Overview
A four day, quick hit of road cycling in Catalonia, starting and finishing in Falset, the capital of the Priorat Wine Region. Just over 2h by train from Barcelona, cycling here takes you into the heart of Montsant Natural Park, cycling to ancient villages with extraordinary locations, such as the ruins of Cartoixa de Santa Maria d’Escaladei Monastery or Gratallops, at the heart of Priorat’s appellation. The push up to Siurana is worth it, as is your cycle to Cornudella de Montsant, one of two stunning places where you spend the night, the first being Falset. Traditional road bikes and e-bikes available.
- Priorat Wine Region
- Wine capital of Falset
- Gratallops
- Cartoixa de Santa Maria d’Escaladei Monastery
- Montsant Natural Park
- Siurana
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Falset
Arrive in Falset, the capital of the Priorat Wine Region, known for its rich wine culture and historic town centre. After check-in, take time to explore its narrow streets, lined with Catalan-style modernist architecture, with traditional wine cooperatives and a 12th-century castle. Your bikes are delivered to the hotel by the end of the day.
- Accommodation: Hotel-Hostal Sport or similar in Falset
Day 2: Falset – Escaladei – Cornudella de Montsant | 35.8km
Leave Falset on quiet country roads that wind through vineyards and almond groves to Gratallops, a medieval village at the heart of Priorat’s appellation, and home to several world-renowned wineries. The route then steadily climbs towards Escaladei, where you can visit the ruins of Cartoixa de Santa Maria d’Escaladei Monastery, once the spiritual heart of the region. Continue the ascent as the road winds deeper in the foothills to arrive in La Morera de Montsant, a quiet village at 743m above sea level, on the edge of Montsant Natural Park. Complete the final stretch of the ride to Cornudella de Montsant, where you’ll stay overnight.
- Cycling for the day: 35.8km, ↑843m ↓679m
- Accommodation: El Palauet del Priorat or similar in Cornudella de Montsant
Day 3: Cornudella de Montsant – Siurana – Porrera – Falset | 39.4km
Begin with a scenic climb up to the village of Siurana, which is perched on a limestone outcrop overlooking Siurana Reservoir. Continue with a descent towards Porrera on a scenic mountain road surrounded by terraced vineyards. The final stretch leads back to Falset through rolling terrain, completing a demanding but rewarding loop through the heart of Priorat.
- Cycling for the day: 39.4km, ↑966m ↓1,122m
- Accommodation: Hotel-Hostal Sport or similar in Falset
Day 4: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour is in two small, locally-owned hotels. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria, including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have private bathroom facilities.
Click to view sample hotels
- Hotel-Hostal Sport (Falset)
- El Palauet del Priorat (Cornudella de Montsant)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide you with the exact accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from some hotels the night before. Dinner is available from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This trip is rated moderate, with daily distances of around 35/40km and an accumulated elevation of 966m. It is possible to rent a traditional road bicycle or an electric gravel bicycle, with other types of bikes also available on demand. We recommend that you have previous cycling experience and have at least a good level of physical fitness (read more about difficulty grades).
We also recommend that you have basic bike repair skills, such as fixing a flat tire. We strongly advise you only to follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed digital route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from April to November. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date within the season.
The climate in this region of Catalonia is Mediterranean, characterised by hot, dry summers and mild winters. The most comfortable conditions for cycling are typically found in spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November), when temperatures are moderate. During summer, particularly in July and certainly August, daytime highs often exceed 30C, so it’s advisable to begin rides early in the day to avoid the peak heat. To find out more about when to go, take a look at our blogs, Best time to go to Catalonia and Best time to go to Spain.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Reus Airport (REU). The alternative airport is Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN).
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to Spain without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with a railway station in Marçà-Falset, which is 5mins by taxi to where the tour begins and ends. For more details, see the national rail operator Renfe or use the Omio planner above.
- From Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport take the R2N (Sant Celoni) train (20mins), before changing in Barcelona Sants to take the R15 (Riba-roja d’Ebre) train to Marçà-Falset (2h). From here you can take the minibus Domenech to the town of Falset (5mins). A taxi from the airport in Barcelona takes approximately 1h 45mins.
- From Reus Airport take the R15 (Riba-roja d’Ebre) train to Marçà-Falset (1h 20mins). From here, take the minibus Domenech to Falset (5mins). A taxi from the airport takes approximately 35mins.
- Private transfers to and from either of the airports or the railway station of Marçà-Falset can be arranged on request.
Inclusions
Included
- 3 nights accommodation
- 3 breakfasts
- Daily luggage transfers (one piece per person, max 15kg)
- Digital Tour materials: detailed roadbook including maps (digital format), a navigation app for smartphones, GPS tracks. Please note that no printed documents will be provided on-site.
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- International flights and land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Tourist tax
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Optional bike insurance if available
- Additional travel-related changes in the programme due to bad weather
- Entrance fees for attractions including wineries and museums
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own.
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Road bike or electric gravel bike rental.
- Extra nights available on request.
Bike rental
Choose from a traditional road bike or an electric gravel bike rental. All bikes come with helmet, flat pedals, tools for removing wheels and adjusting the saddle, extra inner tube, hand pump, two tyre levers, and a Garmin GPS mount. If using your phone instead of a Garmin device, it is highly recommended that you bring a phone holder specific to your device, as this will be crucial for your tour. For e-bikes, a charger is included and they are delivered fully charged. Locks are included at no extra cost if needed.
Saddlebags, clip or road pedals, accidental breakage insurance and other products are available for renting with an extra cost.
Berria Belador Elite 105
- Model: Road bike
- Frame: full carbon HM2X frame
- Brakes: disc brakes
- Transmission: Shimano 105 mechanical gearing with 12v and double chainring
Cannondale Synapse Neo Allroad 2
- Model: Electric gravel bike
- Frame: Lightweight carbon frame with Bosch Performance Line SX motor and integrated 400 Wh battery
- Brakes: hydraulic disc brakes
- 12-speed Shimano GRX drivetrain
- 40 mm tires
Sample pictures shown above, please note that the exact models may differ depending on availability, but the standard will be the same. Note that the standard rental only includes basic flat pedals. Travellers can request different pedals upon booking, although this may carry a small supplement depending on days, pedal type and number of bikes.
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
