The 10 best cycling stops in Catalonia
Vies Verdes - Olot to Girona
If you’re longing for a post-lockdown cycling adventure in Europe in the spring time, then look no further than Northern Catalonia. It’s got good weather, great cycling trails and an excellent fusion of Spanish and French culture. If that sounds like it’s up your alley but you aren’t exactly sure which route to take, then here are some local hangouts to bear in mind when planning your itinerary! Catalonia is pretty big so we have narrowed our recommendations down to the province of Girona, which is north of Barcelona. This is the area that many consider to be the cycling Mecca of Spain, so it’s guaranteed to be an awesome time on two wheels!
The province of Girona encompasses the entire Coasta Brava extending from Lloret de Mar in the south and Cadaques in the north east. The province also a vast inland area with Girona in the center, Ripoll in the west and a northern border that runs along the foothills of the Pyrenees.
The attractions of the mountains, quiet roads and stunning coastline lures an array of cyclists, from elite pros to leisure explorers. It all culminates around the bustling hub of Girona, a vibrant city that is a melting pot of modern and traditional cuisine and architecture.
In our vast experience exploring this amazing cycling hideaway, we have come up with our favorite places to stop for a bite to eat along the way or indeed enjoy a refreshing drink at the end of a long day’s ride. Some of these are certainly off the beaten track and others can be found right under your nose, but one thing is for certain; they are found never too far away from the excellent cycleways that are scattered throughout the province, thus we of course have the cyclist specifically in mind.
1. La Casilla, Olot
The Vies Verdes is a renowned traffic-free cycleway extending from Ripoll in the north, right down to Sant Feliu de Guíxols in the south. Its an amazing cycling trail away from it all. Trouble is there really isn’t too many places to stop for a rest and a bite to eat along the way. Except for the cream of the crop that is! When you ride out of Olot towards Girona on the Vies Verdes trail, about 10km in you reach a stone walled taverna call La Casilla nestled in the hills. In true authentic style there is no website (so we can’t give you that!) therefore you have to just take our word for it…. it delicious no frills authentic homemade Catalan fare and the owner is a gem. On a sunny day (most days in spring and summer) sitting out on the terrace enjoying your meal and a ‘caña’ of beer can’t be beaten. Here is an article about what it’s like to ride the Vies Verdes.
2. Brown Sugar, Cadaques
Wow one of a favourite little hideaways in Catalonia nestled in amongst the white-washed streets of Cadaques. The best way to describe this is a cosy cave-looking juice and smoothie cafe that turns into a lively live music cocktail bar in the evening. The live music nights are pretty awesome! Expect to pay a little extra for your juice or smoothie but all the ingredients are fresh and they taste delicious. It's certainly a unique place and worth a visit. Check out their latest posts about what live performances they have coming up.
3. Txalaka Girona tapas bar, Girona
During our guided Catalonia cycling tour, this place is our ‘go-to’ for making sure our guests get what they came for in terms of culinary and culture; traditional Catalan tapas on steroids! Its arguably got the best tapas in town. The selection is incredible and most certainly very edible - from delicious croquettes, jamon and peppers on bread, to salt and pepper cuttlefish and those yummy prawn cocktail thingys… ok so it’s hard to explain, there must be 30 or so choices at any one time. But be careful the wine slides down easily and those leftover skewers will cost you money and they stack up pretty rapidly.
4. Minigolf Greens, Roses
Roses is great place for an overnight cycle stop if you are heading over the stunning peninsula to Cadaques. There are numerous nice beach bars on the sand and along the promenade but this one is just a little bit different. Don’t expect to be lazing around doing nothing (although that is an option too) because as the name suggests, you can dust of the putter and play a round of minigolf. When you’ve finished your round you can soak up the atmosphere out on the terrace and look out to the sea whilst sipping on one of the huge array of Belgium beers that are on offer.
5. Sandbar, Cala Jancols
As far as beach bars go, you cant beat the idyllic location of this bar. It's way off the beaten track and really quite remote and that’s what we love about it. If you are doing the short but very challenging ride along the coastal dirt road from Roses to Cadaques make sure you stop here and grab a chair in the shade and watch the world go by before a dip in the sea. Chances are you'll be the only one out there.
6. Placa Nova, Palafrugell
As with most European towns and cities, Parafrugell’s true heart can be felt at it’s main square. There really is nothing that defines Europe more than the ambience of a traditional town’s square; and Plaza Novia is no exception. The architecture may not live up to the likes of Krakow, Prague or it’s neighbour, Barcelona; but there really is something special about sitting out in the square having a drink and a bite to eat, soaking it all up after a long day’s ride. You’ll often find performers and brass bands playing music on the square as you pass the time away. There are plenty of restaurants to chose from that have the perfect vantage point to take it all in. If you end up staying in Parafrugell for a day or two, there are numerous fantastic coves and seaside towns to see - for more info visit www.visitpalafrugell.cat/en/calella
7. Chiringuito Olivia, L’Escala
There are several beach bars to choose from along the beaches surrounding L’Escala. If you want a chilled out beach bar out of town a little with relaxing beats, friendly service and great food using fresh ingredients, then Chiringuito’s is definitely worth a look. It’s situated on Platja d’Empuries and there is a break water that juts right out to sea so the water is usually flat and calm, perfect for dip to get a bit of leg recovery in before lunch.
8. Meraki Burger, San Felui
This trendy burger joint serves great burgers and has a great Spanish wine menu. Not a huge selection of beers on tap but we are in Spain, so why look any further than a glass of vino to wash down your burger.
This is a great cycle stop because it's the end of the line for the Vies Verde cycle path and San Feliu Guixols is a gentle 45km from Girona.
9. B12 Bar Vega, Girona
As the vegan movement grows so to does the number of Vegan restaurant - although this one has been established for a while, and it shows. You can't really fault this place - even if you are a meat eater - because the food is so tasty at a decent price and the beer selection is immense with over 50 craft beers to choose from.
10. Montseny, Sant Miquel de Flavia
Ok so this is no Michelin Star establishment but if you happen to be peddling through Sant Miquel de Flavia on your way to Figurers or the north coast from Girona, then you’ve basically only got one choice. This little beaut makes the list as it pretty much epitomises the classic back and beyond sleepy town Spanish taverna connected to the side of someone’s house. It’s family run and a stand and deliver type of culinary experience where you can expect delicious homemade Spanish classics like croquettes, jamón, steak, chips and salad and snails. Yes, a plate of cargols a la llaunas will be doing the rounds on your table. For the record it’s grilled snails with garlic sauce, yumbo! All washed down with quite honestly the coldest beer you’ll ever have - they freeze the glasses and just about do the same with the beer taps - perfect on a hot day.
For a more in-depth look into cycling touring in Catalonia check our article entitle ‘Cycling Catalonia - bike touring at its best’.
Catalonia is one of our favourite places to ride. Find out more about our next guided tour in Catalonia here.