La Garrotxa - Pla de l'Estany

The visit starts at an olive oil producer in Esponellà village, in the Banyoles region (Pla de l’Estany)
There are 500 olive trees planted facing east, 12 years old.
Every year, the olives are picked by hand, and carried to the mill where they make the first cold pressing of the oil.

The result is a good quality oil:with excellent characteristics and flavours of fruit, almonds and fennel.
We wil visit the country house and will taste their own oil, while the owners explain all the processes.
Later, we will go to Besalú, to visit the medieval village whose thriving Jewish community in the thirteenth century made a mark on local heritage that can still be admired today.
We will also visit the small Museu de l’Embotit, (museum of hams and sausages) dedicated to the preservation of many of the tools used to make the famous local Garrotxa’s charcuterie, which we will be able to enjoy together with a glass of ratafia, the famous local herb-based liquor.

Lunch in the area.

From here we will continue on to Banyoles to enjoy its lake and attractive fishing huts, and visit one of the area’s most beautiful natural sites: The Fairy Wood.
Towards the village of Santa Pau, we will stop off to visit an artisan cheese maker, where three types of goat cheese are made.

From Wednesday to Saturday