Spending the weekend in Barcelona during its biggest festival of the year was pretty wonderful, but I was ready on Day 4 to board our shuttle for the City of Girona to meet our cycle guides and commence the bicycle part of our tour.
Upon arrival we checked into our hotel and had a cava reception, history briefing followed by a tapas dinner with our guides.
Our Guides Oriol and Carlos
Present an Overview of the Costa Brava
Girona From a Hike on the Roman Walls
A Morning Tour of Girona
Our tour of Girona began in the historic Jewish Quarter. We went on the pass the Church of St. Felix and Girona's Cathedral. The newer portions of the city are separated from the historic core by a river spanned by a metal bridge designed by Gustav Eiffel (yes, that Eiffel). It is a hub for world class bicylists to train as it has perfect training terrain, a great year round climate and is near the sea and snow skiing in winter. Lance Armstrong owned a home here when training in Europe.
It is home to the Michelin 3 star restaurant dubbed 2015's best restaurant of the year and replaced Dubrovnik as 2015's filming location for HBO's Game of Thrones.
Girona's Jewish Quarter
Stairs to Girona's Cathedral
After the tour of Girona it was time to be fitted on our bikes and take a warm up ride to Lake Centenys where we ate a picnic lunch.
Lake Centenys
(Site of the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Rowing Competitions)
Lunch at Lake Centenys
Prickly Pear Cactus Adorn a Mansion Near the Lake
Tomorrow we begin with a tour of the castle Salvadore Dali purchased for his Russian wife Gala.
Roadboy's Travels © 2016
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