Freewheeling in Catalonia

From the inland plain to the Mediterranean Sea

Holiday information

Nights: 7
Grade: 1, virtually traffic-free & flat throughout
Terrain: vía verde (cycle paths) & country roads
Hotels: one 4-star hotel; two 2-star hotels; one agroturismo
Meals: breakfast each day, dinner on 5 nights

How our holidays work

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About La Garrotxa >La Garrotxa is divided in two by the River Fluvià: to the north are the abrupt chalk landscapes of La Garrotxa Alta, a rugged wilderness; to the south are the wooded hills and lush meadows of La Garrotxa Baja. This variety of scenery is further enhanced by timeless stone villages, richly varied flora and fauna, numerous Romanesque churches – often in the most unexpected of places – and by the region’s 30 or so volcanoes, which constitute one of the Iberian Peninsula’s finest volcanic landscapes. Clad in thick oak and beech woods which are truly glorious in autumn, the volcanoes are, strictly speaking, dormant rather than extinct, even though the last eruption was some 11,500 years ago. In keeping with the rest of Catalonia, La Garrotxa’s traditional cuisine is rich and flavoursome. The excellent local pork and mutton features in many recipes, while other classic dishes include rabbit with meatballs and wild mushrooms, duck with pears, and butifarra sausage stewed with local beans.

self-guided hotel-to-hotel cycling, luggage transported
easy pedalling along virtually traffic-free vía verde
varied accommodation from a friendly farmhouse to a stylish 4-star seafront hotel
excellent regional cuisine
visit fascinating Girona
grand finale by the sea

In this delightful corner of northern Catalonia, Pyrenean peaks give way to wooded, volcanic hills and they, in turn, lead down to the valley floor – one of the most fertile spots in Catalonia. Here, beneath jagged ridges and the iconic outline of Santa Magdalena, begins a wonderful journey all the way to the Costa Brava, via the fascinating and historic city of Girona.

I took a side-loop into local valleys, probing tranquil silences, encountering a magical waterfall and a church in a hamlet where I listened to bees and nothing else at all.

The Times

Starting in the picturesque hamlet of Joanetes, this gentle cycling holiday explores a culturally rich yet remote-feeling corner of Catalonia which is blessed by a truly Mediterranean climate. You stay in splendidly varied accommodation, and the landscapes you experience are just as diverse. The route is mainly along traffic-free vía verde (dedicated cycle paths) and includes a lovely ride between allotments and market gardens that takes you into the very centre of Girona – a wonderful and often-overlooked city you won’t want to leave. But leave you must (after a full day to explore the sights and ancient city walls) as your final day’s ride is a fitting finale: back on the vía verde, you cruise through corn fields before the sparkling Mediterranean sea suddenly appears before you, as if by magic!

Average Temperatures
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
6	7	12	14	17	23	26	24	22	16	10	6

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Call Inntravel on 01653 617001

Freewheeling in Catalonia

Call Inntravel on
01653 617001