Garrotxa, Olot and Cap de Creus – gravel paradise in Spain

A friend had been sending me exciting messages from Spain for several months. He’d recently moved there for work and, being a nature and tranquillity lover, he opted for an unconventional place: Garrotxa. Administratively, Garrotxa is one of the 41 comarcas of Catalonia, the thriving autonomous community in northeastern Spain. The photos of Garrotxa that my friend sent were incredible, but I didn’t even know where it was on the map.

Eventually, I had to find out – the photos were too good. With five friends, I decided it was time to visit Garrotxa, the gravel paradise in northeastern Spain. We chose Olot, one of the largest towns in the province of Girona, as our base. Situated halfway between the Vallter 2000 ski resort (a typical uphill finish of the Volta a Catalunya, where Giulio Ciccone won in March 2023) and the sea, Olot is the capital of Garrotxa and is a stone’s throw from numerous extinct volcanoes.

This part of Girona province is well-known in Spain for its natural beauty. It experiences slightly more rainfall than the Iberian south. In autumn, the forests showcase beautiful colours, whilst the fields come alive in summer. Greenery envelopes every dirt path you cycle on. You’ll tackle many climbs, both on asphalt and otherwise, enjoy splendid views, and tuck into good food – it’s the ideal location for a dream holiday.

So, we loaded our gravel bikes onto a specially rented van and set off for northeast Spain. I recommend travelling in your own vehicle as the region is sparsely populated and lacks an extensive public transport network. A van that fits six people and their bikes is ideal and lessens the cost and environmental impact.

You’ll need to drive between the Tours and to reach the more remote villages such as Albanyà. In terms of accommodation, we stayed near Olot, but you could also stay in Girona. One of the Tours, the only point-to-point, takes you to discover this cycling city.

The itineraries explore kilometres of dirt roads where you won't meet a living soul, you’ll observe extinct volcanoes, climbs like the world-famous Rocacorba, paths overlooking the sea, ascend Cap de Creus (the breathtaking highest point to the east of the Iberian Peninsula) and Figueres – the birth and death place of Salvador Dali. Although some passages are above 1,100 metres (3,600 ft), the climate is mild and warm for eight months of the year.

To explore here, you need a gravel bike, the willingness to work up a sweat (as some days involve significant climbing), and a thirst for adventure.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to head to northeastern Spain!