Amazing cycling in Catalonia: Barcelona-Girona in 6 stages

 Barcelona-Girona in 6 stages   

1)  Barcelona-Calella 83 km It is a stage to get closer the Costa Brava. Flat road beside the sea. There are different choices if some group wants to get this stage longer or tougher: instead of leading straight to Calella, get a small nice hilly road in Mataró towards Arenys de Munt and Sant Pol de Mar. After that, back to the main road NII leading to Calella.

2)   Calella-Caldes de Malavella 80 km 

One of the nicest roads you can cycle in whole Catalonia is the one from Tossa de Mar to Sant Feliu de Guixols. It is time to enjoy landscape, views, weather… cycling. Once in Sant Feliu de Guixols we will lead to Santa Cristina d’Aro and afterwards to Romanyà. Finally, a crossroad leading to Llagostera will put you in the right direction to Caldes de Malavella.

3)   Caldes de Malavella-L’Escala 77 km. Few miles after the start begins the climb of the day, a beautiful, solitaire and not very steep climb named Santa Pellaia. After the descent towards La Bisbal we will cycle through not very crowded roads, and then a stop in Peretallada is worth. Old and touristic town, cars are not allowed to pass and lots of restaurants and shops welcome the tourists. After Peretallada we will continue through Torroella de Montgrí till L’Escala.

4)   L’Escala-Figueres 53 km A shorter stage for those who are not that strong, but this stage can be much longer and tougher if needed.  A possibility would be going from Roses to Alt de Perafita and stop in Cadaqués, where genious Salvador Dalí lived. Steep climb to the Monestry of San Pere de Rodes is also possible. Nice aerial views from there to Port de la Seva and Costa Brava. This area maybe windy, with the so named, tramuntana wind, very strong if it blows. Figueres is a must, with the Museum dedicated to Salvador Dalí.

5)   Figueres-Olot 64 km Going out from Figueres through N260 is a quick way out. Wide road leading Besalú that you will leave direction Esponellà and Banyoles. It is worth, the visit of Banyoles, the village beside the famous lake, where a lot of triathlon competitions take place. A good place to stop and enjoy the place. Afterwards there are severals climbs, not very steep, to get some height reaching finally Olot at 440 meters height.

6)   Olot-Girona 55 km. This is also a quite short stage, mostly in descent. It is a quite wide road C-63 till getting the crossroad in Sant Feliu de Pallerols to a more narrow road leading to Girona. If you like steep climbs, there is a very good option from Olot and Sant Esteve de’n Bas, this is the climb to Coll de Bracons, challenging climb with nice overviews of the valley at the top. It is really worth. Afterwards it is possible to go back and follow the normal suggested stage.