Santa Pau is the medieval village at the heart of the Garrotxa volcanic zone, about 9 kilometres east of Olot, and one of the most photogenic places in northern Catalonia. The whole village is built around a porticoed square — the Plaça Major — where the arcades and the rough stone houses have changed very little since the 14th century.
The village castle, built by the lords of Santa Pau in the 13th century, dominates one side of the square. The narrow lanes around it have small shops and restaurants serving the local fesol bean stews. Santa Pau is the obvious starting point for walks into the volcanic zone — the Can Serra information centre is just outside the village — and a natural lunch stop on a day out from Olot.