Majestic Pyrenees - Barcelona

Reception of the participants at the airport and transfer to the hotel by Aventura Motorcycle Tours staff, welcome drink, dinner and tour presentation.

​We begin our tour leaving behind the Mediterranean Sea and the city of Barcelona to start heading north towards the mountains. Our first stop will be a worthwhile visit to the Montserrat Monastery. The mountains around it are shaped like teeth, thus the monastery's name.

We will continue our journey and have lunch at the Parador de Cardona, a medieval castle with a most enjoyable view. In the afternoon, we will approach the first mountain passes of the Pyrenees, a nice warm-up for what we will experience during our tour.  The idyllic town of Puigcerdá, at the foot of the Pyrenees, will be our stop for the night.

We are already in the heart of the mountains, and today we will cross into France for the first time, to ride through one of the highest mountain passes of our trip, the 'Paso de la Casa'. The road will then take us to Andorra, a country of small dimensions, but offering spectacular views and landscapes. We will stop at the cozy city of Andorra La Bella and then ride back to Spain, where more and more twisties will lead our group to 'Puerto de la Bonaigua', located on an imposing and absolutely beautiful valley.

Our final destination for this second day on the road is the 'hidden secret' little town of Caldes de Boi, where inviting hot springs will welcome us for the night and a well-deserved rest.

Let's get ready for a full day of high emotions on roads we will never forget. The mountain passes are many today, and we will have a hard time trying to figure which of these pass names are the ones that will leave us most impressed: Tourmalet, Perysourde, Aubisque, Pourtalet, not forgetting the Circo de Gavernie and its waterfall, the highest in Europe. It's a day of joy, curve after curve, as we cross into France only to return to Spain at sunset

 The quiet valleys of Sabiñánigo, where the annual BMW Riders Spain meeting is currently held, will be the perfect place for us to relive the emotions of a great riding day over a glass or two of excellent wine.

Our route today is more relaxing after the intense emotions of our previous day, although not less exciting. We will ride through medieval towns where time does not seem to pass, gorgeous natural parks such as Aguas Tortes and, of course, more astonishing mountain passes such as the 'Col de Saudet' in France. The forests on the north face of the Pyrenees are lush and offer spectacular views.

In the afternoon, we will return to Spain and visit Roncesvalles, the starting point of the mythical 'Camino de Santiago', just before we reach beautiful Pamplona for our night stop.

We are getting closer to the sea, little by little... Our day starts with our by now 'regular dose' of mountain passes and curvy roads, entering France once again on the westernmost Pyrenees and reaching the shores of Biarritz. This charming little coastal town is famous for being the summer resort for many wealthy people in France and Spain.

From there, we will stay on the coastal roads and cross back into Spain to San Sebastián. The bay of 'La Concha', one of the most beautiful in the world, will be the place for our group to savor the celebrated local cuisine.

Our plan for today is to wake up a little later and have a most pleasant breakfast with a view of the bay of San Sebastián. We will have the whole day to go to the seafront, visit the historical center, and get to know the old fishing village that was once San Sebastián, while we are treated almost non-stop to some of the delicious local gastronomy.

As an alternative for those who can't get enough of these fantastic roads of the region, we can take the day to ride to the Hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, traveling along the beautiful coast of the Cantabrian Sea, practically on cliffs and overlooking the crashing waves below us. After a quick visit to Bilbao for lunch, we will return to San Sebastian for a sunset stroll to mark this day as another magical moment in our trip. The choice is yours!

We leave San Sebastián and its beaches to return to the mountains today, riding through mostly empty roads crossing the forests close to the coast. Our first destination is a place way removed from everything we have seen so far on our journey: Bárdenas Reales and its almost surreal desert landscape. Before reaching this unique region of Spain, we will make a short stop to visit Ujué, a medieval town in a most spectacular setting.

Our excellent day on the road will end in one of the best-preserved and most beautiful of the medieval villages in the province of Zaragoza, Sos del Rey Católico, with a history that goes back to the year 907.

Starting with a visit to the Monastery of San Juan de la Peña, with its most unusual setting (the monastery sits literally under a massive rock), our route today will take us to the deepest parts of the Pyrenees. We will continue climbing the twisty roads to reach Jaca, also known 'Puerta de los Pirineos' (Door to the Pyrenees), and get to know its impressive fortress. Next on our list for today is must-see Canfranc, the most beautiful train station in Spain. After being abandoned for many years, the station is once again open to the public.

We will then reenter France on more curvy and exhilarating roads to pass through the Col de Somport, the Col de Marie-Blanque, the Col de Porteigt, the Lac de Fabrèges, and finally, the Col de Pourtalet before returning to Spain. This long and exciting day will end at the Panticosa Spa (Balneário de Panticosa) for a good night's sleep.

Baños de Panticosa is undoubtedly a place that we could enjoy for days and days, but we must go on to explore new wonders like the Añisclo Canyon, our first destination this morning. The road between a gorgeous river and the mesmerizing stone walls of this canyon will alternate tunnels and awesome curves. Truly an unforgettable experience!

Once again, we will reenter France through the Bielsa tunnel to continue to Col de Peyrefite, Col de Peyresourde, and Col de Portillon on our return to Spain for more spectacular roads through majestic valleys. Our final destination for today, Vielha, will be a perfect setting for a friendly and cozy dinner while we share the highlights of this most wonderful day.

We will start our day with a real feast for our senses while we experience another incredible session of mountain passes and challenging curves that will feel custom-made for our group's pleasure.  We will start with the Col de Menté and Col de la Clin, and then go through the Port de la Core, Col de Agnés, Port de Les... You may not be able to remember all the names, but we are sure you will remember every minute of the ride!

After lunch, we will begin our descent on the north side of the Pyrenees, leaving behind the mountain's highest peaks to reach the valleys and gently ride the last few kilometers to Carcassonne. We celebrate our adventure tonight with great food and even better wine inside this old town's historic walls.

Our well-deserved second day of rest on this trip will be dedicated to discovering the Castle of Carcassonne, the best preserved of all Cathar Castles. Today we can wake up a bit later, enjoy a relaxed breakfast, and then forget about the clock while finding out why Carcassonne is such a unique and cherished destination in southern France.

As always, we have an option for those who want to further explore this magical region: a ride on our motorcycles to charming Minerva, located on a rock in a bend of the river. The day trip will leave us with enough time to walk the alleys of Carcassonne when we are back and enjoy another fantastic meal before the well-deserved night rest.

We are heading back to the Mediterranean Sea and the crystalline waters of the Costa Brava, but first we must cross places like the beautiful Galamus Gorge and the intriguing Quillán Castle. Leaving France for the last time on this journey of ours, we will return to Spain through the Col dels Horts, enjoying the final curves on the mountains of the Pyrenees.

With the mountains behind us, we follow on to Figueres, which happens to be Salvador Dali's hometown. There we will visit the museum dedicated to this world-famous Spanish master and enjoy our last night on the road. Barcelona waits for us tomorrow!

It is hard to believe, but this is the last day on the road for this memorable trip, and just like every other day for these past two weeks, we promise it won't be a dull day! We will ride along the curves of Costa Brava, overlooking beaches with crystal clear waters and impressive cliffs on our way to Barcelona.

The ride to Cabo de Creus, the easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula; Roses; the road to Tossa del Mar... what a fantastic way to end a fantastic journey. Our farewell dinner will be the right moment to relive the great moments and the unique experiences we shared for the last couple of weeks. At this point, we won't be surprised if our group will already be planning the next adventure with Aventura Motorcycle Tours!

After a well-deserved night's rest and breakfast at the hotel, we say goodbye to our new friends, and Aventura Motorcycle Tours will provide transfer to the airport.