Route through the Penedès region

All cycling enthusiasts are looking for well-paved roads, with as little traffic as possible and a natural environment as a backdrop while cycling for miles and miles. A set of ingredients that you can find in the Penedès region to enjoy cycling to the full. The Penedès 360 Back Roads route is what you were looking for. A route that offers you a great opportunity to discover the Gran Penedès on a road bike. This is a circular route that runs through Alt Penedès, Baix Penedès, Garraf and Anoia over a 200-kilometre route full of contrasting landscapes.

It is a great way to get to know the area while cycling. You will get from the inland mountains to the Mediterranean Sea, crossing the Penedès plain and always surrounded by vineyards. Along the way, you will cross historical Garraf towns, such as Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú, as well as inland towns, such as La Llacuna, Pontons or Sant Joan de Mediona. Moreover, for those who want to climb classic passes, this route through the Penedès region includes climbs such as the Coll de Les Ventoses or Font-Rubí passes, the Foix reservoir road or the charming village of Castellet with its imposing 10th-century castle.

In short, if you want to practice full-scale road cycling, you have this route option, starting and finishing in Vilafranca del Penedès, which can be managed leisurely in four days, but also in two or three days. There is a wide range of accommodation and services in the area, and there are plenty of options to choose from.

A route through Montseny from Maresme

Without leaving Costa Barcelona, you can also find one of those routes to underscore and save the track on your watch. This is the Montseny route, a fairly long route of 150 kilometres, with almost 2,500 metres of positive gradient and the same negative gradient. The best introduction to this route is that it includes most of the Montseny Nature Park. A route that takes you from the coast to the inland area, combining the wonderful views of the sea with the landscapes you will find at places such as the climb to Collsacreu, the pass that joins the Serra del Corredor range and the Montnegre Massif.

The starting point for this route is the town of Santa Susanna, where you will take a fairly flat 30-kilometre route along the coastal road, crossing cities such as Calella and Mataró, before heading inland towards Arenys de Munt. On the way back, you can also see other beach towns, such as Sant Pol de Mar. The highest point of the route is located at Collformic (kilometre 66), where there is a large cross and a restaurant. Needless to say that you will have to overcome some peaks via Viladrau and the Coll de Revell pass. All this will make for a great day's road cycling!

Montserrat, a cycling route at its best

You cannot miss one of the most classic road cycling routes, i.e. the route from Terrassa to Manresa via Montserrat, also known as the CPB12 route. The 102-kilometre route is one of those that leave their mark and will make you grind your teeth to reach the Coll d'Estenalles, Montserrat and Mura. It is a circular route that starts in Terrassa and crosses several municipalities, such as Vacarisses, Monistrol de Montserrat, Sant Salvador de Guardiola, Mura, Manresa and Matadepera.

More experienced cyclists should not miss the chance to take this cycling route for some quality kilometres and to enjoy the amazing geological forms of the Montserrat mountains, which are so well-known in Catalonia. Furthermore, every autumn cycling enthusiasts from all over Barcelona climb to the summit together so that the Abbot of the monastery can give them his blessing.

Cycling tours

As well as going out with fellow cyclists to exercise or enjoy cycling, you also have the option of putting yourself to the test in some of the different cycling tours or events that are held in the regions of Barcelona. One of them is La Ports del Maresme, an epic long-distance cycling event that takes participants through some of the most impressive landscapes and forests of the Maresme coast. The event offers two route options. The longer one features a total of 147 km and 2,700 metres of cumulative ascent with its starting point in Arenys de Munt. The shorter one has 96 km and 1,800 meters of cumulative ascent. Both cross towns in the Maresme region and go through areas of the Montseny that are a real treat.

Another highly recommended option is the Gran Fondo Calella, a cycling event starting and finishing in Calella. There are up to three routes to choose from; 140, 102 or 82 km. On this ride, you can listen to the sound of the Mediterranean Sea in the morning, before tackling the demanding and breathtaking mountain passes of the Montseny Nature Park. A series of legendary mountain passes the Volta a Catalunya cycling race reaches, such as Santa Fe del Montseny, Collformic and Collsacreu. Do not miss it and enjoy an authentic cycling experience!