Friday, 24 January 2025

Barcelona bound for La Vuelta Feminina

Great news that the women's Tour of Spain starts in the idyllic capital of Catalunya

We don't know the full details of the route of the women’s Vuelta a España Feminina (Women's Tour of Spain) cycle race, but organisers have announced that the event will start from Barcelona. I'm quite excited to hear this.

Barcelona is a lovely city, for which I have fond memories. I did two trips to the Catalunyan capital last year - some 15 years after the last time I was there - and I really enjoyed it on both occasions. I couldn't help asking myself why I'd left it so long.

And what is there not to like about this place (aside from the recent hike in tourist tax!)? The architecture is beautiful, including and certainly not limited to the various Gaudi creations.

The city is a manageable size for a visitor, as opposed to my beloved though sprawling home city of London. So exploring the place on foot is perfectly doable. Of course, as I have a penchant for two wheels, I like to use a bicycle. Both times I was in Barcelona I hired one. I used a road bike, but there are plenty of places doing city bikes and also off-road bikes.

There is an extensive network of segregated cycle paths, and well-known places are waymarked. So it was easy enough for me to navigate my way around the town by bike. Of course the metro and bus service functioned well too and they were perfectly good and clean.

Barcelona, like other major cities around the world has its share of famous monuments - Sagrada Familia, Parc Guëll, Montjuic, and Tibidabo to name a few. However, where it really has the edge is being by the sea.

The Old Port and the Olympic Port have a lovely atmosphere and make for a pleasant stroll. There are also several beaches. The ones right in the heart of the city can get a little busy, but as you go out further towards El Poble Nou and further along towards Badalona you get lots of space and it's even more beautiful. On my first trip last year, which was in February, although it was very sunny, the temperature was a bit low for me to swim in the sea (I ain’t no Wim Hof!) but I did swim at the lovely heated outdoor pool at the Club Natació Atlètic-Barceloneta.

Back to the cycling: I hired a Canyon Endurace road bike from Terra Bike Tours and did a number of fun rides. After a whizz around the city, notably on the long cycle paths next to Avinguda Diagonal and Avinguda Meridiana, I went up the climb that is de rigueur in the city centre - Montjuic. It's Barcelona’s answer to Swains Lane (for London-based rides). It's probably not quite as steep as the infamous hill near London’s Highgate Cemetery, but it is equally popular, and is the site of many a cycling battle. Montjuic is regularly included in cycle races, including The Tour of Catalunya. It has been included in La Vuelta as recently as 2023, and will more than likely feature in next year's men's Tour de France Grand Départ.

I also cycled up to Tibidabo, a climb that is de rigueur on the outskirts of Barcelona, and at 512 is the highest point in the city. Its signature cathedral and tower are visible from various parts of Barcelona. Even though it was a Monday morning there were many cyclists out testing themselves on the climb, and then at the top we met up at the café in the fairground area or even went to the church and gave thanks to God for providing us with the strength needed to ride uphill for almost 10km from central Barcelona! 

Thereafter, I did rides out of town. I headed up the coast road towards Girona, and then turned inland to go up a few hills. Then on another day I took the train to Terrassa and did a ride to the historic monastery at Montserrat.

There are so many scenic places to ride, and these will be covered in another chapter. But in short, Barcelona and the surrounding area is lovely place to visit, and I highly recommend it for cycling.


Related posts

Back to Barcelona for more cycling

Barcelona cycle ride: picking up my hire bike

No comments: