Bike Tour Reviews Medieval Villages Of Catalonia
Guided from EUR € 1850
Self guided from EUR € 1350
Guided:
Daily, upon request: Mar 1-Jun 30; Sep 1-Nov 15, 2023 (additional dates in Jul-Aug available upon request for a surcharge)
Self-guided:
Daily, upon request: Mar 1-Jun 30; Sep 1-Nov 15, 2023 (additional dates in Jul-Aug available upon request for a surcharge)
Description:
This Medieval villages cycling tour is a perfect way to explore the quieter and less traveled areas of this fascinating region of Catalonia. The tour starts in Girona city and winds its way gently through the undulating and ever-changing scenery of the…
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★★★★★ PDBB May 17, 2017
Challenging and Beautiful Trip across Costa Brava and Baix Emporda
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
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★★★★★ Evelyn Savage 7 months agoAdventure
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
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★★★★★ Oscar September 9, 2017
Very interesting sights, routes could be better planned/guided
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
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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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★★★★★ Christopher Attwood 7 months ago
The Coast and Medieval 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.
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★★★★★ Cowboybob October 17, 2017
Off-Road Adventure
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
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★★★★★ HelC June 4, 2017
Excellent from start to finish!
This is a great introduction to the region, mixing coast and countryside, modern and ancient. We took the guided option to spare ourselves the map reading, the routes are generally well signposted but a few turnings could be tricky to spot. We've done previous tours in Tuscany I'd say the grade 2 rating is appropriate for the length of daily ride (up to 40km) plus the hills are fewer and generally shorter than the grade 2 Tuscany rides. Recommend taking the coastal walk option on day three, the botanical gardens are lovely even for a non-botanist. Bikes are very high quality, not a single problem all week, and even at a leisurely pace we were at our hotels by 4pm and able to enjoy a relaxed evening. No complaints at all, it was a great week!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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
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★★★★★ marka3 April 4, 2022
wonderful bike tour
Medieval Villages of Catalonia was a great cycling tour for us. We went in late March, and had very little rain and no traffic/crowds. Daniel was an excellent tour organizer. Very friendly, helpful , organized. The GPS systems( 2 of them) along with the maps made it impossible to get lost on our self guided tour. The hotels were good, and the bikes were very good. Highly recommend this tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 19/3 to 1/4
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 others
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Bonita September 25, 2017
Great scenery, great food & good biking trails
Our guide, Daniel with Creative Catalonia, was always aware of our safety. He was knowledgeable about the things we were seeing. If he didn't know the answer to questions, we'd often receive an email that evening containing an answer. We got to see some amazing sites. The hotels were very nice & resturants we were directed to were usually really good. He made sure that our bikes were all in good, working condition.
- 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
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson, founder and president September 26, 2017
Thank you for your review and ratings! Daniel is great, as is the Creative Catalonia organization. I'm glad you were able to have such a positive experience with them.
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★★★★★ WilcoxTandem November 10, 2019
Great Bike Ride with our 20 year old Grandson
Our Grandson is attending a College Semester in Barcelona and had a week off. Since we have done 4 other tours with Bike Tours we contacted them to find the right ride. Right away Taylor did a very good job of directing us to the Medieval Villages Ride. We wanted to take our own tandem and she contacted Lucy and Daniel to make sure it would work on the non asphalt paths.
During the ride Lucy and Daniel did and outstanding job of supporting us even though it was a Self Guided ride. The second day there was a huge lightening/thunder storm with lots of rain. They contacted us that morning and we mutually decided to not ride and they transported us along with our tandem to the next hotel.
The rout, scenery, and historical value was out of this world. Thanks everyone for a great ride---Barrie and Susan- What was the date of your tour?
- October, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15
- 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
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★★★★★ Mattman October 25, 2016
Wonderful Cycling Vacation
This trip was exactly what we we're hoping for. Casual cycling along the coast and villages. The bikes we're fantastic and comfortable. All the hotels were first class and the food and ambiance in the hotels and small restaurants throughout the trip were delightful. GPS was adequate, but be sure you can read a map! The tour briefing was helpful beforehand and be sure you understand how to change a tire before you embark. There is some incredibly beautiful country on this ride, and since it is 6 days long, I think if we we're to do it again we might have skipped a day of riding in Calella de Palafrugel in favor of a hike along the coastline. There are some lovely hiking trails that were begging to be explored. Also, by traveling in early October we missed the european vacationers and essentially had all the beaches and villages to ourselves. Never a worry with busy roads or vehicle traffic. Looking forward to our next adventure.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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
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★★★★★ bikebuddies September 20, 2017
Muy Bueno!
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
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★★★★★ pam123 September 5, 2018
Beautiful landscapes - amazing way to see Catalonia
Our second trip through biketours.com did not disappoint. We did the peak season self-guided trip in August 2018. Our orientation guide was extremely kind and took a lot of time with us to get us oriented to the materials and the bikes. There was a hiccup on the first day with the bag drop off, but Daniel, the head of the local tour company, was responsive and immediately worked to rectify it. We were pleased that they gave us both a GPS device and an smartphone with the routes outlined in the maps.me app - so both of us could follow our route in real time. We had a few times where we had to backtrack just a bit to make a different turn, but we were never lost -- and the GPS-enabled devices meant we could venture off the course when we liked and then find our way back to the pre-determined route pretty easily. Bikes were very good. Roads were a mix of paved and dirt (about 60/40 I'd guess). We had one flat just before the last day but we were able to fix it with just tire inflation. All in all, we liked the routes and the suggested stopping points, as well as the hotels we stayed in -- especially the first and the last hotels. One thing that would have made the trip better would have been some information on each daily route, with more suggestions/options on places to stop in the various towns or along the way -- e.g. churches, museums, other points of interest.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Bonita September 16, 2017
This Tour went beyond our expectations!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Kathryn Staropoli 7 months ago
This trip exceeded all expectations!
This was the perfect trip! I love biking on a recreational level, and the friend I went with is a more avid biker, but it was great for both of us. It was challenging without being too difficult. We rode 20-25 miles a day on the self guided tour and loved it. We were on bike paths, trails, and dedicated bike lanes for almost the entire trip. We rode through farms and fields, along the sea, and through beautiful medieval villages without ever feeling like we had to rush to reach our destination, and we always felt safe. We met Daniel from Creative Catalonia, who set us up with the bikes, and he was incredibly kind and helpful. We had no trouble at all, so we never had to reach out for assistance, but I'm sure he would have been able to help us out if we were ever in need. They did let us know that the hotel restaurant where we would be having dinner was hosting an event the night we were staying there, and asked if we wanted them to make a reservation for us so we would still be able to eat there. We said yes and enjoyed a wonderful dinner thanks to their considerate outreach.
The GPS worked very well. My friend is very good with directions and she did a great job navigating. Some spots, those intersections with a number of options, were sometimes hard to correctly discern, but if we did choose the wrong path, the GPS quickly corrected us and we would be on our way after only a few extra minutes. The route they programmed for us was really great. We loved going through fields, farms, and wooded areas, riding along the Mediterranean was just beautiful, and we stopped in several of the medieval villages to explore, shop, or grab lunch. We didn't typically stop where they suggested we go for lunch or a coffee, but we were always able to find food and drink along the way. The stops they recommended for sightseeing were really great and we did stop for all of those. They were fun and varied. They included a botanical garden, the Dali museum, the ancient ruins of a city, and a lighthouse! The route they chose was exactly what we were hoping for.
They were also great about the luggage transfers. It was always at the hotel when we arrived and the hotels themselves were really nice, they were clean and comfortable, and each included a delicious breakfast.
We did go in the off season and really lucked out with the weather considering we were there the last week of October. It was perfect biking weather for me, clear and sunny, with temperatures in the high 60s and into the 70s every day. The fact that many cafes and restaurants were closed was not a big deal, we always found a place to eat. Quite honestly, it was a small price to pay for the lack of tourists. Everywhere we went was far less crowded than it would have been in season.
I highly recommend this tour and Creative Catalonia.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first
- 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
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★★★★★ Sara Riordan 6 months ago
Wonderful ride, wonderful scenery, wonderful people
My friend and I chose the self-guided trip and loved every minute of it. Daniel was very thorough in orienting us to the itinerary and important details. The map and GPS worked great and we felt very safe. Our accommodations were nicer than expected with lovely hosts, great views, delicious breakfasts, and very comfortable rooms. The riding was not difficult and gave us a chance to explore as we wished. It was magical to ride through the rolling countryside and medieval villages. I loved riding along the coast and jumped in the Mediterranean at every beach. Our trip was the last week in October with (unseasonably) warm weather and no crowds. We visited castles, museums, an archeological dig, and a gorgeous botanical garden on a cliff above the sea. Last but certainly not least, the food was amazing everywhere we went. It was just perfect! Many thanks for a very well-organized tour!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Late October 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- My first organized by a company
- 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
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★★★★★ Sharon Roberts 9 months ago
Beautiful Spain!
Best curated trip I’ve been on so far. Hotels were pretty and comfortable and had wonderful staff. Bikes were in great shape and loved the electronic gps devices provided. The creative Catalonia folks were over the top helpful. Great mix of beaches, medieval villages and scenic views of the mountains and the med. Highly recommend.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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
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★★★★★ BikingNana September 21, 2016
Fabulous vacation pedaling by the Sea
This trip was a blast. I love seeing the world from the back of a bicycle. We had great weather the entire trip. There were a lot of gravel roads but not much traffic. We were self-guided with maps and a Garmin so we enjoyed getting off course a few times at first with lots of laughs. We ate in some fabulous restaurants suggested by the super nice lady who gave us our bikes and packets. She was very helpful and insightful with great ideas. The villages were full of nice people, historical castles and churches. I really enjoyed staying in the towns by the Mediterranean Sea and going to the beaches. Girona is a beautiful city. I liked the narrow old streets lined with little shops and walking the wall built around the city. We rode our bikes up and over Els Angels on our last day and it was a nice view from the top. We only had one small issue when our luggage was taken to the wrong hotel but it arrived within an hour. I highly recommend this bike tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 09/07/2016-09/12/2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- First one
- 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
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★★★★★ Bruce K August 23, 2017
Terrific all the way around
Wonderful trip. The routes were well-planned and suitable for a group of six with differing levels of biking experience. The scenery was spectacular. With the garmins, following the route paths was easy. Being able to stay two nights at each hotel (all first-class) was great, giving us a feel for the places we were staying in, and the loop routes on alternating days meant we experienced something new each day, too. Lucy, the Creative Catalonia founder, was enormously helpful and easy to work with. I can't say enough about how great a time we had. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 5/29/2017 - 6/5/2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Veronica Calderon 8 months ago
Better than expected!
Very organized, hotels were amazing, people were friendly. Never felt lost or like i didn't know what to do. Couldn't recommend more, will definitely using biketours.com again. Thanks for everything!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ kathy60 October 1, 2019
Beautiful coastline & Great Hotels
We have done many trips with biketours and this will be remembered as a very special one. The hotels were very good and we even had ocean view rooms! This is extremely rare on packaged bike tours, even when upgrading hotels. The old town of Girona is fun to explore. Daniel provided a good briefing and even though this was September, his bikes were excellent and seemed brand new. This is a rarity for September tours as usually it's evident the bikes have already been used all season. As someone else mentioned, Daniel provides both a gps and an adroid with the routes on maps.me. This makes the trip so much more enjoyable for the navigators! The Brava Costa coastal area in early September was beautiful and we swam every day. The restaurants are still open, but not as busy as in August. The Arc Hotel in Monells is a little gem and very relaxing. The route itself has some dirt roads and some hills ... and even though the distances are shorter, if it's hot you'll feel like you've had a good ride, with time for a swim after each day.
- What was the date of your tour?
- early September, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 15+
- 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
