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Catalan Coast & Villages

Pretty coves & golden villages
 
Cycle self-guided through pretty medieval villages to the coast, while your luggage is transported from one quality hotel to the next. There’s plenty of time for sightseeing, dips in the sea and a visit to the Dalí Museum in Púbol, as well as to savour the excellent local cuisine.
Catalan Coast & Villages. 6 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Catalan Coast & Villages. 6 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A cycling holiday in Catalonia

The contrasting charms of unspoiled Catalonia are impossible to resist. The coastline reveals hidden coves and sandy beaches where you can relax and cycle well away from the crowds, while inland, the Empordà Plain, south of the River Ter, is a beguiling patchwork of medieval farms, ancient villages, fields of sunflowers and vineyards.

The peaceful bays of the Costa Brava are small arcs of inviting sand enclosed by rocky outcrops and wooded hills; inland, quiet, undulating lanes lead past tiny vineyards, cornfields and olive groves to medieval villages and bustling market towns. This is perfect cycling country, with plenty of time to pause for a dip in the sea, to visit a Romanesque church, or to linger over a seafood lunch.
The warm, sunny climate ensures a long season, and much of life here is lived outdoors.

Cycling chiefly on quiet back roads, with parts on farm tracks and some short sections on forest tracks through woodland, this journey takes you from the gently rolling plain, rich in biscuit-coloured, medieval villages to the tranquil coves and pine-clad headlands of the Catalan Coast.
 
Gallery
 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 13 14 15 17 21 25 29 28 25 21 16 14
    mm 51 47 63 57 57 42 26 48 67 106 64 60
  • Arrival in Madremanya
    Night 1: at Hotel La Plaça or Can Bassa (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night's accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of cycling.
  • Circular route from Madremanya: 28.5km, ascent/descent 380m
    Enjoy a lazy day by the pool or explore the undulating countryside north of Madremanya, stopping to visit the fascinating Dalí museum in Púbol (pay locally; closed Mondays). Other picturesque villages along the route include La Pera, with a pretty church, and Sant Jordi Desvalls, around which there are some lovely picnic spots.
    Around Madremanya
    Circular route from Madremanya: 28.5km
  • Madremanya to Peratallada: 24km, ascent 160m / descent 275m
    The initial stretch of today’s cycle is a pleasant, downhill ride through wonderful scenery heading for flatter trails, with views of the rugged Gavarres hills to the south and to the Pyrenees to the north in clear weather. You pass through the honey-coloured villages of Monells and La Bisbal, the provincial capital famed for its pottery, before arriving in Peratallada. Pause to explore this medieval village before continuing to nearby Mas Rabiol, where you spend two nights. The route is 3km shorter if staying in Hostal Blau.
    Peratallada
    Madremanya to Peratallada: 24km
  • Circular route from Peratallada: 32km, ascent/descent 170m
    Our suggested circular ride for today leads north along quiet country roads to visit the ruins of an old Iberian (pre-Roman) settlement near Ullastret, passing ancient farmsteads, sleepy hamlets, vineyards and fields of sunflowers. Those feeling energetic can extend the route through the villages of Ultramort and Sant Iscle d’Empordà. The route is 6km shorter if staying in Hostal Blau.
    Around Peratallada
    Circular route from Peratallada: 32km
  • Peratallada to Llafranc: 24km, ascent 140m / descent 195m
    Cycle south across the inland plain via hill-top Pals, where you can spend some time exploring the ancient ramparts and the cobbled streets of houses built from the peach-coloured local stone. Seek out, too, the various Romanesque monuments and the viewpoint overlooking the Mediterranean, the Medes Islands and the Montgri Mountains. There are various good restaurants, making this a good point to stop for lunch. The terrain is mostly flat, and you eventually cruise into the quiet and delightful bay of Llafranc, where you spend your last two nights at the Hotel Terramar. The route is 3km shorter if staying at Hostal Blau.
    Pals
    Peratallada to Llafranc:24km
  • Circular route from Llafranc: 30km, ascent/descent 320m
    You could simply spend the day on the beach, but we recommend a pleasant circular route south of Llafranc to Palamós. You have the option to explore the beautiful botanical gardens at Cap Roig, well worth a visit, as well as many coves and beaches where you could relax by the sea. There is also a lovely stretch on the via verde (greenway), a designated traffic-free cycle track along a disused railway line.
    Cycling along the via verde
    Circular route from Llafranc: 30km
 

Accommodation

This journey to the sea features accommodation of character. 

In Madremanya, we work with more than one hotel, as shown below. Both are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation.
 

Options to extend or shorten your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 6 nights: 01 April 2023 - 21 July 2023, 01 September 2023 - 31 October 2023, 01 April 2024 - 21 July 2024 & 01 September 2024 - 31 October 2024

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 Apr - 21 May 2023 £1220 £310
    22 May - 25 Jun 2023 £1360 £340
    26 Jun - 15 Jul 2023 £1435 £395
    1 - 30 Sep 2023 £1345 £360
    1 - 25 Oct 2023 £1250 £310
    1 Apr - 21 May 2024 £1345 £345
    22 May - 25 Jun 2024 £1500 £375
    26 Jun - 15 Jul 2024 £1580 £435
    1 - 30 Sep 2024 £1480 £400
    1 - 25 Oct 2024 £1375 £345
    3rd & 4th person discount -£40 to -£44
    Single traveller supplement £40 to £44

    Includes accommodation, meals, bike hire, luggage transfers and any other services integral to the holiday as described, plus cycling notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Electric bikes available: add £78pp in 2023 or £86pp in 2024

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

    6 nights: 01 April 2023 - 21 July 2023, 01 September 2023 - 31 October 2023, 01 April 2024 - 21 July 2024 & 01 September 2024 - 31 October 2024

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 Apr - 21 May 2023 £1740 £310
    22 May - 25 Jun 2023 £1905 £340
    26 Jun - 15 Jul 2023 £1985 £395
    1 - 30 Sep 2023 £1905 £360
    1 - 25 Oct 2023 £1770 £310
    1 Apr - 21 May 2024 £1915 £345
    22 May - 25 Jun 2024 £2100 £375
    26 Jun - 15 Jul 2024 £2185 £435
    1 - 30 Sep 2024 £2100 £400
    1 - 25 Oct 2024 £1950 £345
    3rd & 4th person discount -£120 to -£130
    Single traveller supplement £120 to £135

    Includes all elements in the 'cycle price', plus standard-class travel by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille or Paris, with onward travel as described below.

    Electric bikes available: add £78pp in 2023 or £86pp in 2024

    Included travel: Out: UK–Paris (Eurostar), Paris–Girona (TGV), approx duration 9h30 plus taxi (0h30). Home: Figueres Vilafant–Paris (TGV), Paris–UK (Eurostar), approx duration 10h30, plus taxi to Figueres (1h30).
    > More about 'by rail' prices
    > The 'rail experience': what to expect

    If you book your holiday less than 10 months in advance of your travel date, seats may no longer be available at the tariffs on which our prices are based, but we may be able to offer you seats on the same services at a supplement.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Hotel La Plaça, Madremanya
    Terrace: 01 Apr - 21 Jul 2023 £20
    Terrace: 01 Sep - 31 Oct 2023 £20
    Terrace: 01 Apr - 21 Jul 2024 £22
    Terrace: 01 Sep - 31 Oct 2024 £22

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Prices include an extra day’s hire of a standard bike. If you are upgrading to an e-bike, add a further £12pp per day in 2023 or £13pp in 2024.
    Hotel Terramar, Llafranc (with dinner) Double room Single room
    01 Apr - 31 May 2023 £144 £186
    01 Jun - 30 Jun 2023 £166 £222
    01 Jul - 21 Jul 2023 £196 £270
    01 Sep - 30 Sep 2023 £166 £222
    01 Oct - 31 Oct 2023 £144 £186
    01 Apr - 31 May 2024 £160 £206
    01 Jun - 30 Jun 2024 £185 £247
    01 Jul - 21 Jul 2024 £220 £301
    01 Sep - 30 Sep 2024 £185 £247
    01 Oct - 31 Oct 2024 £160 £206
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Barcelona or Girona
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Barcelona. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Belfast Intl. - Barcelona easyJet,  jet2 
    Belfast Intl. - Girona jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Barcelona Ryanair,  Vueling 
    Birmingham - Girona jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Bournemouth - Girona Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Barcelona easyJet 
    Bristol - Girona jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Nottingham East Midlands - Barcelona Ryanair 
    Nottingham East Midlands - Girona jet2,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Barcelona Ryanair,  Vueling 
    Edinburgh - Barcelona (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Barcelona jet2 
    Glasgow - Barcelona (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Glasgow - Girona jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow Prestwick - Barcelona Ryanair 
    Glasgow Prestwick - Girona Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Girona Ryanair 
    Leeds Bradford - Barcelona jet2 
    Leeds Bradford - Barcelona (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Leeds Bradford - Girona jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Barcelona easyJet,  Ryanair,  Vueling 
    Liverpool - Girona Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Barcelona British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Barcelona British Airways,  easyJet,  Iberia,  Vueling 
    Gatwick - Girona TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Barcelona British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Barcelona easyJet,  Ryanair,  Vueling 
    Luton - Girona Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    London Southend - Barcelona easyJet 
    London Southend - Girona Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Barcelona Ryanair 
    Stansted - Girona jet2,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Barcelona easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  Vueling 
    Manchester - Girona jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Barcelona easyJet 
    Newcastle - Barcelona (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Girona jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Southampton - Barcelona (via Paris) Air France 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Barcelona. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Barcelona

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Barcelona Sants to Girona (0h40), taxi Girona station to hotel (0h30) £54-£59 1900
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Palafrugell (0h15), bus Palafrugell to Barcelona Airport (3h, pay locally) £14-£15 1130
    taxi hotel to Girona station (1h30), rail Girona to Barcelona Sants (0h40) £78-£86 1200 (1300 Sun)

    Connecting travel options - flying via Girona

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    taxi Girona airport to hotel (1h) £56-£62 flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    direct taxi hotel to Girona airport (1h) £56-£62 flexible
What is included
  • 6 nights
  • 6 dinners
    6 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • high-quality bicycle
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 11 reviews
  • Ms A Clark
    Ripley
    13 October 2023

    A great holiday cycling through some beautiful countryside and villages in a very interesting part of Spain. A perfect blend of active holiday, sight seeing, history, countryside, seaside and lovely culinary experiences. Very easy to navigate on either good road surface or gravel tracks. Make sure you get your bikes set up properly before you tackle day 1 as we found this a little uncomfortable and tiring on the first day. All the other days were very easy to manage with plenty of time for stops. Directions provided by Inntravel were excellent and combined with the maps downloaded on to our phones, navigation was a breeze. We added an extra day at Llafranc which enabled us to have a lovely walk along the coast to the beautiful botanical gardens and we finished our holiday with two excellent nights in the very interesting city of Girona. 

  • Anon
    12 September 2023

    Madremanya was a paradisal oasis. Everything was perfect. 

  • Mr J Collins
    Welwyn Garden City
    12 June 2023

    It didn't go completely smoothly but that was no one's fault in particular.

    I would certainly consider another trip and take into account my experiences from this one. Perhaps I'd try to bully someone into going with me. There were a few "hairy" moments where I wished I wasn't on my own.

    Don't go without a sat nav and best to have a dedicated one with a big screen rather than a mobile phone app. Also consider how you're going to read it in the bright sunlight. Maybe bring a thick towel or blanket.

    But that all aside, there were some lovely peaceful places I'd never see on any other kind of holiday. But do go by train if you can.

  • Anon
    28 May 2023

    Everything I hoped for when I decided to book: relatively easy to organise, great quality hotels and food, beautiful scenery, just the right combination of activity and relaxation for my teenager and me. We used the notes and gpx and found them excellent - the only time we got lost was when I thought I knew better than the gpx!

  • Mrs P Penman
    Woking
    18 May 2023

    We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday; the routes took us through delightful and interesting towns and villages mainly along dedicated cycle paths. The hotels were first class both in terms of facilities and catering. Everything ran smoothly and we will definitely use Inntravel again.

  • Anon
    13 May 2023

    Discovering the villages on the route was wonderful, most were very quiet and we had plenty of time to look around and have a relaxing coffee etc. To start the route at Hotel La Placa was brilliant.

  • Mrs S Murch
    Canterbury
    04 May 2023

    Perhaps there could be a few more detours for those who wanted to cycle more Kms. Needed more ice cream parlours on the way!!!

  • Anon
    06 October 2022

    This was a delightful holiday - especially as we had opted for e-bikes !  The routes and accomodation all worked out well, with Terramar in Llafranc a great treat to end the trip.   It was good having time to visit the Castell Gala-Dali in Pubol, the Archeological Museum in Ullastret and the botanical gardens of Cap Roig (rather than Day 5's full route). And if you add a stay in Girona, the Museum of Cinema is outstanding.  In Peratallada, L'Eixida restaurant next door to Hostal Blau was memorable discovery, with inventive cooking and presentation.

  • Mrs L Potter
    Newcastle Upon Tyne
    22 May 2022

    Amazing holiday all round, great accommodation, great food and wonderful cycling routes through lovely towns and villages and with amazing views over rolling countryside.  Would highly recommend the botanical gardens on the coast.  We were extraordinarily lucky with the weather and even the day of rain storms was an adventure!

  • Mrs J Peat
    Barnard Castle
    08 May 2022

    Stunning scenery - what a lovely part of Spain. Highlights were the garden at La Placa with stone pool; birds and wild flowers; and arriving at Llafranc. So nice to end with a rest day at the seaside. It's nice and flat here too!

  • Mr T Ward
    Greenock
    28 August 2021

    La Placa and Lagrange were great. Perattalada was lovely but spoilt by the accommodation.

    Inntravel
    response

    We’re pleased that accommodation Peratallada were able to provide an alternative room when requested, owing to disappointment with one of the original rooms.
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Our chosen bike rental shop will provide you with a city trekking bike with 21 gears (grip shift system); a waterproof map case on handlebars (one between two bikes); odometer (one between two bikes); panniers/saddlebags; puncture-proof tyres; and a lock. Electric bikes are available as an upgrade (see price panel), subject to availability, and must be requested at the time of booking. The bike shop also has a limited number of tandems.
  • Helmets are a legal requirement on public roads in Spain, and as such are included free of charge with your bike.
  • Yes, we will provide GPX tracks for this holiday prior to departure so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. (We also provide maps and our tried-and-tested route notes, which remain the principal means of navigation).
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. On mornings when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation so that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.

    For more detailed information, see our cycling holidays in Europe page.
  • You are responsible for damage to or loss of the rental bike while it is hired to you. Always be careful to lock it up, ideally to an immovable object, and remove all easy-to-steal accessories whenever you leave it unattended.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Spain, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • (Castilian) Spanish is one of several official languages; Catalan, Basque and Gallego have equal status in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, respectively. The currency is the Euro. Spanish time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
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