dossier

Catalonia Cycling - Barcelona

Note
This is a 8 night, 9 day tour. However, for those with less time wecan reduce the time spent in Barcelona to one night making it a 7 night tour.

Season

April – Late November (not August). Starting is potentially possible on any day, but travel on Sundays can be slow.

Level of Difficulty

Grade A-B (easy  tomoderate cycling). Day stages are 25km/15mi to 60km/36mi. The terrain is mixed,but there is very little uphill pedaling. A quarter of the tour is on small roads with good tarmac, The rest is onthe “Bici Carril” a type of good quality forest trail with no cars to disturbyou.  This makes the cycling easy andenjoyable.

The Bikes

On this tour bike hire is included in the tour price. The bikes are21-speed hybrid bikes equipped with front suspension and a pannier. 

Maps & Route Notes

We provide these, and we also provide specially researchedroute descriptions.

Accommodation & Meals

All hotels are normally equipped with en suite shower and toilet/sink.Dinner, bed and breakfast on 3 nights, and B&B only on 5 nights. Picniclunches are not included in the tour price but are available from hotels orlocal shops.

Night 1:  Inthe center of Ripoll, our hotel is apleasant 2 star medium sized family run hotel in the town, renovated in2001.  Dinner is included in thespacious restaurant.

Night 2 & 3: We have two nights in Olot ina modern 2 star hotel with most rooms in an apartment style. It isapproximately 2km/1.6mi from the old town centre, but does good dinners andserves a breakfast buffet.  The first night here is on half board (dinner& breakfast) basis and the second is Breakfast only.

Night 4 & 5  In Girona our  standardhotel is a comfortable 1 star centrally located, and has been welcoming clientsfor 150 years! However, it is renovated and offers ensuite, sound insulated bedroomswith T.V. and has a bar and spacious lounges.

Night 6 We stay at a modern hostel, but an“Architectural gemstone” in Sant Feliu de Guixols, just ten minutes fromthe finest beach near the town. There is a breakfast buffet and aswimming pool. In October and November this hostel is closed and we use anotherone in the old center of the village.   Dinner is included.

Night 7 & 8. Finally in Barcelona ouraccommodation is a modern two star hotel, only ten minutes walking distancefrom the famous Sagrada Familia church.   Breakfast only is included.

Arrival

Most people will fly into Barcelona Prats airport for thistour.  The starting point of the tour isat Ripoll, which is reached by a taking a train from Barcelona Sants and ittakes a couple of hours (not included in tour price).  It is also possible, but perhaps less convenient to fly intoGirona and then use airport bus and rail connections from there.  Relevant Spanish National Railway timetablescan be obtained from the Internet, either at www.renfe.es(text in Spanish or English), or call Rail Europe, toll free 1-800-848-7245 oron line at www.raileurope.com.  

Itinerary Guide

Day 1.  Arrive at Barcelona Prats airport andmake your way to Barcelona Sants station, from here take a direct train to Ripoll(approx 2 hours).   Check into yourhotel and collect your bike.  You willthen be able to spend time looking around the stunning Romanesque monastery inthe town.  You may also fly into GironaAirport (also know as Girona-Barcelona) but is is quite a way fromBarcelona.  From Girona airport, youwill need to take an airport bus into the city (hourly, taking 20 minutes) tocatch the train to Ripoll.

Day 2. Ripollto Olot (36km/22mi & 395m of ascent and 670m of descent).  Join the “Bici Carril” bike train to Olot. Orif your feeling fit, you can extend the tour and cycle into the Garrotxa goingto Santa Margarda and Croscat (25km extra). Overnight in Olot.

Day3. The Garrotxa (25 km+/15mi) Cyclearound Olot and the Garrotxa, a fascinating ex volcanic region of conical hillsand forests, with kites and eagles wheeling their way around the sky.  Return to Olot.

Day4. Olot to Girona (63km/39mi & 140m of ascent and 550 of descent).Cycle once again on the Bici Carril from Olot to the splendid city of Girona,and to your hotel.

Day5. Free day for visiting Girona or nearby Figueres with its DaliMuseum, or just have a rest. You stay in the same hotel in Girona.  The town was founded by the Romans and laterinhabited by the Moors.  It alsowithstood three invasions by Napoleon’s troops.  Because of this Girona is know as ‘The city of a thousandsieges’.  It is split by the OnyarRiver, which is best viewed from the ancient footbridge.  Many tourists head here on day trips in thesummer from the coast.  The only way tosee Girona is by foot and the best part to see is the Call, the old quarterwith it’s narrow streets and steep alleyways. Explore the cathedral free of charge or once inside your could pay400pts to see the cloisters and museum. The way to the cathedral is up a 17^thcentury staircase of 90 steps. 

Themuseum of art is worthy of a visit, located within a Gothic palace, next to thecathedral. In Girona you will discover 12^th century Arab bathswhich, although restored, give a good impression on how the ancient baths wouldhave looked.  Carrer Sanat Clara, a verybusy shopping street has a good selection of restaurants.  Girona offers pleasant nightlife withendless tapas bars and cafes in the centre and scattered along La Rambla on theoutskirts.  Many people spend theevening hopping from one to the other.

Day6. Girona to San Feliu de Guixols (40km/25mi& 80 m of ascent, 95m descent) Today you follow the Cycle path from Gironato San Feliu de Guixols. The city is situated in the middle of the Costa Bravaand has a large sea-promenade surrounded by pine trees and palms.  There is an open market place where freshvegetables and fruits are sold and an indoor fish market with fish caught theprevious night by the small fishing fleet. The town officially dates from the 12C and stands on the site of the BenedictineMonastery of Sant Feliu.  From theobservation platform of Sant Elm, the whole bay can be overlooked.  It had a lot of maritime traffic and corkindustries, which made it important in the 14C.    The church and other elements of the old Romanesque monasteryare worth a look, with the famous Porta Ferrada, a beautiful, perhaps Arabportico from the 11C.  There should beenough time for a relaxing swim, a rest on the beach, or maybe just a walk.There is also a pool at the hostel where you stay for the night.

Days7 & 8.  Drop off the hired bikesand catch the local bus to Barcelona. Now you are free to roam in Barcelona- agreat Mediterranean urban center, cosmopolitan and full of contrasts.  Founded by the Romans, elements of its pastlive side by side with the most beautiful examples of contemporary architectureinside the city.   The chance you have been waiting for to seethose “wonderful” buildings by Gaudi, including the Sagrada Familia. Or justsoak up the atmosphere of this exciting city. Two nights are spent in theCatalan capital giving you time to ramble down the Ramblas and make use of thecity’s extensive metro system to see all of the sights.

Day 9: Depart from Barcelona. Train every 30 minutes from Barcelona Santsstation to the airport; journey time 25 minutes.   There are also buses, which connect with Girona Airport, whichtakes a bit over an hour in reasonable traffic.

Included

Information pack with aroad book and detailed maps for the tour; 8 nights accommodation in: Ripoll (1night), Olot (2 nights), Girona (2 nights), San Feliu (one night) and Barcelona(2 nights). All breakfasts and three dinners. Luggage transfer from Hotel to Hotel (Ripoll – Olot, Olot –Girona,Girona - Sant Feliu).  Note that from S.Feliu, you will need to travel with your baggage from that point on intoBarcelona.

Not Included