Catalonia: Pedal and Pamper

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Catalonia is a distinct region in Spain, not just because it has its own language (Catalan) and its own cultural identity, but because of the wide range of sights and activities it has to offer! The Pyrenees, rural hills, and sparkling blue coasts provide different views and opportunities, whether it’s relaxing on the beach, tasting wine at a vineyard, hiking up a mountain to a castle, or exploring a medieval city center. Depending on where you are, there may be ancient ruins or well-preserved fortresses to explore. Art lovers can visit Salvador Dali’s home in Cadaques on this bike tour, and nature lovers can spend time bird watching in the marshes of a natural park. Catalonia is perfect for groups with a wide range of interests – at least, everyone will agree that it is a fantastic vacation destination and cycling Catalonia is an amazing way to see the area!

Getting there

• By Road There’s coach bus service from Barcelona to Girona airport and vice versa, and to some other towns. You can select the website in English but the timetable (which is still easy to read)
  is in Spanish. Visit www.sagales.com/
  
• By Rail Spain has good train service for a decent price. You can get to stations in Barcelona and Girona from the airports, and you can travel between the two easily. Other stations to keep in mind are Girona and Figueres for the Bike and Beach tour (you start at Girona for the Bike and Beach tour, and end up being transferred to either Figueres or Girona after the tour). For the Authentic Catalonia tour, consider finding a train to Toroella de Montgri or La Flaca, and back from either station to your next destination.
  
  Train schedules can be viewed at http://horarios.renfe.es/hir/ingles.html
  
  Renfe (Spain)
  For long-distance and overnight trains (Alta Velocidad – Larga Distancia), passengers are allowed to travel with one bicycle, dismantled and in a box, per person. They must be kept in the overnight cabin, and only two bicycles are allowed per cabin.
  
  In the less-crowded regional trains (Media Distancia), there is designated bicycle space for non-dismantled bikes, and if there’s other space for luggage, you may put your bikes there, too. Cyclomundo riders have always had pretty good experiences with their bikes on these trains. The website says that groups with more than three bicycles need to ask permission from train officials beforehand.
  
  If you’re taking a train from France or points north or east of Spain, read below! Please see www.sncf.com for more details or to book train tickets online. You may also want to check out www.raileurope.com (particularly if there is browser trouble with the SNCF website from your country).
  
  Trains a Grande Vitesse (TGV)
  Part of the SNCF, TGV high-speed trains connect major cities within France and in other nearby European countries. If you’re starting your journey in Paris, you’ll take the Talgo train (Joan Miro service) from the Gare d’Austerlitz. If you start in Geneva (Switzerland) or Lyon, you can connect to Spain via Montpellier and Perpignan.
  
  Thalys and Eurostar
  Thalys trains connect the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium to France via Paris. The Eurostar connects the UK with France via Lille and Paris. Like TGV East, bicycles are free of charge on board if they are dismantled and in a box or covered. This is required, and the maximum size is 120 x 90 cm. You can store it in the luggage area at the ends of the coaches. Also, for Thalys and Eurostar, there may be a bicycle car in coach 1 and/or coach 11.
  
• By Air The two airports in the Catalonia region of Spain are in Barcelona and Girona. Barcelona is quite a distance from our tour starting points, but it’s serviced by all major airlines. Please see http://www.barcelona-airport.com/ for more information. For our Bike and Beach tour, we recommend flying into the smaller Girona – Costa Brava airport, which is mainly serviced by Iberia airlines and the low-cost Ryanair. See http://www.girona-tourist-guide.com/en/airport).
• By Sea

Why do we like them?

Cyclomundo cycling holidays will expose you the real Europe. Every aspect of their guided and self guided cycling routes is carefully planned to maximise your interaction with local people, from local guides and the independent hotels you stay in, to the diverse places you cycle through. As true cycling specialists and local experts for road biking holidays in France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, Cyclomundo will ensure you get the most from your biking break in Europe, whether you are looking to clock up maximum miles or set a more leisurley pace on an independent trip.

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