Planned cycles for each day including Maps and documents.

Day 1 Thursday 20^th April; Travel to Prestwick/Girona/Estartit.

Arrive 19:30. Eat in Estartit. Taxi home.

Day 2 Friday 21^st April; Empuries Greek Roman ruins. (20 miles)

Cycles arrive.

Empuries: A Little History

The earliest settlers at Empuries traded with the Etruscans, Phoenicians and the Greeks during the 7th century b.c. By the 6th century, Greek traders founded a first settlement called Palaia Polis and eventually created a new sector of city called the new town, or Nea Polis--and this is the Greek part of the site you'll see when you visit Empuries. the colony itself was called Emporion, which means market in Greek, and it certainly was.

In 218 b.c. Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio showed up to block land access to Carthaginian troops on the occasion of the Second Punic war, and thus begun the Romanization of Spain. In the time of Augustus, the Greek and Roman cities became one under the Roman name Municipium Eporiae.

As Girona, Barcelona and Tarragona rose in importance, Empuries fell, and in the second half of the 3rd century b.c. the Roman city and Neapolis were abandoned.

The most interesting things at Empuries?

* The water purification system
* The erotic (phallic) drinking vessels in the museum
* The massive Roman Walls

You can get an audio guided visit of Empuries. Ask at the information point in the car park (where you'll buy your tickets).

Just down the road to the south you'll find L'Escala, a tourist center with many fine seafood restaurants, an internet point, and popular beach.

Day 3 Saturday 22nd April ; Pals Medieval Village (30 miles)

Cycle to Pals Medieval Village (30 miles)

via Torreoella, Gualta, Fontailles, Saint Julia, Pals

Pals, la llevadora, la torre, mas Gilebert, mas Carles, daro vell , Gualta, Torroella

Pals; The Costa Brava, the wild coast of the province of Girona, has a medieval town a few kilometres from where it meets the sea. Its historic centre stands on a hill surrounded by plains, which were originally marshland. You have to go back to the 9th century - the period to which its castle belongs - to find the first written documents mentioning this town.

Continuous warlike confrontations have meant that over the centuries only the Keep of this defensive construction has been preserved. It is a circular Romanesque tower built between the 11th and 13th centuries. The 15-metre tower stands on a natural rock platform in which many Visigothic tombs can be found. During the 15th century it was used as a belltower, which is why it is known as the Torre de las Horas (Tower of the Hours).

Gothic quarter

Nowadays, the site of the castle is occupied by the house of the Pi i Figueras family, promoters of the restoration of the Gothic Quarter of Pals. Of modern construction, this house maintains the same architectural features as the rest of the town. Cobbled streets interrupted by semicircular arches, façades with pointed arched windows and stone balconies are among Pals' distinctive features.

The wall is another element that takes the traveller back to the Middle Ages. Four square towers remain standing today, although they date from the 12th century. They are towers with their own names, like Ramonet, Rom, Xinel•lo and Hospital.

Other points of interest are the Josep Pla viewpoint, the Plaza Mayor, the tombs in the Calle Mayor and the church of Sant Pere. The writer from Palafrugell gives his name to one of the natural watchtowers, from where you can make out the fields of Empordà and the Medes Islands. Gothic arches and medieval tombs are the other landmarks you find on the way. Some of the stone blocks from the castle were used in the 10th century to build the church of Sant Pere. In its final structure you can make out the Romanesque base, the Gothic apse and nave and the Baroque portico and belltower.

The best way to tour Pals is to lose yourself in its medieval streets, but before that it is worth visiting a 15th century fortified house, home to the Underwater Archaeology Museum. Among other curiosities, you can get to know the history of Catalan wines and cavas thanks to the permanent exhibition it has on display.

Day 4 Sunday 23rd April; free day

Rest in estartit ? Travel paths near Estartit. Andy see his relatives?

Day 5 Monday 24th April; Colomers (25 miles)

Torroella, Verges, Jafre, Colomers

Colomers, Foixa, Ultamort, Sant Iscle d’emporda, Serra de Daro, Gualta, Torroella

the village of Verges (population 1100) is another medieval village. It has a pleasant town square and the vestiges of the wall that once encircled the entire medieval village. Near the town square is a well-preserved entrance gate. In February, “La Sopa” festival takes place. Huge pots of soup are cooked over burning logs and distributed amongst the villagers, a tradition stemming back to the time when the feudal lord would give a meal for all of the townspeople.

Day 6 Tuesday 25th April; La Bisbal Market Town (30 Miles)

Torroella, Gualta, Serra de Daro, Pla Lobato, Corca, Monells, Cruilles, la Bisbal d’Emporda.

Emporda, Vulpellac, Canapost, Peratallada, Palau-Sator, Fontclara, Fontanilles, Gualta, Torroella

La Bisbal 12km northwest of Palafrugell and on the bus route to Girona, is a medieval market town in an attractive river setting. Since the seventeenth century. La Bisbal has specialized in the production of ceramics, and pottery shops line the main road through town, where - with a bit of browsing - you can pick up some terrific local pieces.

Peratallada - The medieval walled town of Peratallada, 6km west of Pals, has managed to preserve its rustic feel while still injecting a vitality into its labyrinth of narrow streets and squares. Restaurants, hotels and craft shops coexist surprisingly harmoniously with their thirteenth century Romanesque ...

Day 7 Wednesday 28th April; to de decided

Free day – bikes collected at night

Day 8 Thursday 27th April ; Travel to Scotland

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