport costs in the ‘getting there’ section of
the trip page. For lunches, costs will depend on whether you choose to buy picnic items or eat in bars/restaurants. Dinners: some are included (see ‘what’s included’). For evening meals not included, the route book provides restaurant recommendations to suit a wide range of budgets. Entrance fees to museums, churches, galleries and other sightseeing costs will vary considerably depending on how much you want to see and how old you are (!). Over 60s enjoy significantly reduced prices at many attractions, so it is worth carrying (safely) some form of identification showing your age. Other costs are items of a personal nature, shopping expenditure and transport if you choose to limit your walking with public transport or taxis.

What if I want to extend my trip?

We are delighted to book extensions for you at either end of your trip. We only book hotels with which we have an established relationship and where we can ensure a high level of service and enjoyment. If you would like an extension booking please indicate this during the booking process and we will contact you with pricing information.

Where can I find general FAQs?

For FAQs relating to the Company and general trip questions, click here