Olot – Catalonia (Spain)
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION
The capital of the region of la Garrotxa (1), communicating by road with Barcelona and Girona, but also with easy access to the airport, Olot is, due to its history and wealth of culture, one of the urban centres with most personality of Catalonia (2). Characterised by a humid climate with quite high rainfall, the economic motors of the “city of the volcanoes” are industry and tourism (3).
(1) Wikipedia entry for Olot
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olot
(2) Demographic and economic data (IDESCAT)
http://www.idescat.cat/emex/?id=171143&lang=en
(3) Trip Advisor
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Tourism-g911486-Olot_Province_of_Girona_Catalonia-Vacations.html
WHAT TO DO
Olot is a city widely recognised for its renowned cultural vitality and for the surrounding area, marked by forests and volcanoes, which combine to make Olot unique within the country.
http://www.turismeolot.com/en/
NATURAL HERITAGE
Visiting the Natural Park of the Volcanic Area of la Garrotxa (very near the urban centre), is a festival of nature: nearly forty volcanic cones and over twenty lava flows are complemented by vegetation of incredible scenic value. Visitors dispose of numerous signposted itineraries to describe the area on foot.
CULTURAL HERITAGE
One of the jewels of the crown of Olot is the modernist constructions which are spread around the historic centre. This without forgetting the Renaissance de Carme cloister, Market Square, the Museum of the Volcanoes or the Museum of La Garrotxa, home to select works of modern Catalan art.
http://www.minube.co.uk/what-to-see/spain/girona/olot
http://www.turismeolot.com/en/
CUISINE
Cuisine occupies a fundamental place within the culture of Olot: Volcanic and Remença cuisines provide dishes such as “Olot potatoes”, products such as butifarra (Catalan sausage), coca de llardons d’Olot (pork rind cake) or fesols de Sant Pau (beans of Sant Pau), which can be tasted in Michelin Star restaurants (Les Cols), or even in more popular establishments.
http://www.turismeolot.com/en/discover-olot/100-local-cuisine/
http://www.turismeolot.com/en/discover-olot/100-local-cuisine/placa-mercat-shopping-olot/
http://www.turismeolot.com/en/discover-olot/100-local-cuisine/gold-star-cuisine/
http://en.turismegarrotxa.com/la-garrotxa/gastronomy/
http://www.cuinavolcanica.cat/es/inicio
TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND LINKS OF INTEREST
Emergencies: 112
Local Police: 972 27 91 33
Olot Town Hall
