Olot Holidays: Museums, Volcano Museum and Garrotxa Day Trips
Província de Girona · Catalonia · Spain · 33,524 residents
Olot is an inland town of around 33,500 people in the Província de Girona, set at 438 metres above sea level in Catalonia. It is not a beach resort. It suits travellers who want culture and easy family outings. Three museums sit within a short walk of the centre: the Olot Saints Museum, the Museu de la Garrotxa and the Museu dels Volcans, which is devoted to volcanology. The Basilica of St. Stephen and the Parc Nou botanical garden are close by too. Girona airport, with direct flights from the United Kingdom, is about 35 minutes away by car. Small towns such as Castellfollit de la Roca and Santa Pau are within 5 miles.
Why go
- Three museums, including the Olot Saints Museum and Museu de la Garrotxa, lie within 200 metres of the centre.
- The Museu dels Volcans explains volcanology, under a mile from town and good for curious families.
- Girona airport has direct UK flights and is only about 35 minutes' drive from Olot.
Top sights in Olot
Museums, a Basilica and a Garden
The Olot Saints Museum is the town's best-known sight, a culture and family stop about 200 metres from the centre. The Museu de la Garrotxa is closer still, about 100 metres away, and the Basilica of St. Stephen stands roughly 200 metres out. All three can be seen on foot in a single morning.
A little further out is the Museu dels Volcans, a volcanological museum about 0.9 miles from the centre. It pairs well with the Jardín Botánico de Vegetación Natural Olontina in Parc Nou, about 0.8 miles away. Castell Coll, a listed castle, is about 1.8 miles out.
Tours and tickets for Olot and the surrounding area can be booked directly on this page.
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6botanical gardenJardín Botánico de Vegetación Natural Olontina (Parc Nou)
1 mile from the centre · Photo
Tours & tickets in Olot
Guided tours, day trips and tickets in and around Olot can be booked in advance, priced in GBP.
See tours & tickets (opens GetYourGuide in a new tab)Where to stay in Olot
Staying in an Inland Market Town
Olot has no coast, so the choice is about where in town you stay. A base near the centre puts you within a few minutes' walk of the Museu de la Garrotxa, the Olot Saints Museum and the Basilica of St. Stephen. That is the practical option if you plan to explore on foot.
Staying towards Parc Nou and the Museu dels Volcans, about a mile out, gives you greener surroundings. With a car, it is easy to reach the smaller villages nearby. The page shows live hotel prices for Olot, so you can compare options for your dates.
Hire a car
The easiest way to reach Olot and the villages around it is a hire car from Girona (GRO), about 34 min away.
Best time to visit Olot
When to Visit Olot
- 13°CJan17 mm
- 15°CFeb63 mm
- 17°CMar56 mm
- 20°CApr84 mm
- 21°CMay119 mm
- 25°CJun105 mm
- 31°CJul41 mm
- 31°CAug34 mm
- 25°CSept68 mm
- 22°COct74 mm
- 17°CNov32 mm
- 14°CDec20 mm
Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
August is the best month for a visit. It brings highs of around 31°C, lows of 18°C and a relatively dry spell of about seven rain days. July is just as hot, with the same 31°C highs, but it is a little wetter.
The wettest period runs from late spring into early summer. May sees about 119 mm of rain over 15 days, and June about 105 mm. Winter is drier but cool, with January highs of 13°C and lows near 2°C. Olot is inland, so there is no sea temperature to plan around.
Full monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13°C | 2°C | 17 mm | 8 h |
| Feb | 15°C | 3°C | 63 mm | 8 h |
| Mar | 17°C | 6°C | 56 mm | 10 h |
| Apr | 20°C | 7°C | 84 mm | 11 h |
| May | 21°C | 10°C | 119 mm | 12 h |
| Jun | 25°C | 14°C | 105 mm | 12 h |
| Jul | 31°C | 18°C | 41 mm | 13 h |
| Aug | 31°C | 18°C | 34 mm | 12 h |
| Sept | 25°C | 14°C | 68 mm | 10 h |
| Oct | 22°C | 12°C | 74 mm | 9 h |
| Nov | 17°C | 7°C | 32 mm | 8 h |
| Dec | 14°C | 3°C | 20 mm | 7 h |
Averages 2015–2024. Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
Getting there from the UK
Flights, Ferries and the Drive
Girona airport (GRO) is the closest, about 24 miles away or roughly 35 minutes by car. It has direct flights from the United Kingdom. Barcelona airport (BCN) also has direct UK flights and is about 65 miles away, around an hour and a half's drive. Reus (REU) has direct UK flights as well, but it is about 99 miles away, a drive of roughly two hours twenty.
If you are driving from home, allow about 14 hours at the wheel from Calais. Barcelona's ferry port is about 58 miles from Olot, with sailings to the Balearics, Italy and Morocco.
By air
- Girona (GRO)24 miles, about 34 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
- Barcelona (BCN)65 miles, about 1 h 32 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
- Reus (REU)99 miles, about 2 h 20 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
By car and ferry
Driving from Calais takes roughly 14 h 6 min without stops. Nearest ferry ports: Barcelona (58 miles).
Olot is good for
Around Olot
Villages and Towns Within Reach
The closest outings are Castellfollit de la Roca, about 4 miles away, and Santa Pau, about 5 miles away. Both are small villages, home to roughly 960 and 1,500 people. Besalú and Camprodon are each about 11 miles away.
For larger towns, Banyoles is about 15 miles away and Ripoll about 16 miles. Ribes de Freser is about 19 miles out, and Vic, the biggest of the group with nearly 40,000 people, is about 21 miles away. A hire car makes it easy to combine two of these in a day.
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Tips from Robin
Practical Points Before You Go
At 438 metres, Olot is cooler than the Catalan coast outside summer. Winter nights drop to around 2°C, so pack a warm layer between November and March.
If you come in May or June, expect frequent showers, with up to 15 rain days a month. Keep the indoor museums in reserve for wet afternoons. Car hire from Girona is worth considering, because most of the nearby villages are easiest to reach by road.
Questions people ask
What is the nearest airport to Olot?
Girona airport (GRO) is the nearest, about 24 miles away or roughly 35 minutes by car. It has direct flights from the United Kingdom. Barcelona airport is the main alternative, about 65 miles away and around an hour and a half's drive.
Is Olot near the beach?
No. Olot is an inland town at 438 metres above sea level, so it has no beach or sea temperature to speak of. It is better suited to museums, a botanical garden and day trips to nearby villages such as Santa Pau and Besalú.
What is the best month to visit Olot?
August is the best month. Expect highs of around 31°C and about seven rain days, fewer than in late spring. July is equally hot. May and June are the wettest months, with over 100 mm of rain each.
Is Olot good for families?
Yes. Several sights suit families, including the Olot Saints Museum, the Museu de la Garrotxa and the Museu dels Volcans, a museum of volcanology. The botanical garden in Parc Nou is also family-friendly. All of these are within about a mile of the centre.
Can you drive to Olot from the UK?
Yes. From Calais, the drive takes about 14 hours. Many travellers will prefer to fly into Girona, which has direct UK flights, and hire a car there for the 35-minute drive.
What day trips can you take from Olot?
Castellfollit de la Roca (about 4 miles) and Santa Pau (about 5 miles) are the closest. Besalú and Camprodon are each about 11 miles away. Banyoles, Ripoll and Vic lie between 15 and 21 miles from Olot.