Cycle tour Catalonia: 4 unforgettable road bike tours through the east of Spain
Sven Bremer
· 09.02.2024
Most of the lettering with the names of the racing drivers has already faded. You can just about make out the name "Herrada" on the tarmac, but not others. However, the racer named Herrada seems to have a considerable number of fans. They have painted his name several times on the road at Coll d'Estenalles. All around, in the Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac nature park, rocks rounded by wind and weather rise out of a sea of holm oaks, an eagle soars in the cloudless sky, only the tinkling of cowbells breaks the silence.
Cycle tour Catalonia: All about independence
Much more frequently and as clearly as if someone had just repainted it yesterday, you can read the words "Independencia" on the street. This is by no means a cycling rival of Herrada, but a demand for "Independencia" - the independence of Catalonia from Spain. Just as Herrada was unable to win the second stage of the Tour of Spain, which led over the Coll d'Estenalles, the Catalans were unable to win the fight for their independence after the controversial referendum by the regional government and the mass protests in autumn 2017.
But the lettering on the streets and on the facades of houses as well as the yellow and red flags of Catalonia can still be seen everywhere, especially the "Esteladas", the yellow and red flags with the additional white star on a blue triangle, which symbolises the region's independence. Catalonia is one of the three historically autonomous communities in Spain, but many Catalans want more: their own state. Even those who have actually only come here to cycle cannot avoid the topic of independence - it is omnipresent.
In the nature park, rocks rounded by wind and weather rise out of a sea of holm oaks, an eagle soars in the cloudless sky. - Sven Bremer
Café with a Spanish road race champion
For example, I meet up with Anna Ramirez in Plaça Major in Vic to talk to the two-time Spanish road race champion about cycling in her home town and ask her about the best routes around her hometown. But as soon as the café con leche is on the table, a window opens above us and another one joins the numerous Esteladas on the balconies. Anna Ramirez smiles, she too is clearly in favour of independence from Spain. She now works as a police officer and suddenly becomes serious when she talks about the demonstrations in 2017.
"For me, there was no question that I would defend my people at the demos," she says, her eyes sparkling. When she's not protecting "her people" from the beatings of the Spanish police, Anna Ramirez is on her bike, still cycling around 16,000 kilometres a year, even though she ended her professional career a few years ago. And she still likes to cycle around 150 kilometres per ride. "We have it really good here," she says and her eyes light up just as they do when she talks about Independencia. "You can think about it before every training round starting in Vic: Which nature park should it be today? One is more beautiful than the other."
And because the now 48-year-old is still incredibly fit, it can be two of these magnificent nature parks per tour. I thankfully decline her recommendation to cover 150 kilometres, including more than 4,000 metres in altitude. "No, merci", as they say in Catalonia, instead of "No, gracias". One nature park per ride and half the altitude difference is enough for me. Anna smiles mildly and says goodbye: "OK, but let me know afterwards where you liked it best."
The first route of the cycle tour: Breathtaking landscapes
Of course! And my first route, which leads into the Parc Natural de la Zona Volcánica de la Garrotxa, easily gets four out of five stars. At first, the rugged, vertical cliffs of the Carbrera mountains dominate the scenery, followed by dense forests of oak and ancient beech trees, some of which grow on the slopes of the almost 40 volcanic craters or on what remains of the former volcanoes. The last time the Croscat erupted here was just over 11,000 years ago, explains the landlord of the Saüll Taverna during a break in Sant Esteve d'en Bas.
He serves perhaps the most delicious green olives in the world and recommends the region's typical patatas olot - deep-fried potato slices stuffed with mince. Sensationally tasty, but not the smartest idea when you still have a few ramps beyond the 15 per cent mark to the 1132 metre high Coll de Bracons ahead of you. At least I'm not carrying any luggage on my bike like the two bikepackers who plop down on the grass at the top of the pass, completely exhausted.
Tough climbs in the Parc Natural del Montseny
Anna had also warned me about the climbs in the Parc Natural del Montseny, recognised by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. By the time I reach the sign marking the start of the nature reserve, I realise why. The road climbs at an average gradient of ten per cent for three kilometres. I heave myself up towards the Coll de Bordoriol (1089 metres) - just a stopover on the way over the Coll de Sant Marçall (1106 metres) to the highest point of the narrow road at around 1300 metres in the heart of the nature park. On the hairpin bends, I can look far back to the north: The peaks of the Pyrenees appear in the haze above seemingly endless forests.
Bald, grey giants now, in mid-September, but soon they will be wearing a pretty white cap for a few months. Apart from a few annoying motorcyclists, nobody has overtaken me yet. Then suddenly a red jersey whizzes past me and gasps: "¡Hombre, estoy morto!" For once, this is not Catalan but Spanish and translates as "Man, I'm dead". No wonder, the way he's racing up the climb, I think to myself and continue at my own pace. A few metres after the top of the pass, my now lively colleague is waiting, introduces himself as Paco and promises: "Watch out, the best part of the whole tour is coming up."
He ignores the question marks on my face, swings onto his bike with a "¡vamos, vamos!" and dashes off at breakneck speed. Shortly afterwards I hear a kind of yodelling in front of me and two bends further on I know that Paco hasn't promised too much. After a short tunnel, the landscape suddenly opens up and reveals a view of the Mediterranean glistening in the distance. But Paco wasn't just raving about the panorama, but also about the descent. The Catalan road builders have really gone out of their way to make cyclists' hearts beat faster. The numerous serpentines are like steep bends. I really let it rip and downhill I catch up with Paco again, now also whooping loudly.
One tour on the cycle tour is better than the other...
For once, I don't talk to him, who comes from near Madrid, studied in Cologne and now lives in Barcelona, about the subject of independence. "I don't give a shit," he says, smacking his lips a little disparagingly during our lunch and returns to his generous portion of "Botifarra amb Mongetes", the typical Catalonian pork sausage with white beans. As the fried patatas olot the day before had left me with a long stomach, I stick to salad and a few noodles, as the climbing is far from over today.
On the rest of the loop through the Montseny National Park, a good 1000 metres in altitude await at Coll Formic before returning via Seva through the hills on the edge of the Vic plain. I decide that half stars are also allowed in the tour rating and award 4.5 out of 5 stars today. Joel Collell from Osoning Bikes, an organisation that promotes cycle tourism in the region, also prefers to cycle the loop through the Montseny Nature Park not far from his home town of Taradell.
"You know," he says when I visit him in his office, "we have an hour to Barcelona, an hour to the Costa Brava and an hour to the Pyrenees. All well and good, but this is where the heart of Catalonia beats, this is where you'll find the real, true Catalonia. And loads of great routes." He then pushes up the sleeve of his shirt and proudly shows off a tattoo on his upper arm: the silhouette of the highest peaks of the Montseny Natural Park. The peaks of the nearby Montserrat massif would have been more famous, but opinions differ on the subject of tattoos...
Route 4 of the road bike tour in Catalonia
And I want to go to Montserrat the next day. After a car transfer of just over half an hour, I've only been on my bike for five minutes when my breath catches. Illuminated by the morning sun, the 1200 metre high peaks of the sandstone mountain range tower up in the distance. Translated from Catalan, Montserrat means "sawn" or "cut mountain", and you could hardly find a more fitting name for the mountain range with its striking sawtooth profile.
The world-famous monastery of the same name, built around a thousand years ago, is located around 700 metres above sea level. The Black Madonna, Our Lady of Montserrat, called "La Moreneta" (the little brown one) by the Catalans, is the patron saint of Catalonia and the gigantic monastery complex, wedged between the rocks, is a destination for thousands and thousands of pilgrims and tourists. As magnificent as the views of the mountain backdrop may be, the monastery itself is as busy as the Oktoberfest on the opening weekend. So quickly get back on your bike and return to the starting point on the 5-star deluxe tour.
Shortly before Manresa - in the knowledge that there are no more mountains to complicate the way home - I stop to try a Botifarra sausage that Paco had raved about. Paco had also said: "Imagine if the Bavarians or the Saxons suddenly demanded their independence from Germany." There is something to that. And you have to consider what a signal it would have sent to other regions.
Would it not have fuelled secessionist conflicts in the Basque Country, Scotland or Transylvania, for example, and jeopardised the cohesion of Europe? Nevertheless, there is a certain amount of sympathy for the friendly and proud Catalans, partly because right-wing extremist ideas play virtually no role in their independence endeavours. But no matter how you feel about all this, one thing is as certain as the Amen in the monastery church of Montserrat: this region is a dream for road cycling, regardless of whether Spanish or Catalan flags are fluttering in the wind on the balconies.
The most important information about cycling in Catalonia
Journey
- Car: It is 1300 kilometres from Frankfurt am Main to Vic. The fastest route is via the A5 motorway towards Basel, then via Mulhouse (A36) in France to the A6/7/9 via Lyon, Montpellier and Perpignan, crossing the border at Port Bou and taking the C25 dual carriageway past Girona to Vic. In addition to the petrol costs, there are tolls of a good 80 euros per route.
- Railway: Environmentally friendly and perfectly feasible if you are travelling without a racing bike or have packed your bike in a suitcase - Deutsche Bahn cannot find any connections for "bicycle transport". From the Rhineland or southern Germany, it takes between 11 and 14 hours at best to reach Barcelona. As a rule, the route runs via Paris, where you almost always have to change stations. From Barcelona Sants (main station), a regional train takes one hour and 20 minutes to Vic
- Flight: Direct flights from Germany, Austria and Switzerland to Barcelona, 70 kilometres south of our location in Vic, take around two hours and cost from 150 euros (return, without bike transport, usually an additional 75 to 100 euros each way). An alternative is to fly with Ryanair to Girona, which is around 60 kilometres east of Vic. From the airport, take the Aerobus (Terminal 1 + 2) to Plaça Catalunya; or by train (line R 2 North) to the main railway station (Sants) and by regional train (R 3) to Vic.
Best time to travel
The best months for cycling, apart from April, May and early June, are late summer and early autumn. From April onwards, with a bit of weather luck, you can cycle "short-short" in temperatures of around 18 degrees around Vic, although it is still a few degrees cooler in the nearby mountains. July and August can be extremely hot - in Vic, temperatures climb to an average of 29 degrees during the day.
Accommodation (Vic)
- Up Rooms Vic: Four-star hotel on the edge of the old town, rather unadorned rooms, but good location and bike cellar. Double room from 100 euros; breakfast 11 euros per person.
- Boutique Hotel Les Clarisses: Former monastery in the centre of the old town, double room with breakfast from 160 euros.
Food and drink
La Cuina Catalana, Catalan cuisine, is diverse, varied and simply great, and the prices in restaurants and bars are moderate. One of the specialities around Vic are patatas d'Olot, deep-fried potato slices filled with mixed mince. The tapas bars serve classics such as patatas bravas, but also modern delicacies such as ceviche with avocado, mango and sweet crisps. After a meal, people in the region drink a ratafia, a herbal walnut liqueur. Vic's culinary speciality par excellence is the salami-like sausage Llonganissa. Important: Restaurants rarely open before 8 p.m. and then you are usually alone - the other guests arrive for dinner at 9 p.m. at the earliest.
Restaurant tips in Vic
- Pizzeria La Flama: Classics and unusual variations such as "Pizza Kipling" with artichokes, mozzarella, prawns and cherries. Make sure you book!
- Gastrobar Xinvic: Catalan dishes, interpreted in a modern way
- El Bohemi: Very tasty selection of tapas
Bike hire (Vic)
Catalonia Bike Tours: Racing bikes from the Catalonian brand Megamo cost from 250 euros per week (carbon frame with Shimano 105 Di2).
Literature
- Travel guide: "Catalonia", Michael Müller Verlag 2023; 23.90 euros
- Map: Michelin ZOOM "Costa Brava, Barcelona and surroundings" (2022), 1:150,000; 9.95 euros.
Don't miss it!
- Take part - bike event: Every year in June (2024 on 4 June), former professional cyclist Josep Jufré organises the "Marxa Cicloturista Jufré Riuprimer" for amateur cyclists. The start and finish are west of Vic in Santa Eulàlia de Riuprimer. Two routes: 154 kilometres / 2445 vertical metres and 111 kilometres / 1731 vertical metres.
- Watch - Tour of Catalonia: The UCI World Tour race is one of the oldest tours on the Iberian Peninsula. The seven-day tour was held for the first time in 1911 and takes place every year in late March. >> Click here to go directly to the men's cycling calendar, where the Tour of Catalonia is part of the UCI World Tour.
- City stroll: Strolling through Vic's medieval alleyways, visiting the Roman temple and having a nightcap on the Plaça Major should be enough culture for some after the cycle tours. The monastery of Montserrat (Tour 4) between the rocks of the mountain range of the same name is one of the biggest attractions in the whole of Catalonia - and accordingly overcrowded. If you fancy visiting one of the most beautiful cities in Europe with the world-famous Rambla promenade, take a day trip to Barcelona. Or, on a smaller scale, to Girona, the adopted home of numerous professional cyclists from overseas.
Orientation: An overview of the four tours on the cycle tour
Vic (pronounced "Bik" in Catalan) is the capital of the comarca of Osona in the province of Barcelona, whereby a comarca is comparable to a German administrative district. The city of 47,000 inhabitants with the magnificent Plaça Major is located in the heart of Catalonia on a plain (La Plana de Vic), almost 500 metres above sea level. It takes an hour by car from Vic to Barcelona, the Pyrenees or the Costa Brava.
But you don't have to go to the coast or the Pyrenees for dream tours in a magnificent landscape. Vic is surrounded by nature parks: the Parc Natural de la Zona Volcánica de la Garrotxa, the Parc Natural del Montseny, the Parc Natural de Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac and the Parc Natural de la Muntanya de Montserrat with the famous Benedictine abbey. The highest peaks of the widely forested region are just over 1700 metres high.
80 per cent of people in the region, which is known to be striving for independence from Spain, speak Catalan, menus are often bilingual and street signs are only in Catalan. But there's no need to worry that ordering in Spanish in a restaurant, for example, won't go down well. Instead of "gracias" for "thank you", people in Catalonia say "merci", just like in France.
Tour character
After the start in Vic, you can roll easily along the plain. However, the edge of the plateau is surrounded by low mountain ranges in all directions. Two of our tours cover more than 2000 metres in altitude in just over a hundred kilometres. Sometimes the roads wind their way into the mountains with moderate gradients, sometimes ramps above the 15 per cent mark take a lot of energy. But you are rewarded for your efforts with wonderful descents. The condition of the roads ranges from good to fantastic. There are large signs everywhere reminding drivers to keep at least one and a half metres away from racing cyclists - the overwhelming majority do so and drive very considerately. At weekends in particular, however, you have to come to terms with numerous motorcyclists who also love the winding roads in the nature parks.
Cycle tour Catalonia: These are the four tours in detail
Tour 1 of the cycle tour: From Vic to the volcanoes
- 97 kilometres
- 1660 metres altitude
- Maximum 18 % gradient
From Vic, we head northwards into the initially barren hilly landscape of the Comarca (comparable to a county) of Osona, with the impressive cliffs of the Serra de Cabrera, which rises to just over 1300 metres, always in view. We don't climb quite that high, reaching the Coll de Bac at 1004 metres after 27 kilometres and the Coll de Condreu at 1017 metres after 40 kilometres. Lonely little roads lead us further into the wooded Garrotxa Volcanoes Nature Reserve, known in Spanish as the Parc Natural de Zona Volcánica de la Garrotxa.
Again and again, the peaks of the Pyrenees appear behind the volcanic cones in the north before the route turns west and south after 54 kilometres. Immediately after the change of direction, the second steep climb of this tour follows from Joanetes: 660 metres in altitude in one stretch lead up to the Col de Bracons (1132 metres), full of bends and views, and thus from the province of Girona to that of Barcelona. The narrow road is just as winding as it leads down to the plain, past Torelló and through Manlleu back southwards to Vic.
Tour 2: To the church in the lake
- 65 kilometres
- 960 metres in altitude
- Maximum 13 % gradient
A favourite route for cyclists from Vic. Out of the city in an easterly direction, on a tiny road through pine and holm oak forests to the Pantà de Sau reservoir. The only (moderate) hurdle is the Coll Sesvinyes, the summit of which is cut through by a short tunnel at an altitude of around 750 metres. This is followed by an eight-kilometre-long, winding descent to the lake, whose southern shore we follow. The views are magnificent, of the steep cliffs on the opposite shore, but also of the church of the sunken village of Sant Romà de Sau, whose tower always looks out a little from the reservoir.
Tip: At kilometre 25, it is worth taking a four-kilometre detour to the Monestir de Sant Pere de Casserres, a former Benedictine monastery from the 11th century, which lies on a narrow rocky spur above the reservoir. After 40 kilometres, we leave hilly terrain to ride back to Vic on the plain with a northern detour and momentum via Roda de Ter and Manlleu.
Tour 3 of the cycle tour: Steep bends with a sea view
- 109 kilometres
- 2420 metres altitude
- Maximum 14 % gradient
Just a few kilometres after leaving Vic in a south-easterly direction, the route leads into the Parc Natural del Montseny, whose highest peaks rise just over 1700 metres above the nearby Mediterranean. Despite these heights, only a few rocks rarely protrude from this sea of forest. The area has been recognised by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve and is a popular excursion destination for Barcelonians.
After 36 kilometres behind the Coll de Sant Marçall (1106 metres), our route reaches its highest point at around 1300 metres on a wooded mountain flank of Les Agudes (1705 metres). From there, a magnificent descent full of steep bends leads down into the valley near Campins, which repeatedly surprises with views of the Mediterranean. After a small intermediate ascent, the route continues via Montseny (km 66) up to Coll Formic (1144 metres), from where you race down into the valley to Selva and finally return to Vic through undulating terrain.
Tour 4: Climbing to the monastery
- 107 kilometres
- 2200 metres altitude
- Maximum 12 % gradient
A half-hour car transfer takes you to the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages, south of the town of Navarcles. Just a few kilometres after the start, on the approach to Coll d'Estenalles (873 metres), you can see the striking peaks and pinnacles of the Montserrat mountain range, which is around ten kilometres long and five kilometres wide, in the distance to the south-east. The Montserrat massif is of great cultural and symbolic importance for Catalonia, not least because of the Montserrat monastery and its history.
After an easy, nine-kilometre climb behind Terrassa over the Collada de l'Obac pass (644 metres), everyone can decide for themselves whether they still have the energy for the further climb (around 250 metres in altitude and eight kilometres there and back) to the world-famous Benedictine abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat - and whether they feel like mingling with the crowds of tourists there. Otherwise, the route takes you along small roads to Manressa, then through the town and back to the car park near Navarcles.
