This region is the best example of volcanic landscape in the Iberian peninsula and one of the most interesting in Europe.

It contains about thirty strombolian volcanoes, some craters and more than twenty of the most unusual basalt lava flows. This geological attraction is accompanied by a rich and variated vegetation nurrished by an exceptionally humid climate, and is set in an exceedingly beautiful landscape.

The most important volcanoes are: Montsacopa, Santa Margarida, Croscat, Martinya and Roca Negra, among others. We shall be travelling around them on a small train, a replica of the one that formerly connected Olot with Girona and was withdrawn from service many years ago. The route, which starts at the La Fageda d'en Jordà (Jorda's beech tree grove), takes us through scenery typical of this area as far as the Croscat, where different types of volcanic material shown on the slopes.

Lunch
We consider lunch an important part of the trip, as we would like you to get some idea of the rich and tasteful regional cuisine. You shall therefore try one of the most typical dishes of this area (Santa Pau beans) which, together with the other courses and the dessert, will introduce you to the products cultivated in this region.

Santa Pau
Those who have been lucky enough to visit this lovely little village would never forgive us for leaving it out on this trip. The whole village has been declared a historical and artistic monument. Standing over it, is a medieval castle which was abandoned long ago. The village center, distinctly feudal, consist of winding cobbled streets and a lovely porticoed main square.

Banyoles
Although the scenery on the outward trip was interesting, the route to Banyoles is just admirable. In Banyoles, we shall visit the lake, which is of karstic and tectonic origin. It is 2.130 meters long and 15 meters deep. It has, of course, a legend around its deep dark water and the dragon, together with other nice stories that locals will be delighted to tell. You can rent a row boat or just board into one the boats which cross the lake.

The surroundings were declared scenic landscape in 1951.

Besalú
A medieval center, Besalú was declared a historical and artistic monument in 1966. From the ancient monastery of Sant Pere, only remains the XII Century church, which its construction began initially in 977 . The town boasts an angular and unique romanesque bridge. The Jewish quarter or El Call, which includes the Mikwa bath house for liturgical ablutions, is the third most important in Europe. The main square is porticoed.

Counting towards Olot we pass by Castellfollit de la Roca. This village is situated on a rocky basalt promontory, 60 meters high and almost one kilometer in length. The cliff sweeps down spectacularly to two rivers. The view of the village is very picturesque and quite stunning.

Casa Milà (La Pedrera)
A building by Antoni Gaudí, the most famous modernist architect of the time. Modernism arouse in Europe at the begining of the century and its characterized by its variety of forms and the richness of his decorative elements.

La Pedrera was built between 1906 and 1912, at the culmination of Gaudi's career. The conception of this layput and the inner courtyards, the two entrances, the parking area for carruages in the basement, the majestic façade, the sinuous mansard and the original terraces full with ceramic, adorned chimney and ventilation stacks, give to La Pedrera a powerful personality which some argue is close to european expresionissm and others define as the forerunner to surrealism. The whole façade is made from large blocks of stone that form ondulating reliefs which include doors, windows, balconies and bay windows. The forged iron work is one of the decorative elements that has been used imaginatively in the grilles, railings and doors.

One of the building's most original features, is the mansard which supports the terraces and is comprised of a series of parabolic arches. The openings correspond to inner courtyards, the ceilings and mouldings boast a great variety of relieves along the same decorative lines as the façade. The woodwork of the window frames and forniture is evidence of Gaudi's rapport with Art Nouveau.

This building was declared a national monument by the spanish government by 1969 and a world heritage building by UNESCO in 1984.

Passeig the Gràcia
A short stroll will give as the chance to see a few well known buildings wich are worthy of special attention because of their beauty and because their significant exponents of Modernism.

La Sagrada Familia
An expiatory chuch consecrated to the Holy Family. This is Gaudi's most famous monument and the symbol by which Barcelona is best known worldwide. Begun in conventional neo-gothic style in 1882 by Villas i Lozano, the work was taken over by Gaudí in 1883. The temple has twelve spires representing the apostles, four of the evangelist, one for the Madonna and the tallest one, reaching 170m. height, representing Jesus Christ. Every window, pillar, etc. is related in some way to a saint, institution or mystery of the Catholic faith.

We can see how the structure is a single, integrated whole from the foundations right up to the top (parabolic arches without the need for buttresses). The only part built directly by Gaudí was the apse and the Nativity façade, portaying Jesus's early years, and its steeple spires, of which Gaudí saw only one completed before his death in 1926. The work was interrupted in 1936 when the crypt and Gaudi's workshop caught fire. The works restarted in 1952, thought under some controversy, and was based on the few original plans and models that survived to the fire. The façade and the four spires of the Passion were completed between 1954 and 1976, and in 1987 the catalan sculptor Josep María Subirach joined the project and did the sculptures for the Passion entrance.

Casa Lleó Morera
This house is the result of the renovation carried out between 1902 and 1906 on a building comprising a semi-basement, ground floor and three upper storeys, that dated back to 1864. The building's interior and exterior are exactly in accordance, the façade shows clearly the precise layout of the inside. The artistic merit of Lleó Morera house corresponds to two great talents: the architect Lluis Domènech i Montaner and the furnisher and decorator Gaspar Homar i Mezquida.

Lunch
In view of the widely-varying cuisine to tempt one's taste in Barcelona, we have chosen a menu based on different specialities and with the summer season in mind. Tapas is last trend in Barcelona, Passeig de Gràcia, as well as the new Maremàgnum Mall or the Olympic Harbour and Rambles are the recommended areas for it.

Parc Güell
Commisioned by Eugeni Güell, Gaudí designed this park and supervised the work on it between 1900 and 1914. The park was to have the infraestructure and equipment of an English-style residential garden-city, and the initial plan was to build some sixty detached houses there. Gaudí did the infraestructure: paths, accesses and a large square. At the top, their sinuous geometrical shapes are adorned with trencadís (broken bits of ceramic). It's this form of decoration that gives the whole park such an unusual yet attractive air.

The pavilions are supported by a dome and a spiral tower bearing Gaudi's customary double cross. A ramp, broken up by an extraordinary dragon, which serves to channel water to the cistern, leads to a large hall resting on 86 doric pillars. This was to have a been the estate's market-place. Above this hall is a large outdoor square surrounded by an outstanding wallbench which snakes around it forming small recesses, all of which are decorated with a spectacular assortment of trencadis ceramic in bright, attractive colors that give the whole place a beauty of its own. Both in this bench and in the rest of the ceramic work, Josep María Jujol, one of Gaudí's collaborators, played a very important role.

Dalí Theatre Museum
Built on the site of the old XIX Century Municipal Theatre. It was opened to public on 28th September 1974 and later extended by annexing the next-door building, the Torre Gorgot. Renamed Torre Galatea by Dalí honoring his wife Gala, this houses exhibition room and the offices of the Gala-Dalí Foundation. The old stalls area is now a garden containing an imposing sculptural ensemble formed, at the base, by the Taxi Plujós (Rainy Taxi) and topped by the little boat that was once Gala's. The ground floor also inclides the Sala de les Peixateres, with such well-known paintings as the Soft Self-Portrait with Slice of Grilled Bacon and the Portrait of Picasso; a room containing drawings and the gallery surrounding the patio, leading to oil paintings by Evarist Vallés.

On the stage section, beneath the geodesic dome designed by Emilio Pérez Pireño, the grand back drop for the ballet Labyrinth and the painting Gala Looking Out Over The Mediterranean take pride of place. To the left is the so called Treasure Room which holds such leading well-known works as The Bread Basked, Galarina, Atomic Leda and The Spectre of Sex Appeal.

On the first floor we find the Palau de Vent room, where Dalí held his first exhibition at the age of fourteen. The ceiling shows a large fresco painting depicting two human figures opening drawers and pouring gold coins down over the Empordanese field. Next door is a small room containing the paintig Poetry of America or The Cosmic Athletes. To the left, one has access to the Jewel Room and the garden of Torre Galatea. To the right of the stage is the Mae West room, a living-room layout which, by optical illusion, forms the face of a mystical actress. On the second floor there is a gallery adorned with paintworks by Antoni Pixot and, on the third floor, the room containing the painter's own private collection, with works by Meissonier, Fortuny, Modest Urgell, Gerard Dou, El Greco, Marcel Duchamp i Bouguereau along with some of his own such as Automatic Beggining of a Portrait of Gala.

Perelada
Perelada is a town which dates back to medieval times, built over the ruins of a fortified Iberian settlement. It owes its urban layout to the restructuring that took place after the Almogàver mercenaries set fire to the town in 1285. Perelada's medieval past allows us nowadays to contemplate a place whose splendid architectural heritage has been preserved with every respect for tradition. Part of the Castle has been turned into a luxury gambling Casino. Nearby stand the old Carme convent, an elegant Gothic XIV Century church and cloisters, the Museum of the Castell de Perelada and a very important and valuable library.

Lunch
We stop for lunch in Vilajuiga, the town we come to before making our way up to the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes. Here we'll taste a typical Empordanese dish called Platillo. This was a traditional farmhouse fare on the days of the Town Festival when it was the custom to invite relatives and neighbours in to partake of the meal.

Sant Pere de Rodes
The first record known from this monastery dates back to 878. It is situated half way up Verdera mountain, at whose summit lie the remains of the old castle of Sant Salvador de Verdera.

Near the monastery are the ruins of the medieval settlement of Santa Creu de Rodes, connected with the Monastery since ancient times and presided over by its church, an important preromanesque building consecrated to Saint Helen.

The monastery is laid out in a series of terraces on the mountain slope and, as was customary in medieval monastic architecture, is built around the central patio of the cloister which, as it stands at present, can be estimated as dating from the latter half of the XII Century. The reflectory on the southern side and the rooms to the west are the only parts of the monastery still standing, while the rest of its structure and the upper storeys are in a state of almost total ruin. The steeple, wich is quite a monument in itself, is from XII Century, but shows evident signs of XI Century Lombard influence. Next to it, stands a defense tower which completes the façade and provides evidence of a long process of construction which probably began on the X Century.

The church is the monastery's main building and is located north of the cloister, on the lowest level. It has three naves and a transept, on to which open two apsidioles flanking the grand central apse that has an ambulatory and spans the full breath of the tree naves, in a way that the side naves could almost be prolongations of the ambulatory. Along with its structure, the extraordinary singularity of the church at Sant Pere de Rodes also lies in the technique used with the pillars that support the arches and vaults. The method, unique in Catalan architecture, consists of a double row of columns which support the toral arches of the nave that are closest to the apse, and a single row supporting the wall ribs, all the piers starting from a high podium. This type of structure is most exceptional in our medieval architecture, because of the perfection in its design and construction.

The Aiguamolls marshlands formerly occupied a far larger area than they do nowadays. The extensive marshy area gradually became smaller and smaller as a result of agricultural expension. These marshlands rank second in importance in Catalonia, after those of the Ebre River. The interest of marshes lies in the fact that they are biologically productive places and, therefore, attract a large number of animal and vegetable species which must, of necessity, be adapted to the environment. The progressive disappearance of wetland areas all over the world means that those remaining are ever more essential in terms of the conservation of many species. The most visible and frequent visitors are the birds, although other interesting and varied species of vertebrates and invertebrates are also to be found here.

The fish most common to the area are carp, mullet, plaice mirallets eels, etc. Also invaluable is the fartet (Alphanius iberus) a small fish native to the Iberian Peninsula and for whom the Empordà mashlands or Aiguamolls are its northernmost habitat. Amphibians such as frogs are to be found everywhere, especially in freshwater areas. The toad (Discoglossus Pictus) is particularly evident and so, in some places are newts (Triturus Marmoratus and Triturus Helveticus), although these are very sensitive to salinity.

Of the reptiles to be found we have river turtle in some fresh water lakes, and sand lizards and the so called dull in the soastal sand dunes. The sankes and ladybirds take cover in the riverbank woodland and shores. This is also the habitat of water rats, otters, moles, shrew, mice, rabbits, bats, weasels, polecats, badgers, foxes, etc.

Birds are to be seen all over the park. Of the 320 species which have been observed here, 93 nest in the area. The Empordanese marshlands are also vitally important to birds from other countries, as they provide a refuge or stop over for migratory species. The vegetation has certain special characteristics which make it very different from the surrounding areas. This is particularly so in the case of the coastal bay communities where the combination of the water and the salinity play a decisive role, the main types being saline soils, marshy sands and waterlogged, laky ground.

Empúries
Empúries is an encient monument site dating back 2500 years and spread over 30 hectares. The site conserves the remains of one of the most important Greek and Roman cities in the western Mediterranean. Of the Greek city, which has been almost entirely excavated, we can see such structures as the city walls, gateways, sacred temples and precincts, streets with houses and workshops set around a central square or Agora, and the market place or Stoa.

The sacred area was also used for taking care of the sick and was the place of workship of Aesculapios, the God of medicine and of seafarers. His majestic statue was found at the site.

Of the roman city, now yet fully excavated, we can see the imposing city walls and the gateway which stirs our imagination into conjuring up visions of the streets, shops, temples, gardens, amphitheatre, stately mansions with magnificient mosaic floors and, most important of all, the forum. Here, we'll make use of the audiovisual facilities, as the 20 minute film gives a basic, yet fairly comprehemsive idea of the history of Empúries.

Lunch
For lunch, on the way to the beach, we have chosen a seafaring meal which has lately bacome very popular on the coast. It is the fideuà, an apparently simple dish made of fish and noodles (something like a noodle paella), although great care is required in the cooking in order to bring out its extraordinary flavour.

Illes Medes
Scarcely a mile from from the coast there is a small archipielago of seven islets of extraordinary biological value and where the Illes Medes Nature Reserve has been set up. The seabed has a wealth of different species of flora and fauna, with corals, seaweeds and seagrasses guarding the entrances to underwater caves.

We shall be visiting the area in a glass-bottomed boat which will enable us to see and enjoy all this extraordinary marine landscape.