Catalonia Bike Tour Reviews (page 2)
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★★★★★ Sue Larson 4 months agoFabulous Way to Experience Beautiful Catalonia
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
This tour was a magical way to see the sights and sounds of beautiful Catalonia. The bikes were of a superior quality and shifted easily - which was a good thing because there was a lot of shifting involved along the way. The accommodations were top-notch and the GPS perfectly directed us along the way. Daniel was an exceptional vendor and his positive nature and encouragement were welcome and valued. He checked-in during the tour to make sure that all was well. This trip was a dream come true and comes highly recommended!
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Ronald Sawyer 4 months ago
Beautiful countryside, impressive historical sights (and sites)
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
Daniel and his crew were perfection when it came to organizing and helping with our self guided tour. Bicycling terrain and level exactly as promised.
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Colleen Petters 4 months ago
Biking, Sea, Art, Wine!
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
This bike trip included so many of the things we love: touring on two wheels, ancient historic towns, wine, Spanish food and art of the region.
We self-guided using the excellent map and GPS provided which helped facilitate fun side trips and stops, then returning to the established routes. Navigation was easy for all, even the one among us who is directionally challenged!
The hotels each had great character, charm and comforts, and we enjoyed the two 2-night stay overs where day trips were planned.
The Spanish individuals we met were friendly and welcoming. Using our basic tourist level Spanish helped us be polite and friendly in return.
The countryside scenery, small towns and roads/trails were great! Food and wine throughout this Catalonia region were excellent and fair priced.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Kathy K 2 months ago
Beautiful Villages and Stunning Sea!
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
I recently did the self-guided trip as a mom and son getaway with my 14-year old. We did this on e-bikes. Daniel was kind and thoughtful and checked in on us along the way via text. He was on time for bike delivery and super organized, setting us up for success. The hotels selected were great even though we booked last minute. Each of our rooms along the mediterranean had views of the Sea which was stunning and exceeded our expectations. My son managed the GPS and all of the navigating and we had an easy time of this. The route itself was wonderful! A great mix of medieval and coast and I wonder if the tour title should give more emphasis to the time spent along the coast, which was absolutely beautiful! I was sad to leave Llafranc and put the sea behind us, but this was quickly replaced with fascination at the beauty of the small villages. Overall, this was a wonderful adventure. The weather was superb and the towns were not crowded with tourists (late June). I do recommend the e-bikes if you have varying levels of experience and want to stray off the tour routes at all to bike uphill to other towns not on the tour route. We had more than enough time and energy to add things like this because of the benefit of the pedal-assist.
- What was the date of your tour?
- late June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Kate Seppala 2 months agoPerfect tour of Catalonia!
· Great Pyrenees and Costa Brava E-Bike Tour
From our welcome and thorough briefing in Girona, to the comfortable and capable bikes, the stunning views, memorable accommodations, delectable food and wine, history and wonder of the region, I highly recommend this trip! The tour winds all across Catalonia and offers many miles on trials and nearly car-free roads. The drivers in Catalonia were extremely courteous and always provided plenty of room when passing. We found the directions, information, and navigation app to be easy to use (make sure you bring a portable charger for your phone). The tour operators provide suggestions to customize your itinerary for each day dependent on distance and interest. The e-bikes are a great match for this enticing and challenging route! We traveled in April and found the weather to be quite lovely. Catalonia is windy so be sure to bring the appropriate gear. Yet another reason to love the e-bikes! We opted for the premium hotel and added on a few of the additional tours/meals offered through the tour operator. Happy with all of it!
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Vijay DSouza 5 months agoBeautiful and fun experience
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
This trip surpassed our expectations. The scenery was beautiful. The food was delicious and the hotels were really unique places with character. Most of the trip is on paths and gravel or dirt roads, so you and your bike will get dusty. Also you should try to eat between 1 and 4, as small towns may not have anything open outside those hours. Logistics were great and it was nice to be provided a GPS so we didn't have to use our own phones. Definitely would recommend this to anyone. If you are not a strong cyclist there's a few spots where you might want an e bike or else will be walking, but generally it's a pretty easy ride. Daniel from the tour company was very responsive via WhatsApp to us.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Rosie September 26, 2017
One of the best researched and organized tours I've ever been on
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
Creative Catalonia selected absolutely the best routes through beautiful countryside and seaside scenery as well as taking one through picturesque villages and selecting really great hotels in interesting cities and villages. We had a great variety of scenery and experiences. Additionally their equipment was great and their maps and instructions were very clear. Their assessments of distances and difficulty were right on and they kept us on small farm roads or streets with very few cars as much as possible. They also provided one garmen for every group that had the route programmed into it. It was impossible to get lost. They were also helpful with he small changes we wanted to make and had great suggestions for restaurants and other experiences along the way.
This is an exceptional outfitter.
Rosemary Heil
fall 2017- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Anne52 October 2, 2017
An idyllic, romantic and gorgeous bike trip!
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
This was our first self guided bike trip and what a lucky choice it was! Daniel and Lucy of Creative Catalonia are a dynamic couple who were so personable and helpful. They have organized a fascinating and beautiful bike trip. We were amazed at the often paved bike paths that wound through gorgeous country side, from the mountains to the sea. The places we stayed were super, we were often alone on the paths, the side trips were interesting, the restaurant recommendations were outstanding... We can't rave enough about this outstanding bike tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 14 - 21, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ george October 3, 2017
Surprisingly luxurious biking
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
the biking was largely on old railroad right of ways or farm roads. the sections on paved roads were nearly deserted of traffic. The Costa Brava was gorgeous. Lots of medieval stone hilltop towns. The hotels were just fabulous. Great lunches and dinners for relatively little money. A side trip to the Dali museum.
- What was the date of your tour?
- mid-September
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ GregS June 25, 2018
Wonderful Trip, Great Experience
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
Great service, Hotels and staff were the best. Level 3 was a little tough for a beginner, but I made it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 5-8-18/5-18-18
- How many tours have you completed?
- First
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ StuNH October 14, 2021
A tour far exceeding expectations!
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
Reading previous reviews, what most needs to be said is praise for this tour is not over rated. It was an exceptional tour! We did the tour in late September into October. The high tourist season was past, so our entire tour was quiet, peaceful, relaxing. The weather was very pleasant, and swimming in the Mediterranean was delightful. We had 3 days on the coast to enjoy that. We loved the various cycling experiences - the "Carrilet", the coast (Costa Brava), and the medieval villages. The hotels were all outstanding.
Even though the tour was self guided, the tour operator remained in touch and was exceptional.- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/28/21 - 10/6/21
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+ (I've lost count)
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Craig Williams April 28, 2023
Loved all the old cities!
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
Great route, the cities we rode thru and old rail trails were safer than city/country roads. The guide was fantastic with educational info, language skills and expertise on coffee and lunch/dinner stops.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Ulla Dueck May 11, 2023
Great adventure!
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
This was our first visit to Spain and what a fabulous way to see part of the country. Our guide (Daniel) was the best. The terrain varied many times along the route, but was always manageable. The hotels were great and the food was delicious. Loved the abundance of seafood.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Julie Griesert May 18, 2023
Fabulous trip
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
This was our third self-guided bike trip and probably the most organized and well-planned. Daniel met us at the first hotel and was very thorough with instructions, giving us both a map with notes as well as a gps that worked great. He even made dinner reservations at one of the hotels (the restaurant is amazing and reservations must be made in advance). We loved the variety of areas the route took us through - country and coastal. The last 2 hotels were over the top, and the last one was our absolute favorite. Things to know when considering this trip: you have to want to bike most of the day, that's what these trips are about. We'd start our days with a great breakfast and then were on the road by 10 or 10:30, biking until the afternoon (anywhere from 2 - 4pm depending on the mileage). I had an e-bike but the other 2 of us had regular bikes. I was happy to have the assist so I could keep up. You will likely run into a few stretches that aren't pleasant; maybe next to a noisy road, or suddenly it gets super windy or rainy and bugs are flying into your eyes (I recommend eye wear of some kind) but then you are in blissful sections in the middle of a quiet forest on a rail-to-trail path, or rolling through sunny fields of wheat. The less pleasant bits were rare but do note that these trips are better for people who can handle a bit of rain or wind or whatever. Food tip: Meal times in Europe are skewed later and restaurants and stores may not be open when you want to eat. Try to plan ahead and either buy picnic food in town in the am so you can eat on the road later, or be prepared to eat a fixed price multi-course lunch in the later afternoon (unless you are in a bigger town that has more options). We managed to convince a couple places to do a lower fixed price lunch with fewer dishes but it's just not the norm. By the end of the trip we were so done with large meals. It was new for us to have the 2 night stays in 2 of the hotels but they were at our 2 favorite hotels and with the one on the coast, we ended up taking advantage of the 2 nights by not doing the second day's ride. It was cold, windy, and a bit rainy so we ended up taking a very slow morning until the rain subsided, then we walked the coastal footpath, which was gorgeous. It worked out well as a nice break. Also, I recommend not looking up the hotels in advance - one of the fun things about these trips is rolling up to the hotel in the afternoon and knowing nothing about it. On previous trips we've had some pretty odd mixes of places, including one semi-creepy place (not on this trip) that we still laugh about today and even kind of appreciate that we ended up there. All-in-all a great trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Theresa Schwingenschloegl May 26, 2023
A fabulous 7 days
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
Our e bike tour was meticulously routed by our guide Daniel. With his planning we adapted our North American stomachs to a later lunch which was always timed perfectly for the 4 of us to to end our day, allowing us to relax and enjoy a delicious main meal accompanied by wonderful local wines and beers. It was a surprise to us that our bike tour was just the four of us but it turned out to be a wonderful active holiday at just the right pace. A mirror and a bell for my e bike are the only suggestions I could make. We were mostly on well packed trails but also had fabulous downhill riding on quiet well paved roads where you could see a good distance ahead, which gave confidence to a novice rider. The weather cooperated, our accomadations were very comfortable, our bags were always there ahead of us, the bikes were great. What wonderful holiday.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Theresa Schwingenschloegl May 27, 2023
A fabulous 7 days
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
Our e bike tour was meticulously routed by our guide Daniel. With his planning we adapted our North American stomachs to a later lunch which was always timed perfectly for the 4 of us to to end our day, allowing us to relax and enjoy a delicious main meal accompanied by wonderful local wines and beers. It was a surprise to us that our bike tour was just the four of us but it turned out to be a wonderful active holiday at just the right pace. A mirror and a bell for my e bike are the only suggestions I could make. We were mostly on well packed trails but also had fabulous downhill riding on quiet well paved roads where you could see a good distance ahead, which gave confidence to a novice rider. The weather cooperated, our accomadations were very comfortable, our bags were always there ahead of us, the bikes were great. What wonderful holiday.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Anne Stanek 11 months ago
Second time on this trip and it was well worth a second visit!
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
This trip is extremely well organized, with lovely hotels, great breakfasts and so much variety in the bike routes. Although it has some challenging uphills, a lot of it is down hill, which is great fun. There is so much scenic beauty - going from the Pyrenees down to the Mediterranean Coast. It was really nice to stay in the same hotel two separate times (one right on the Mediterranean and another next to a castle) but still do loop rides which were fun. We found Daniel, owner of Creative Catalonia, was a most personable and easy going guy. We had a problem with a bike and within two hours (during which time we enjoyed one of the many superb lunches we had along the way) he had arrived where we were and fixed the bike. This is still one of my most favorite rides out of the ten tours that we have done over the years.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ bikebuddies September 20, 2017
Muy Bueno!
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
A great way to see and experience this area of Spain. The hotels were very nice to exceptional; especially the Hotel Los Arcs in Monells with its very gracious host/owner family and wonderful food. The maps and Garmin GPS made route finding almost flawless and the tour operators (Lucy and Daniel ) checked in with us during the week to see how things were going and if we needed anything. Don't miss seeing the Botanical Gardens midway through the trip on one of the loop rides; it is very well worth a visit. We have done over a dozen self-guided bike tours in Europe and this is one of the best organized and planned.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 11-16, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 13
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ BobF September 15, 2016Best trip ever
· Catalonia Road Bike Tour: Girona to the Sea
Creative Catalonia (Daniel & Lucy) did an excellent job. Got us started and checked in with us midway. Maps, bikes and hotels could not have been better. I highly recommend this tour
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/1/16 - 98/16
- How many tours have you completed?
- three
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Timr October 18, 2016
Spectacular Scenery; Great Bikes and Accommodations
· Catalonia Road Bike Tour: Girona to the Sea
Creative Catalonia provided quality road bikes, great accommodations, and a good itinerary with a nice mix of countryside, spectacular seaside, and interesting medieval towns. We went in early October and the weather was perfect for riding. Mornings sometimes required long sleeves but that would quickly change to shirt sleeves. Just a bit cool for swimming in the sea. Roads were in great condition, and traffic was light. Because the area has a lot of bikers, drivers seem to be more aware and tend to give plenty of room. The routes provided could also be tailored to provide longer rides, if desired.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
