Touring Catalonia

[PTT]

Hi, I am planning a 7 day tour of Catalonia from Barcelona international airport in September and am looking for a specific tour I can load on to my garmin. We are looking for a varied tour on quiet roads. I have used CTC tours in France/Italy in the past but can't find anything suitable for Catalonia. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[rich p]

@MarkF has experience of that area I believe

 

[MarkF]

I have done 2 Catalonia tours and know the BCN area very well but I afraid I am not much help for a route. I don't know what a Garmin is and for such small area/tour I don't even take a map, I speak ok Spanish and know "roughly" whereabouts I am, I like to wing it.

OP.
You can easily cycle into BCN via Gava from the airport, only encountering difficulty as you hit the City ring roads, where I head for Montjuic/Poble Sec.
You can cycle pretty much traffic free along the sea front from BCN to Mataro (maybe further?) before going inland.
The coast road BCN C31 to Sitges is a fantastic, if gruelling ride.
The coast road south and north of BCN is horrible, apart from the views for the above ride, I'd avoid it. It is dangerous.
Girona, Vic & Terrassa are well worth seeing, so make a loop.
B roads can be incredibly quiet compared to the UK, you'll have a great time.

 

[Blue Hills]

I think you can take a ferry from Barcelona to Sardinia during the summer MarkF.

Ever been tempted?

 

[MarkF]

I think you can take a ferry from Barcelona to Sardinia during the summer MarkF.

Ever been tempted?

I've used the ferry to Palma, I didn't know that, now I do, yep, I am tempted. I fly to BCN so often because I live 10 mins from the airport and there usually a lot of cheap options. I've stopped taking my bike too for short trips, I just pick up a rental hybrid and go.

OP, I have book somewhere where a guy does a long Catalonia tour, you might find it interesting and pick out bits you'd like to see, if you want it, let me know.

 

[Blue Hills]

I've used the ferry to Palma, I didn't know that, now I do, yep, I am tempted. I fly to BCN so often because I live 10 mins from the airport and there usually a lot of cheap options. I've stopped taking my bike too for short trips, I just pick up a rental hybrid and go.

Not wanting to thread derail MarkF, but here you are.

http://www.grimaldi-lines.com/en

Thought it might be handy for you if you head to that bit of spain regularly - pretty sure you can also fly but why would you want to do that when you can have a cheapo cruise as a pedestrian/cyclist?

Porto Torres where the ferry docks is much improved since I first stepped off the ferry there many moons ago - many sards don't realise this - also a good museum with lots of roman stuff.

From Porto Torrres you could pedal to Alghero, which is actually Catalan kind of.- let me know if you need any more info on Sardinia.

Back to the OP's nice thread.

 

[PTT]

Thank you everyone for your help. The book on the long tour through Catalonia sounds like it could be really useful please.