This section begins and ends in two places that inspired great artists. Gósol, where Pablo Picasso spent some time, will be the first stop on this route. Along the way, you will see medieval villages and discover culinary secrets of Catalan gastronomy until you reach Figueres, Salvador Dalí's hometown. STAGE 1: The ubiquitous Pedraforca Start the day with energy by practising adventure sports at la Seu d'Urgell’s Rafting Park. Then, take the car towards Gósol, following the road that borders the Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park, which offers you a beautiful panoramic view of its imposing cliffs. Once in Gósol, visit the Picasso Center and discover the painter's inspiring stay there in 1906. The Pedraforca mountain is the next stop. Its peculiar fork shape rises majestically and has attracted hikers for generations. The region also has a network of historic paths of nearly 2,000 km, most of them date back to medieval times, such as the Camí dels Bons Homes. On the way to Bagà, you can stop at Guardiola de Berguedà to enjoy one of the main dishes in the area: cabbage and potato trinxat, mashed potatoes, black sausage, and cabbage. A walk through the medieval streets of Bagà will smooth your digestion. STAGE 2: Great experiences in Cerdanya The route continues towards the medieval village of Bellver de Cerdanya, where you will find the Romanesque church of Santa Maria de Talló, one of the important points of Santiago's Way in Catalonia. From there, go to Llívia to visit the Esteve pharmacy, one of the oldest apothecaries in Europe, maintaining its classic essence of 1415. Next, you go to Castellar de N'Hug, a stone house and cobbled street charming village source of the Llobregat River and where you can see its springs and waterfalls. You will cross the Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park's forests on your way there. A particularity of the area around Castellar de N'Hug is the large number of textile colonies built there during the second half of the 19th century and along the Llobregat's course. They portray the social and economic transformation that the Industrial Revolution entailed. Some of them are open to visits. STAGE 3: From monumental Ripoll to Vall de Núria The monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll has in its portal one of the great sculptural pieces of the European Romanesque, made up of scenes from the Bible. You can take a guided tour there before continuing north towards Ribes de Freser. You can park your car and take the rack railway train, the only means of transport allowed to reach Vall de Núria. The ski resort has many nature activities, especially for children. Return to Ribes de Freser by train and continue your route. The medieval towns of Sant Joan de les Abadesses, with its 12th-century monastery, Camprodon and Beget, will charm you with their wooden and stone balconies and Castellfollit de la Roca, located on top of a cliff. After a full day, you can spend the night in an any of the old farmhouses transformed into comfortable accommodation that you will find around Olot. STAGE 4: Fly over volcanoes in La Garrotxa A new day arises, and you wake up in La Garrotxa. A land of cultivated fields, pastures and gentle hills that hide geological treasures such as the ones in La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park. The best way to appreciate its 40 volcanic cones is to do it from the sky. The park is also home to the Jordà Beech Forest, with trees that seem to reach the sky and grow on the lava ground of the Croscat volcano. On the way to the coast, explore the area's water richness following the course of the Fluvià, Brugent and Llémena and stop and spend the night in Santa Pau, where you can enjoy the local volcanic cuisine based on the traditional recipes of La Garrotxa cooked with local products, like the famous Santa Pau beans. STAGE 5: Dalí's surrealist Empordà The final stage begins at Banyoles’ lake, where you can take the opportunity to discover its fauna and practice some rowing. Continue the route north, crossing crops and large farmhouses with open arched windows facing south. The next stop is Besalú, one of the best-preserved medieval sites in Catalonia. You can visit its iconic historic streets, including the Jewish quarter, which still preserves the synagogue and the mikvé, a Romanesque-style Jewish bath house. The end of the stage brings you closer to Costa Brava. You will arrive at Figueres, the birthplace of Salvador Dalí, the gate to the painter’s surrealist world. At the Dalí Theatre-Museum, you can see up to 1,500 works by the artist, and walking through the streets of the city, you will also get to know other relevant places for the artist’s life.