Road Bike Tour Costa Brava & Pyrenees
Discover Empordà, Cap de Creus, the Pyrenees, and the best road biking routes of Girona and the Costa Brava
DURATION
8 days / 7 nights
LEVEL
COST
4.529 €
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MOST HIGHLIGHTS
Enjoy the best road biking routes on the Costa Brava, with visits to the Cap de Creus Natural Park, the Albera Massif and Girona.
Relax in upscale hotels that specialize in cycling and offer a variety of services, including golf courses.
Ride along the best roads in Empordà: the best views, without the traffic.
Marvel at the beauty of Cap de Creus and the Albera Massif mountain range.
Cycle through the most famous mountain passes of the province of Girona, the training base camp of the top cyclists in the world.
Savor the best dishes Mediterranean cuisine has to offer.
Welcome
Welcome to the Costa Brava! We await you at Gran Fondo Community, where we will deliver the first briefing of the tour and distribute your Welcome Pack. Our center is located in the heart of the Costa Brava, 10 minutes from the beaches of Calella de Palafrugell and Begur. If you feel like it, you can do a short route to visit some of the area’s beautiful secluded coves to get ready for the first stage.
Meal(s):
Dinner
Destination(s):
Palafrugell
Accommodation:
Arrels d’Empordà
Cap de Creus
From the very beginning of our tour, the beauty of the Costa Brava will leave you speechless. We will head north from the heart of the Costa Brava, through the Empordà plains and towards the Cap de Creus Natural Park – one of the most beautiful areas of the region. From there, we’ll climb to the top at Sant Pere de Rodes Monastery, a stunning example of Catalan Romanesque architecture.
A beautiful descent to Port de la Selva will lead us to the second and final climb of the day – the Coll de Perafita – which will take us on a slight ascent out of Cap de Creus. From there, we’ll enjoy some gentle rolling terrain on the way to our first destination, Hotel TorreMirona Golf & Spa. Enjoy a well-deserved rest in this incredible space!
Meal(s):
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destination(s):
Gualta, Empúries, Sant Pere Pescador, Sant Pere de Rodes and Figueres
Distance:
122 kilometers (75 miles)
Elevation gain: 1212 meters (3976 feet)
Accommodation:
Hotel Torre Mirona
Mare de Déu del Mont
With our legs a little tired from the first stage, Day 3 will be a short but very demanding route. The legendary ascent to Mare de Déu del Mont is a challenging pass, which could be considered a Category 1 in professional cycling races. The summit offers exceptional views, with the entire Costa Brava and the Catalan Pyrenees visible on a clear day. This peak was a place of contemplation for the famous Catalan writer Jacint Verdaguer, who wrote with a panoramic view of the Canigó mountain in the background.
After refreshments at the top, we’ll head back to the hotel via a long and beautiful – but also quite technical – descent.
Meal(s):
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destination(s):
Mare de Déu del Mont
Distance:
52 kilometers (32 miles)
Elevation gain: 1190 meters (3900 feet)
Accommodation:
Hotel Torre Mirona
Girona, the capital of cycling
A Costa Brava tour would not be complete without a visit to the cycling capital par excellence, Girona. This route will end at another high-end hotel and golf course, Camiral Golf & Wellness (previously known as PGA Catalunya).
Without any mountain to highlight, we’ll enjoy rolling terrain along rural roads and agricultural areas on the outskirts of Girona. Our first stop is the beautiful Banyoles Lake, near Girona.
We’ll arrive at the provincial capital around lunchtime and head to one of the city’s most well-known cycling bars, Hors Catégorie. After a tasty lunch, we’ll refuel with coffee at Hidden Café, one of the best specialty roasters in the world. After our visit to Girona, we will continue cycling on the final segment of the day, ending at Camiral Golf & Wellness.
Meal(s):
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destination(s):
Banyoles and Girona
Distance:
78 kilometers (48 miles)
Elevation gain: 950 meters (3116 feet)
Accommodation:
Camiral
Enjoying the Costa Brava
After a light day, we’ll tackle a somewhat longer and more demanding stage – but one you’ll never forget! We’ll start our approach to the sea via the ascent to the Alto de Sant Grau. From there, we’ll begin one of the most beautiful descents you’ll ever experience, taking us down to the water. We’ll trace our way along the seaside on rolling terrain to reach Sant Feliu de Guíxols.
From there, we’ll head to the Gavarres mountain area to link up with three of the most famous climbs for cyclists in the region: Romanyà, La Ganga and Santa Pellaia. All three are very doable, but with the combined distance and exertion of the preceding days, we’ll be feeling it in our legs by the end.
Fortunately, you’ll have another chance to relax and enjoy the amenities at Camiral Golf & Wellness. A gourmet dinner will put us in top form for the final cycling day of our trip.
Meal(s):
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destination(s):
Sant Grau, Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Santa Pellaia
Distance:
113 kilometers (70 miles)
Elevation gain: 1777 meters (5830 feet)
Accommodation:
Camiral
Els Àngels and medieval villages
The last leg of our tour will take us back towards Girona, on some local roads to the west. We’ll cross the capital and head to the unquestionably most famous mountain pass of the region, Els Àngels. While this beautiful climb is not excessively hard, it is considerably long (12 kilometers).
After accomplishing our greatest challenge of the day, we’ll wind our way through a series of picturesque medieval villages in the interior of the province. Monells, Ullastret and Palau-Sator – the gems of the Empordà region – are particularly charming. From there, we’ll return to our center of operations in Palafrugell, where you’ll enjoy a well-deserved rest and dinner at the Aparthotel Arrels d’Empordà, back where our trip started.
Meal(s):
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destination(s):
Girona, Els Àngels, Monella, Ullastret, Palau-Sator and Gran Fondo Community
Distance:
75 kilometers (46 miles)
Elevation gain: 930 meters (3051 feet)
Accommodation:
Hotel Arrels Empordà
Relax on the Costa Brava
After some 500 kilometers of cycling, it’s time for a well-deserved rest! Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the Aparthotel Arrels d’Empordà and get ready for the journey home.
Meal(s):
Breakfast
TO BEAR IN MIND
Please fill out this form, so we can ensure that this tour is the best fit for you and your group’s needs. You can do the tour with any type of road bike.
Included
Accommodation:
Upscale hotels where you can rest and enjoy an unforgettable setting in the middle of nature.
Luggage transfer.
Meals:
Daily breakfast at the hotel.
Lunch en route, in locations designed to offer a nice break from cycling (with the exception of the Mare de Déu del Mont segment, when we will eat lunch afterward).
We’ll take care of all the details for the group dinners, which will take place at the hotel or nearby.
Liquid and solid freshments en route, including fruit, energy bars and other snacks ideally suited to cycling.
Welcome Pack:
Water bottle and Gran Fondo t-shirt.
Route Support:
Bilingual, experienced guides from the region who specialize in cycling.
Support vehicle in case of breakdown or accident.
Pick-up and return before and after each stage to the accommodation (if necessary).
Laundry service for cycling clothes after each stage.
Daily bike maintenance.
NOT included
Flights.
Transfers between the airport and the hotel.
Meals and beverages outside the tour itinerary.
Mechanical expenses in case of accident or breakdown.
THE GUIDES.
Toni Miguel
Raul Rubio
THE BICYCLES.
Frame/Fork
Carbon.
Shifting
Shimano 105 Di2, R7170, 12 speed (Front: 50-34, Rear: 11-34).
Wheels
Fulcrum racing 900
Saddle
Cervélo Road