I have been to Girona more times than I can count. The first visit was supposed to be three days. I stayed a week. Every trip since has followed the same pattern. You arrive thinking you know what you want to ride. Then somebody at the coffee shop mentions a road you haven't tried, and suddenly the itinerary falls apart in the best possible way.
I've already written about why Girona is the best cycling destination in Europe. This post is the practical companion. Routes, coffee, logistics, and the stuff I wish someone had told me before that first trip.
The Climbs That Matter
Everyone talks about three climbs. All three are worth the reputation.
Rocacorba
This is the one. Roughly 12 km at an average of 6.5%, starting from the village of Banyoles and climbing through forest to a cluster of radio masts at the summit. It is quiet. It is consistent. It is where half the World Tour tests their form. If you see a Strava segment called "Rocacorba from Banyoles" on a pro rider's profile, that is this climb.
The gradient never does anything dramatic. There are no 15% ramps hiding around a corner. It just asks you to hold a steady effort for the best part of an hour and rewards you with one of the best views in Catalonia. On a clear day you can see the Pyrenees to the north and the Mediterranean to the east. The descent is on the same road, which is narrow and technical in places, so save some concentration for the way down.
I typically ride out from Girona to Banyoles on the quiet roads through the Pla de l'Estany, climb Rocacorba, descend, stop at the lake for a refill, and ride back. That is roughly 90 km and 1,200 m of elevation. A perfect day on a bike.
Els Angels
Shorter, gentler, closer to the city. About 12 km at 4.5% average, starting from the village of Madremanya. This is the social climb. You will see other riders. You will probably recognise kit from podcast interviews. The sanctuary at the top has a small restaurant and the kind of view that makes you sit down for longer than you planned.
Els Angels is the climb I recommend for a first day. It gets you above the plains without destroying your legs, and the approach from Girona through Quart and the GI-6531 is one of the prettiest 20 km of road riding in Spain.
Mare de Deu del Mont
The big one. Roughly 20 km of climbing from the town of Bascara, with the last 7 km on narrow roads that wind through forest to a monastery at the top. This is not a gentle ride. The final kilometres average closer to 8%, and there is no cafe at the summit, just a monastery, some goats, and silence.
This climb is a full-day commitment. Ride out from Girona, take the Emporda roads north to Bascara, climb Mare de Deu del Mont, descend, and loop back. You are looking at 120-140 km and close to 2,000 m of elevation depending on your route choices. Bring enough food. There is nowhere to buy anything on the upper section of the climb.
The Roads Nobody Writes About
The climbs get the magazine features. The rolling roads are where the training actually happens.
North of Girona, the Emporda is a patchwork of vineyards, sunflower fields, and villages connected by lanes that carry almost no traffic. These roads are the reason the pros live here. You can ride for four hours at a steady tempo and barely see a car. The surface is good. The gradients are gentle. The landscape changes every fifteen minutes without ever becoming monotonous.
My favourite loop runs from Girona north through Sarria de Ter, across to Banyoles, then east toward Figueres before turning south through Torroella de Montgri and back along the Ter river. That is about 130 km of almost entirely flat to rolling terrain, and it is the most enjoyable long ride I know. You can shorten it at any point by cutting south.
The coastal roads from Palamos north to Begur and south to Tossa de Mar are worth a day too. They are busier than the interior roads, particularly in summer, but the views down to the Costa Brava coves are spectacular. Ride them in spring or autumn and you will have the road largely to yourself.
For gravel riders, the network around the Gavarres massif between Girona and the coast is extensive and well-connected. Wide forestry tracks, single-track sections, and linking roads that let you build loops of any length. A 40-45 mm tyre is the sweet spot for most of this terrain.
Where to Get Coffee
Cycling in Girona without stopping for coffee would be like riding the Alpe d'Huez and skipping the view from the top. The cafe culture is not incidental to the cycling scene here. It is central to it.
La Fabrica
This is the one. Carrer de la Llebre in the old town, opened by former Canadian pro Christian Meier and his wife Amber. La Fabrica is where the cycling community in Girona gathers. You will see bikes leaned against the stone wall outside. You will hear conversations in five languages about intervals and gear ratios and which way the wind is blowing on Rocacorba.
The coffee is excellent. The food is simple and good. The space is small, which means you end up sharing a table with someone who has a story you want to hear. I have met more interesting people in La Fabrica than at most cycling events. It is the unofficial headquarters of cycling in Girona, and it has earned that status.
Federal Cafe
Carrer Ciutadans, about five minutes' walk from La Fabrica. Federal is the one I go to when I want a proper sit-down meal after a ride. The brunch menu is outstanding. The coffee is strong. The vibe is slightly less cycling-specific than La Fabrica, which can be a relief when you want to talk about something other than your power numbers.
Espresso Mafia
A smaller operation with a rotating menu and coffee that is arguably the strongest of the three. Less of a scene, more of a quick stop. If you are riding out early and want a double espresso before the road, Espresso Mafia is the one.
All three are in the old town, within a few minutes' walk of each other. On a rest day, you can visit all three without trying.
Getting There
Girona-Costa Brava airport (GRO) is the easiest option. It is 15 km south of the city and served by Ryanair from a growing list of European airports. The transfer is short, cheap, and avoids the complexity of navigating Barcelona with a bike bag.
Barcelona El Prat (BCN) is the alternative and often has better flight options. From El Prat, you have two choices. The Renfe train from Passeig de Gracia or Barcelona Sants to Girona takes about 90 minutes and costs roughly €12. Bikes in bags or boxes are accepted. Alternatively, a pre-booked private transfer runs about €120-150 and takes you door-to-door.
Most European airlines accept bikes as checked sports equipment. Budget €40-70 each way for a bike bag or box. If you would rather not fly with your own bike, several Girona shops rent high-end road and gravel bikes. Book well in advance for October.
Where to Stay
The old town (Barri Vell) is the best base. You are walking distance from the cafes, the river, and the restaurants. The roads out of the city toward the Emporda and the climbs start within a few kilometres of the centre, and you avoid the traffic on the southern ring road entirely.
For longer stays or groups, apartments in the old town are better value than hotels. A two-bedroom apartment near the Onyar river runs €80-120 per night in shoulder season and puts you in the middle of everything.
If you want something outside the city, the area around Banyoles and the lake is a quieter option that puts you closer to Rocacorba and the northern Emporda roads. The trade-off is that you lose the evening walk into town for dinner.
For those who want the camp experience without having to organise any of the logistics, we are running Roadman Training Camps in October 2026. Two six-day camps from Can Sagnari, a 1749 Catalan farmhouse near Lake Banyoles. Road camp runs 10-15 October, gravel camp 16-21 October. Sixteen riders per camp, fully guided rides, follow car, the lot. It is €995 per camp or €1,700 for both. If you have been meaning to ride Girona and want someone else to handle the route planning, the mechanical support, and the local knowledge, that is what the camps are for.
When to Go
October. That is the short answer.
Temperatures sit in the mid-twenties. The roads are empty after the summer tourist rush. The vines in the Emporda are turning. The light in the late afternoon is the kind of warm amber that makes every photo look like a magazine cover. October is when the locals ride the most, and there is a reason for that.
March to early June is the second window. Spring in Girona is mild and green, with longer days and fewer tourists than summer. The wildflowers in the Gavarres are worth a ride on their own.
July and August are too hot for serious training. You can ride early in the morning, but by 11 a.m. the temperature is in the high thirties and the roads near the coast are full of tourist traffic. Most of the pros clear out or move to altitude camps in Andorra during these months.
December to February is rideable but marginal. Short days, cold mornings, and the occasional Tramontana wind that makes the Emporda feel like a wind tunnel. If you are coming from Northern Europe it will still feel like an improvement, but it is not the Girona that everyone talks about.
Practical Notes
A few things I have learned the hard way.
The Tramontana wind is real. It is a cold, dry, north-westerly wind that blows down from the Pyrenees and can hit 60-80 km/h. It does not happen every day, but when it does, you need to plan your route to have the wind at your back on the way home. Check the forecast the night before.
Water stops are sparse on the climbs. Rocacorba has nothing at the top. Mare de Deu del Mont has nothing for the last 10 km. Carry two bottles minimum on any ride that includes a climb, and fill up in the villages before you start going uphill.
Catalonia uses the euro. Card payments are accepted almost everywhere in Girona but small village bars on rural rides may be cash-only. Carry €20 in your jersey pocket.
The road surfaces are generally excellent but some of the smaller lanes in the Emporda have rough patches, particularly after winter. Nothing that requires a gravel bike, but you will be glad of 28 mm tyres rather than 25 mm on the quieter roads.
Spanish lunch happens late. Restaurants typically serve from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and then close until 8:30 p.m. for dinner. Plan your ride timing around this if you want a proper sit-down meal mid-ride. Alternatively, pack a bocadillo from the market in the morning and eat on the road.
The Real Reason to Go
I have ridden in a lot of places. Mallorca, Tenerife, Nice, the Dolomites, Colombia. Girona keeps pulling me back, and the reason is not any single route or any single cafe. It is that the city treats cycling as ordinary. Nobody stares at your lycra. The drivers give you room. The infrastructure exists without the marketing machine that makes other cycling destinations feel like theme parks.
You roll out of the old town, cross the river, and within ten minutes you are on a quiet lane with good tarmac, a view of the Pyrenees, and nobody in front of you. That is Girona. No fanfare. Just very good riding in a city that understands why you are there.
If you want to go deeper on why the pros chose this city over everywhere else, I wrote a full breakdown in Why Girona Is the Best Place in Europe to Train on a Bike.
And if you want to join us there in October, the Roadman Training Camps are the way in. Come ride the roads, drink the coffee, and find out why nobody leaves this place when they planned to.
