On day 2, join a self-guided ride through Palafrugell’s market town towards Begur, climbing gently to its ridge for views of the Empordà plain. Pause amid Begur’s hilltop castle remains and elegant colonial Indianos mansions—homes built by locals who prospered in Cuba—before freewheeling to the long, dune-backed curve of Platja de Pals.

Follow quiet lanes through rice fields and cork oak country to Torroella de Montgrí. Along the way, pause for photos and reflection where the Montgrí Massif rises above the plain and the Illes Medes sit offshore. This varied first stage blends seaside air, medieval heritage and gentle rural cycling, setting a relaxed rhythm for the days ahead before you settle into your hotel in Torroella for two nights.

On day 3, pedal into Torroella’s compact centre to explore its medieval walls, arcaded squares and stone streets. Once the Royal Port for the Kings of Aragon, its fortunes shifted when the River Ter silted, leaving a legacy of merchant houses and quiet lanes perfect for cycling.

Follow the flat road to L’Estartit to breathe the salt air along its wide sands and gaze towards the Illes Medes, a protected marine reserve. Back in town, enjoy café culture beneath plane trees, or continue meandering through farmland threaded with irrigation canals and poplar groves, soaking up the Empordà’s agrarian rhythms before returning to your Torroella base for the evening.

Day 4 leads along easy lanes to L’Escala and the seaside archaeological site of Empúries. Founded by Greeks in 575 BC and later expanded by Rome, the settlement’s mosaics, stoas and forum reveal how Mediterranean trade shaped this coast. Continue through orchards and marshland to Castelló d’Empúries, where the imposing Sant Maria basilica rises above a tangle of medieval streets.

Turning inland, you’ll ride toward Figueres, Dalí’s hometown, on quiet roads edged with olives and vines. The day’s route threads antiquity, Gothic piety and modern Catalan life, inviting you to pause for photos and reflection at viewpoints over the Aiguamolls wetlands before settling into Figueres for the night.

On day 5, explore Figueres on foot, starting with La Rambla, a plane-shaded promenade lined with modernist facades and arcades. Drift into the old quarter’s medieval squares and arches, noticing nods to the town’s most famous son in shop windows and street art around the surreal red facade of Dalí’s theater museum.

Beyond the centre, detour to the 18th-century Castell de Sant Ferran, whose vast bastions once guarded the frontier. Whether you opt to visit interiors later, this unhurried morning reveals how Figueres evolved from a fortified town to a lively cultural hub, with cafés ideal for a mid-morning cortado before an afternoon at leisure.

Day 6 unfolds inland on an undulating route through deep-green meadows, vineyards and cork oak groves. Quiet lanes carry you past tiny hamlets where stone bell towers rise above vegetable plots and allotments, with swallows tracing patterns over tiled roofs.

As the landscape widens, follow the Rivers Ter and Onyar toward Girona. The approach reveals the city’s skyline—cathedral, ramparts and iron bridges—while the riverside paths deliver you gently into the historic centre. It’s a day to feel Catalonia’s rural cadence, enjoy picnic stops under pines, and arrive with time to settle into your hotel before an evening passeggiata through Girona’s atmospheric lanes.

On day 7, climb the Passeig de la Muralla to walk Girona’s city walls for sweeping views over terracotta roofs to the Pyrenees. Descend to the cathedral to admire its soaring nave—the widest in Gothic architecture—before wandering the cobbles of El Call, the Jewish Quarter, one of Europe’s best preserved.

Cross the bridges over the Onyar to photograph the painted riverside houses and pause by the Eiffel-designed Pont de Ferro. With the city’s layered history—from Roman Gerunda to medieval episcopal power—fresh in mind, enjoy time to enjoy a free afternoon in cafés and artisan boutiques tucked beneath stone arcades.

On day 8, ride the Carrilet Greenway, a traffic-free path along an old narrow-gauge railway that drifts mostly downhill toward the coast. Mediterranean pines scent the air as you pass farmsteads and old stations, with birdsong and bicycle hum your only soundtrack.

Reaching the shore, continue past Platja d’Aro and Calonge, where broad sands and promenades hint at leisurely seaside life. The route curves north to Calella de Palafrugell, where you’ll roll into a sweep of coves and tiled rooftops. It’s an easygoing finale that threads countryside tranquility with sea breezes before an evening to celebrate your journey by the water.

Make the most of day 3 with an optional guided ascent to Montgrí Castle, a stark 13th-century fortress perched atop the massif above Torroella. Follow a rocky path through thyme and rosemary, emerging onto the ridge as misty mountain passes fade toward the Pyrenees and the Illes Medes gleam offshore.

Your guide brings the site to life—royal power, frontier tensions and the unfinished towers—before a relaxed descent into town as the light softens. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; it’s a superb way to pause for photos and reflection over the Empordà plain at golden hour.

Also on day 5, uncover the scale of 18th-century military engineering at the Castell de Sant Ferran, one of Europe’s largest bastioned fortresses. A specialist guide leads you along vast ramparts and pentagonal bastions, explaining how Bourbon-era Spain fortified the frontier.

Explore the underground galleries and immense water cisterns that sustained the garrison, then look outward to understand how the fortress controlled the Empordà plain. This guided visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour; it offers a powerful counterpoint to the day’s artistic discoveries in Figueres.

On day 7, opt for a guided ride to Estany de Banyoles, Catalonia’s largest natural lake and venue for the 1992 Olympic rowing. Pedal through gentle farmland to the reed-edged shore, then follow the easy perimeter path with views of limestone hills mirrored in clear water.

There’s time to rest at designated bathing areas or enjoy coffee on the waterfront before the leisurely spin back to Girona. This excursion is at additional cost and bookable on tour; it offers a serene nature interlude and a chance to soak in the lakeside atmosphere between historic city explorations.

Enhance day 4’s coastal ride with a stop in L’Escala to sample its celebrated anchovies, cured the traditional way with salt and time. A short visit to the Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya – Empúries adds depth to the ruins you’ve seen, connecting artifacts to the Greek and Roman town plan outside.

Guides illuminate trade routes, amphorae and kitchenware that tell everyday stories of the ancient Mediterranean. This tasting and museum visit are at additional cost and bookable on tour; together they weave culinary heritage with archaeology in a compact, flavorful detour.

Turn day 3 by the coast into a marine adventure with a short cruise or guided kayak to the Illes Medes. Glide over Posidonia seagrass meadows in clear water, watching for cormorants and learning how this protected reserve became a biodiversity hotspot off the Costa Brava.

Skippers and kayak guides reveal sea caves, wave-carved cliffs and local conservation efforts before you return to L’Estartit’s promenade. This activity is weather-dependent, at additional cost and bookable on tour; it adds a fresh perspective to the week’s land routes and a chance to pause for photos and reflection offshore.

On day 5, step inside the world of Salvador Dalí with a guided visit to the Teatre-Museu Dalí, designed by the artist himself. Your guide leads you beneath the geodesic dome, past the Mae West Room and the whimsical Rainy Taxi installation, revealing the stories behind Dalí’s obsessions, collaborations and hometown roots.

Outside, the building’s red walls studded with golden loaves recall Catalan bread and surrealist playfulness. This visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour; it deepens the Figueres chapter by connecting streets you’ve walked with the imagination that made them famous.

Use your free time on day 7 to board a high-speed train from Girona to Barcelona (around 40 minutes) for a curated introduction to the Catalan capital. Stroll the Gothic Quarter’s lanes, step onto La Rambla and view the facades of Gaudí’s masterpieces such as the Sagrada Família and Casa Batlló.

A local host can point you toward tapas bars and leafy squares where the city’s rhythm unfurls. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; it’s an energising urban counterpoint to the week’s coastal and countryside cycling, with ample time to return to Girona by evening.

Arriving in Calella de Palafrugell on day 1, you’ll meet your local representative, get fitted to your bike and download the navigation app with your GPS routes. With the essentials in hand, wander down to the blue-flag beaches tucked between rocky headlands and whitewashed fishermen’s cottages, listening to the lap of waves against the coves.

Your host shares tips on where to dine and how to enjoy a free evening like a local. Calella’s maritime character still echoes in its stone arches along Port Bo beach and in the region’s “havaneres” sea shanties, brought back by traders from the Caribbean. Linger by the promenade as the sunset over the Mediterranean paints the pine-fringed coast in gold.