Fitor Picnic Safari

The morning begins on the forecourt of Girona’s train station, where the pavement is still cool and the air carries the faint, sweet smell of coffee from the nearby bars. You clip in and roll south, leaving the city’s stone towers behind in a matter of minutes. The route unfolds through the Ripollès valleys, where the roads are flat, tarmac-smooth, and almost entirely free of motor traffic. A greenway, converted from an old railway line, guides you along shaded corridors of plane trees and poplars, their leaves flickering in the low sun. There is no rush, no regrouping, no pressure to hold anyone’s wheel—just the steady rhythm of your own pedaling and the occasional clatter of a distant farm gate.

The day’s challenge arrives quietly, as all good challenges do: Coll de la Creueta. Though the surface remains immaculate, the gradient begins to lean, and your legs start to speak. This is a hard ride, not because of technical terrain or rough gravel, but because the valley walls demand respect. You climb through a landscape of dry-stone terraces and wild fennel, the air growing thinner and sharper with each switchback. At the summit, the view opens toward the sea—the Medes Islands sitting low and blue on the horizon, a shimmering promise of the coast you will not reach today but can almost taste. Pause here. Let the sweat cool. The descent is your reward, a long, flowing ribbon of asphalt that carries you down into the village of Fitor, where the picnic stops are set.

Fitor is not a place you stumble upon by accident; it is a quiet knot of stone houses and cypress trees, and it is here that the tour earns its name. You pull off the road into a shaded spot, unclip, and spread out a simple lunch of local bread, tomatoes, and whatever the day’s market offered. The riding so far has been gentle where it promised to be gentle, and demanding where it needed to be—but always at a pace you choose. After eating, the route loops back through the valleys, passing the Espresso Mafía coffee stop, where the barista knows exactly how you take your cortado and the pastries are still warm from the oven. The final kilometers are flat and easy, a cool-down along the same car-free greenway, the afternoon light slanting through the leaves.

This tour is a study in contrasts: the effort is real, but the atmosphere is unhurried. It suits riders who enjoy a long day in the saddle without the anxiety of a group ride, and it is forgiving enough for patient beginners—provided they are honest about the climb. The gradients are steady rather than savage, and the shaded paths keep the heat at bay. If you are looking for a day that tests your legs but never your nerves, that rewards you with Mediterranean views and quiet village squares, this is the one. By the time you roll back into Girona’s station forecourt, the sun is low, your muscles are tired, and you are already thinking about which part of the valley you want to see again.

Ride highlights

• A relaxed pace with no regrouping pressure
• Shaded paths away from traffic
• A flat, car-free greenway through Ripollès valleys
• Gentle gradients suitable for children and beginners

How the day unfolds

1. 08:30

   Bike fit and coffee

   Meet your guide at Girona train station forecourt, fit the bike and take on a coffee before rolling out.

2. 09:15

   Into Ripollès valleys

   The first stretch warms the legs on quiet roads towards Ripollès valleys.

3. 10:45

   The Coll de la Creueta section

   The main effort of the day, with the guide setting a steady, sustainable pace.

4. 12:30

   Lunch near Fitor

   A relaxed stop for food in or near Fitor, with the bikes in view.

5. 14:30

   Past Medes Islands Viewpoint

   An easier afternoon section taking in Medes Islands Viewpoint.

6. 16:30

   Return to Girona

   A final flowing stretch back into the city with a drink waiting on arrival.

What is included

On the road

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