Catalonia Mountain To Sea Trail Catalonia Spain Riding through old villages, passing Romanesque churches. From the foothills of the Pyrenees to the undulating plains of the Empordà region, fringed by the long curve of the Bay of Roses... eight kilometers of beach!  You will experience the canter of our life along the white-water of the waves. As every hour passes, so does another beautiful village, castle, and church, including Castelló d’Empúries- a lively town with a majestic cathedral. Ride amidst the beautiful natural surroundings of the Alt Empordà. Discover small medieval villages such as Besalú, Crespià and Bàscara. Cross hills and fields of wheat, poppies and sunflowers. Discover forests full of wild herbs. Canter in coastal meadows and walk along small winding creeks. The Alt Empordà is full of culture, history and natural diversity. Progressive Ride (no camping) Meeting: Barcelona Airport: Barcelona Transfer: Barcelona Riders: Min 4 riders Max 11 riders Trip Brochure (PDF) Trip Rating

Packages and Options

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Transfer and Other Charges:

Transfer is from Barcelona Airport. Pick up at 6pm on arrival day - meeting point Terminal 2B (near the big horse sculpture in the main hall) Drop off at 12pm on departure day at Terminal 1. Transfer from Girona Airport or train station is also possible. Pick-up at 7:30pm, drop-off at 10:30am.

Day 1: Welcome to Masai Can Grau
Arrival at Can Grau, a country house dedicated to rural tourism, located a few kilometers from the wild Medes Islands Nature Reserve. In the heart of nature, hidden from passers-by, with 30 years of experience in equestrian tourism. From here you will discover the Empordà region and its varied nature, which offers many possibilities for horseback riding.
Enjoy your time close to nature, the beach, and cities like Figueres and Girona. The ideal place for a horseback riding holiday, and an original way to discover the region. After enjoying a comforting dinner, we will go over the program of the week and taste one of the delicious local wines. We will talk about the characteristics of our Andalusian and Arabian crossbred horses, a combination of the best of each breed. We will have the opportunity for a one-to-one conversation designed to find every rider their perfect horse.

Day 2: The Journey Begins
After saddling up the horses we are ready to embark on our adventure. The horses are fresh and ready. We enjoy a series of long canters through the Alt Empordà pine forests. After every hour we pass another beautiful village, castle, church, arches, tunnels, old wooden doors with wrought iron knockers, the beauty of the stonework of the past. As the afternoon draws on one can sense the proximity to the coast. At last, we arrive at the Mediterranean: the beautiful gulf of Rosas stretches before us and our hotel for the night is close to the beach.

Day 3: Vamos A La Playa!
We trot our horses for a kilometer down to the beach. The long curve of the bay of Roses stretches before us, kilometers of golden sand. We revel in some exhilarating canters on the beach. We then head inland again along the Fluvià river, past a bird sanctuary where we can spot flocks of migrating birds. The terrain is flat with many rice plantations and peach, pear, and apple orchards. The pace today is lively and at lunchtime we will enjoy an amazing picnic. During the afternoon, you can explore Castelló d'Empúries and do some shopping. It is a lively cathedral town where one can enjoy some excellent tapas and cold drinks on one of the nice terraces. Possibility to visit the famous Dali-museum in Figueres.

Day 4: Boadella Lake
After an excellent breakfast, we saddle up again to continue our journey to the mountains. Today the ride is spectacular, once more a lively pace as we trot and canter out across the planes, and through fields, meadows, and Mediterranean woodland, rife with the scents of wild herbs and flowers. In the afternoon we ride alongside cork trees, olive groves and vineyards. Past the lake of Boadella, we will find our accommodation for tonight, a lovely farmhouse where we will enjoy excellent homemade cuisine made with local products.

Day 5: Empordà Wilderness
Today after saddling up the horses, we head for the most intact area on the trail, in terms of flora and wildlife: the wilderness of the Alt Garrotxa. During the morning we ride over rolling hills and through pine and oak forests. As we continue past the charming village of Terrades we are very likely to come across herds of sheep or wild boar. At dusk we arrive at our destination, Sant Martí Saserres, famous for its church, where we leave our horses to graze and rest. Today we are accompanied by car to the Hotel Masia La Palma in Espinavessa. It is a country house dedicated to rural tourism that retains its original charm and in which Tonia and Andres are the perfect hosts.

Day 6: Catalan Architecture and Besalú
We follow the north bank of the Fluvià river, enjoying the spectacular scenery with many different bird species. We cover a long distance in record time through sunflower fields, open meadows and forest. We stop in Besalú where we have a delicious picnic lunch by the river. Besalú, a mediaeval walled village and the ancient capital, is a jewel of Romanesque architecture set between two rivers. The squares, stone cut pillars and cool shady arched passageways are a wonder to behold. Not to mention the stained glass of its churches. We’ll have some time to wander around and absorb the unique atmosphere of this ancient mediaeval village with its characteristic bridge. We will sleep the night at the Hotel Masia La Palma, where we stayed the previous night. The house dates back to the seventeenth century and has been carefully restored. The swimming pool and the living room are all at our disposal and there is the possibility to enjoy a private Spa or a massage. In the restaurant they serve a traditional cuisine based on the finest local ingredients and some old family recipes.

Day 7: Homeward Bound
In the morning we leave from Vilert and head straight for the forest and hills around the village of Ollers, also known for its prominent church. There are some majestic farm houses in the area, built by the nobility in the XVIIth century. With amazing views of the Pyrenees behind us, we enter the historical village of Galliners with some fine examples of Catalan architecture. We travel through forests full of aromatic herbs and wild flowers and stop for a lovely picnic surrounded by rosemary bushes. After lunch we continue our journey into the Alt Empordà region and after some good canters we ease the pace until arriving at our final destination. Sit back, relax in the gardens or have a swim in the swimming pool, and let us finish the day with a comforting home cooked meal for dinner!

Day 8: Adios Amigos
Breakfast and departure. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

NOTE: The itinerary is subject to change in case of incidents due to climate change (high temperatures, birds’ migration, fire, dryness, etc.). Particularly with the beach ride: it is not possible to canter when there is too much wind.

                                                Girona area

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average High Temperature (°F)	57	59	63	67	73	81	87	87	80	72	63	58
Average Low Temperature (°F)	35	36	40	44	51	59	63	64	58	51	42	37
Average High Temperature (°C)	14	15	17	19	23	27	30	30	27	22	17	14
Average Low Temperature (°C)	2	2	5	7	11	15	17	18	15	11	6	3
Average Precipitation (days of rain)	4	4	5	6	7	5	3	4	5	5	4	3

Source: NOAA


Seasons
The overall climate of Catalonia is similar to Southern California. It enjoys a balmy, year-round climate; not too steamy in summer and with a few cold days in winter. July and August are the warmest months and December, January and February are the coldest months.

We recommend wearing jodhpurs, as these protect your legs from soreness, and you will find a light-weight, cotton pair, more comfortable during the summer months. You may need two pairs if you are on one of the longer rides.
Wearing a helmet is compulsory for those under eighteen, but is strongly recommended for everybody and riding without hamlet is rider's responsability.
Your riding boots should have a sole with tread and be comfortable for walking, as you are certain to lead your horse on some occasions. Jodhpur boots and half-chaps are a more flexible combination for comfort and leg protection than long riding boots.
A long-sleeved shirt is recommended for protection against the sun and against scratches when riding through undergrowth.
Lightweight riding gloves are useful, as is a “bum bag” to contain your camera and any other items you may need during your ride.
We strongly recommend taking a water-bottle, especially on trail-rides that can be refilled en-route; these can be carried in the saddle-bags provided.
A light cotton scarf can help to avoid breathing in too much dust in dry areas.
Bring sunglasses, also to protect your eyes from dust.
Sun cream and lip balm are also recommended.
It is essential that you bring good wet weather gear. Although it rains very little, when it does it is normally a heavy downpour, consequently a jacket or cape and waterproof trousers are a good idea.
Last, but not least: do not forget your bathing suit!

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Accommodations
This is a progressive ride so you will be staying in different locations throughout the tour.

• Can Grau www.masiacangrau.com
• Hotel El Molí de l’Escala www.molidelescala.com or Hotel RioMar www.hotelriomar.com
• Hotel El Racó de Castelló www.hostalelrecodecastello.com
• Can Massot www.canmassot.com
• Hotel La Palma www.masialapalma.com

This trip includes some wine with dinner.

Tack:		English with saddlebags
Horses:		Spanish, Hispano-Arabians, Arabians, Anglo-Arabians
Pace:		180 km in 6 riding days, 4 to 6 hours of riding each day | Walk | Trot | Canter | Gallop |
Level:		(3.5 to 4 out of 5)    Good Intermediate
Age:		Min 14/16
Weight:		Max 90kg/200lbs
Riders:		Min 4 riders	Max 11 riders

To participate in this trip you must be a reasonably competent rider. You should be well balanced, comfortable and secure in the saddle and able to control a well-schooled horse outside at all paces. Riders are expected to be able to cope with a variety of different going and different types of terrain. All the rides are aimed at reasonably capable riders, who are also fairly fit and riding regularly, and participants are expected to ride regularly in the months before they go to ensure they can cope with the hours in the saddle. There are also places on the rides where you will need to dismount and lead your horse for a short way – if the ground gets rough or steep, and for a short time to warm the horses up and cool them down each day. Riders are expected to groom and tack up their own horse each day in preparation for rides. You’ll change accommodation every day, consult the routes description for locations.

Passports

Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart except:

(a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.

Note: EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Passports held by EU nationals need only be valid upon entry to and exit from Spain. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.

Passport Note

Spain is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement.



Visas

Not required by nationals of EU countries regardless of purpose and/or length of stay; 2. not required by nationals of other countries referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days.

Visa Note

Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements 

 

This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult the embassy or consulate for updated info.