Five days, one loop, two completely different Catalonias. The Girona Loop leaves Barcelona along the Mediterranean, follows the cliffs and coves of the Costa Brava to Begur, turns inland to Girona and climbs into the beech and chestnut forests of the Montseny before rolling back to the city. It’s a self-guided Costa Brava cycling tour that packs beaches, medieval towns and a proper mountain stage into five days in the saddle.
The Girona Loop at a glance
| Format | Self-guided, with daily luggage transfers |
| Duration | 5 days / 4 nights |
| Distance | 330 km (66 km a day on average) |
| Climbing | 4,350 m in total (870 m a day on average) |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Bike | Road or gravel |
| Best season | March to June and September to November |
| Price | From 899 € per person (3★ hotels, upgrades available) |
Day 1 · Barcelona to Tossa de Mar
80 km · 450 m of climbing
The gentlest day of the loop. Roll out of Barcelona and follow the coast north, with rolling seaside roads, beach towns and the sea on your right almost all the way to the Costa Brava.
The finish is hard to beat: Tossa de Mar, where the Vila Vella, a walled medieval old town with round towers, rises straight out of the beach. Park the bike, walk the walls at sunset and save your legs for tomorrow.
Day 2 · Tossa de Mar to Begur
55 km · 850 m of climbing
This is the stage riders remember. Leaving Tossa, the coast road hugs the cliffs through pine forest, bend after bend, with turquoise coves glinting below.
Further on, the route threads through fishing villages and viewpoints before climbing to Begur, a hilltop town crowned by the ruins of its castle and surrounded by some of the clearest water on the coast. The suggested hotel sits right on the little fishing cove of Sa Tuna.
Five Costa Brava beaches worth a detour
Pack your swimwear: the sea is usually still warm enough for a swim in early autumn. These are our favourites around Begur and Palafrugell.
- Aiguablava (Begur): fine sand, pines down to the water and some of the most turquoise water on the coast.
- Sa Tuna (Begur): a pebble cove with fishing boats and white houses, right outside the Day 2 hotel.
- Tamariu (Palafrugell): a small, relaxed bay with a seafront promenade and pines on both headlands.
- Llafranc (Palafrugell): a crescent of sand below the Sant Sebastià lighthouse.
- Calella de Palafrugell: arched fishermen’s houses and boats pulled up on the sand, famous for its summer havaneres concert.
Day 3 · Begur to Girona
52 km · 850 m of climbing
Leave the sea breeze behind for the Empordà plain: rice fields, farmland and stone villages. After the flat kilometres comes the climb to the Santuari dels Àngels, a favourite training climb of the pros who live in Girona, and the place where Salvador Dalí married Gala in 1958.
From the top it’s downhill into Girona: colourful houses over the Onyar river, the cathedral steps and cafés full of cyclists. Spend the evening in the old quarter; you’ll need the dinner tomorrow.
Day 4 · Girona to Viladrau (queen stage)
70 km · 1,250 m of climbing
The queen stage. A 30 km climb takes you up to Sant Hilari Sacalm, a mountain town famous for its springs, and the scenery changes completely: the Mediterranean gives way to forests, rolling hills and cool mountain air.
From there you ride into the Montseny Natural Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve topped by the Turó de l’Home (1,706 m). The day ends in Viladrau, a quiet village surrounded by chestnut woods.
In autumn this is the highlight of the loop: the beech and chestnut forests turn gold and copper, and the roads are almost empty.
Day 5 · Viladrau to Barcelona
60 km · 950 m of climbing
The last stage still has some climbing in it, but the long descents are yours: down out of the Montseny, through farmland and small traditional villages, and back to Barcelona in time for a well-earned vermut.
What’s included
- 4 nights in selected 3★ and 4★ hotels, with breakfast
- Daily luggage transfers between hotels
- GPS routes and a digital roadbook
- A member of our team with you on Day 1, plus phone assistance throughout
- Optional: road, gravel or e-bike rental from our Barcelona shop, extra nights, airport and private transfers
When to ride the Girona Loop
The loop runs from March to June and from September to November. Spring brings green hills and long days; autumn brings a warm sea in September and early October, golden forests in the Montseny later in the season, and far fewer cars on the coast roads. A peak-season supplement may apply from June to 15 September.
Ready to ride?
The Girona Loop starts and finishes at our shop in Barcelona (Carrer de València 337). Prices start at 899 € per person. Prefer it guided, shorter or with an extra rest day in Girona? We can customise it.
See dates and book the Girona Loop
Need a bike? Rent a road bike or a gravel bike from our shop.
Header photo: Cala d’Aiguablava, Begur. Photo: Miquel Àngel Patiño, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Tamariu: Photo: Chris j wood, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
