Costa Brava - Dali’s Country

Day 1: Arrival in Girona
Day 2: Girona - Sant Feliu de Guixols via "Greenways", 24 mi (40 km)
Day 3: Sant Feliu de Guixols - Calella de Palafrugell, 16 mi (27 km)
Day 4: Calella de Palafrugell - Bordils, 28 mi (47 km)
Day 5: Bordils - Sant Pere Pescador, 22 mi. (36 km)
Day 6: Rountrip, Sant Pere Pescador via Figueres, 30 mi. (50 km)
Day 7: Sant Pere Pescador - Girona, 17 mi. (29 km)
Day 8: Departure from Girona

All distances are approximate. Due to circumstances beyond control, weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during your holiday. For example, along the way you may find temporary deviations/detours caused by roadwork.  In this case please follow the directions posted locally as your map and/or GPS device will not indicate the detour.

Day 1: Arrival in Girona
Girona is a city in the northeast of Spain on the Costa Brava, near the French border. It is a beautiful city where you get a real feeling for its history just by walking through its ancient streets. A walled city, dating back to the Roman period, it has a fascinating old quarter. You will be able to explore the entire city on foot since it is not very large.

3-star accommodation: Hotel Peninsular
4-star accommodation: Hotel Nord 1901

Day 2: Girona - Sant Feliu de Guixols via "Greenways", 28 mi. (45 km)
You will your personal bike fitting and information meeting at Girona Cycle Center. On this first day of biking,  you will spend part of your time on the "Greenways" or Vias Verdes. Vías Verdes are the result of converting disused railway lines into cycling and walking routes. Easy, accessible, far removed from motorized traffic, and with hardly any steep slopes, they are especially recommended for nature lovers and people who enjoy outdoor exercise. There are already 1,500 kilometers of Greenways throughout Spain (more than 58 trails), all of which have been carefully restored to allow you to discover the most hidden corners of the countryside. This first day is a relatively easy day, finishing by the beach in the old fishing village of Sant Feliu de Guixols. Located on the Mediterranean, Sant Feliu de Guíxols has idyllic weather almost all year long. The coastline of the town sprawls over ten kilometers. It also includes many little bays with coves surrounded by pine-covered mountains with rocky or fine sand beaches. If you get a chance in the morning be sure to visit the Plaça del Mercat before beginning your cycling day. The marketplace serves as the heart of public and economic life in the town. It takes place every morning on the “Plaça” where you can do some shopping before you head out for your second cycling day.

Total climb: 287 m
Accommodation: Hotel Baracola

Day 3: Sant Feliu de Guixols - Calella de Palafrugell, 16 mi. (27 km)
The route winds north along the Costa Brava passing into the northern part of the Empordá county, rich with famous medieval hilltop villages and secluded coves and bays. Calella de Palafrugell is the destination today, well known for the traditional architecture of its Voltes (archways). You follow the coastline of Palafrugell with 12 km of beaches and coves which are all awarded the European Blue Flag each year. The Blue Flag is an award that is given to beaches and marinas that have met very stringent standards. The main beaches are Aigua Xelida, Tamariu, Llafranc and Calella de Palafrugell. The archipelago of the Formigues isles (the isles of the Ants) is off the coastline. This is an area where many ships wrecked in ancient times. In front of the Saint Sebastian lighthouse is the Ullastres, popular with snorkelers because of the abundant marine life. 

Total climb: 287 m
Accommodation: Hotel Alga

Day 4: Calella de Palafrugell - Bordils, 25 mi. (40 km)
The route continues north cutting inland and passing one of the most unique and incredible landscapes in all of Europe. The countryside is dotted with ancient stone houses and castles, one of which was bought by Salvadore Dali for his beloved wife Gala to be their home. The castle has the appearance of a small Gothic-Renaissance palace. The lovely gardens outside the castle, with a few of Dali's spindly elephant sculptures keeping company with lush greenery and trees, stand in stark contrast to the madness of Dali's world. Gala lived here in the castle until her death in 1982 and is actually buried in the castle, now maintained as a museum. With every step, you cannot help but be aware of Dali and his artistic influence in the surroundings. The castle home has to be viewed as a great work of Dali in and of itself, for everything in it was conceived and designed by the artist and offers us a glimpse inside his captivating and unique world. Accommodations this evening are only a few miles from this castle museum. You will love Bordils, a tiny romantic village that time has forgotten. The Placa Major (main square) still has the ancient clothes washing area surrounded by buildings of the Gothic/Renaissance period. Guests will stay in a family-run farmhouse and enjoy a properly home-cooked Catalan meal.

Total climb: 395 m
Accommodation: Farmhouse Can Carreras del Mas

Day 5: Bordils - Sant Pere Pescador, 23 mi. (37 km)
Continuing north, the route leads deep into the wine and olive groves of the Alt Empordá, or the wine growing region of Spain. The day ends with a ride along a beach road past the Greco-Roman city that gives the region its name, Emporion, where the Romans introduced wine to the peninsula. Sant Pere Pescador is a village with a very special personality. It is in the middle of the Bay of Roses, one of the most attractive bays of the western Mediterranean. It boasts a 7 km stretch of pristine sandy beach. The first historical reference to the town dates back to the year 974.  Guests will stay in another beautiful farmhouse accommodation a short distance from the wide sandy beach of Roses bay.

Total climb: 301 m
Accommodation: Farmhouse Can Mas

Day 6: Roundtrip, Sant Pere Pescador via Figueres, 30 mi. (50 km)
Today's ride is an out and back route on some of the best and quietest of the lanes in the county, en-route to the world famous Dali Museum in the City of Figueres. The Dali Museum is Dali's legacy and gift to the town. The route is very easy which will allow you plenty of time to enjoy the museum and gather some insight into the mind of the unique artist.. You can enjoy a lunch on the Rambla, the main pedestrian street of the town.

Total climb: 244 m
Accommodation: Farmhouse Can Mas

Day 7: Sant Pere Pescador - Girona, 17 mi. (29 km)
This is the final ride of the week in Catalonia and it's a tough one. The ride ventures back to the south of the Emporda county and to do this riders have to cross the area of Les Garrigues Grans. This is a protected heathland area which forms the foothills to the Les Gavarres mountains. This ride finishes with a short train ride into the city to avoid the large and busy roads around the town.

Total climb: 315 m
3-star accommodation: Hotel Peninsular
4-star accommodation: Hotel Nord 1901

Day 8:  Departure from Girona

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You will be accommodated in nice hotels and farmhouses. The 4-star option entails two nights in Girona’s Hotel Nord or an equitable establishment. If booking the 3-star, the preferred hotel is Hotel Peninsular. On each day’s details you will find the preferred hotel listed. Please be aware that final hotel list is based on availability.