Mushroom Foraging Near Girona: Spain's Best-Kept Autumn Secret

Aug 26
3 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Most people planning a trip to Girona are thinking about Costa Brava beaches or the old town's stone bridges. Almost nobody's thinking about mushrooms. But if you're there in October, you're standing in one of the best wild mushroom regions in Spain, and locals have been quietly foraging it for generations.

Why Girona, and Why October

Girona province sits right up against the Pyrenees, in Catalonia, and the foothill regions — Ripollès, Berguedà, and the volcanic zone around La Garrotxa — get heavy autumn rainfall that creates ideal conditions for wild mushrooms, or bolets, as they're called in Catalan. The season kicks off once the first real autumn rains arrive and typically runs through October and into November.

What You're Actually Looking For

Catalonia has a real mushroom culture, not just a passing interest — locals here are serious about bolets, and restaurants build entire seasonal menus around them. If you go out with a guide, expect to hear about several prized varieties, including rovellons, one of the most sought-after finds of the season.

Do Not Forage Alone If You Don't Know What You're Doing

This is the one place we'd tell you not to wing it. Spain has genuinely dangerous toxic mushrooms that can closely resemble edible ones, including the death cap (Amanita phalloides). Locals grow up learning to identify bolets from family; if you didn't, don't guess. Go with an experienced guide or an organized foraging tour instead of picking anything yourself and hoping for the best.

Some protected natural areas in Catalonia also have their own foraging rules or require a permit for personal collection — worth checking for the specific area you're in before you head out with a basket.

Go With a Guide (and Use a Basket, Not a Bag)

Guided mushroom foraging tours run throughout Girona province during the season, usually pairing the hike itself with a lesson in identification and often a tasting or cooking demonstration afterward. If you do forage, use a wicker basket rather than a plastic bag — it lets spores fall back into the forest as you walk, which is how the tradition keeps replenishing itself instead of getting picked out.

The Mushroom Fair

If you'd rather eat bolets than hunt them, time your visit around one of the region's mushroom fairs — the Fira del Bolet in Llagostera is one of the best known, typically running for a couple of weeks in October with cooking demonstrations, restaurant menus built around the harvest, and even a mushroom-hunting competition.

Where to Stay for a Mushroom Foraging Trip

Base yourself in Girona city or one of the smaller towns in the foothills — both put you within easy reach of the foraging areas and the Fira del Bolet. Here's a map of places to stay in the area:

Affiliate disclosure: this map contains affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Want to make mushroom foraging part of a larger Costa Brava trip? Check out our Girona and Costa Brava guide for where to stay and how to plan your itinerary. For more picks by month, see our Where to Go in Spain in October guide.

For every region, coast, and town we've covered, see The Complete Guide to Spain.