Cycle tourism, a sustainable and fun way to discover the Costa Brava and the Pyrenees

If you would like to have an unforgettable experience on two wheels (or more), cycle tourism combines a love of sport and the environment, with the discovery of the territory. The Costa Brava and the Girona Pyrenees, with their landscape and cultural diversity, are the ideal settings for the best sustainable cycling adventure. Join us on this journey and discover the best routes, practical tips and reasons why cycle tourism is the perfect option to explore these spectacular places.

Each year on June 3, World Bicycle Day is celebrated, an anniversary promoted by the UN that claims its importance as a sustainable, simple, affordable, reliable, clean and ecological means of transportation, which contributes to environmental management and benefits health. It’s a mode of transport that promotes economic growth, reduces inequalities and reinforces the fight against climate change, fundamental aspects for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

That is why the bike is much more than just a way of getting around. It is a life philosophy that promotes sustainable mobility, while benefiting our health and giving us moments of downtime. In this context, the Costa Brava and the Girona Pyrenees offer an incomparable setting for bicycle lovers. Its heritage, cultural and natural wealth offers routes such as Greenways, which allow you to discover all the secrets of the territory, or Pirinexus, with 340 circular kilometres which you can do in two, four or six days. Here you will be able to get to know two territories with a lot of history: the regions of Girona and Vallespir. You will find historical paths such as those of the Retirada, places that will transport you to Greek and Roman times such as the ruins of Empúries, and emblematic cities such as Girona.

To cycle on roads, forest tracks and on roads with little traffic such as the Greenways and Pirinexus, it is advisable to use a hybrid recording, trekking or similar bike. An ideal route to do with saddlebags. If you use electric bicycles, you have available up to 25 charging points (13 for charging and 12 for charging and self-repair) located in different stages.

Whatever your way of cycling, the bicycle is also ideal for exploring cultural and natural routes such as the Dalinian Triangle and the idyllic landscapes that Trek and Ride, of the Tourist Board of the Costa Brava and Pyrenees of Girona, suggests. Other initiatives, such as Ebikes Area or Burricleta, offer relaxed and quiet cycle tourism options, perfect for discovering the charms of the region without rushing. On the other hand, the Logistic Bike Center in Olot (La Garrotxa), offers a comprehensive rental, transfer and logistics service, both for small excursions and for large routes, whether individual or for groups, in a privileged territory.

It is commonly believed that the bicycle was invented by Leonardo da Vinci, through some drawings that were found by the Italian genius. But the truth is that the first two-wheeled invention for which there is reliable evidence is the draisienne, invented by the German Karl von Drais in 1817 and exhibited in Paris the following year. The running machine (that’s what he called it) was made of wood and had no pedals.

Since then the bicycle has been evolving and has given rise to a multitude of competitions around the world, with no end to the cycling craze in sight. For a few decades, professional cycling teams from all over the world have been choosing the Costa Brava and the Girona Pyrenees as the headquarters for their training camps. Cyclists like Robert Gesink or ex-cyclists of the stature of Rory Sutherland, Marcel Kittel, Dan Martin and David Miller, among many others, live and train in the area and some of them even have their businesses there.

Dare to pedal and discover the best of the territory from the seat of your bikes!