Old Town Explorer by E-Bike

The day begins on the cobbled forecourt of Girona’s train station, where the city’s hum fades as you swing a leg over an e-bike and roll south. Within minutes, the traffic thins, and the landscape opens into a patchwork of cork oaks and vineyards that climb toward the Serra de Rodes ridge. This is where the motor earns its keep: the 765 metres of elevation gain unfold over 84 kilometres, but the assisted pedalling turns what might be a grinding ascent into a steady, pleasurable rhythm. You feel the burn in your legs just enough to earn the views, yet the battery smooths every gradient, flattening the ridge’s sharper moods into a long, flowing conversation with the horizon. It’s a moderate ride in name, but the e-assist makes it accessible to anyone who can hold a saddle for a full day—casual cyclists, weekend riders, or those who simply want to taste Catalonia’s interior without surrendering to its climbs.

The route dips and rises through a landscape that feels older than the asphalt beneath you. Tarmac gives way to the paved greenway of the Ter River, a broad, traffic-free ribbon that follows the water’s meanders through plane trees and reed beds. Here, the air carries the cool scent of river stone and wild fennel, and the only sound is the soft whir of tyres on smooth surface. It’s a stretch that invites you to ease off the throttle, let the bike coast, and watch herons lift from the shallows. Wide and forgiving, this section suits riders of all fitness levels—no pressure to keep pace, just the quiet satisfaction of moving through a landscape that seems to have been designed for slow, deliberate travel.

Midway, the town of Rupià appears on a low hill, its medieval core a tangle of narrow streets and sun-warmed squares that feel untouched by the rush of modern life. You dismount and walk the bike through arches and past stone facades worn smooth by centuries of hands and weather. The square at the centre is shaded by an ancient lime tree, and the rhythm of the ride slows to the clink of coffee cups. It’s here you’ll find Draps Cafè, a local institution where the pastry counter gleams with butter and sugar. The stop is not a mere pit stop but a genuine pause—a chance to sit on a wrought-iron chair, sip a cortado, and watch village life unfold at its own unhurried pace. The e-bike waits patiently, leaning against a wall, its battery half-spent and its saddle still warm.

The return leg traces a different line, looping back through the ridge’s lower folds and reconnecting with the greenway for a final, effortless glide toward Girona. As the city’s cathedral and the red walls of the old quarter rise on the horizon, you’ll feel the quiet satisfaction of a day well measured—not in kilometres, but in the shift of light on stone, the taste of coffee on your tongue, and the strange, pleasant lightness of a machine that made every hill feel like a choice rather than a challenge. By the time you roll back to the station forecourt, the sun has softened to gold, and the ride has become less a feat of endurance than a memory you’ll want to repeat.

Ride highlights

• Assisted climbs that flatten every hill in Serra de Rodes ridge
• The medieval streets and squares of Rupià
• Wide, traffic-free stretches suitable for all fitness levels
• A coffee and pastry stop at Draps Cafè

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 Serra de Rodes ridge

   The first stretch warms the legs on quiet roads towards Serra de Rodes ridge.

3. 10:45

   The Coll de Malla section

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

4. 12:30

   Lunch near Rupià

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

5. 14:30

   Past Ter River Greenway

   An easier afternoon section taking in Ter River Greenway.

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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