Girona is a popular cycling destination thanks to its extensive network of cycle paths and trails that offer something for riders of all abilities. Add some Spanish sunshine, countryside and cuisine and you’ve got the makings of an ideal cycling holiday. Girona and the Catalan Coast is our self-guided leisure cycling holiday that’s perfect if you’re looking for a relaxed pace ride. We asked Mollie about her recent trip exploring the area by e-bike with her Dad, Paul.
Here’s what she had to say…
Last month my dad and I travelled up the Costa Brava and through the Catalan countryside on Saddle Skedaddle’s 5-day Girona and the Catalan Coast holiday which we managed to squeeze into 3 days. My dad is a seasoned cyclist, but I haven’t dabbled too much except for a cycling holiday with both him and my mum in 2016. It was an incredible experience but unfortunately my mum was so uncomfortable about being on two wheels we couldn’t get much further than across the road from the hotel… They say opposites attract. Given my lack of experience, it was my dad’s idea to rent a couple of E-bikes and show me what it’s all about.
Barcelona to Girona
We arrived at Barcelona Sants train station on Saturday morning to predictably moody patrons and sufficiently good coffee for a large international train station. We made our way to the surprisingly comfortable train. I was almost disappointed in how fast the journey to Girona flew by, as we were both so relaxed in the ‘tourist-class’ cabin.
When we pulled in at Girona train station, the first-day-of-holiday buzz in the air, we headed out into the city to find our first hotel. We dropped our bags and headed straight out for some food at La Taverna d’El Forment, a lively spot near the river that was perfect for a late afternoon meal. Full up and satisfied, we decided to explore the old town.
It didn’t take us long to realise how busy it was, but this all made sense when a stylish worker at Rocacorba told us we had booked to travel to Girona not just on them busiest week of the year, but the busiest day: the final evening of temps de flors, a festival in which the whole city is covered in flower-related exhibitions. For us this did nothing but liven the city. Everywhere we turned was laughter, chatter, and colour. And to my dad’s exasperation (or so he claimed… it was definitely reluctant excitement) we caught sight of some game of thrones shooting spots around the city.
With the help of Eduard and his team, we got our bikes sorted that night, and found out everything we needed to know about the stops along the way.
Girona to Calella de Palafrugell (via Sant Feliu de Guíxols)
We set off early-ish using our ‘ride with GPS’ app. I started off in charge of navigation, and in defiance of my dad constantly asking, ‘are we lost?’ (NO dad! except for that one time I got distracted by a group of men in some questionably fitting Lycra) it was a stress-free experience.
The Vies Verde took us out of the city towards the coast, passing old railway lines as the country expanded out beyond the city of Girona. The path near the city was occupied by various groups of family and friends running, walking, and cycling, but the further towards the coast we headed, the quieter the landscape became. We glided through fields of green sprinkled with the red and purple of spring-time flowers, various quaint old towns posted on small hills along the way.
Seeing the various blue hues of the ocean coming into view as we sped down the hill on the edge of Sant Feliu de Guíxols was one of the highlights of the whole trip (if you complete the journey in its full five days, this will be your first stop). Coasting along the shoreline we weighed up our options for lunch, and settled on a restaurant named Godard S’Agaró, which turned out to be what I assume was one of the pricier options on the beach. That being said, it was every-bit worth the cost.
After lunch, as we climbed up and out through the town, we were guided through the winding roads dotted with huge homes overlooking the sea. The rest of the journey was an idyllic cruise up the Costa Brava towards Calella de Palafrugell, seeing all of what the coastline has to offer: from bars and beaches to trees and tranquillity, the route covered all bases. When we arrived, I took a refreshing dip in the ocean before we checked in at the charming Hotel Garbi.
Calella de Palafrugell to Castello d’Empuries (via Torroella de Montgrí)
With my dad taking over from me on the GPS, we set off early the next morning. The route took into a shaded forest area – a nice break from the beating sun – before emerging into the open fields once more. We met a very friendly Australian man who introduced us to his wife as his ‘English friends’ after exchanging only a few words. My dad looked particularly bemused by this, having exchanged exactly 0. This genial attitude seems common with cyclists, like how we would exchange an ‘hola, bon dia’ with anyone who we passed on two wheels, despite the fact we were probably all from the same kind of leafy suburb in England.
Stopping at Pals, another beautiful town on a hill visible from the route as you approach, we headed towards the natural park of El Montgrí, les Illes Medes I el Baix Ter. This Day really provided a variety of the best of the Catalan country. Mountains and fields; rivers and rice farms; and back to the coast for sweet, cold, fresh and damp smells which brought back memories of childhood holidays in the countryside.
After we stopped for lunch at L’escala, a beautiful town on the coast, we headed back into the country and embarked on the next phase of the journey which was characterised by the rows and rows of trees and plants, hung with ripening fruits and grains which stood to attention in vast fields as we sped by. The air was crisp, and most delightfully, it was completely quiet. We would go 45 minutes without seeing anyone, except perhaps a surly looking farmer resembling Old Macdonald (was it just my imagination or were they all wearing dungarees and plaid shirts?). I was completely immersed in the peace of the natural life, with only the wind and the birds to keep me company (and my dad) which if like me, you’re from the city, will come as a welcome break.
Though we arrived at Castello d’Empuries on a national holiday making it especially quiet, the friendly staff at Canet Hotel were happy to give us some local tips on the best restaurants that would be open. Plus, the tranquillity meant we had the outdoor pool to ourselves!
Castello d’Empuries to Figueres
We had a quick breakfast on the roof terrace, before setting off on our final day. The farms were still in full force on this first part of the journey, a patchwork of reeds, wheatfields, and fruit plants. It never takes long to stop for our first coffee, and this time the coffee and croissant from Peralada was so good, we stayed for two.
Then came my favourite part of the whole trip, the vineyards. Maybe it was the cacophony of colour; or that we reached the highest point of the whole trip which meant cruising down through the fields with incredible views; or the route taking us briefly through the winding streets of various small towns and getting to experience a little of their day-to-day. Probably, it was an accumulation of all these things, making it the perfect cycling experience.
This final day, we were doing the tour as it was intended (in one day) which gave us more time to explore. So, when we reached our next incline, we decided to keep travelling upwards to see the views. Despite the e-bikes, the climb wasn’t easy, but the view was completely worth it. From that point it was all downhill towards Figueres.
It would have been wrong to finish this day without a trip to a Vineyard, so when we passed La Vinyeta, we stocked up on some wine to put in our panniers and chatted to one of the friendly members of staff. Her English was broken but, like my Spanish, she resolved this by throwing some Spanish words in there and hoping we would still get the gist, which we did!
We arrived in Figueres just as the storm began, but not wanting to waste our final afternoon, we headed to the Dali Museum. The ibis hotel was extremely comfortable and extremely friendly and was a perfect end to a perfect trip.
Though we did manage the trip in 3 days, it is definitely 5 days for a reason. As a leisure cycling holiday, the 5 days will give you time to explore your route and really soak it up. On our last day, which we did as Skedaddle intended, the extra time gave us opportunity to even go off route a couple of times and stop in places we passed through. It felt like this was the day we got the full experience of Girona and the Catalan coast. Trust me, Skedaddle know what they’re doing.