Parks Manager

National parks near Besalú, Catalonia

Besalú sits inside the Figueres area and reaches the same parks. See national parks near Figueres for the full write-up.

Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is the closest national park to Besalú, Catalonia — 148 km (92 mi) in a straight line, which works out to roughly 2 hr 38 min behind the wheel.

Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici makes a full day trip — leave early. Ordesa y Monte Perdido and Cabrera Archipelago are better with a night booked nearby.

Besalú has a population of about 2,213.

National parks near Besalú

Parks ranked by distance from Besalú
ParkStraight-line distanceEstimated driveRealistic trip
Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park148 km (92 mi)2 hr 38 minDoable as a day trip
Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park223 km (139 mi)3 hr 44 minBest as a weekend
Cabrera Archipelago National Park340 km (211 mi)5 hr 27 minBest as a weekend
Asinara National Park480 km (298 mi)7 hr 30 minWorth a longer road trip
Gran Paradiso National Park520 km (323 mi)8 hr 6 minWorth a longer road trip
Archipelago of La Maddalena National Park567 km (352 mi)8 hr 47 minWorth a longer road trip
Sierra de Guadarrama National Park578 km (359 mi)8 hr 57 minWorth a longer road trip
Golfo di Orosei and Gennargentu National Park607 km (377 mi)9 hr 23 minWorth a longer road trip
Cinque Terre National Park608 km (378 mi)9 hr 23 minWorth a longer road trip
Tuscan Archipelago National Park622 km (387 mi)9 hr 36 minWorth a longer road trip

When to make this trip

Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is generally best May, June, September, and early October, with April and late October as the quieter shoulder either side.

Winter is cool and wet at low elevation and snowy in the mountains, with reduced hut and refuge service.

July and August combine peak heat with peak domestic holidays. Shoulder months are both cooler and quieter.

Month-by-month detail for Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park

Seeing more than one

Several parks near Besalú are close enough to each other to combine on one trip, so the drive from home only has to happen once.

Distances between parks near Besalú
PairApartEstimated drive
Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici → Ordesa y Monte Perdido75.8 km (47.1 mi)1 hr 33 min

Planning a trip from Besalú

Distances here are straight-line and the drive estimate adds a road factor on top, but mountain passes and seasonal closures can change it a lot — a route that looks like three hours in June can be shut entirely in February. Confirm road status with the park before you commit to a date.

Read the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park guide

Other towns in Província de Girona

Common questions

What is the closest national park to Besalú?

Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. It is about 148 km (92 mi) from Besalú, roughly 2 hr 38 min of driving.

Can I do a national park day trip from Besalú?

Yes — Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is within about a three-hour drive.

How many national parks are near Besalú?

10 parks are within reach of Besalú, 1 of them close enough for a day trip.

When is the best time to visit the parks near Besalú?

For Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, the closest one, generally May, June, September, and early October. Either side of that, April and late October stays quieter.