Quiet escapes: How the well-informed summer in rural Spain
Discover Spain’s best summer escapes in the mountains and countryside. From La Cerdanya to Galicia, explore insider destinations, local dining, and why rural Spain is the smart alternative to the coast.
As the beaches fill and the mercury rises, a quieter migration is taking place, not to the coast, but to the mountains. Increasingly, Spain’s inland and high-altitude regions are drawing a well-informed crowd in search of cooler air, greater privacy, and a slower rhythm. From the alpine pastures of La Cerdanya to the forested volcanic hills of Garrotxa and the misty valleys of inland Galicia, summer in the countryside is no longer an alternative, it’s the upgrade.
According to Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), rural tourism in mountainous areas rose by 15% in 2024, with the Pyrenees and northwestern regions showing the strongest year-on-year gains. For a growing segment of travellers and second-home owners, the appeal is clear: less heat, more nature, and a lifestyle that values time over trend.
La Cerdanya – Mountain air, big skies
Straddling the Catalan Pyrenees near the French border, La Cerdanya has long been a weekend favourite for Barcelona families, but summer now sees longer stays. Well-connected by train and motorway, its broad valley floor is framed by ski slopes that transform into hiking trails and pine-scented cycling routes. The area’s microclimate, with sunny days and cool nights, makes it a natural air conditioner. With newer farm-to-table restaurants and low-key cultural festivals, there’s plenty to do beyond the landscape.
For dining, Das 1219 offers modern Catalan cooking in a restored stone house, while La Formatgeria de Llívia—part shop, part informal eatery—serves exceptional cheese boards and seasonal plates. It’s the kind of place where regulars arrive in walking boots and stay through the afternoon.
Garrotxa – Where the forest speaks first
Just east of La Cerdanya, the Garrotxa region offers a quieter, greener escape defined by its volcanic heritage and dense beech forests. The Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park is dotted with ancient lava flows and towns like Santa Pau and Besalú, where medieval architecture meets modern rural life. A favourite among creatives and slow-living enthusiasts, Garrotxa is a destination for Barcelona-based families seeking second homes with character and calm.
Nature is the main attraction, with options ranging from hiking through crater rims to riding horseback or foraging in the woods, but the food scene is equally impressive. Les Cols in Olot, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in a minimalist steel-and-glass farmhouse, champions seasonal Catalan ingredients, while Cal Enric, just outside La Vall de Bianya, blends forest-driven cuisine with an excellent cellar.
Andorra – redefined and rewilded
Further north, Andorra is quietly reinventing itself. Once known more for duty-free shopping and ski resorts, this tiny Pyrenean principality has invested heavily in its summer offer. Eco-tourism trails, high-altitude lakes, and rewilding projects have opened up new terrain for hikers, cyclists, and families seeking nature without the crowds.
There’s a wellness current running through the culture here too, forest yoga, spa hotels, and new menus built around Andorran wild herbs and game. Ibaya, a Michelin-starred spot in Soldeu, brings precision and elegance to mountain cuisine, while Borda Estevet in Andorra la Vella remains an unpretentious classic—log fires, grilled meats, and regulars who know the owners by name.
Galicia – Quiet rivers and long lunches
Inland Galicia, particularly the rural provinces of Lugo and Ourense, offers a different kind of summer entirely. Misty, green, and deeply traditional, it’s a place for swimming in cold rivers, reading in chestnut groves, and sitting down to meals that last half the afternoon. While the Rías Baixas coast gets its share of summer traffic, these interior regions remain under the radar, though that is beginning to shift.
A growing number of Madrileños and returning Galicians are restoring stone houses and farm estates here, drawn by authenticity, climate, and culture. O Balado, run by a young couple in a restored mill, serves creative, contemporary dishes in a setting that feels like a secret.
Why is this shift happening?
This isn’t just a travel trend—it’s a value shift. As climate, overcrowding, and overexposure make many coastal areas feel less appealing in peak season, the mountains offer something else: balance. Time to walk and be bored. Cool nights, clean food, a sense of rhythm and seasonality that’s increasingly rare.
