Apparently, it falls mainly on the plain. However, for us, it mostly fell on the motorway as we were leaving town, thankfully. The rest of the time it was scandalously hot with a lot of humidity. It was exactly what I expected from Spain.
Girona panorama.
Earlier in the week we packed up the car and headed to the Girona area of Spain, which is not very far from us, and is very well reputed for cycling. In addition, Barcelona is around the corner and there are beaches. Lots of them; the Costa Brava.
We hadn’t really planned what we were going to do, securing a B & B only days before heading over, with a vague idea of cycling and maybe spending a day in Barcelona. I am glad we had no set plans, we just rolled with the weather, health and what just felt right. In the end, we had a fabulous time and it seemed we did exactly what was right for us.
We were lucky that the B & B we chose had a lovely host who is an ex Paris-Dakar motorbike racer, cyclist and general bon vivant! He was so helpful and charming, he told us about a local cycling loop which included excellent coffee at the very top of the climb. He also said the best paella was to be found on the beach at Solimar, so he promptly made us a reservation. I knew there were beaches but wasn’t sure if we’d find time to get there. We were so glad we did. The Costa Brava is a beautiful coast filled with little sandy beaches tucked between cliffs and villages. After one short visit and a delicious dinner, we knew we had to go back once more.
After a couple very hot, lovely rides around the area, we realized that trying to squeeze in a rushed day in Barcelona would just be too much and too stressful. So, we opted for more cycling and beach time. On our last day it was drizzling which was perfect for a little jaunt into Girona to do a bit more exploring. We found the local food market and the best little bar for breakfast of café con leche and delicious tortilla de patatas. We sat at the bar watching wine and beer being served at 10 am; it felt as authentic a Spanish experience possible. Afterward we carried on wandering on the Passeig de la Muralla, checking out cycling shops and finding delicious treats for our trip home.
Spain felt exactly like a holiday. It was hot, sunny, beachy, relaxing and utterly delicious. I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll be back. Gracias por todo!
