Ms Heald says...
One of the best trips we’ve ever done.
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Rich with medieval villages, historic castles and churches, Catalonia (Catalunya) is contrasted with an impressive rocky coastline, dotted with pretty fishing villages, crystal-clear waters and beautiful golden sandy beaches. Steeped in culture and history, Catalonia's traditions date back over thousands of years.
This holiday is packed with stunning scenery and a wealth of fascinating historical and cultural discoveries that date back to Greek and Roman times. Your holiday starts and ends in the pretty seafront town of Calella de Palafrugell. From here, you'll head north, via Begur, to Torroella de Montgri and its hilltop 13th century castle with panoramic views across the Emporda plain. You'll continue via the coast and Empuries, where you can visit the Greek and Roman ruins, on to Figueres, the famous birthplace of Salvador Dali. Heading west, we follow undulating roads through deep green meadows and cork forests to the city of Girona with its impressive architecture and great dining choices. Your final stretch takes you along an old narrow gauge railway line, now a Via Verde, which heads down to the coast. Continue on past Platja d'Aro and Calonge to Calella de Palafrugell.
The hotels on this holiday are as varied as the scenery, and include the Hotel Garbi, overlooking the fishing village of Calella de Palafrugell; the contemporary Hotel Moli del Mig; a converted 15th century mill in Torroella de Montgri and two chic town hotels one which has a small pool.
The standard routes shown below offer plenty of opportunities for sightseeing and local exploring. Electric bikes are also available (at a supplement) for an even more relaxing experience.
We also offer a RidePlus option for this holiday - longer, more challenging routes that require the use of a lightweight road bike and are suitable for more experienced cyclists. GPX files are provided for you to download to your own route navigation device. View our RidePlus routes
Arrive in Calella and head to the local 'blue flag' beaches or relax by the hotel pool before dinner. We provide plenty of recommendations in Calella for dinner.
You stay at the Hotel Garbi (breakfast included)
Today's 'warm-up' ride takes you inland through Palafrugell, then on to Begur with its hilltop mediaeval castle remains and its colonial Cuban-influenced villas, built by locals who emigrated to Cuba and returned once they had made their fortunes. Visit the fabulous sweep of beach at Platja de Pals then continue on to Torroella de Montgri for two nights.
You stay at the Hotel Moli del Mig (breakfast and evening meal)
Cycle into Torroella and explore the mediaeval centre and walls, originally the Royal Port for the Kings of Aragon, before the River Ter silted up and the port was moved to nearby L'Estartit. You could cycle here for some great beaches or walk up to the 13th century fortress, Montgri Castle, set on the top of the Montgri Massif, overlooking the town and the Emporda plain beyond.
You stay at the Hotel Moli del Mig (breakfast and evening meal)
Follow flat country lanes to the coast at L'Escala and explore the ancient Greek and Roman Empuries ruins. The town was founded in 575 BC by Greek colonists, later occupied by the Romans, then abandoned in the Middle Ages due to its exposed coastal position leaving it open to attack. Cycle on to Castello d'Empuries, with its 1,000-year-old church, Santa Maria de Castello, before continuing on to Figueres.
You stay at the Hotel Pirineos (breakfast included)
Explore Figueres today. Stroll along La Rambla and discover the old town's mediaeval squares and arches. As the birthplace of Salvador Dali, the Teatre-Museu Gala Salvador Dali, designed by the artist himself, is a must-see. Also visit the 18th century Sant Ferran Castle, a large military fortress (the largest monument in Catalonia), built with a pentagonal plan and sophisticated construction techniques for the time.
You stay at the Hotel Pirineos (breakfast included)
Heading further inland, we follow an undulating route through deep green meadows, cork forests and tiny charming hamlets. Then follow the Rivers Ter and Onyar into the region's capital Girona.
You stay at the Hotel Ciutat de Girona (breakfast included)
Explore this stunning city, dating back to pre-Roman times. Walk the city walls for a different perspective of the sights: discover the Placa de la Independencia, the impressive cathedral, the Jewish Quarter and the Onyar River's picturesque bridges and painted houses. A regular fast train can take you to Barcelona for a day in the Catalan capital. Or cycle to Catalonia's largest natural lake 'Estany de Banyoles' the venue for 1992 Olympic rowing events.
You stay at the Hotel Ciutat de Girona (breakfast included)
Ride out of Girona on the Via Verde, an old narrow-gauge railway line that heads, mostly downhill, all the way to the coast. Continue around the coast past Platja d'Aro and Calonge to the seafront town of Calella de Palafrugell.
You stay at the Hotel Garbi (breakfast included)
Please note that cycling helmets are a legal requirement in Spain. As we cannot provide these, we strongly recommend you bring your own. Please see our Planning your holiday page for full details.
The RidePlus routes shown below are longer, may have steep climbs and offer more of a challenge than those on our standard tour. They require the use of a lightweight road bike and are suitable for more experienced cyclists. The routes are supplied as GPX files for you to download to your own route navigation device (Garmin, Wahoo, Bryton, etc).
Our standard routes for this holiday take a more relaxed, shorter route, with plenty of opportunities for sightseeing and local exploring. Electric bikes are also available (at a supplement) for an even more relaxing experience. View our standard routes
Arrive in Calella and head to the local 'blue flag' beaches or relax by the hotel pool before dinner. We provide plenty of recommendations in Calella for dinner.
You stay at the Hotel Garbi (breakfast included)
Head inland through forested roads to the impressive town of La Bisbal d'Emporada, before cycling back towards the coast passing through pretty Peratallada, Pals and Begur with its hilltop castle ruins. Your route then follows the coast, passing the towns of Sa Tuna and Sa Riera before heading to your hotel for the next two nights.
You stay at the Hotel Moli del Mig (breakfast and evening meal)
Cycle into Torroella and explore the mediaeval centre and walls, originally the Royal Port for the Kings of Aragon, before the River Ter silted up and the port was moved to nearby L'Estartit. You could cycle here for some great beaches or walk up to the 13th century fortress, Montgri Castle, set on the top of the Montgri Massif, overlooking the town and the Emporda plain beyond.
You stay at the Hotel Moli del Mig (breakfast and evening meal)
Ride down to Estarit on the coast before heading back inland and northwards to L'Escala. Following the coastline with stunning views, pass through a series of towns, including Sant Pere Pescador, before arriving in Roses, one of the prettiest towns on the whole coastline. From here head inland through beautiful countryside to arrive in Figueres for the next two nights.
You stay at the Hotel Pirineos (breakfast included)
Explore Figueres today. Stroll along La Rambla and discover the old town's mediaeval squares and arches. As the birthplace of Salvador Dali, the Teatre-Museu Gala Salvador Dali, designed by the artist himself, is a must-see. Also visit the 18th century Sant Ferran Castle, a large military fortress (the largest monument in Catalonia), built with a pentagonal plan and sophisticated construction techniques for the time.
You stay at the Hotel Pirineos (breakfast included)
Today enjoy a long winding road with a back drop of the Pyrenees as you head to the pretty Roman town of Besalu. Here it's worth taking time to explore the cobbled streets and cross the roman bridge, then continue on, circling the Olympic lake at Banyoles and head down into Girona, one of the cycling capitals of Europe, for the next two nights.
You stay at the Hotel Ciutat de Girona (breakfast included)
Explore this stunning city, dating back to pre-Roman times. Walk the city walls for a different perspective of the sights: discover the Placa de la Independencia, the impressive cathedral, the Jewish Quarter and the Onyar River's picturesque bridges and painted houses. A regular fast train can take you to Barcelona for a day in the Catalan capital. Or cycle to Catalonia's largest natural lake 'Estany de Banyoles' the venue for 1992 Olympic rowing events.
You stay at the Hotel Ciutat de Girona (breakfast included)
Leaving Girona behind head through small towns climbing gently to follow a road with sweeping views of the Emporda plains. Coastal bound you pass through beautiful countryside and small towns, before a climb to Romanya de la Selva. Then pass along the seafront of Sant Antoni de Calonge and Palamos on your way back to Calella de Palafrugel for your last night.
You stay at the Hotel Garbi (breakfast included)
Please note that cycling helmets are a legal requirement in Spain. As we cannot provide these, we strongly recommend you bring your own.
Please see our Planning your holiday page for full details.
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347, use our live webchat or email usa@exodustravels.com
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades: Duplex Superior Room.
Duplex Superior rooms offer the same facilities as a standard room with the addition of a mezzanine level with sofa
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Superior, Superior with balcony, Junior Suite or Junior Suite with balcony.
Superior room is a slightly larger room at 18m2 (standard room = 15m2). Junior Suite is a larger room at 25m2 & has a king size bed & jacuzzi
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
If you'd like to extend your trip with extra nights at the start or end, or if you'd like to arrange a stop off point en-route, then we recommend the following hotels.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Flaca train station at 17:10 (17:56 Saturdays) and back to Flaca train station at 11:15.
Call now to speak to our specialist team at 1-800-267-3347 or email us at usa@exodustravels.com for enquiries or to book your trip.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
One of the best trips we’ve ever done.
Great holiday- we wished we’d opted to stay 2 nights at Calella de Palafrugell as it was a lovely spot with beautiful clear water for swimming. Our guide, Greig, was brilliant - particularly when we had a day of storms and ran around transferring everyone and their bikes to their destination as if it were no trouble at all. The area is beautiful with fascinating old villages and towns - Girona a real highlight
We had a great time on our cycling holiday in Catalunya. We enjoyed the cycling and also enjoyed the sightseeing in Figueres and Girona. Not a lot to see in Figueres but the Salvador Dali museum is not to be missed. Not a lot of good restaurants in Figueres but we found the tapas bar El Asador was brilliant. Greg, our rep, was brilliant, nothing seemed to much trouble for him. We also liked the navigation app, it made route finding so much easier, even though we did have the printed notes as well.
We added 2 nights on to the end of the holiday in Calella de Palafrugell, and enjoyed some lovely coastal walks.
This was our first self guided cycle trip and the first with Headwater. Cycling in groups with a leader, mini bus etc is becoming more demanding This cycle trip was enhanced immeasurably with the audio GPS navigation app, which meant not having to pour over maps or follow route directions at every turn. The route on this trip has been very well planned on beautifully quiet roads or tracks and passing through interesting villages and some lovely scenery. Initially, we thought the hybrid, flat bar bikes were too heavy but they proved to be ideal on the well-maintained tracks. There was only one stretch of approx 3 miles on a fairly busy road and that is when cycling into Girona but it's nothing to worry about. To our surprise, we found the average Spanish motorist pretty considerate and prepared to give cyclists a wide berth when overtaking or at junctions.
The hotels were very good with excellent service, quiet rooms, delicious breakfasts and safe parking for the bikes.
Greg, our rep, was spot on right from the start, giving reassuring advice on using the GPS app, what minor problems to be aware of and any adjustments the bikes.
It's a leisurely cycling holiday to be highly recommended. We have enjoyed cycling with groups for many years in lots of places throughout the world but self guided trips are much more leisurely and gives the rider the opportunity to appreciate the scenery, to stop whenever you wish, to explore some of the major sights and small villages etc.
A wonderful way to see the real Costa Brava and get to know Catalunya as a region. The holiday was well constructed and well organised. The instructions are not fool proof but that is half the fun!
The addition of a fully functional cycling app completely transformed my overall enjoyment of the cycling. So much easier to download map and receive voice activated instructions, also phone holder supplied. Inclusion of trip meter complimented use of app. HW - please include these on all your holidays if possible. Our second time in this region, the hotels are of good standard, clean and very helpful staff. We added additional days at hotel Garbi to enjoy the local area **A visit to the Calau tapas bar is a must in Calella be there for 7:30 ish and you should get a table (July), after 8:30 you may have to wait for an hour +. Only other recommendation for food is La Tasca in Girona. The bus tour in Girona is a bit of a waste of money with minimal information via head phones and spent most of the 2 km trip waiting at pick up and drop off points on the circuit. If you have time a cycle to Pals it is well worth the effort (about 25km round trip) we used the app for the first days cycling towards Begur for directions and turned off to Pals * the road into Pals has cycle lanes. Overall, very enjoyable cycling and in our opinion the first days cycling was the most strenuous after that the rest is reasonably easy for the grade.
We found this a very enjoyable April holiday, aided by lovely weather. We are only occasional cyclists, but we found the cycling quite manageable although a little challenging on the first day in the saddle. We were the first couple on this revised tour, and the first to use the route notes and did get lost occasionally. However, there were many cyclists around and someone always stopped and helped us get going again. Very friendly and helpful people. The hotels were generally good and well located. Figeures and Girona are very pleasant cities with plenty to do and see on the 'rest' days.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
Find out about The Headwater Price Promise to ensure you're getting the very best value for money.
This 8 night self-guided cycling holiday includes:
Hotel-to-hotel accommodation in a mix of and hotels
All breakfasts and 2 evening meals
Services of your local Headwater Representative
Headwater Wine Collection Service
GPS route directions and maps
RideWithGPS navigation app
High quality hybrid bikes
RidePlus route options
Standard transfers at the start/end of the trip (if booking inclusive flights)
Luggage transfers between hotels
How to book:
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
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| 25th Apr 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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| 27th Apr 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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| 29th Apr 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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| 1st May 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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| 5th May 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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| 7th May 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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| 9th May 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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| 21st May 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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| 25th May 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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| 27th May 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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| 2nd Jun 2020 | US$2349 | Tour only: US$2349 | Check availability |
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| 2nd Jul 2020 | US$2399 | Tour only: US$2399 | Check availability |
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| 1st Aug 2020 | US$2479 | Tour only: US$2479 | Check availability |
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| 3rd Aug 2020 | US$2479 | Tour only: US$2479 | Check availability |
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| 25th Aug 2020 | US$2479 | Tour only: US$2479 | Check availability |
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| 27th Aug 2020 | US$2479 | Tour only: US$2479 | Check availability |
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| 29th Aug 2020 | US$2479 | Tour only: US$2479 | Check availability |
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| 31st Aug 2020 | US$2479 | Tour only: US$2479 | Check availability |
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| 2nd Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 6th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 8th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 10th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 12th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 14th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 16th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 18th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 20th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 22nd Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 24th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 26th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 28th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 30th Sep 2020 | US$2449 | Tour only: US$2449 | Check availability |
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| 2nd Oct 2020 | US$2199 | Tour only: US$2199 | Check availability |
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The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
Children
Please contact us for child prices.
Holiday type
Self-guided cycling Managed locally by Headwater appointed rep.
Departures
Every two days from 25th Apr 2020 to 2nd Oct 2020, for 8 nights. All dates are subject to availability, please contact us to check.
Meals
All breakfasts and 2 evening meals
Tandems
It is possible to hire tandem bikes for this holiday at a supplement of £85 per bike. As these are available on a first come first served basis, we recommend early booking to avoid disappointment.
RidePlus
Customers wishing to include the free RidePlus option should request this at the time of booking. RidePlus holidays include additional route directions as GPX files for you to download to your own route navigation device (Garmin, Wahoo, Bryton, etc). Our standard hybrid bikes are not suitable for RidePlus routes so you will need to bring your own road bike or hire one (see below).
Rideplus bike upgrades
Road bikes (Scott Addict) are available at a supplement of £120 per person. As these are available on a first come first served basis, we recommend early booking to avoid disappointment.
Tour only
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Flaca train station at 17:10 (17:56 Saturdays) and back to Flaca train station at 11:15.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
Call now to speak to our specialist team at 1-800-267-3347 or email us at usa@exodustravels.com for enquiries or to book your trip.
Due to the tailor-made nature of our holidays, we need a little more information in order for us to check availability for Classic Catalan Cycling. Simply complete the form below (fields marked * are mandatory) and a member of our sales team will contact you (when it's most convenient for you) to provide availability information, travel options and an accurate price. Of course there's no obligation, but if you do wish to proceed with a booking they will be on-hand to assist you throughout the process.
Alternatively, you can call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 to discuss your requirements in more detail.
