Catalonia 2 (3).jpg — **‘‘As you ride through this magnificent mountainous area, you start to see why this area is synonymous with cycling’’**

It was an unseasonably cold and dreary early autumn day that greeted us as we stepped off our high-speed train from Barcelona to Girona. We usually run this trip in the height of the baking hot summer but decided that a cool change was in order this time around – but was it meant to be this cold?!

After checking in to our hotel it was time to for a meet and greet down at the hotel lobby. It always an exciting moment (and perhaps also an apprehensive one for some) meeting everyone on the trip for the first time. Who is up for the challenge? Who isn't so sure? Who is way too enthusiastic for this? And who looks like they’d rather just go pull out a lounge chair and sit by the pool!? With the drizzle doing its best to dampen our spirits and the afternoon well and truly upon us, it was time to set off on this 5-day jaunt around Catalonia - Vamos!

The cycling adventure consisted of 5-days cycling ranging from 45-70km per day mostly on cycle paths and bridleways (mixed in with as little road riding as possible!), mostly amazing weather, cultural delights such as Girona and Cadaques; and any other nooks and crannies we found along the way.

Day 1 – Girona to Sant Feliu de Guixols

Day 2 – Olot to Girona

Day 3 – Girona to Roses

Day 4 – Roses to Cadaques circular

Day 5 – Roses to Girona

Our first day’s ride started off on the cycling greenway called the ‘Vies Verde’ which runs between Girona and Sant Feliu de Guixols. It’s a brilliant trail with a mostly gravel surface on a downhill trend the whole way. At this time of year in early October tourism starts to die down and you start to really feel the wide-open spaces. That feeling was however trumped by the sight of the support vehicle containing some welcome treats and moral support at the halfway point as the drizzle continued to persist - the type where if you wear glasses you wish they had in-built wipers and a demister. Nonetheless, it was all downhill for the rest of the day and it wasn’t long before we reached our destination which to our delight had been a preselected burger bar. It was great to know that the support crew must have viewed the telepathic images I sent from my brain – yumbo!

Girona, it has to be said is a hidden gem of Spain (yes it is in Spain). If you are the adventurous type and also love a bit of Catalan culture, then it in so many ways rivals its overshadowing big brother, Barcelona. Amazing architecture, charming old town and one of the gastronomic centres of the world with three Michelin star restaurants in the city and 13 others in the surrounding areas… knives and folks at the ready please!

Day 2 started with a one-hour bus ride to Olot, a well-to-do town nearing the foot of the Pyrenees. This day’s ride really captures that sense of freedom on a bike. As we set off from Olot we took a flat straight cycle way south with mountains on either side of us and you couldn’t help but take it all in and think to yourself - “this is why i’m here”. The novelty didn’t wear off there either as our stop for lunch was a quintessential taverna nestled in the mountains that provided a feast for an army and an amazing backdrop on a beautifully sunny afternoon. Back on the bikes the great scenery continues and as you ride through this magnificent mountainous area, you start to see why this area is synonymous with cycling, with numerous pro cycling teams have been setting up their permanent camp here for decades. As the nightlife of Girona beckoned we trundle our way down the remainder of the 40km stretch of disused railway line (the Vies Verde) to our hotel. This was our first night out in Girona, so we wanted to hit the most authentic tapas bar in town - Txalaka (www.txalakagirona.com) for a taps selection that will blow your mind! Soldiering on after a belly-full, we hit the old town to booze things up a bit. Beer was certainly on the mind and the lure of classy craft beckoned so Kerunta Brewpub and Bagels and Beer saw the night away.

Day 3’s 70km one-way journey meant a relocation from Girona to Roses cycling through the agricultural heartland of Catalonia with its sleepy towns and dusty farm trails. Packing our belongings into our panniers and plonking them on our bike racks, we set off from Girona with a decidedly heavier chunk of metal to pedal around for the day. Once out of town and off the river trail, it takes about another 10 or so kilometres of main roads before hitting the gentle hills between Figueres and Girona where your solitude can be reclaimed once again. At Valldavia, our highest point of the day provided an amazing view spanning right across the plains below to the sea. We could see our destination in the distance, Roses which spurred us on to keep the pedals in motion. Around 10km from Roses the area through Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de l'Empordà, provided exceptional traffic-free riding through a tranquil landscape filled will paddy fields. You couldn’t help but feel like you were in Asia not Northern Spain! One last push into Roses and it was time to freshen up and join the locals for a dance - wow were we in for a treat!

After dinner in the hotel, we all gathered in the hotel bar and there was a feeling in the air… the €2 glasses of red were sliding down very nicely. Little did we know that it was Karekoe Carlos on the decks that evening and there was a buzz brewing around the dance floor. The audience, which appeared to be an ocean of cardigans with an average age of around 80, were starting to tap their feet and before we knew it a couple of us were be hauled up on the dance floor doing the cha-cha-cha amongst some more exotic dances. All you could hear was ‘oohlala muy guapa chico’ from our more senior dance partners. It has to be said that was arguably the most enjoyable night of the trip… the sort of spontaneous experience you look forward to having again post-pandemic. Hats off to those ladies teaching us a thing or two.

Day 4 started with a slightly sore head but nothing that the steep road ahead couldn’t sort out. This was the day that caused a bit of apprehension for some, because the coastal route to Cadaques from Roses is steep and the road is rocky. However, with the hills comes spectacle views and the unique white-wash old streets of Cadaques are a lure for any tourist. So alas after some last minute decisions from some to perhaps make the more sensible decision to hire an e-bike for the day, we began our long enduring steep accent up and over to Cadaques. We can’t recommend this day’s cycling enough for the off road enthusiast who loves amazing views and a bit of solitude. Having said that you never know what you might find around the next corner in this remote part of Catalonia. We found a goat track leading down to beach bar still stretching their trade into autumn. There is even said to be a Michellen star restaurant nestled somewhere away in the hills. Cadaques is one of those places that makes you instantaneously relaxed when you arrive. It’s the home of artist Salvador Dali and it certainly doesn’t lack quirky artistic charm. You could certainly think of worse things than spending a day here exploring the town’s charming lanes and cafe-filled alleyways, with a visit to Dali’s house sandwiched somewhere in there too. We found a little hideaway cave-like cafe bar called Brown Sugar that serves up fabulous fresh juices and cocktails to accompany the vegan and veggie tapas. After feeling nice and zenned out by everything that Cadaques had to offer, it was time to hit the road again and little did everyone know that the most adrenalin-filled riding of the trip was still ahead of us. The climb up to the summit of the peninsula was a long old grind. No one knew that the decent back down to Roses was incredibly hair raising and I remember saying to people ‘stop when you get to the top’ in order to go through a little debrief. No one did; and like kids chucking snow skies to try out a green run, we all bombed it to the bottom as quickly as we could - a 7km-long decent from a 300m elevation, all done in less than 13mins.

Our final riding day was met with mixed emotions. We’d had such a great time we didn’t want it to end but in the back of our minds was the fact that it wasn’t over yet and we had a 70km ride against a headwind to come. The riding from Roses to L’Escala through Els Estanys national park, Empuriabrava and towns like Sant Pere Pescador is what sets this place apart for cycle touring. Just when you thought Catalonia had it all for cyclists with the Vies Verde and the spectacular trail to Cadaques, the Pirinexus cycling route tops it off! It is a 360km marked cycling route around Catalonia which includes gravel paths and small roads. I think we must have seen what felt like just a handful of cars all the way to L’Escala. Once we arrived for lunch there was just one more thing to do before hitting the road again for the last time - a dip in the very welcoming Mediterranean sea. Our last stretch of 30km back in to Girona seemed to fly by and the welcome sight of the river leading to the old town meant our 240km, 5-day odyssey had come to an end. A final group dinner in the old town to top off the trip was a great way to finish what was a memorable tour.

Looking back there were three things that stood out - Catalonia is a complete haven for cyclists (both on and off road); there is a distinct lack of English-speaking tourist (I don’t think we saw one!?); and having great company is what makes great memorable tours. Can’t wait to be in this neck of the woods again.

Check out our next tour to Catalonia here!

Cycling Catalonia - bike touring at its best

Thanks to the Greenways