Last year's eruption of the volcano on the island of La Palma aroused a lot of interest in volcanoes both in Spain and abroad. The eruption, which began in September, was only declared to have ended in mid-December after causing hundreds of millions of euros worth of damage. It also gave rise to the question of where are other volcanic areas of Spain, beyond the Canary Islands. On the Iberian Peninsula there are several areas with volcanoes that have been dormant for millions of years, such as Garrotxa (Girona), the Cabo de Gata area, between Murcia and Almeria, or the Calatrava countryside (Ciudad Real). Here is a selection of houses for sale on idealista where you can enjoy these beautiful places, as well as holiday rentals on Rentalia if you fancy seeing the volcanoes but not living in their shadow!
La Garrotxa
The Girona region of La Garrotxa stretches from the Costa Brava to the Pyrenees. With Olot as its main town, the Montilivet and Montsacopa volcanoes can be found in the surrounding area, but the best known within the natural park are the Croscat and Santa Margarita volcanoes, the latter of which even has a chapel deep inside the crater. In total there are some 40 volcanic cones and 10 craters across the region, but don't worry: the last eruptions from these areas date back 11,000 years.
If the beautiful natural landscapes that the ancient volcanic activity created seem like a place that you would like to live, you should check out the properties for sale in the La Garrotxa region of Spain on idealista. Alternatively, if you simply want to visit the region to take in its natural beauty on a short getaway, check out the holiday rentals available in Girona on Rentalia.
Calatrava Fields
Among the crops of the Calatrava fields you can find more than 300 volcanic spots in an area of about 5.000 m2 between Ciudad Real and the small surrounding villages such as Valenzuela de Calatrava, Granátula de Calatrava, Calzada de Calatrava, Alcolea de Calatrava or Aldea del Rey, which is inside a volcanic crater. These small villages are the perfect destinations to explore on a short holiday, surrunded by the natural beauty of this volcanic region. Maybe you'll even fall in love and want to buy one of the homes that are for sale in the area, but even if you don't you should book a holiday rental in Ciudad Real and get exploring the dormant craters!
Cabo de Gata-Níjar
Somewhat older, between 8 and 11 million years old, calderas were formed in the area from Mojacar in Murcia to Cabo de Gata-Níjar in Almería, almost all of which are to be found inside the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. Geological remains can be found all along this Mediterranean coast. Experts claim that the Cabo de Gata mountain range constitutes an emerged zone of an extensive magmatic area submerged, at present, under the waters of the Alboran Sea. The famous beaches of San José, Mónsul and Genoveses are examples of volcanic rocks that blend with the beautiful waters of the area.
It would be hard not to fall in love with this gorgeous part of Spain, as the volcanic activity has created a truly unique landscape to explore. If waking up every morning to the sight of ancient volcanic landscapes sounds like your cup of tea, then check out our selection of properties for sale in the area. Or, if you would like to visit the area first and see what you're missing, check out the holiday rentals available in Cabo de Gata on Rentalia.