Sign up to our newsletter
Sign up to receive our Newsletter with exclusive offers, trips and promotions
Sign up to receive our Newsletter with exclusive offers, trips and promotions
Catalunya Cycling Tours.
Experience the Catalan countryside with quiet, smooth, rolling roads winding through the famous champagne cava region of Catalonia. Explore the testing climbs around the iconic monastery of Montserrat with views overlooking the high Pyrenees and Barcelona. Mild temperatures and clear skies can be expected during the winter months. Taste the local Catalan cuisine in local restaurants set amongst the hills.
Igualada is a town with 40,000 residents and consists of an old and new town. The old town contains a variety of superb restaurants and tapas bars, perfect for evening socialising. The town is one hour west of Barcelona by car making it an easy connection for international clients. Igualada is a relaxed Catalan town based in a geographical bowl, meaning that every road leading out of the town climbs for approximately 10 kilometers. This means you will finish every ride with long sweeping descents, what better way to end a long ride!
Prices from £795pp Enquire Now
20% deposit required at the time of booking to confirm your space on a Catalunya Cycling Tour. Please note we need a minimum of 4 cyclists in order to confirm the Tour
Final balance is due 10 weeks before the date of travel.
Day 0: Transfer Day
Collect and transfer riders from Barcelona Airport to Igualada.
Riders check-in to hotel and receive a welcome briefing of the week tour.
Bike prepping and an easy evening test ride to make sure all riders are happy with their set-
up for the week ahead.
If there is time, a walk around Igualada to get bearings.
Dinner in the Hotel.
Day 1: Volta Font Rubi and the Vineyards
Distance: 80km
Climbing: 1200m
The first day is undoubtedly one of my favourite routes, taking in a long steady climb of 15 km up to Font Rubi. After leaving Igualada, riders start the col de mata, a relatively short 5km climb with steady gradients. From Villa Franca you will wind through the vineyards, famous across Europe for its Cava. The long steady climb of Font Rubi starts at 30km and peaks at 57km. This is an exceptionally quiet windy climb with superb vistas over the surrounding hills. Upon reaching the summit, the rest of the ride is downhill with sections of flowing switchbacks and fast straights. Café stops, and feeding can be arranged in LLacuna, a typically Catalan village. There are easy options to extend the route by taking in an additional climb near Font Rubi.
Day 2: Volta Montblanc
Distance: 94km
Climbing: 1225m
The second day heads out towards Montblanc. Dependent on rider ability, there are a range of long climbs which head into the bigger hills around La Moleta, these offer panoramic views over towards the Costa Brava. The day consists of two fifteen-kilometre climbs, both quiet windy roads with views to stop you thinking about your legs burning. Café stop can be at the 60km mark in El Pla de Santa Maria.
Day 3: Volta Manresa – Artes - Montserrat
Distance: 132km
Climbing: 2300m
Day three is a day for the mountain goats with three main climbs. The first climb heads out through Odena and up to Castellfullit del Boix, from here you can see the high Pyrenees. After a long descent into the historic market town of Manresa, riders enter the parc natural de Sant Llorenc which offers an isolated loop deep into the rolling hills. The final climb is an exceptional 7km climb averaging 7 percent with hairpins snaking up to the monastery of Montserrat. Lunch can be arranged at the Monastery with a handful of cafes and restaurants overlooking the Pyrenees. From the Monastery, the road traverses across the mountain for 5km and then descends for 10km back into Igualada. A hard day in the saddle rewarded with long snaking climbs. This day would be followed by a rest day or easy ride.
Day 4: Rest day or easy ride
Distance: 55km
Climbing: 600m
An easy day taking in some of the quiet local roads around Igualada. A typically Catalan restaurant can be incorporated into the route by heading up the one way up-down road to Tossa de Montbui. With views overlooking the high mountain of Montserrat and the town of Igualada, this is a restaurant with unparalleled views and a quintessentially Catalan presence. A perfect location to relax on a rest day.
Day 5: Volta Argencola
Distance: 127km
Climbing: 2300m
Day five is another big day with lots of climbing. Riders immediately head up a small windy road across to Rubio where they start the col de Rubio. A testing 6km climb with gradient pitches of up to 10 percent. This climb is used for many Catalan races and appears on the Volta Catalunya so if you are really wishing to see how your fitness compares to the pro ́s, here is the place to try it. A fantastic restaurant is set in Rubio offering local delicacies including the renowned jamon, making it a local favourite. After leaving the higher hills of Rubio, the road descends into the Argencola region which provides quiet rolling roads which gradually climb to the historic town of Argencola, providing a great stop for lunch with a handful of local restaurants. From Argencola, the road undulates until Santa Coloma de Queralt, from here it’s a fast 8km descent with sweeping bends until the town of Carme, another point for food and drink replenishments before the final stretch to Igualada. All in all, a long day out with some testing climbs which head deep into the untouched Catalan countryside.
Day 6: Ida y Vuelta a Sitges (to the beach)
Distance: 127km
Climbing: 2000m
The final day heads out to the historic coastal village of Sitges. The first half of the ride follows a very steady descent (almost flat) to the beach. Sitges is one of the most popular towns on the Costa Brava, renowned for its historic architecture and sandy beach. This makes it a perfect place to stop for lunch with many beach front restaurants. The second half of the ride is a gentle ascent back inland towards Villa Franca. There are many points along this route for food and drink re-fills. What better way to round off a long week of riding than to head to the beach!
Barcelona is the most suitable airport for the Catalunya Cycling Tour. Airport transfers are included
Local bike hire is available. Please ask at the time of enquiry.
