As a cycling lover, no matter where in the province of Girona you are, no matter how much free time you have or what your level of fitness is or isn't, rest assuredsomewhere nearby lies a cycling route just for you. Family cycling, multi-day cycling, extremely challenging mountain terrain cycling... You name it, Girona has it!
This cycling infrastructure miracle has not sprung upon the province overnight. Just like other significant infrastructure projects, the Girona cycling network has been building up gradually, connecting the independent, previously standalone cycling routes and cycling trails financed by the government, sports federations and the private sector.
What we have in Girona today is a robust cycling network that is enjoyed by thousands of locals and visitors year-round. Once you are aware of all the cycling possibilities, you are guaranteed to have an unforgettable trip!
Vies Verdes (The Greenways)
The Greenways in Spain is a collective name for hiking and cycling routes that replaced some of the unused railways in the country.
Motorized vehicles including motorcycles aren't allowed on the Greenways. The recommended speed is 10 km/h. Crossings with regular roads are clearly marked with special signs.
Xarxa de cicloturisme del Baix Empordā
The cycling network of Baix Empordā has been put in place by the regional government, using existing, yet barely used, local roads and trails. The shift of high-speed automotive traffic to newly built highways has calmed the circulation of cars on local roads, allowing them to be used for fitness and leisure purposes. The total length of all routes in the network combined is about 250 km, and most of the routes are suitable for beginners and intermediate riders.
The navigation signs for Xarxa de cicloturisme del Baix Empordā are placed on road poles along the way, most commonly where routes from different networks intersect or where a route in question crosses a regular road or street. A dark-red rectangular panel with a bicycle sign in the top corner informs the cyclist of the direction of travel, as well as of the distance to a nearby town or place of interest.
Following a route or a trail from the Xarxa de cicloturisme del Baix Empordā network, keep the possibility of sharing the road with car traffic in mind and exercise more caution than you would on the car-free Greenways.
Pirinexus
Pirinexus is a 353-km circular cycling route that runs along the Catalan province of Girona and the French department of East Pyrenees. It is the only circular itinerary of reasonable length, fit for a multi-day cycling trip.
Navigating Pirinexus is made possible by the road signs specifically designed for this unique itinerary, but where the route is shared with other networks, namely the Greenways and Xarxa de cicloturisme del Baix Empordā, their navigation signs take precedence. The 20 km-long portion of the route between Palamós and Sant Feliu de Guíxols is simply a regular road with regular road signs and pretty heavy traffic.
Via Augusta
Laid out by the Romans two thousand years ago, Via Augusta begins at the French border in La Jonquera and ends at the other side of the country in Cadiz. The total length of the road exceeds 1500 km. Select portions of this ancient route are now speedy highways, but otherwise, it is still quite suitable for cycling with minimal interference from cars.
Navigating along Via Augusta, look for yellow-and-blue rectangles, crosses and angles signalling the correct direction of travel, the wrong direction of travel, and the change in the direction of travel, respectively.
Grans camins de l'aigua
The network Grans camins de l'aigua, built up in the district of La Selva in Girona, includes ten itineraries, six out of which are cycling routes: the aforementioned Via Augusta and Camí de la Tordera both have their own navigation, but four others are "native" to La Selva:
- Camí de Terra Negra: Caldes de Malavella - Tossa de Mar (25 km)
- Camí dels Avellaners: Santa Coloma de Farners - Brunyola - Anglčs (21.6 km)
- Camí dels Segadors: Santa Coloma de Farners - Riudaneres - Sils - Vidreres (17 km)
- Camí de l'Onyar: Brunyola - Vilobí d'Onyar - Riudellots de la Selva (19 km)
Ruta del Ter
The river Ter, one of the most vital rivers in Catalonia, begins in the Pyrenees more than 2000 m above sea level, runs through the Girona terrain for 220 km and meets the Mediterranean Sea on a totally flat and rock-free estuary on a Costa Brava beach.
The cycling itinerary Ruta del Ter that follows the river is broken down into four stages, each with distinctly different features and difficulty levels:
1. Vallter 2000 - Ripoll
Distance: 48.7 km
The highest elevation: 2,168 m
The lowest elevation: 690 m
Difficulty level: medium
2. Ripoll - Manlleu
Distance: 46.7 km
The highest elevation: 714 m
The lowest elevation: 446 m
Difficulty level: high
3. Manlleu - Girona
Distance: 75.24 km
The highest elevation: 645 m
The lowest elevation: 64 m
Difficulty level: medium-high
4. Girona - Gola del Ter
Distance: 49.18 km
The highest elevation: 114 m
The lowest elevation: 0 m
Difficulty level: low
Those aiming to complete the itinerary in full should rely on a mountain bike. The last stage between Girona and Gola del Ter can accommodate a regular bicycle.
The navigation sign for Ruta del Ter is a wave whose colour and background vary based on the stage of the itinerary (hiking only, cycling only, or mixed) and on the type of surface where the sign appears (a pole, a rock, a tree).
A white wave in a green square signals a hiking route, whereas a dark red square means a cycling one. Two triangles of both colours are reserved for mixed-use routes. Rocks and trees along the way carry a green wave for hiking routes, a dark red wave for cycling routes, and a double wave for mixed-use routes.
A basic sign alone means you are moving in the right direction. A crossed-out wave means the direction of travel is wrong, while a wave with left- and right-pointing arrows signals a change in direction.
Itinerānnia
The Itinerānnia network exists with the support of three municipalities in GironaRipollčs, Garrotxa, and Alt Empordā. The total length of the routes in the network is over 2500 km. Itinerānnia is planned in such a way as to connect every town and a place of interest in the participating districts by at least one route.
Initially, the network was meant to be a hiking one, but there are also two cycling itineraries of medium difficulty:
- Peralada - Serra de Altrera (20.3 km)
- Figueres - Peralada - Roses (21.8 km)
Mountain bike itineraries
Those wanting to discover nature aboard a mountain bike (called bicicleta todo terreno or BTT in Spanish, vélo tout terrain or VTT in French) can enjoy access to the ever-growing network of BTT cycling centres.
A Centre BTT is a cycling hub where you can rent a mountain bike, get cycling maps, repair and wash your bike, have a bite, change and even shower. Girona has five such centres, and three of them are fairly close to the Costa Brava coast:
- Centre BTT of La Selva
Routes: 22
Carrer Pujada de l'Estació, 15 | 17170 Amer, Girona - Centre BTT Baix Empordā
Routes: 21
Avinguda del Carrilet, 34, 17249 | Castell-Platja d'Aro, Girona - Centre BTT Salines Bassegoda of Alt Empordā
Routes: 33
Cāmping Maįanet | 17720 Maįanet de Cabrenys, Girona
Cāmping Bassegoda Park | 17733 Albanyā, Girona
The BTT cycling routes are marked by yellow triangles and a pair of yellow circles. Look for the BTT abbreviation inside the triangle and an angle indicating the direction of travel right across it. The route numbers are noted in white on the side, with the background colour indicating the difficulty level of the route: green for low difficulty, blue for medium difficulty, red for high difficulty, and black for the most experienced mountain bikers only.
Map of the bicycle routes in Baix Empordā (PDF)
Map of Grans Camins de l'Aigua route network in La Selva (PDF)