Costa Brava and Mallorca 2023 Tour

May 31 - June 15, 2023 (full tour)

May 31 - June 11, 2023 (Girona to Valencia)

June 5 - June 15, 2023 (Barcelona to Mallorca)

Please check out the daily details of our Love Spain 2023 Costa Brava and Mallorca Tour itinerary from May 31 - June 15, 2023 below.  Participants can choose from one of three options that best suit their schedule. The main option is to join the full tour from May 31 - June 15, 2023 beginning in Girona and ending on Mallorca. A second shorter option is to begin in Girona on May 31, 2023 and fly out from Valencia on June 11, foregoing the final four nights on Mallorca. A third option is to join the tour after it has started by arriving directly into Barcelona no later than mid-afternoon on June 5, 2023 and staying through to the end on Mallorca on June 15, 2023. The route from Girona in Catalunya, northeast Spain, to Valencia on the southeast coast is over 700 kilometers which we will cover in eight cycling days , which averages out to 85-90 kilometers per cycling day.  After a quick transfer, this will be followed by several days cycling on the island of Mallorca. On cycling days, those who do not wish to cycle will experience intense cultural engagement and a chance to walk around and explore the places we are visiting. The trip caters to cyclists and non-cyclists alike. Non-cyclists will have their own full activities along the way with tourism opportunities and cultural engagement facilitated at each site. Anyone with a moderate level of fitness should be able to complete the trip and this is one of the least challenging routes we have done in order to maximize time at the many splendid beaches and sights along the way.  Road bicycles are strongly recommended.  We will be staying at many beautiful beach resorts and you will have a great chance to explore historic Girona, Barcelona, and Valencia. Mallorca is a tourist and cycling paradise. Accommodations throughout are centrally located and extraordinarily relaxing allowing you to mix biking, great scenery, tourist attractions, comfort, and a great cause! Approximately 300 USD of each registrant’s fee will go to support the Mosaico Cultural Center (80%) and a national missional worker in Spain (20%).  

 
 
 

Itinerary

 

Wednesday, MAY 31

All participants should arrive at our hotel in Girona by early to mid afternoon. We will be staying at the Hotel Ciutat de Girona, which is centrally located and cyclist friendly! Girona is known as a global mecca for cycling. Lance Armstrong used to keep an apartment here. It’s historic and beautiful! Portions of Game of Thrones was filmed in Girona, which also means it is unique. Read more about what TripAdvisor says about Girona here. The Barcelona airport is only an hour and 20 minutes away. There are also flights directly into Girona, and if you prefer to fly into Madrid, it is only a quick three hour and fifteen minute bullet train ride to Girona. Fast and comfortable. We will use the afternoon to prepare bikes and begin to get to know each other!  

Thursday, June 1

After breakfast, cyclists will depart for a 68-kilometer loop ride called the Els Angels / Girona Loop. Globally famous cyclists use it regularly as an easy training ride. It’s beautiful and goes through a number of rural Catalan villages. For an interactive map of the route, click here. Those who choose not to cycle will be able to spend the day exploring Girona. Click here for some ideas for things to do. We will also spend this night at the Hotel Ciutat de Girona, so no need to move your bags. Check out the Strava route for the day here.

Friday, June 2

After breakfast we will ride north out of town for about 40 kilometers to our first stop - the Salvador Dali Museum in the town of Figueres. Perhaps this will be the perfect artist for a surrealistic group like ours! After a museum tour and lunch we will continue on another 65 kilometers to the Costa Brava to our beach resort for the night - the Park Hotel San Jorge. After this, we will largely be following the coast south until we reach Valencia. The Strava route for the day is here.

saturday, June 3

Rest day at the Park Hotel San Jorge. Time to enjoy the beach, going for a walk in the hills, swimming in the pool, going to the spa, or just kicking back and taking a siesta with little round cucumber slices covering your eyes.

sunday, june 4

Today is a deceptively short 44 kilometer ride south along the beautiful Costa Brava. It is short, but it is like a sawtooth with multiple short ups and downs. We finish the ride at another stunning beach resort, the Hotel Santa Marta, and then rinse and repeat from the day before, but be sure to switch out the cucumbers for fresher ones. Melon rinds may also work. The Strava route is here.

monday, June 5

We continue south for 68 kilometers on a mostly flat stage along the Costa Brava into Barcelona, passing many beaches along the way. We will be staying at the functional, centrally-located Hotel Ilunion Auditori which is within walking and public transport distance to all the major sights in the city including the famous Sagrada Familia cathedral (right). The Strava route is here.

tuesday, june 6

Free day in Barcelona as we continue to base out of the Hotel Ilunion Auditori to explore this beautiful city. Here is an article on the 30 best things to do right now in Barcelona. You probably won’t have time to do everything, so pick and choose. In the evening we will have a group dinner in a Barcelona restaurant followed by a flamenco presentation by a local Flamenco Academy to top off a great night in this Catalan capital!

wednesday, june 7

We continue south along the coast out of Barcelona (yes, we will cycle through the city) for 97 kilometers until we reach the coastal town of Tarragona, with its famous Roman ruins. We will be staying at yet another beautiful beach resort, the H10 Imperial Tarraco, which boasts a great view overlooking the town, the Roman amphitheater and the coastline. The Strava route for the day is here.

thursday, june 8

Our route continues on 95 kilometers along the coast south before cutting inland a ways to arrive at the medieval town of Tortosa. We will be staying at the luxurious Parador de Tortosa, which is located inside a castle. The Strava route for the day is here.

friday, june 9

This will likely be our shortest ride of the trip (only 55 kilometers on nearly flat roads), which has been planned purposefully to give you more opportunity to enjoy our beach destination, the Parador de Benicarlo´. You will need to rest up at the beach (swap out the cucumbers and the melon rinds for orange wedges) in order to be ready for the long day on Saturday into Valencia. The Strava route for the day is here.

saturday, june 10

On our longest cycling day (distance-wise) of the tour we ride 142 kilometers along the coast on a mostly flat route into the stunning city of Valencia where we will be received by the cycling-friendly Olympia Hotel & Spa. It is not in the town center but is very close to a metro stop, and provides easy access for group arrival and departure - oh yes, and there is still a spa! The good news is that after this long day, the following day is a rest day in Valencia and a potential departure day from Valencia for those opting for the shorter version of the tour. The Strava route for the day is here.

sunday, june 11

Free day in Valencia to do many things, including eating a world-famous Valencian paella (right). Here is a link to an article on the 15 best things to do in Valencia. We strongly urge everyone to get the 24-hour Valencia Tourist Card as that will cover all public transport and entrance to museums as well as transport to the airport. Participants choosing to end their tour can fly out directly from Valencia. Those continuing on to Mallorca will be taking a very cheap (around $25) flight late in the evening directly to Mallorca. Those flying to Mallorca will be staying at the Marriott Club Son Antem Resort & Spa for the subsequent four nights. Our vehicles and trailer as well as all bikes and luggage will go to Mallorca on the overnight ferry and will be at our hotel in the morning by breakfast time.

monday, june 12

After breakfast, cyclists will depart from our lovely resort base, the Marriott Club Son Antem Resort & Spa and travel 74 kilometers to Sa Calobra, Mallorca’s most famous cycling descent/climb. The rest of the group will meet us at the Sa Calobra beach and after a lunch break and swim, cyclists may choose to undertake the 10 kilometer Sa Calobra climb. From that point we will be picked up by support vehicles and we will all drive to the famous lighthouse at the Cap de Formentor. We will all then drive back to our hotel base. Mallorca is stunning. Check out this article on 33 Delightful Things to do on Mallorca! Our Strava route for the day is here.

tuesday, june 13

The bike riding on Mallorca is world class. Many pro teams come to Mallorca in the off season to train. There are plenty of other cyclotourists and the variety of terrain and scenery is almost unmatched. After breakfast, we will drive from our hotel, the Marriott Club Son Antem Resort & Spa to just outside the town of Esporles where we will begin cycling the South Tramuntana Circle which is widely considered the most beautiful ride on Mallorca. After completing the South Tramuntana Circle we will ride back to our hotel passing through Palma de Mallorca and riding along its famous beach - a total distance of 101 kilometers. The rest of the team who does not cycle will be able to shop and explore anywhere on the island they want. The Strava route for the day is here.

wednesday, june 14

We will reserve the last full day on Mallorca for the entire group for relaxing, sightseeing, shopping, packing suitcases and bicycles, and having one final group dinner together - to compare notes, tan lines, and memories until we meet again!

thursday, June 15

Everyone flies out of Palma de Mallorca which has quick and easy connections to multiple points in Europe and even direct flights to the USA on United! Don’t forget to stop by the local fruit stand before you leave - you will need to get your stash ready for future spa visits - cucumbers, melon rind, orange wedges, oh, and papaya juice is really good for the skin! Time to say goodbye and hope you will join us for another adventure of a lifetime!

Registration and Payment

 

In order to become an official participant in the Love Spain 2023 Costa Brava and Mallorca Tour, everyone must register and pay below.  Scroll down on the registration filling in all items as you go.  Once you have completed the registration, proceed to make your payment.  

The total cost of the full Love Spain 2023 Costa Brava and Mallorca Tour beginning on May 31, 2023 and ending on June 15, 2023 is 1,995 euros.  The total cost of the May 31, 2023 to June 11, 2023 option beginning in Girona and ending in Valencia is 1,545 euros. The total cost of the June 5 - 15, 2023 option beginning in Barcelona and ending on Mallorca is also 1,545 euros. This payment does not include a credit card processing fee, which is also required if paying by credit card.  Payment covers all internal Spain travel during the trip (with the small exceptions noted below), vehicle backup, lodging, cycling attire for participants who have not previously been on a Love Spain event, and breakfasts during the entirety of the trip starting from lodging on the night of May 31, 2023 and ending with breakfast on June 15, 2023 for participants doing the full trip. For those ending the trip in Valencia, your registration covers you through breakfast on Sunday, June 11, 2023 and for those of you beginning in Barcelona your registration covers you through breakfast on Mallorca on Thursday, June 15.  Lodging will normally be very high quality hotels (double occupancy and occasionally triple occupancy unless noted otherwise). 

Payment does not cover international travel, lunches, dinners, tips, snacks, drinks, entrance fees, and incidentals.  Payment will not cover your transport from Valencia to Mallorca if participating on the Mallorca part of the trip (the internal airfare is very cheap), nor will it cover your transport to the airport at the end of your trip or airport pickup and transport to the hotel if choosing to join the trip in Barcelona. It will cover your transport from Barcelona airport to Girona at the beginning of the trip. We will work with you to help ensure you choose ideal flights for both arrival and departure to ensure your transitions are as smooth and easy, and upon request, advise you so that your international travel is as cheap and comfortable as possible.

Please note that you may also pay by wire transfer, which could save you some money as the fees, especially on Wise.com are less than the credit card transaction fee. Please read instructions below in the payment section to see which option (wire transfer or credit card payment) you feel most comfortable with.

Thank you for your interest in the Love Spain 2023 Costa Brava and Mallorca Tour.  If you have any questions or we can help you in any way, please do not hesitate to get in touch via the Contact Us page.  Please note that you will not be considered fully registered for the Love Spain 2023 Costa Brava and Mallorca Tour until you have fully completed and submitted your registration below, emailed your passport, and made your trip payment.  In the past, places have filled up quickly so the earlier you register and pay the better.  

 
 

Registration

 

Payment

To pay by wire transfer, we suggest using Wise which will potentially save you some money in processing fees. If paying via wire transfer, you will need to ensure that 1,995 euros is transferred into our account if paying for the full trip (May 31 - June 15, 2023) or 1,545 euros if paying for either of the other two shorter trip options (May 31 - June 11 or June 5 - 15, 2023). Wise will tell you how much you will have to pay in total in your local currency so that we receive the correct amount in euros in our Spain account. To request our Spain account information and any other help you may need making a wire transfer, please send us an email via the Contact Us page.

If you wish to pay by credit or debit card, click on the payment button below. You will then have two options, both of which add in the 6% credit card processing fee that is charged to us. Thus, if you are making a payment for the full trip (May 31 - June 15, 2023) click the 2,115 euro payment button, and if you are making a payment for either of the shorter trip options (May 31 - June 11 or June 5 - 15, 2023) click on the 1,640 euro payment option.

Please remember that your payment is fully refundable until the final registration deadline of April 1, 2023 (less processing costs), and completely nonrefundable after that date. We encourage all registrants to get travel insurance that covers unexpected cancellation so that your trip registration cost is covered by your travel insurance in the unlikely event you are forced to cancel after the April 1, 2023 registration deadline.

Payment