Biking in Costa Brava isn’t on the bucket checklist of many vacationers … which is a mistake. The area within the northeast a part of Catalonia in Spain is far more than the seashores. Nice terrain alongside the coast, and inland biking paths make a strong base to your outside journey in Costa Brava. Native and French bike racers who come right here to coach would approve with out hesitation.
We pedaled in Costa Brava for 30 days and cycled 593 km.
On this article, you’ll discover info primarily based on our personal expertise: when to go to Costa Brava, descriptions of the terrain for cyclists, particulars about security, tips about locations to see, issues to do alongside the best way, in addition to some strategies for biking gear.
Now, let’s get planning for biking in Costa Brava!
Biking in Costa Brava
One of the best time for biking in Costa Brava
One of the best time to your outside journey in Costa Brava is in Could or September. Two easy causes: the climate and the variety of vacationers. We cycled Costa Brava in Could, and inside the 30 days we received rain solely thrice for a few hours.
The temperature in Could continues to be reasonable (20-29°C / 68-84°F), and nonetheless lets you take pleasure in some seashore time. You may wish to keep away from biking in Costa Brava in the course of the summer time months, when the warmth reaches its peak right here (common of 35°C/95°F), and cities and seashores are filled with native and worldwide vacationers and kids on their summer time vacation.
September might be the perfect time for holidays in Costa Brava. Particularly if you wish to see the vineyards with mature crimson and yellow grapes, and perhaps watch the manufacturing of the drink of the gods on a wine tour.
Additionally, sea temperatures are a lot hotter than in Could. Bonus: summer time trip shall be over for almost all of locals, which equals extra nice seashore time & cultural exploration in Costa Brava.
One of the best locations to see when biking in Costa Brava
Nicely, the place we could begin? There’s an abundance of locations in Costa Brava simply accessible by bike.
Prepare for the quaint medieval cities of Peratallada, Buddies, Besalú, and hidden villages with peculiar arches, or ruins of church buildings in Monells, Palau Sator, or Santa Pau. There are additionally glorious family-run wineries, pure parks stuffed with wildlife, volcanoes, or the quirky locations the place Salvador Dalí lived, labored, and dined.
With so many alternative choices of indoor and outside actions, you’ll end up spoiled with nearly an excessive amount of to do in Costa Brava.
What to do in your biking journey in Costa Brava
In case you fancy doing extra bodily train along with biking, you’ll have a whole lot of choices to go mountaineering by way of scenic coastal paths or via the inland space of Pyrenees.
Alert for wine lovers! Seize your bike and enterprise via the wineries with lengthy traditions or take pleasure in some newly established ones.
You’ll be able to study a lot about wine by going for a wine tasting tour in one of many cellars in Baix or Alt Empordà. You’ll be capable of see how the vine grows on the plots, perceive the method of manufacturing wine, and see the barrels the place they retailer the dear liquid.
Not a wine lover? Then contemplate visiting a chestnut farm, go {golfing} (watch this cool video!), or get your adrenaline pumping by rafting, kayaking, skydiving, you identify it. Or perhaps you’d want seeing the colorful Catalan panorama from above in a scorching air balloon. There are such a lot of options that you just’ll most likely be astounded by the quantity of actions when selecting what to do in Costa Brava.
Terrain for cyclists in Costa Brava
The terrain of biking routes right here could be very variable. There shall be a great deal of gravel and filth roads, a good variety of asphalt roads, which shall be both a part of nationwide roads or B roads (secondary roads).
It’ll be straightforward to achieve the cities and villages by bike, and also you’ll do a giant favor to the Mom Nature if you go to the wineries by bike as a substitute of a automotive.
A number of the roads are flat, a few of them shall be insanely steep, however in case you plan the route properly, you possibly can keep away from the inevitable sweating whereas pedaling uphill and dealing your bum off.
Bike routes in Costa Brava
There are over 1800 km of greenways in Spain, and also you’ll be capable of comply with properly the maintained biking paths of the Greenways Girona (there are 4 of them, and you may study extra on their official web site, or a part of Eurovelo 8 route that crosses Costa Brava.
In case you really feel like taking a brief journey to France, then carry your passport, and take a look at Pirinexus Route that’s 353 km lengthy and it could take you from Girona to southern France by way of bike pleasant routes with low visitors.
Essentially the most visited biking paths to the most important touristy locations in Costa Brava are properly marked. Naturally, in case you resolve to do a detour into some tiny villages, you’ll must depend on your GPS and navigation app. We used Open Road Map and Google Maps as we carried a Mi-Fi gadget with 3G knowledge.
Security whereas biking
Typically, drivers in Costa Brava are fairly courteous, they usually at all times gave us sufficient area whereas overtaking us. Nonetheless, truck drivers are a distinct story. When you find yourself not a automotive driver your self, and also you’ve by no means pushed a motorcycle on a busy street, you then may really feel intimidated by quick vehicles passing by.
Nonetheless, this occurred to us solely twice, and our recommendation is to easily maintain your deal with tightly, maintain biking, and don’t panic. This sort of conditions is extra of an exception than the rule. Basically we felt fairly secure when biking in Costa Brava, for the reason that majority of the routes will take you thru secondary roads or gravel roads within the countryside.
Learn extra articles:
Do I must be an expert bicycle owner?
You certainly don’t must be. You’ll encounter skilled bike racers who will overtake you nonchalantly on a steep hill whereas leaving you panting the underside. Take it as motivation and maintain pedaling.
Biking in Costa Brava isn’t for professionals solely. There are a whole bunch of kilometers of properly flat bike routes, or these with a candy slope down the place you nearly don’t have to maneuver your pedal, e.g. the route Olot – Girona.
We’ve by no means thought-about ourselves cyclists, even when we biked every day whereas dwelling in Frankfurt. That being stated, all you want when exploring Costa Brava on bike is your enthusiasm and excessive spirits.
What sort of bike and gear do you want in Costa Brava?
Bike
Is determined by your itinerary and routes, however in case you plan to do an informal biking journey, a hybrid mannequin appropriate for path and path would be the best choice. We biked with the Ghost Sq. Cross 5 Bike 2017 mannequin, and had been tremendous pleased with it.
It didn’t fail us even as soon as in the course of the journey, and it held strongly whereas taking us via dusty paths, throughout scorching asphalt, and did a fantastic job whereas biking some slippery components of the roads, too.
Pannier luggage
Regardless of how lengthy your biking journey goes to be, we extremely suggest getting the panniers. We took our laptops with us as we saved working a few hours per day in the course of the journey. We put them in our backpacks and carried all of them the best way until we left them in a lodge whereas exploring the realm.
All our garments and different electronics we put within the panniers, which wasn’t that a lot anyway as we’ve been touring around the globe solely with carry-on backpacks since 2013.
When selecting the panniers, make certain to choose these fabricated from inflexible materials, so if you empty them in a lodge and additional head to bike round, the baggage wouldn’t get caught in your wheels.
We will suggest Ortlieb again Curler Traditional, BV Bike Pannier Luggage or Runytek Roswheel 3 in 1.
Biking outfit
We thought-about shopping for particular biking padded shorts and funky biking jerseys with the pockets on the again and sweat-activated air flow… You get the image. However then, did we actually wish to ditch new stuff straight after the journey? Nope. Plus carrying additional garments we wouldn’t most likely use any time quickly was out of the query.
So we biked for 30 days in easy trekking shorts, cotton t-shirts and our favorite KEEN & Teva sandals and the NorthFace backpacks we’ve been touring with for years. No fancy biking outfit, no skilled gear. Actually, you’ll benefit from the biking the identical.
The place to remain in Costa Brava?
The variability is countless; all of it depends upon your consolation calls for and your funds. You’ll be able to select from some funds resorts, mid-range resorts which are additionally biker pleasant, superbly renovated rural homes, or you possibly can splurge on some spa resorts the place you possibly can soothe your muscular tissues after biking journeys. Test the most recent charges of the resorts in Costa Brava!
What to eat in Costa Brava?
The vast majority of the resorts in Costa Brava function their very own restaurant the place they serve a lunch and dinner menu every day. Prepare for some memorable contemporary seafood meals, delicious rice dishes, conventional tapas, an abundance of veggies, olive oil, and a Catalonian model of glowing wine referred to as cava. Whereas biking, you’ll be capable of seize a sandwich or tapas in any small village, and even in a pure park. Discover out extra about Catalan delicacies on this article.
Hopefully you’ve discovered this info useful and it’ll make planning your journey simpler. If there’s something extra you’d prefer to find out about biking in Costa Brava, be happy to drop us a message. And bear in mind, as Jerry Dunn, an American basketball coach, as soon as stated, “Don’t restrict your challenges. Problem your limits.”
Completely happy pedaling!
LIKE IT? PIN IT!
Disclosure: this epic journey occurred because of Costa Brava Pirineu de Girona tourism board. Our phrases, kilometres on bikes and sweaty t-shirts stay our personal.
