A cycling holiday in northern Catalonia

A great experience for the  6 of us. Really the  best way to explore the Catalonia countryside. All accommodation was generous and friendly. Plenty of waterholes along the way which were necessary in the hot conditions experienced this week. I recommend this trip to anyone! 

Use the GPX app as a backup when you get lost. Avoid festival times as many towns are completely shut down. 

Lovely scenery, via verde is very good, lots of good places to eat and drink on route. We did not cycle 2nd day in girona as we would have been too tired and not have had enough time to explore the city.

This was another memorable Inntravel holiday which we really enjoyed despite some variable weather. It was great to experience so much variety as we made our way slowly downhill from the volcanic mountains to the sea. We were lucky to arrive in Girona at the end of their stunning flower festival and the sun came out for our last few days at the coast.

We loved Llafranc [Sarah added a stay at the Hotel Terramar in Llafranc at the end of her holiday], a great hotel and we're very glad we added the extra days here. Swimming in the Mediterranean in May was a particular highlight.

We were also pleased to have travelled all the way to Spain by train rather than flying. This was a really scenic route which was surprisingly simple, and we will be hoping to do the same for future holidays.

Once again Inntravel has supplied a memorable cycling holiday, this time in Catalonia. The planning and execution all went very smoothly and amounted to a delightful four sunny days in rural Catalonia followed by a most welcome walking break in Girona which was completely new to us and a lovely city which luckily for us was hosting a flower festival while we were there. Our visit terminated in a trip to S’Agaro on the Mediterranean and a night in a 4* hotel where the service was excellent. 

We flew to Girona (have to say I much preferred using European rail travel on our previous trip but at least flying is speedy) and from the airport it was quick and easy to get the shuttle bus into Girona city where the shuttle linked to the overland bus out to the town of Olot. There we were met by a very friendly and welcoming taxi driver who took us on the 15 minute ride to Joanetes.  We had a slight “moment” discovering that our “pidgin” Spanish was unintelligible as most locals seem to speak Catalan so we did struggle a tad to work out the orientation of the bus station in relation to the Tourist Information office but got there in the end and our driver was on the lookout for us.

Over the week we had three varied experiences of life Catalonian. The first couple of nights in the auberge in Joanetes was right out in the country and a refreshing change for us city folk. Carme, our host, was very welcoming, the room in Can Ferres was comfortable and the food was delicious. Dinner the first night was a tasty thin chicken soup chock full of pasta, followed by a generous salad with lovely local bread and finally the meat course - a wonderful local sausage similar to a Cumberland sausage. The meal was finished off with yummy desserts, coffee and “Ratafia”, a local “digestif” which tasted quite aniseedy. My husband enjoyed the local red wine which sadly I could only sniff being tannin intolerant. Only criticism here was that Carme seemed to be running the place single handed so on our early return from cycling, we were left to our own devices for quite some time without refreshments but we could at least enjoy the sunny garden.

The cycles were, as with our previous Inntravel holiday, good for the terrain and a good fit for us. Route directions for our tour were on the whole really good (a couple of minor ambiguities) and took us to some lovely places too numerous to comment on individually. We laughed when we got home and looked at the Inntravel brochure again as all the photos advertising the holiday were now on our cameras too along with a million others. It was hard not to keep stopping to take photos. Beautiful scenery!

The stay at the Hotel can Garay was fantastic. A beautifully restored Art Nouveau country house set in lovely gardens. Again the food was lovely and it’s a good thing we were cycling the excess calories off!  The second day in Les Planas d’Hostoles took us to a set of falls which we decided Americans would describe as “awesome”! The vegetation around the falls had been petrified by the mineral rich water into structures that appeared quite alien. Apparently a good area for newts too but we didn’t see any.

Carrying on that day we made the rookie mistake of forgetting which side of the quiet country road we should be on and the two of us separately thought the oncoming car was playing with us. Luckily for us the driver realised we were there!!! Shouldn’t laugh but we were in stitches when we realised we’d both assumed he was on the wrong side until after the event when I said to my other half: “Are we on the right side?” Poor driver probably had a heart attack.

Girona was a fascinating city to wander around steeped in history with ancient and medieval quarters, the Jewish quarter being particularly interesting and I’d recommend a visit there to anyone, cyclist or otherwise. Being a relatively small city, it is easy to get about and find points of interest. The flower festival that was on while we were there really did enhance the bridges, churches and steps of the city and we were also able to take in a free musical event in the main city square. The museum of cinema and the museum of art are both well worth a visit.  The hotel was a great central location but the price was a lot of street noise.

The last part of our trip was the largely downhill ride to the coast. By then the weather had slightly turned and was a bit drizzly which made the sandy tracks quite hard work to cycle through but as we were in no hurry, we could just take our time. That part of the country was less lush and verdant as it became more Mediterranean and the trees changed. We did meet some very friendly cyclists of all nationalities along the way.

Thanks again, Inntravel, for a great holiday!

Highlights:

1. Visiting hidden gem of courtyard buildings at Sant Privat d'en Bas.

2. Experiencing the Art Nouveau splendour of Can Garay complete with both period and contemporary features.

The highlights were unexpected, (in a good way!) like when we dropped down off the ViaVerde to check out Amer to find the plaza teeming with activity...a festival of music and dancing, costumed 'giants'.  When we arrived in Girona, a 'human chain' of  'solidarity' was happening... Olot is an amazing city; rather confusing in its lay-out.  As it is the first place to visit, updated info and suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you Inntravel for a wonderful and varied holiday. The staff were so helpful arranging something suitable for septuagenarians who are no longer as fit as they once were! We particularly enjoyed the countryside and cycling to the north of Amer. The country roads were so quiet and easy to cycle on.... we preferred them to the Via Verde which was sometimes busier and could be more difficult because of the sand.

We loved this trip. There was an incredible variety of landscape, starting with stunning mountain views, through deeply rural/agricultural areas of sunflower and sweetcorn crops, followed by the stunning city of Girona, and culminating in the magnificent sea views on the Cost Brava. Our lunch stops were fantastic - who could resist a 3/4 course meal of traditional Catalonian food including a bottle of wine for 10 Euros a head! Most places dealt magnificently with our vegetarian diet. The hotel at Les Planes was a stunning piece of architecture - beautifully decorated in period style. We particularly enjoyed swimming in the waterfall at Cogolls and walking the walls in Girona, and the sea view at Hotel S'Agora.

We had highlights every day - which to choose!? Fantastic cooking at Mas el Ferres, the El Tura festival (with giants) in Olot - we just caught the end of it on the 11th, eating under the (LED) stars in the garden at Can Garay, Gorga de Santa Margarida on the way out of Les Planes, exploring 'Girona by gaslight' or the dip in the Med after a hot & dusty trail into S'Agaro? Too difficult!

A really well planned exploration of a fascinating and beautiful region. Cycling is mainly on the Via Verda and therefore traffic free, but the roads are very quiet and cars are considerate and give you plenty of space. We found the restaurant recommendations provided in the notes to be well worth following. All in all, a wonderful holiday. 

What an absolutely fantastic holiday! We loved the bike routes through the small towns and all sorts of different ecosystems. It was a good mix of coasting, pedaling, and going uphill. The accommodations were lovely and all of the people we met were very kind and spoke enough English to communicate basic things. The stay in S'Agaro was definitely our highlight, and I recommend adding on an additional day there if you can! We had such a wonderful time and ease of travel with Inntravel that we will absolutely book with them again. Thanks for a great vacation!

We had a fabulous time. Thanks so much.

We found an excellent restaurant on the circular ride around Gerona when a heavy shower of rain started.  Excellent set lunch menu, good value at 12€, popular with8 locals 'El Celler de L'Adroaher' in Canet d'Alori served the best lunch of the holiday.

We absolutely loved this cycling trip. It was a nice easy cycle for beginners and was very safe as most of the trip was off road. We also loved the restaurant recommendations Inntravel listed. We would stop at lunchtime to have delicious 4 course meals which were very cheap. The accomodation was all fantastic and I loved the range from farmhouse to city and seaside. Would recommend this trip.

Foothills of the Pyrenees

Overall we enjoyed the trip very much.  The second week of April was early in the season and we were the only guests at the inns (and possibly in the villages) the first three nights.  Heavy rain kept us from completing what may have been the best walks,  from Beget to Oix and the climb up to Santa Matia de Finestres.  The village of Beget was a highlight, both for its beautiful buildings and setting and the hospitality at Hostal el Forn. Santa Pau was also beautiful and the dinners at Cal Sastre were very good.  On our rainy day there we had a good lunch at the bean-themed Cal Fesol restaurant.

Freewheeling in Catalonia

This was our first bicycle trip with Inntravel.  The bikes were adequate and we were glad that we brought our own saddles.  The Via Verda provided very easy cycling and was very well used and festive.  The loops into the countryside were on very quiet roads and provided better scenery than the Via Verda. We had a very nice lunch at Cal Esteve in Els Hostalets. Our favorite inn was the unique Can Garay.  The adjacent village of Les Planes d'Hostoles was less interesting than nearby Sant Feliu but we did find a great lunch spot in the Placa Nova of Les Planes called Les Voltes. The city of Girona was a highlight of the trip.  We chose to spend the extra day there touring the city rather than biking.  It is a beautiful, lively city. We had a great meal at Occi.  Although the Hotel S'Agaro was a bit stuffy, the coastline is beautiful.  We spent two extra nights there and especially enjoyed a walk south from S'Agaro to San Feliu de Guixols along the coastal path.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers enjoyed two Inntravel itineraries; our walking holiday Foothills of the Pyrennes followed by the Freewheeling in Catalonia cycling trip.

The route was absolutely beautiful and we saw many different highlights on the way. We always found places to stop at regular intervals. The Catalonian people were very kind and would definitely recommend to anyone. To have the e-bike means anyone can do it. We would definitely like to thank the kind host at Les Refresh as even with a language barrier between us she made us so welcome, nothing too much trouble, just like visiting your mam who always made you feel cosy.

Both holidays were delightful. We travelled through beautiful quiet countryside visiting places unknown to most British tourists and with fascinating histories. The scenery was varied with agriculture, livestock and fruit farms. The riding was excellent but the grading should be 1-2. Most of the circular routes were pretty hilly. Nearly all the hotels were a pleasure to stay in. The owners or staff were really kind and meals were delicious. Hotel Historic was the only disappointment and was very noisy and is not really a 4 star hotel.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers enjoyed both our Freewheeling in Catalonia and Catalan Coasts & Villages cycling holidays.

What a great advert for SLOW travel! The old railway line skewered the amazing Catalonian landscapes from the wooded volcanic cones of the Garroxta through the green irrigated agricultural plains to the cork oak and Corsican pine-studded coastal hinterland of the Costa Brava. The pace was your own and the green way superbly signposted and marked on the ground, even in the towns, with no possibility of getting lost but lots of chances for dawdling and observation. We deliberately patronised any of the re-used station buildings en route, especially those serving food and drink and, whenever our primitive command of Catalunyan language came unstuck, happily overcame all obstacles with Google Translate English-Catalan on an iphone screen. I offer my special thanks (as an insulin-dependent diabetic with a need to keep insulin cool) to all the hoteliers who had iphone translations involving fridges and freezer blocks thrust in their faces who responded so generously and warmly. This old railway has both a strong sense of history to follow but as a gently descending journey from the mountains to the sea offered cool tree-dappled cuttings and even occasional places to dip your hot feet into cold water despite the general air temperature of 33 degrees. Every day was a joy to set out to discover changing distant views, intimate micro-landscapes of wayside vegetable plots or wild fruits to sample and, off the via verde and off-bike, some interesting features of Catalunyan life to explore such as the 1020 hermitage of San Salvador up on the top of a 772m volcanic plug. We even met a man who was an extra when Game of Thrones was filmed in Girona. SLOW and random is a good mixture. Our big thanks to the gritty Yorkshire Inntravel team for getting everything sorted and rushed to us just 16 hours before we left for Heathrow; with our apologies for being so slow in making our minds up. We promise we won't be leaving it so late next time, possibly.

Another excellent holiday courtesy of Inntravel. I particularly liked Can Garay for its beautiful architecture and furnishings, most atmospheric. I also very much liked the wild swimming and Hotel S'Agaro, for its comfort and beautiful setting. 

Great break. Especially liked the circular routes. VV (vía verde) can be dusty. Would recommend to avoid 'fiesta season' as many shops/restaurants closed. Girona is great, as is S’Agaró Hotel and the local area.  

We loved our bicycle vacation and felt well-cared for. The quality of the places we stayed was most satisfactory, and loved that dinner was provided most nights. The routes selected kept us safe and out of the way of traffic. The distances to be travelled each day were doable and took into account the difficulty of the grade for that day.

This was a perfect trip, well planned, incorporating a diverse range of local cultural activities as we moved from mountains to sea, just the right amount of challange and adventure with the luxury of swims and coffee shops along the way, a day to discover the historic gem of Girona and the wonderful Via Verde offering safe riding connections between villages, such an authentic experience, we will remember it with joy for a long time to come.

We loved this holiday. We were warmly welcomed by small family hotels in the mountains, and given great service from the cycle hire company. Cycling was really enjoyable - relaxed and mostly gentle on safe, peaceful tracks and small country roads, with occasional short climbs up to a church or waterfall. Girona is a really beautiful city, very well worth a visit, I'd no idea it was so lovely. And then a really enjoyable cycle down to the sea at S'Agaro and some time on the beach. We added one extra day in Girona and a couple of days relaxing at the seaside.

Inntravel's planning, notes and instruction were impeccable, as always - incredibly well organised.  I can't recommend this holiday, or indeed this company, highly enough.