Costa Brava Road Cycling Tour Self-Guided

Arrival at leisure in Girona. The city is famous for having one of the best-preserved Jewish Quarters in the world, and the Cathedral boasts one of the widest vaulted naves in Gothic architecture. We highly recommend that you climb up to the ancient city walls to enjoy the spectacular views all the way to the snowy peaks of the Pyrenees. Make sure that you take a walk along the Onyar river, where you can enjoy a picturesque view of the brightly-coloured houses that line the riverbanks.

From here, you’ll enjoy a thrilling 18km descent to the town of Santa Coloma. This is another famous training ride that is very popular with local cyclists, both amateur and professional. From Santa Coloma, you’ll enjoy a beautiful route through the spectacular Gironès countryside back to Girona.

You’ll take a cycle path southwards out of Girona, enjoying beautiful rolling climbs with glimpses of the Mediterranean Sea. From Tossa de Mar, you’ll be follow the fantastic coastline all the way to Calella de Palafrugell, an old fishing village which still retains its original charm and considered to be one of the pearls of the Costa Brava.

In the north, you can explore the archeological settlement of Empúries, once the gateway of the classical Greek and Roman cultures into Spain, and the only site on the Iberian Peninsula where the remains of a Greek city coexist with those of a Roman city.

Your final major climb of the tour will take you up to the Sanctuary of Els Àngels, where you will be rewarded with spectacular views. Your route will finish back in Girona, where you can celebrate your achievement (and refuel after all that cycling!) with a wonderful dinner at one of the many fabulous restaurants.

Arrival/departure airport: Aeropuerto Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) or Aeropuerto de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO)

Direct flights to Barcelona are widely available from many international destinations, and direct flights to Girona are available from a number of destinations within Europe.

From Barcelona Airport, you can take a taxi or the local Rodalies urban train to Barcelona Sants train station (approx. 20 minutes). From here, you can travel by high-speed train to Girona. You can purchase your train tickets online. By booking online, you can ensure that you are booking the direct train (40 minutes) rather than the local train (up to 2 hours!) which can only be booked locally at the train station.

At the end of your tour, you can take a high-speed train from Girona back to Barcelona (approx. 40 minutes).

Please consult with your Bike Spain Tours travel coordinator if you wish to book extra nights in Barcelona before or after your tour. Some of our favourite hotels are:

• Casa Bonay****: Boutique design hotel and cultural centre located in the upmarket Eixample district.
• Ofelias Hotel****+: Boutique art hotel conveniently located clost to Plaça de Espanya and Montjuic.