Catalonia Bike Tour Reviews
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★★★★★ PDBB May 17, 2017Challenging and Beautiful Trip across Costa Brava and Baix Emporda
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
Just completed this cycle trip. Scenery was stunning, as promised. Weather (May) was also very good (showers on 1 day only); temps mostly in mid-teens celsius. Bikes of excellent quality; maps could have been better (larger scale of font, better readability). Cycle routes were mostly well marked; but you can never have enough signage. I would not agree that the routes wind "gently" through the region. Hotels (even the 2-star) were very good; breakfasts Good to VG. The regional food is delicious; local bike company provided useful recommendations for restaurants and advice. This was our second cycling trip (4 seniors), and it was definitely more challenging (even with shorter daily distances) than the last (Danube) trip.The terrain is not "mostly flat with few hills to climb"; some hills were daunting/steep and long. We completed the tour but were never able to do the suggested/offered "optional extra cycling rides" after the day's cycling; simply too much for us to tackle. Others might be more accomplished or fit, but we rarely rolled into the next destination before 6 PM. We choose self-guided; but local cycling company was always available to assist if needed (we emailed regularly). This was not a Level 1 tour; nor does it claim to be. But it may not even be a Level 2 tour? Scenery of Mediterranean coast was stunning and the medieval villages were beautiful. All of us are glad to have taken the tour, and to have finished the cycling challenges. It's a beautiful part of Spain.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1 previously (Level 1)
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Oscar September 9, 2017
Very interesting sights, routes could be better planned/guided
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
The medieval villages of Catalonia are certainly worth the visit. Beautiful and well maintained and inhabited villages, and of course the starting point in Girona old city - really beautiful places. In addition, for history lovers there are three interesting archaeological sites of ancient Iberian towns/villages on the road.
On the downside are some difficulties with cycling itself. If this tour had difficulty 1-2 on the scale 1-5, I wonder what categories 3-4 are. A very big part of the routes were "dirty roads", which as best meant steady sand roads, but as well at some places really rocky roads or soft sand. And the navigation... The Catalonian way of marking cycle routes left at quite many points room for improvement, especially those tiny little signs. But also the maps provided (piles of A4 paper sheets) meant that far too much of energy was spent on navigation instead of enjoying the cycling.
Equipment, service, accomodation: excellent.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson, Founder and president September 10, 2017
Dear Oscar,
Thank you for your valuable feedback, which we will pass along to the local tour company that operates the tour. In the meantime, we will also update the "Surface and terrain" information to reflect your comments.
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★★★★★ Cowboybob October 17, 2017
Off-Road Adventure
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
My first tour with Creative Catalonia tours, and I would consider another. I was with a group of eight friends, one who managed the Garmin about 90% of the daily routes were on off-roadway, gravel trails through beautiful countryside. Staying on route required close reading of the route maps at times. The villages toured are amazing for their age and charm. Plenty of great cafes and restaurants along the way. The arranged hotel lodging was very good.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 6, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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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★★★★★ Christopher Attwood 7 months ago
The Coast and Medieval Catalonia
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
What a lovely cycle tour. Mostly on cycle tracks that avoid the hustle and danger of busy roads. We were in an exclusive group of 10 which does add to the flexibility and fun of the ride. Riding with GPS is a game changer. So easy and allows for "self-guided" tours. I do think more variations should be incorporated on the routes to allow one to tailor make the ride for distance and substance. All the suggested restuarants and photo opportunities were spot on. If "Unguided", a better backround pack of stops and their historical significance could be prepared. Great holiday and experience.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Evelyn Savage 7 months ago
Adventure
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
Medieval Villages of Catalonia was an adventurous, fun and challenging bike tour. The villages were very interesting, the hotels very nice, the ebikes great and self guided directions mostly good. We had a few challenges finding some of the paths and the terrain was much more mountain biking than expected. But we found our way and enjoyed the beautiful countryside. One should be an experienced cyclist or mountain biker to enjoy the trails have some experience with directions to do self guided. Overall a very good way to experience the Baja Emporda coast and Medieval towns.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Pablito October 23, 2016Great Trip
· Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
We had a large group (16!) with varying levels of ability. All aspects of the tour were great. Logistics worked well: pick up and fitting of bikes went without a hitch. The rides were very scenic and covered a range of terrain, from mountains to the flats. All hotels were very nice and Creative Catalonia booked a couple of very fine meals in Olot and Llafranc at truly world-class restaurants. Scenery on the rides was fantastic, and the routes had little traffic and were often off the roads altogether.
The only hiccup of the trip was that only 4 map packages were provided to our group. Would have expected that each rider would get a full pack of maps.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 9-16
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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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★★★★★ 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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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson, Founder and president September 27, 2017
Thank you for the great review, Rosemary! We love the "superlatives!" We agree that Creative Catalonia is among the best of the best--absolutely exceptional.
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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 1 month ago
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 3 weeks ago
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 2 weeks ago
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 1 week ago
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 6 days ago
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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★★★★★ 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
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★★★★★ Jennifer Willans 2 weeks ago
Self guided Road cycle trip in Catalonia, Spain
· Catalonia Road Bike Tour: Girona to the Sea
The hotels were excellent. The trip was graded as moderate and this was appropriate. We were happy the operator provided options for making the days more difficult if we chose to. There was a very good variety in the routes and the scenery was excellent. The routes were very well planned and easy to follow on the device they provided. We felt safe on the roads (routes) provided. The tour operator was available over WhatsAPP and responded quickly.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ ErinH March 21, 2016
Beyond Awesome!
· Medieval Villages of Catalonia
I had an absolutely wonderful time! Daniel and Lucy (AKA Creative Catalonia) went out of their way to make this a fabulous trip. The scenery is terrific, the hotels were great! Food was out of this world! Particularly good if you like history, which I do. This was my first trip to Spain, but it will NOT be the last! I went on the off-season, so it was quiet, which I enjoy
- How many tours have you completed?
- this is my second
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
