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A Meander along the Ebro

This leisurely cycling route follows the Ebro, one of Spain's five great rivers, as it nears the end of its meandering journey across northern Spain. Starting inland, you follow disused railway lines (vías verdes or 'green trails'), canal paths and quiet lanes on a discovery of ancient towns and villages surrounded by olive, almond and orange groves, their delicately coloured blossom gently scenting the air each spring. The latter part of the route explores a very different landscape, that of the Ebro Delta, a protected reserve that is rich in birdlife and which produces rice that is used in delicious seafood paellas.

Nights: 7
Grade: 1-2
Terrain: riverbank, disused railway, almond groves, gorges, canals, wetlands. You cycle principally on tracks, vías verdes and back roads
Hotels: one 2-star hotel; two 4-star hotels
Meals: dinner & breakfast each day
Climate: this sunny Mediterranean region sees average temperatures ranging from 17°C in April to 27°C in July, and is a great choice for cycling in both spring and autumn.

River Ebro near Benifallet

Part of the via verde

The meandering River Ebro

Tortosa

The wetlands of the Natural Park

Take in the views

A traditional fisherman's cottage

Accommodation: Hotel Pepo (2*), Benifallet. This friendly village inn is run by the welcoming Consol Vallespir and her father. Bedrooms are simple, but the focal point of the hotel is the restaurant, which is popular among the locals and serves excellent fish dishes.

Day 1: for your day at Benifallet you have a choice of three routes, all of which involve some ascents but offer excellent views. (On the first two rides you return along the same route.) The first leads past the village's caves, well worth a visit to see the stalagmites and stalactites (pay locally), and a superb viewpoint overlooking the Ebro and the surrounding hills, before continuing alongside the river on a track lined with orange groves. The second heads south along the gently ascending vía verde, crossing viaducts and passing through tunnels and a narrow gorge to reach the sanctuary at Fontcalda. The third – and slightly longer – option takes you higher up into the hills on metalled roads to the village of Prat de Compte, where you can stop for lunch before enjoying a long descent back to Benifallet. (14km, 15km or 23km)

Accommodation: Hotel Pepo, as above.

Day 2: once again you have a choice of routes to reach Tortosa. For an easy day, choose the route along the vía verde which features some wonderful sections alongside the River Ebro. The second option involves a longer ascent but then follows an unfinished canal along a broad ridge before a long descent past smallholdings and orange groves into Tortosa. Your efforts are rewarded in clear weather with sweeping views of the mountains. (28.5km or 33.5km)

Accommodation: Parador de Tortosa (4*), Tortosa. Situated high above the town with spectacular views of the cathedral, the River Ebro and the medieval town, the Parador has been converted from Tortosa's 10th-century castle. As you would expect, the building is full of character, with spacious bedrooms and plenty of space to relax, including an outdoor pool. The restaurant is the best in the town, serving excellent Catalan cuisine.

Day 3: we suggest that you spend the morning exploring Tortosa - the cathedral is well worth a visit and there is a wealth of Gothic, Renaissance and Art Nouveau buildings in the surrounding streets. In the afternoon, head out of town for a circular ride that leads north along the banks of the Ebro to Bitem and Tivenys before returning to Tortosa through orange groves and market gardens with good views into the Butanca Gorge. (20km)

Accommodation: Parador de Tortosa, as above.

Day 4: today's route takes you right in the heart of the Ebro Delta. From Tortosa you cycle alongside a canal parallel to the Ebro, finally crossing the river to reach Sant Carles and your hotel. (35km)

Accommodation: Hotel Miami Mar (4*), Sant Carles. This stylish beachfront hotel overlooks the Mediterranean and the southern portion of the Ebro Natural Park. The good restaurant is the icing on the cake.

Day 5: on your first day at Sant Carles we suggest that you take the ferry (pay locally) along the Ebro to the sea so that you can see its journey's end before exploring the northern part of the delta, including the bay of El Fangar, where there are spectacular sand dunes that shelter a wide variety of birds and other wildlife. (60km)

Accommodation: Hotel Miami Mar, as above.

Day 6: you can spend your last day exploring the delta's network of canals, lagoons and wetlands further on a varied route that leads to the distinctive finger-like peninsula of Punta de la Banya where large colonies of flamingos nest. You could visit the ornithological museum here (pay locally) before returning to the Hotel Miami Mar. (42km)

Accommodation: Hotel Miami Mar, as above.

Recommendations for extra nights: Parador (Tortosa) and Hotel Miami Mar (Sant Carles) for a day of relaxation.

Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system.

Similar holidays: Heart of Catalonia (grade 1-2), Catalan Coast & Villages (grade 1-2), Southern Beaches to Central Plain (grade 1-2)

Prices & travel 2008:

Recommended destination airports: Barcelona & Reus
Latest flight arrival time: Barcelona 1500; Reus flexible
Earliest flight departure time: Barcelona 1230; Reus flexible
*Connecting travel: return rail/taxi from Barcelona (out/home 2h50) pay locally for rail, taxi £34pp;
return taxi from Reus (out/home 1h) £116pp
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Extra nights can be booked at any hotel
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Extra night prices 2008

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