Beyond the Tour: Six Road Routes to Discover the Province of Barcelona

Since Barcelona until the ports of the Berguedà, passing for the vineyards of the Penedès, the massís of the Montseny or the coast of the Maresme, the province of Barcelona offers paths of cycling of road that permit to discover the territory at all his diversity. The Grand Départ of the Tour of France 2026 has contributed to project Barcelona how a fate cicloturística of reference, but the appeal of the province goes much more there of the layout of the race. We propose you 6 paths of road that permit to meet other landscapes, ports of mount, natural rooms, peoples with heritage and ideal secondary roads to enjoy of the cicloturisme all the year round.

 

Route 1. Calella – Turó de l'Home

111 km · 2.507 m elevation gain · Level: very demanding

Turó de l'Home is one of the most respected climbs among Catalan cyclists. This route from Calella starts on the Maresme coast and works its way up into the Montseny massif via Collsacreu, Vallgorguina and Sant Celoni. The final climb — through the Biosphere Reserve, Santa Fe and Coll de Santa Helena — is long and varied, with strong scenery throughout. The descent towards Mosqueroles closes a genuinely high-quality day on the bike.

Points of interest: Calella, Calella Lighthouse, Sant Pol de Mar, Collsacreu, Turó de l'Home, Montseny Biosphere Reserve, Santa Fe del Montseny.

Full route details.

 

Route 2. Extrem Montseny

185 km · 2.893 m elevation gain · Level: very demanding / expert

Close to 200 km, multiple passes, and some of the best landscapes the Serra del Montseny has to offer. Collsacreu, Santa Fe del Montseny and Collformic follow one after another on a route from Mataró that does not let up. Dense forest, rural villages, technical descents. This is a route for cyclists who travel specifically to ride routes like this — and there are more of them than most destination managers expect.

Points of interest: Mataró, Collsacreu, Santa Fe del Montseny, Collformic, El Brull, Viladrau, Montseny Natural Park, Maresme coastline.

 

Route 3. The Mining Route through the Berguedà - La Ruta Minera pel Berguedà

93 km · 3.162 m elevation gain · Level: very demanding / expert

The Berguedà is pre-Pyrenean cycling at its most challenging — and its most distinctive. This circular route from Berga climbs through the valleys and ridges of Catalonia's former coal mining country: sustained ascents, technical descents, panoramic views over the Llobregat valley. The industrial heritage of the comarca adds a layer of cultural identity that few cycling routes in the region can offer. The Patum de Berga, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, is a strong draw for visitors who stay longer in the area.

Points of interest: Berga (and the Patum, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage), mining heritage of the Berguedà, Coll del Pradell, pre-Pyrenean valleys and forests.

Full route details.

 

Route 4. Penedès 360 Back Roads

200 km · 2.862 m elevation gain · Level: intermediate-demanding (recommended in stages)

A 200 km loop around the entire Gran Penedès territory, from the inland mountains to the Mediterranean, with vineyards as the constant backdrop. The route covers the Coll de les Ventoses, the climb to Font-Rubí, the Pantà de Foix reservoir, and the village of Castellet — connected by quiet rural lanes with almost no traffic. Designed as a four-stage circuit from Vilafranca del Penedès, it adapts well to different formats and rider profiles. A strong candidate for multi-day cycle tourism programming in wine country.

Points of interest: Vilafranca del Penedès, Vinseum, Coll de les Ventoses, Font-Rubí, Pantà de Foix, Castellet, vineyards and wineries of Penedès.

Full routes details.

 

Route 5. Volta Ciclista at the Bages

190,5 km · 2.743 m elevation gain · Level: demanding-expert. 

A nearly 200 km loop from Manresa through the heart of the Bages comarca — and one of the province's most layered routes. The climb to Montserrat (9 km at 6–7%), the Santa Cecília Monastery in the pines, the ramps of Castellfollit del Boix, the viewpoint at Castelltallat, the descent to medieval Cardona: the route holds together remarkably well across the full distance. Every autumn, cyclists from across the province ride to Montserrat to receive the Abbot's blessing. It is a detail worth knowing — it says something about how deeply cycling is woven into the culture here.

Points of interest: Manresa, Monistrol de Montserrat, Montserrat Abbey, Santa Cecília Monastery, Castelltallat Observatory, Cardona, Viver i Serrateix.

 

Route 6. Terrace – Montserrat – Manresa (CPB12)

102 km · 2.420 m elevation gain · Level: expert

A demanding circular route built around two of Catalonia's best-known climbs: the ascent to Montserrat — home to one of the world's most visited monasteries, set against a geological landscape that is genuinely unlike anything else — and the Coll d'Estenalles, longer and higher. Starting from Terrassa, the route passes through the Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac Natural Park and finishes in Manresa. It is the kind of route that needs no additional framing: the climbs speak for themselves.

 

Points of interest: Terrassa, Monistrol de Montserrat, Montserrat Abbey, Manresa, Mura, Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac Natural Park, Coll d'Estenalles.

Six routes, six different parts of the province — pre-Pyrenean passes, coastal climbs, wine-country back roads, historic massifs. The province of Barcelona has more cycling depth than a single race can show. These routes are a good place to start exploring it.

More information on cycling of road at the province of Barcelona.