Castellfollit de la Roca, Province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain

Castellfollit de la Roca is a municipality in the comarca of Garrotxa, in the Province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. The urban area is bordered by the confluence of the Fluvià and Toronell rivers, between which the town's basalt cliff rises. Castellfollit de la Roca is one of the most picturesque villages in the autonomous community of Catalonia, in Spain. The village is situated on a narrow strip of basalt rock, barely two houses wide at places, that rises to a height of 50 meters and stretches for a kilometer. This small urban area is bordered by the confluence of the Fluvià and Toronell rivers, between which the town's spectacular basalt cliff rises. With an area of less than 1 square km, Castellfollit de la Roca is one of the smallest villages in Spain. The sight of the church and the houses high on the edge of the basalt precipice has become one of the most photographed and the most popular image of this region. It was formed by the overlaying of two lava flows.

The cliff is the result of two lava flows; the first took place 217,000 years ago, and originated in the area of the village of Batet, and has formed slabs. The second, a more recent formation from the volcanoes of Begudà is 192,000 years old, and has formed into prismatic shapes. Castellfollit de la Roca has its origins in mediaeval times, and consist of squares and dark, narrow streets. The houses are mostly made from volcanic rock. At the end of the cliff lies the Josep Pla viewpoint-square from which one can see a spectacular panorama. The town's strategic location, and its naturally advantageous position for defence can be fully appreciated. On one side of the cliff stands the old church of Sant Salvador, which dates back to the 13th century.

From its peak on the layered, volcanic formation, the town offers stunning views. To both sides, the rivers Fluvià and Toronell amble by the rock face of the town through the volcanic zone of Garrotxa. To add to the drama of the landscape, the cliffs are illuminated from sunset until midnight for six months out of the year.

In reality, it is the old town that is located on this rock cliff, known as La Cinglera de Castellfollit and originated by the superposition of two lava flows in an area that has ceased its volcanic activity too long ago, but the orography of the The field tells us things that cannot be told by writings or oral testimonies.

It is not only one of the most beautiful towns in Catalonia, but also one of the smallest ones, where the smell of firewood and dishes cooked on the grill already permeate its streets. The town is made up of basalt stone houses that have resisted for years and everything seems to indicate that they will continue to do so. The route through its streets inevitably leads to the Mirador Josep Pla, from where you can admire a panoramic view of the entire valley.