Cycling the Mediterranean Coast in Spain

Begin your adventure in Barcelona, a captivating city of quirky landmarks and excellent cuisine. Our cycling starts tomorrow but the adventure begins immediately as we take advantage of our time here with a guided walking tour. Stops include La Rambla, Barcelona Cathedral and the Gothic Quarter. Around 6pm, we gather as a group to learn more about the adventures ahead. This evening your tour leader ensures a big Spanish welcome over dinner. Want more time in Barcelona? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative. Stay: Catalonia Sagrada Familia or Hotel Ronda House (or similar) (D).

After breakfast, we have a transfer (approximately one hour) to Sitges where we adjust our bikes before we start cycling by the coast. We explore some of Sitges, cutting through the cobbled streets and along the promenade before we start a gentle climb through a forest to get to Vilanova i la Geltrú, where we stop for a well-deserved coffee.

Afterwards we enjoy lunch at one of the many great restaurants along the way with sea-view tables. We then jump back on the bike and join the national road leading us to the Arc de Berà, which marks the Via Augusta connecting all the cities the Roman Empire controlled. Our destination today is the medieval town of Altafulla.

This evening, we have a guided walking tour, visiting the castle and the main square, Plaça del Pou, where there is a sculpture called Castell depicting an eight-person-high human tower. Stay: Hotel Altafulla Mar (or similar) (B).

Transfer (approximately 1hr 10min) to the old railway station of Benifallet. Here, we start riding a Via Verde (Green Way), a disused railway line turned into a car-free path for bikers and hikers. Our route, the Zafan Via Verde, follows the Ebro River through the Terra Alta and Baix Ebre regions, featuring protected nature reserves, viaducts and tunnels. We pause for lunch in the medieval town of Tortosa with time to visit the gothic cathedral and massive 10th-century castle. Leaving Tortosa, we continue tracking the Ebro River, but now following minor paved roads to Amposta, where we can see a suspension bridge inspired by the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. Our ride ends in the seaside town of Sant Carles de la Rapita where we stay for two nights. Stay: Hotel Juanito Platja (or similar) (B).

The highlight today is riding through the Ebro Delta Natural Park, the largest wetland area in Catalonia and home to more than 300 bird species. We cycle alongside canals that travel through rice fields and lagoons. Our first stop is the town of Deltebre, where we enjoy a coffee before crossing the Ebro river, situated in the middle of the delta. When we reach Tancada Lagoon, we admire and take pictures of all the flamingos, plus other birds, such as gulls, marine crows and ducks. When we leave the delta, we take a coastal route in the afternoon back to Sant Carles de la Rapita and enjoy time to relax at the beach. Stay: Hotel Juanito Platja (or similar) (B).

Today we enter the Valencia region and enjoy the most scenic day as we cycle through Sierra de Irta Natural Park. We ride mainly next to the coast and pass through the fishing town of Les Cases d'Alcanar where we find the remains of two defensive bunkers from the Spanish Civil War. We stop for lunch in Peñíscola and get a chance to explore the old streets and white houses surrounding the castle. After lunch, we enter Sierra de Irta Natural Park and ride on a bumpy dirt track with a few short, steep climbs. This is a truly spectacular section: an unspoiled stretch of coastline offering Mediterranean Sea views while cycling through forest. Stay: Gran Hotel Las Fuentes (or similar) (B).

Today we continue cycling south along the coast, mostly using cycling paths and enjoying inspiring views of beautiful sandy beaches along the way. We pass through the Parque Natural del Prat de Cabanes-Torreblanca, one of the most unspoiled wetlands in the Valencia region. Once we have reached the town of Oropesa, we use a car-free cycling path that runs along the coast and includes a few short tunnels. We stop in Benicassim and have lunch at one of the many restaurants with sea-view terraces. After, we continue using cycling lanes but head inland to reach our destination for the night, Castellón de la Plana, the small regional capital, which we explore this evening on a walking tour. Stay: Hotel NH Mindoro (or similar) (B).

On our last day of cycling, we start with a transfer (approximately 50 minutes) to El Puig, a village on the outskirts of Valencia, where we can admire its massive Renaissance-style monastery. From here, we jump on our bikes and take modern cycling lanes, passing typical vegetable orchards growing the delicious produce used in the classic local paella. Arriving in Valencia, we enjoy a guided cycling tour of the city, which includes stops at the City of Arts and Sciences, the Quart and Serranos towers, and the central market. After, we check into our hotel for a chance to shower, before we head into the city to enjoy our last group meal and reflect on an incredible week of cycling. Stay: Hotel Olympia Universidades (or similar) Upgrade to a room with a terrace today – speak to your sales representative for more details (B).

Our adventure ends with a transfer (approximately four hours) from Valencia to Barcelona airport. If you've still got the appetite for more exploration, speak to your sales representative to book further nights in our Valencia or Barcelona hotel (B).