Many people know Catalonia for the Costa Brava coastline and its dynamic capital, Barcelona. In and around Barcelona, a large portion of the Catalan population resides. Beyond that, Catalonia is mostly green and rural. Climate, landscape, roads, accessibility, culture… there’s a lot that makes Catalonia a top destination for cyclists. Cycling in Barcelona has been popular for years, Girona is the European meeting place for training cycling teams, and recreational cyclists find a beautiful combination of pleasant cycling routes, culture, and scenery. For mountain bikers, there is an extensive network of roads and dedicated mountain bike centers.
Catalonia is separated from France by the Pyrenees, which we treat as a separate cycling area. The region feels less Spanish than the rest of Spain. It has more of a French vibe. Catalonia is one of the richest regions in Spain. Next to Catalonia lies Aragon. This region is characterized by rugged landscapes and beautiful, quiet villages. Few people live there. Aragon also has a lot to offer cyclists, but it is more rugged, and the amenities are farther apart.
Barcelona is a bustling global city. The areas around the city are not ideal for cycling. However, the city center of Barcelona is excellent for exploring by bike. There are countless companies that rent bikes and organize tours.
Between Barcelona and the beautiful cycling areas in other parts of Catalonia lies a band of busy highways that cyclists should avoid. The best way to overcome this obstacle is by taking one of the excellent Cercanías or Regionales (regional trains). You can bring your bike for free.
The northern city of Girona is a very attractive town with about 100,000 inhabitants. The city has become the center of a thriving cycling culture. For road cyclists, we could easily call it the cycling capital of Europe. Lance Armstrong lived in the city for part of the year. His team and many other teams followed suit.
Catalonia has a well-developed and extensive road network that is very suitable for cyclists. In the very pleasant region of Baix Empordà (province of Girona), there is a network of cycling routes. The same applies to the Segre River basin in the province of Lleida (Lérida).
In the summer, the roads near the coast can get quite busy, especially along the Costa Brava. Despite the mass tourism, the Costa Brava is still one of the most beautiful coastlines in Spain and attractive for cyclists. It’s more appealing than the Costa Dorada (the coast south of Barcelona).
In Catalonia, there are several ‘Vias Verdes,’ old railway tracks that have been converted into cycling paths. There are various routes, such as between Girona, Olot, and the Costa Brava, or along the Ebro River. Some people take a bus to the highest point and then leisurely pedal back to their starting point. www.viasverdes.com
Catalonia (including the Pyrenees) also boasts 6,400 kilometers of signposted mountain bike routes. These routes start from one of the information centers (centro VTT), where tourist information and route details are also available. The routes are spread throughout Catalonia; in the inland areas, as well as along the Costa Brava, in the coastal region of Barcelona, and along the Costa Dorada (the coast south of Barcelona).
A stunning cycling area is the Priorat-Montsant in the province of Tarragona in the south of Catalonia and the entire area extending to the provinces of Teruel and Castellón. Besides charming villages and beautiful nature, you’ll find a variety of roads. Some are quite challenging, while others are almost flat, like the Via Verde between the Ebro Delta, Tortosa, and the Matarraña area in Teruel.
If you want to avoid steep climbs, you can manage quite well in much of Catalonia. Especially in the gently rolling region of Baix Empordà (province of Girona). Climbers will head slightly further inland for climbs in the foothills. The real climbing is done in the Pyrenees.
Thijs put together a customized cycling holiday tailored to my personal wishes. Both the inland and the coast of the Costa Brava are truly worth it. I found the personal contact with Thijs to be very pleasant. Read more…
We are a group of 12 “senior” riders and have been biking together for 30 years. We had a fantastic riding experience in Zona Zero with Thijs and Felix as our guides. A really varied program with some serious technical challenges. Read more…
This is the second time we have used Cycling Spain and it has been the best experience. Thijs organized two coaches/guides and a driver to take our 3 boys on 3 wonderful days of guided adventures. Read more…
Great mountain biking organization in Spain, if you want to make the most of your passion without worrying about anything, you’ve come to the right address. Read more…
I booked a mountainbike trip with cycling spain and I loved it! I will definitely book another trip here if I am in Girona again. I could have never found these trails myself. Read more…
Biking with mtb adventures has been the highlight of our trip to Spain. The scenery was gorgeous and the trails were a blast. Read more…
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