Girona has it all to be the great cycling destination it is, and especially they are the hills that make the experience so enjoyable.
has become one of the top destinations in the cycling world since Lance Armstrong came and lived here and put Girona on the cycling map. He was wrong in so many ways, but also many people should be grateful for what he did.
Girona has everything to be a paradise for cycling, no wonder many professional cyclists and triathletes live here nowadays. Good weather all year long, smooth roads, scarce traffic and polite drivers and last but not least, different terrain to train: flat roads, demanding climbs in the Pyrenees, and also nice hills not very long nor very steep, but ideal for a good training session.
The most beautiful climbs
We have lots of nice hills (watch out, I don’t mean that steep first category climbs, I mean mild climbs no longer than 10 km), but let me just point my favorites:
- Els Angels: From Quart (close to Girona) to Madremanya. This climb starts just from Quart, very close to Girona, and is probably the most famous of them all, as Lance Armstrong used to train and test himself in this climb when he lived in Girona. The Girona side is 13 km long, and the other side from Madremanya is steeper and the road is not in so good shape. Anyway, fantastic climb to enjoy just beside Girona.
- Santa Pellaia: From Cassà de la Selva to La Bisbal d’Empordà. This is probably the climb around Girona that represents what cycling in Girona is. You will find many more cyclists than cars. Very good surface, lovely descent on your way to La Bisbal
- Romanyà de la Selva: Road from Calonge to Llagostera. Romanyà is a lovely small village with an XIII century church and a couple of restaurants, that’s all. There are 3 possible ascents: from Llagostera, from Santa Cristina d’Aro and from Calonge, which is the steepest.
- La Ganga: This is the road from Calonge to La Bisbal d’Empordà. Mild climb, lovely, twisty, easy, good asphalt, it has it all to enjoy cycling.
- Sant Grau: This is the road from Llagostera to the coastal road from Tossa to Sant Feliu de Guixols. No traffic at all, fantastic road especially on the seaside, which has steep parts close to 15%. The views of the sea are breathtaking. Worth a stop on your way down to enjoy the views. Magic.
You can get any of these climbs in a day trip from Girona or, of course, include some of them in a single ride. Such an amazing experience to cycle up any of those hills around Girona!
