Creative Catalonia Bike Holidays

The riding starts in the mountain town of Ripoll cycling along the ‘Ruta del Ferro’ to the village of Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Once we have passed through the town we climb up and over the beautiful mountain pass of the ‘Col de Santigosa’ before descending into Olot, which is the capital city of the volcanic region of ‘La Garrotxa”.

From Olot to Girona the riding takes place on the converted railway that is known as “The Carrilet”. It is a gentle descent for about 60 km into Girona through stunning scenery. The following day’s section of the Carrilet between Girona and Sant Feliu de Guixols is approximately 40 km and covers a diverse range of scenery from the undulating farmland around Girona to the Pine and Cork forests of the coastal region.

From Sant Feliu de Guixols the itinerary then heads north along the beautiful Costa Brava coastline exploring the many gems of this coastline. Your hotel is located overlooking the stunning bay of Llafranc. A second day in Llafranc is included in the itinerary to further explore the iconic Costa Brava bays of Tamariu and Calella de Palafrugell.

The last two days of the cycling holiday are spent following the Baix Emporda Cycling Network cycling routes that head inland through the timeless Medieval Villages of the region. Your base for two nights is a beautifully restored 4 star Hotel situated in one of the best preserved Medieval Villages. On your second day exploring the medieval villages your cycling route takes you to the village of Pubol, where Salvador Dali’s ‘Castle Museum’ is located with many of his great works are on display.

On your final day you will be transferred to Girona train station to return to Barcelona by train after a fantastic 8 days of exploring the very best of the cycling on offer in this part of Catalonia, Spain.

The Baix Emporda Mountain Bike network has literally hundreds of kilometres of trails that range from stunning forest trails through to blistering single track which, at times, requires high levels of technical skill to ride.

The highest peaks in the riding area are approximately 500m and are situated in very hilly terrain, making this perfect mountain biking territory. The more challenging rides accumulate up to and over 1000m of ascents.

Some of the highlights of the routes:

• The 1000 year old hamlet of Romanya de la Selva.
• The remains of the castle used as a lookout post during the Civil War.
• The stunning lookout of ‘Pedralta’ – the balancing rock with views to the Pyrenees and the coast.
• The lookout of ‘Puig d’Arques’ to soak up the amazing views of the pine and cork forests of the ‘Les Gavarres’ protected area sweeping down to the sea.
• The 1000 year old chapel of ‘San Miquel’ with stunning views over Girona and the foothill of the Pyrenees.

MIAS Mountain Bike Instructor courses
On request, we can arrange Mountain Bike Instructor courses led by a fully qualified MIAS Mountain Bike Instructor. These courses are a fantastic way to improve your mountain bike skills to handle pretty much anything the trails will throw at you. Please enquire about these courses and we will be more than happy to arrange a course just for you or your group.

The riding starts in the mountain town of Ripoll cycling along the ‘Ruta del Ferro’ to the village of Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Once we have passed through the town we climb up and over the beautiful mountain pass of the ‘Col de Santigosa’ before descending into Olot, which is the capital city of the volcanic region of ‘La Garrotxa”.

From Olot to Girona the riding takes place on the converted railway that is known as the ‘Carrilet’. It is a gentle descent for about 60 km into Girona through stunning scenery. The following day’s section of the Carrilet between Girona and Sant Feliu de Guixols is approximately 40 km and covers a diverse range of scenery from the undulating farmland around Girona to the Pine and Cork forests of the coastal region.

From Sant Feliu de Guixols the itinerary switches from the ‘saddle to the shoe’ as we join the beautiful ‘Cami de Ronda’ coastal walking path as it hugs its way along the stunning stretch of Mediterranean coastline towards the hilltop town of Begur.

Highlights of this section of the Cami de Ronda walking route include:

strolling through the S’Agaro estate that was designed by the Catalan architect Rafael Maso
visiting the Cap Roig Botanical gardens with stunning views over the Mediterranean Sea
walking through the iconic Costa Brava bays of Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc and Tamariu
staying in the beautiful hilltop village of Begur
From Begur you will continue by bike following the well signed Baix Emporda Cycle Network through the timeless Medieval Villages area, stopping off for a coffee and lunch en-route as you pass through the charming villages. Your destination is a lovingly restored 4 star hotel in the village of Monells, one of the prettiest of the medieval villages in the region.

On your second day in Monells you will cycle through more of the medieval villages, including a visit to the Salvador Dali Castle Museum in Pubol. In addition, there is the opportunity to eat lunch in a 14th Century Castle that was once owned by a captain on Christopher Columbus’s fleet.

On your final day you will be transferred to Girona train station to return to Barcelona by direct train after an incredible 10 days of exploring the very best of the cycling and walking on offer in this part of Catalonia, Spain.

The rides are a fantastic mix of stunning coastal scenery, quiet and rolling inland roads that take you through undoubtedly some of the most picturesque scenery on the Costa Brava. The rides have been carefully selected to take you along high quality secondary roads that reduce your exposure to traffic – even during the busier times of the year. 

After riding two of the beautiful Girona routes you will cycle to the Mediterranean Sea to stay right by the water in our fantastic 4 star hotel with its ‘Spa and Treatment’ centre. This is your base for two nights, where you will experience some of the most stunning coastal riding available pretty much anywhere.

The final destination of the tour is staying in one of the timeless ‘medieval villages’ of the Baix Emporda region in a beautifully restored 4 star hotel. From your base here you will ride some of the classic rides through the Medieval Villages of the Baix Emporda region of Catalonia.

The riding starts in the mountain town of Ripoll (682 metres) and follows the old railway line that connects Ripoll to Sant Joan de les Abadesses (775 metres). This entire section is paved and is an idyllic start to the ride. From Sant Joan de les Abadesses the ride weaves its way through this medieval town before climbing its way up to the Coll de Santigosa at 1,010 metres before descending into Olot. This mountain section of riding is one of the highlights of cycling in Catalonia – truly spectacular.

From Olot to Girona the riding takes place on the converted railway that is known as “The Carrilet”. It is a gentle descent for about 60 km into Girona. The section of the Carrilet between Girona and Sant Feliu de Guixols is approximately 40 km and covers a diverse range of scenery from the undulating farmland around Girona to the Pine and Cork forests of the coastal region. A truly beautiful ride.

The final two days of the cycling holiday are spent exploring the beautiful coastline of the Costa Brava, cycling to the south and to the north from your hotel based on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The highlights are visiting the medieval citadel of Tossa de Mar overlooking the sea as well as having lunch in one of the quality seaside restaurants in the iconic Costa Brava bay of Calella de Palafrugell.

Each day from your accommodation base you will explore the beautiful scenery of the Baix Emporda region of Catalonia, cycling the selected highlights of the well signposted Cycle Network. Additionally, you will cycle a variety of stunning rides that will clearly explain why this area of Europe is renowned as a cyclist’s paradise!

The tour starts in Girona city and winds its way gently through the undulating and ever changing scenery of the Baix Emporda. All of the cycling takes place on quiet country roads that are part of the Baix Emporda Cycle Network. The network has been developed to allow cyclists to fully enjoy the splendours of this area.
The tour follows the cycling network for 5 nights and finishes in the charming medieval village of Monells. Your luggage will be transported for you from hotel to hotel so you can relax and enjoy the cycling to its fullest. The accommodation provided is staying in lovely 2, 3 & 4 star hotels (with optional upgrades upon request), including breakfast with your stay.

Each day’s ride is approximately 40 km and covers terrain that is mostly flat with rolling hills, so you can pace yourself to stop and enjoy the views. Each day, after arriving at your hotel, there are plenty of great cycling options to explore the local areas further. These rides range from 20 to 40 kilometres, so if you have enough energy to ‘see a little more’ then each area is well worth exploring. You will be provided with detailed maps and route plans to help you on your way.

The riding starts in the mountain town of Ripoll where you will get your first views of some of the stunning peaks of the Pyrenees on your way to Olot, the capital of the La Garrotxa volcanic region. 

Your next day’s ride encompasses some of the prettiest scenery of the La Garrotxa Volcanic region of Girona. You will pass by timeless medieval villages surrounded by lush forests and fertile farmland that are picture perfect to stop for a photo.

The next day of riding heads towards Girona city following one of the lovely ‘hidden’ valleys with its rolling hills and rocky outcrops surrounding you as you ride downhill almost all the way to the Medieval centre of Girona city.

Your second day in Girona city is spent riding one of the favourite Girona road riding routes through tranquil countryside. The following day you cycle towards the coast through the lovely rolling countryside before a short climb into the Les Gavarres coastal mountain range and then a lovely descent to the Mediterranean Sea. Your hotel is right by the water in a fantastic 4 star hotel with its ‘Spa and Treatment’ centre. This is your base for two nights, where you will experience some of the most stunning coastal riding available pretty much anywhere. 

The accommodation for this tour is staying in an beautifully located 3 star hotel in Olot, the capital of the La Garrotxa volcanic region, as well as two beautiful 4 star hotels in very different and exciting locations.

Arrival for the start of this fantastic Road Riding holiday is by direct train from Barcelona. Departure to Barcelona at the end of the tour is by direct bus service from Sant Feliu de Guixols.