The Best Girona Road Cycling Weekend Break - Free Guide

Route 1: Les Serres & Mas Llunes

53 km, 530 m

Many locals know this route like the back of their hand. In both directions, this is a beautiful ride with two short and gentle climbs. This is the ideal warm-up ride or shorter ride in between a couple of longer days. Head towards Sant Gregori, west of Girona. From here you enter the Vall de Llemena and follow a winding road. After 19 km turn left to start the climb to Les Serres (1,5 km), and enjoy a gentle descent before entering the village of Bonmati. Turn left to cross the river Ter and climb up to Mas Llunes (2,5 km). This second climb is also gentle and follows a quiet road. After the descent, you will follow some narrow back roads before you return to Girona via some busier roads.

Cafe/ Lunch: Cal Ganso in the village of Llora (after 14 km)

53km: Les Serres - Mas Llunes | road ride | Komoot

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Route 2: Tossa de Mar & Calonge

120 km, 1570 m

No Girona cycling trip is complete without a trip to the Costa Brava - literally: the rugged coast. Make sure you choose a sunny day to ride the spectacular and rollercoaster coastal road between Tossa de Mar and Sant Feliu de Guixols. From Girona, ride south towards Fornells de la Selva and Caldes de Malavella, turn left to Llagostera - with its church towering above the village - and turn right to wind your way to Tossa de Mar. You will climb for 3 km before descending to Tossa de Mar. From here the fun begins with 20 km of twisting and turning along the Mediterranean coast. After Sant Feliu de Guixols follows the tourist town of Platja d’Aro. From Calonge, you climb (4,6 km) into the Emporda region before cycling back to Girona.

NOTE: You can shorten this route to 93 km by turning left up to Sant Grau, halfway along the coastal road, and returning via the same roads from Llagostera. 

Cafe/ Lunch: Loop Cafe in Tossa de Mar & Dulce Pikika in Platja d’Aro (famous for its cakes)

120km: Tossa de Mar - Calonge | road ride | Komoot

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93km: Tossa de Mar - Sant Grau | road ride | Komoot

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Route 3: Els Angels & Santa Pellaia 

70 km, 1050 m

One of the best road rides you can do from Girona - also known as the 'Hincapie loop' (named after US-cyclist George Hincapie who lived in Girona back in the early 2000s). Within 10 minutes you are out of the city and up the beautiful 11 km Els Angels climb. Expect 4 km of climbing, a 3 km break in the middle and the toughest 3 km near the top. Don’t forget to turn left at the top and visit to the chapel (Salvador Dali and Gala got married here) and enjoy the views over Girona and the Gavarres mountain range. It’s breathtaking! Take the steep side of the climb down (6 km) and head into the village of Monells - the square is a must-see and a perfect place for a coffee stop. From here you continue along quiet lanes before tackling the next climb: Santa Pellaia (9 km). This is a gentle climb and takes you to Cassa de la Selva. From here rolling country roads take you back to Girona. If you are visiting Girona this is one of the most beautiful rides!

Cafe/ Lunch: Ca l’Arcadi in Monells square (after 25 km)

70km: Els Angels - Santa Pellaia | road ride | Komoot

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Where to rent your bike?

Of course, you can bring your own bike, but if you choose to rent a bike Girona offers several bike shops with a wide selection of bikes. You can expect brand-new bikes in different price ranges. Below are two featured shops and a lot of other tips.

Eat Sleep Cycle

@menno

Allround bike shop with a wide range of rental bikes (road, gravel, electric and MTB) good on-site mechanics and a broad selection of high-end cycling clothing. Additionally, Eat Sleep Cycle Cafe is an ideal location for a pre-ride coffee or a post-ride beer.

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The Service Course

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High-end bike shop focusing on one-of-a-kind rental bikes (road and gravel), custom-made bike builds and luxury cycling clothing. There are on-site mechanics as well. The Service Course is a real experience store and you can easily get the idea that you are in a bike museum rather than a bike shop.

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In addition to the two shops mentioned above, Girona is home to many more bike shops where you can rent bikes or simply buy brand-new cycling kit, helmets, glasses and accessories. Head to Velodrom for a luxury experience. Find at the Castelli brand store the latest kit from the Italian cycling clothing brand. Check out the recently opened flagship store of the US bike brand Trek (also a good place to rent bikes) or visit the cosy store of the local cycling clothing brand Rocacorba.

Where to eat?

If there's one other thing Girona is famous for, it's food. Girona-based restaurant El Celler de Can Roca, with three Michelin stars, has been named the best restaurant in the world and is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to food- and coffee culture. Below you'll find three featured restaurants (breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner) and a bunch of other food and coffee tips.

La Fabrica Girona

@menno

La Fabrica Girona is an all-time Girona favourite for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Founded by Canadian former pro-cyclist Christian Meier and his wife Amber (who is here daily) La Fabrica was the first restaurant in Girona with a direct cycling link. It has a lovely terrace away from any main roads and indoor seating as well. The menu contains many healthy and fresh dishes. Nothing fancy, but good-looking plates that are elevated by their colourful serving. Besides that, the coffee at La Fabrica is excellent. Not in the last place because they are roasting their own coffee. Go check out their coffee bar Espresso Mafia as well.

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Hors Categorie Girona

@menno

Hors Categorie is a casual restaurant with a healthy menu (lunch & dinner) that has also vegetarian and vegan options. Next to that, you find here good speciality coffee and a wide range of kombuchas. Pay attention to the decor as well. As HC was founded by Dutch ex-pro cyclist Robert Gesink among others, there is strong connection with cycling in this restaurant. There are multiple retro bikes on the ceiling and find original and signed La Vuelta d'Espana jerseys on the wall.

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Brots de Vi

@menno

Personally, I think this is one of the nicest restaurants in Girona. Whether you book (always book in advance) for lunch or dinner, Brots de Vi is always a good choice. The menu offers different tapas dishes, main dishes and has a great wine selection. The restaurant is situated right in the heart of Girona's old town and has a cosy terrace.

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In addition to the three restaurants mentioned, there are more must-visits in Girona.

The best coffee in town can be found at Espresso Mafia or Oniria Cafe. 

Other brunch & lunch restaurants worth a visit are Idle Hands, Federal or La Comuna, owned by world-famous German former triathlete Jan Frodeno and his wife. 

If you want to try some good local Catalan wines, I can recommend La Garrina. This natural wine bar is one of the best spots for wine, tapas and good vibes. If you are into tapas, try Bestia. Tucked away in one of the smaller squares in Girona, this restaurant serves excellent food and wine. 

Pizza?! Yes, there are several options in Girona. Try the recently opened restaurant Bartali Pizza, also for take-away.

And last but not least, two options that are just outside the city centre but within reach with a walk or a short bike ride (or a taxi will take you there). El Cul de Mon is located just outside the city centre in the Sant Daniel Valley and combines Catalan and Moroccan cuisine. Mirador de Can Pi is located five km outside the city in the Gavarres forest. This beautiful old farmhouse is the stunning setting for a truly Catalan food experience. 

*Make sure to book in advance for lunch & dinner options. All brunch options are walk-in restaurants.

Where to stay?

I would recommend booking accommodation within walking distance of the old town. Of course, there are many beautiful rural locations around Girona, but for a weekend away you don't want to miss out on the treats of Girona city.

Hotel Boutique Casa Cacao Girona

@menno

This is the hotel sibling of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca. There’s also a cacao workshop next door, as well as a garden-inspired roof terrace. Since opening, the terrace has earned a following among locals, too, with plenty of residents popping up for a scenery brunch. This is a boutique hotel (15 rooms) with a show-stopping terrace run by Catalan culinary royalty.

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Casa rural Torre de Can Puig

@menno

La Torre de Can Puig is a unique 19th-century estate that has been charmingly restored, nestled in the Sant Daniel valley, a natural gateway to the Gavarres mountain range and the start of hiking trails, but also a 10-minute walk from the old town and the city centre of Girona. The house can accommodate up to 10 people and has 5000 m2 of outdoor space. Views of the beautiful natural surroundings, the Benedictine monastery and Girona Cathedral in the distance. La Torre de Can Puig is an accommodation designed to be special, and different from the rest of the offerings in the city. Prioritising quality and exclusivity.

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Bravissimo Cool Apartments

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Bravissimo offers some of the best apartments in Girona. This small family business has an extensive portfolio of apartments in all kinds of price ranges - and they are very bike-friendly. Find their apartments on their website or Airbnb.

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Besides the three accommodations mentioned, you can find many more hotels and apartments in Girona. Especially if you are looking for an apartment, don't forget to check the options on Airbnb. In Girona, many people rent an apartment that is located in the city centre and is equipped for cyclists. The same goes for hotels in the city centre, they all have secure bike storage where you can find some basic bike tools and sometimes even wash your bike. Hotel Ultonia and Hotel Carlemany are 4-star hotels in the city centre of Girona with good breakfast, new rooms and a large and well equipped bike storage. 

What to see off the bike?

Although the historic centre of Girona is not very big, there are more than enough sights to spend a whole day there. A nice way to see almost all the sights in Girona is to take a city walk through the city. I have selected three historical must-sees below.

Girona Cathedral

@menno

The Cathedral of Girona is one of the city's main tourist attractions. From the steps of the cathedral you have a beautiful view of Girona and its surroundings. The Cathedral of Girona has the widest central nave in the world and, after St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the largest nave in the world. The steps of the cathedral have been used several times in the series "Game of Thrones".

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Muralles de Girona

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The city walls of Girona also called the Muralles, have become one of the main tourist attractions in Girona. You can take a long walk on the old city walls, where you have a fantastic view of the different parts of the city. During a walk, you will come across several towers, which you can climb using a narrow spiral staircase. From these towers, the view is even more impressive. Go for a walk at the end of the day to see the sun spectacularly set behind the mountains.

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Arab Baths

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The Arab bathhouse of Girona was, contrary to what you might suspect, not built by the Moors. This bathhouse was built in the twelfth century by the then inhabitants of Girona who used the old Arab bathhouses as an example. The structure of the bathhouse is exactly like that of an Arab bathhouse. These consisted of an apodyterium (dressing room), a frigidarium (cold room), a tepidarium (warm room), a caldarium (hot room) and a furnus (oven and boiler).

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Above I have highlighted only three sights, but string them together and you have a wonderful city walk. That is also one of the most important tips I have: discover the old city on foot! Do not stop at the cathedral, but also explore the gardens that are located at the end of the city walls. Especially at the end of the day, it is wonderful to sit in the sun on a bench in one of the many parks before you descend again to one of the many terraces for a vermut, glass of wine or tapas platter.

General info & adresses

Tourist Office - at La Rambla

Placa Independencia - main square of Girona

Mercat del Lleo - indoor food hall and outdoor fruit/veg market until 14:00h

Spar - only supermarket in the old town besides little grocers.

Vimet - little grocer, good for local produce and interesting beer and natural wine selection.

How to get to Girona?

The easiest and quickest way is to fly to Girona-Costa Brava Airport and from there take a transfer to Girona, either by bus or taxi. There is also an excellent train connection between Barcelona Sants and Girona (40 minutes by fast train), so you can also travel into Barcelona and continue your trip from there. As for the train, the Eurostar trains pass through Girona from Northern Europe on their way to Barcelona and offer an ideal alternative to flying. 

Gràcies!

I hope you found this free guide useful when planning a cycling weekend break in Girona. If you would like more information on planning a cycling trip to Girona and beyond, please drop me a message.

I would love to hear what you think of this guide and would really appreciate it if you could leave a review. Thank you!