Landscapes of the day

 Sant Feliu de Guíxols-Sant Feliu de Guixols

23/03/2026 - Stage 1 – 172,7 km

 Gavarres Marítimes, Plana de la Selva, Pla de Girona, Guilleries, Ardenya-Cadiretes

• Mass tourism has brought substantial change to the Costa Brava, especially in the historical town centres. New summer resorts and many housing developments have sprouted up in coastal coves, especially in the vicinity of Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Tossa de Mar. 

• Much of the stage runs through cork oak, holm oak and pine forests that provide a scenic backdrop to the surrounding plains and towns. The exploitation of cork oak forests has been one of the main economic activities of Les Gavarres massif and Ardenya-Cadiretes. It has also left its mark on urban landscapes such as those of Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Palafrugell. 

• From Pla de Girona, the scenic backdrop of Rocacorba stands out, with Puig Sou, Sant Grau, El Far, Montseny and Les Gavarres, with the sanctuary of Mare de Déu dels Àngels.

• After arriving in Anglès and continuing to Arbúcies, passing through Osor and Sant Hilari Sacalm, the route enters the landscape of Les Guilleries via a narrow, winding road through forests of holm oaks, chestnut plantations, pines and firs, with a high concentration of castles and fortresses. This landscape is reminiscent of the activities of the bandits of the 16th and 17th centuries, such as the famous Serrallonga, and of legends about witches.

• The gently rolling agroforestry landscape of Plana de la Selva stands out, with cereals, fodder and maize, patches of holm oak, cork oak and pine forests, and plantations of plane trees and poplars along the banks of the waterways. Large housing developments are interspersed here, especially between Caldes de Malavella and Llagostera. 

• Other outstanding landscape features along the route include the granite forms of the Ardenya-Cadiretes massif (such as the Carcaixells d’en Dalmau), farmhouses of great architectural value, the telecommunications tower of Girona, the textile factories and industrial colonies of Bonmatí and Anglès, the mining colony of Osor, the summit of Sant Miquel de Solterra, Montsoriu castle, Hostalric castle, the monumental building of the Vichy Catalan spa in Caldes de Malavella, the bell tower of Sant Feliu de Llagostera, Puig de Cadiretes, the castle of Tossa de Mar (ever-present in our collective mental imagery of the Costa Brava thanks, among other things, to films such as Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, starring Ava Gardner and James Mason) and the church of Sant Elm (where Ferran Agulló described this coast as ‘brava’).

•  The stage ends with the highly scenic stretch of road between Tossa de Mar and Sant Feliu de Guíxols. This route is known for its twists and turns. Passing along the cliffs carved out of the sea, it boasts several viewpoints that allow you to gaze out at the sea and the coves.

  Viewpoints of the day     

 Carcaixells d’en Dalmau

 Romanyà de la Selva

    Mare de Déu del Coll (Les Guilleries)

Montsoriu castle 

  Hostalric castle 

Llagostera 

        Church of Sant Elm in Sant Feliu de Guíxols

The "Landscapes of the Day" section has been prepared by the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

 Figueres – Banyoles

 24/03/2026 -  Stage 2 – 167,4 km

 Garrotxa d’Empordà, Els Aspres, Plana d’Empordà, Terraprims, Estany de Banyoles, Alta Garrotxa, Valls d’Olot, Rocacorba

•  The stage begins amid an agricultural landscape of cereal crops, with small patches of vineyards and olive trees, with pines gradually becoming more prominent. 

•  The stage follows the course of the Muga River in several parts of the route, both at the beginning, between Boadella and Les Escaules, and later, between Vilanova de la Muga and Castelló d’Empúries. In all these sections, the riparian forest stands out.   

• It then crosses an area of low, gently rolling mountain ranges that lie between the plain of Empordà and the mountain ranges of Les Salines and L’Albera. The agricultural mosaic around Terrades is notable for its soft fruit crops, mainly cherry trees, which, together with the mixed pine and holm oak forests, form a lovely colourful mosaic, especially in spring when the cherry trees blossom.

• In contrast to this setting is the showpiece landscape of the entrance to La Jonquera, where shopping centres and advertising hoardings proliferate due to the proximity of the French border.   

• Small villages appear along the route, especially in the area of Els Aspres. With ochre tones and bell towers as their most prominent features, these villages are framed by the Albera mountain range, with the summit of Puig Neulós as a backdrop. The settlements are surrounded by an agroforestry landscape characterised by vineyards and olive groves interspersed with small woodlands and dry stone walls. The villages of Cantallops, Masarac and Sant Climent Sescebes are examples of this.   

• In Peralada, Vilanova de la Muga and Castelló d’Empúries, monumental architecture looms over the course of the Muga. Particularly notable are Peralada castle, the bell tower of Santa Eulàlia in Vilanova de la Muga and, in Castelló d’Empúries, the basilica of Santa Maria and the Pont Vell (old bridge).

• Upon reaching La Garrotxa, the eye is drawn to the cliffs and rugged, craggy mountain ranges, with their emblematic peaks of Comanegra, Bassegoda and Ferran, and to the mediaeval town of Besalú. Other peaks and scenic backdrops of the stage include Mare de Déu del Mont, Cós mountain, with its sanctuary of the same name, the Finestres mountain range and Rocacorba, with its telecommunications aerials and the church as the most visible elements.   

• Throughout the Garrotxa section, we are accompanied by the volcanic landscape, from the town and cliff of Castellfollit de la Roca to the various volcanic cones visible along much of the route as far as Santa Pau. 

• The road connecting Olot with Banyoles, via Santa Pau, crosses the open valleys of Mieres and Sant Miquel de Campmajor and is characterised as a winding road in an agroforestry setting, much frequented and appreciated by cyclists.   

• The end of the stage is notable for Estany de Banyoles, a lake of great natural value and a source of inspiration for writers such as Jacint Verdaguer, Josep Pla and Joan Perucho, and for painters such as Manel Pigem i Ros and Joan de Palau.

Viewpoints of the day

               Church of Santa Magdalena 

 Mont-roig castle 

  Turó d’Altrera 

    Mare de Déu del Mont 

       Mare de Déu del Cos 

       Sant Francesc (Montsacopa volcano) 

       Finestres mountain range

     Sant Patllari 

       Puig de Sant Martirià

The “Landscapes of the day” section has been prepared by the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscapes of the day

 Costa Daurada (Mont-roig del Camp – Vila-seca)

25/03/2026 -  Stage 3 – 159,5 km

 Plana del Baix Camp, Conca d’Alforja – Vilaplana, La Mussara, Vall del Silenci, Priorat Històric, Baix Priorat, Serra de Llaberia, Escornalbou – Puigcerver, Litoral del Camp, Reus – Tarragona

• The town where the stage begins, Mont-roig del Camp, and its surrounding landscape, are known for having been a source of inspiration for Joan Miró.

• The first section of the stage runs through Plana del Baix Camp, a highly diverse agricultural mosaic where fields of hazelnuts, olives, almonds and carobs occupy almost all the available space, interrupted only by small patches of pine forests and the streams that cross the plain towards the sea. 

• Conca d’Alforja and Vilaplana lie between Plana del Baix Camp and the Mussara mountain range. The intermingling of hazelnut and olive groves with woodlands lends the landscape a sense of order and harmony, broken only by a few scattered housing developments around the town of Alforja.

• In contrast to the plain, after Vilaplana, along a winding road with panoramic views over the plain and as far as the sea, we reach the mountainous, forested landscape of La Mussara and the Prades mountains, where the rugged relief stands out, reaching over 1,000 metres in altitude on the highest peaks. In this area, olive and hazelnut cultivation has been relegated to the flatter spaces near the towns, and many old terraces can still be seen, now abandoned and colonised by wild vegetation.

• This section has a wide variety of forests: white pine forests, holm oak and kermes oak forests in the lowlands, and downy oak forests and Scots pine forests above 800 metres.   
• Next, the stage enters the almost symmetrical valleys of Ulldemolins and Cornudella de Montsant, separated by the Collet d’Albarca and the plateaus of Els Segalassos. 

• Entering Priorat, a mosaic of rounded hills of llicorella slate stands out, where vineyards abound, along with hazelnuts, almonds and olives, interspersed with scrubland and woodland formations, creating a highly attractive ensemble in a territory watered only by the Siurana River. The narrow, winding roads adapt their layout to the mountainous relief. Throughout the section, views of Montsant can be enjoyed—an emblematic scenic backdrop and an identifying feature of the region.

• The distinctive and original architecture of the wineries lends a strong character to the area. Also notable are the town of Gratallops, Falset castle and La Vilella Baixa, which, according to Joan Maria Espinàs in his book Viatge al Priorat, resembles the New York of Priorat from the road. 

• The Serra de Llaberia provides remarkable landscape backdrops visible from great distances, such as La Mola de Colldejou and La Miranda de Llaberia. 

• In the final kilometres as the stage approaches the coast, the landscape becomes increasingly featureless due to the profusion of buildings of various types along the low-lying, densely urbanised stretch from Cap de Salou to Cambrils. However, the characteristic agricultural mosaic of Baix Camp remains.    

Viewpoints of the day     

Cingle de la Mussara 

Tossal de Baltasana 

Albarca

Siurana

  La Morera de Montsant 

Lo Guixar 

        Church of Mare de Déu de la Consolació

      Miranda de Llaberia

The “Landscapes of the day” section has been prepared by the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscapes of the day

 Mataró - Vallter 26/03/2026 -  Stage 4 – 173 km

 Baix Maresme, Serra de Marina, Plana del Vallès, Cingles de Bertí i Gallifa, Moianès, Lluçanès, Alt Ter, Vall de Camprodon

• The stage begins by leaving behind the Maresme coastline, with its railway line, the N-II road, housing developments and several marinas.   

• It then enters the Serra de Marina via a winding road. This is a traditionally sparsely populated area, with small towns and many farmhouses. It is densely forested with pine forests, holm oak and cork oak woods, as well as downy oak forests on the shady slopes. 

• After crossing the Serra de Marina, the stage enters the Plana del Vallès via La Roca del Vallès, where its castle stands out, and Granollers, a highly urbanised area that contrasts with the previous section.   

• The stage between Granollers and Caldes de Montbui runs through a mosaic of housing developments, industry and croplands, with patches of pines—a landscape characteristic of Plana del Vallès-.

• Once past Caldes de Montbui, the stage climbs along the C-59 road northwards towards Moianès. In this section, the landscape of the plain gradually changes, hills appear and housing developments and croplands give way to Scots pine and white pine forests, holm oak and downy oak woods. Around Moià, cereal and fodder crops once again become prominent.  

• Settlement has historically been structured around the towns of Castellcir, Castellterçol, Granera and Sant Quirze Safaja, as well as a group of parish churches that brought together small hamlets and isolated farmhouses. This is an area rich in heritage features, including castles, farmhouses, churches, hermitages, mills and more.   

• Splendid views of the landscape can be enjoyed upon leaving Moià. Between Moià and L’Estany, and beyond, practically the entire route has rows of plane trees on both sides. This is one of the best-preserved stretches of tree-lined roads in Catalonia.  

• The agroforestry mosaic is clearly the leading feature of Lluçanès. Following the pattern of Moianès, woodland is relegated mainly to the mountainous areas. This distribution, undisturbed by urban pressure or aggressive road networks, contributes to the sense of tranquillity that Lluçanès offers. 

• From Sant Quirze de Besora onwards, the stage follows the Ter River as far as its source. The industrial colonies on the banks of the Ter and the Freser have characterised the river landscape of Alt Ter for decades.

• Scots pine forests are the most widespread in the landscape, although beech and downy oak forests are tending to recover their former dominance. In this area, agricultural landscapes are relegated to the valley floors, following the Ter between Ripoll and Setcases.

• The route passes through the two historic towns of Ripoll and Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Notable features in Ripoll include the Monastery of Santa Maria and especially its bell tower; in Sant Joan de les Abadesses, they include its monastery, the Gothic-style old bridge and the church of Sant Antoni de Pàdua, perched on the mountainside. The Serra Cavallera and the peak of Taga form the scenic backdrop. 

• In Vall de Camprodon, we enter high mountain alpine and subalpine landscapes, populated with black pine forests, rhododendron thickets and alpine meadows. This is a valley surrounded by majestic peaks and crossed through by the Ter River. 

• The towns of La Roca, Abella, Setcases and Tregurà stand out for their compact structure, stone construction, location halfway up the mountainside and irregular streets. The church is the main building within the town itself. Romanesque constructions also predominate in the valley, such as the Pont Nou de Camprodon. 

• The dominant scenic backdrops in this section are Balandrau and Puig de Fontlletera and, climbing towards Vallter, El Gra de Fajol and Bastiments.

Viewpoints of the day 

          Burriac castle

          El Farell 

         Cim de les àligues 

         La Campana viewpoint

          La Creu de Moià viewpoint

          Sant Adjutori 

         Els Munts sanctuary 

         Besora castle 

         Sant Antoni 

         Church of Sant Antoni Vell

          Tregurà de Dalt 

         Collet de Xoriguera

The “Landscapes of the day” section has been prepared by the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscapes of the day

 La Seu d’Urgell – La Molina / Coll de Pal

 27/03/2026 -  Stage 5 – 155.3 km

 Plana de l’Urgellet, La Vansa, Cadí, Capçaleres del Llobregat

• The stage begins in La Seu d’Urgell, a Pyrenean city overlooking the Segre and Valira rivers and surrounded by a living agricultural landscape with the superb scenic backdrop of Cadí. Also notable are the cathedral of Santa Maria de la Seu, the tower of Solsona and Castellciutat. 

• During the first few kilometres, the stage follows the course of the Segre. Between La Seu d’Urgell and Els Hostalets de Tost, the distinguishing features of the landscape are the many different uses of land and the contrast between plain and mountain, as well as between pastures and cereal crops. The village of El Pla de Sant Tirs stands out, perched on a hill. 

• The landscape becomes wilder when it takes the turn towards the Congost de Tres Ponts gorge and enters La Vansa. These are enclosed, rural valleys, due to limited urban growth and the preservation of the traditional structure of the towns, whether on hilltops (Sorribes de la Vansa or Tuixent) or halfway up the mountainside (Montan de Tost), with a more compact form and associated with terraced fields of dry stone walls. El Port del Comte and its rounded profile stand out.

• Croplands bounded by hedgerows, an age-old tradition, are still quite common in this area, as can be seen around Tuixent.  

• From Tuixent to the entrance to Berguedà, the stage runs along a small road halfway up the mountainside through tightly enclosed valleys. Only the stretch of Vall de Josa is more open, with the village of Josa de Cadí standing out, perched on a hill. From Coll de Josa onwards, the view opens up again and splendid panoramic views can be enjoyed of the bocage agriculture around Gòsol, which follows the same pattern as Tuixent. 

• The Pyrenean mountain villages are notable for their compact structure, stone construction halfway up the mountainside, irregular streets and the church as the main building, as seen in Gósol and Saldes. Other distinctive settlements are landscape landmarks and key elements of scenic backdrops, such as Bagà, La Pobla de Lillet and Sant Julià de Cerdanyola. 

• The emblematic backdrop of Pedraforca can be enjoyed for much of this stage.

• At Guardiola del Berguedà, the stage detours to circle the Catllaràs mountain range, where some beech forests with boxwood can be found, before climbing again northwards through Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park.

• From Guardiola de Berguedà to Bagà, the valley is much more open and shaped by human activity, but becomes a landscape of wilder, more entrenched valleys once the stage moves away from Bagà.   

• As the stage climbs towards Coll de Pal, the landscape becomes clearly alpine, and in some sections bird’s-eye views can be enjoyed from the road. The scenic backdrops of Penyes Altes de Moixeró and Tosa d’Alp stand out.  

The viewpoints of the day 

Castellciutat 

Church of Hortó 

 Congost de Tres Ponts 

 Santa Maria de Josa 

        Sanctuary of Mare de Déu de Falgars

Mirador del President

The “Landscapes of the day” section has been prepared by the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscapes of the day

 28/03/2026 - 158,2 km  

 Stage 6 – 158,2 km

Replans del Berguedà and Capçaleres del Llobregat

• The first part of the stage runs through the agroforestry landscape of the Berguedà plateaus, formed by gentle hills covered with pine forests and scrubland combined with dry-land crops and pastures. The population is scattered, with small villages and large farmhouses, many of mediaeval origin.

• The Llobregat River follows good part of the route and crosses towns such as Pobla de Lillet, Guardiola de Berguedà, Cercs and Puig-reig. 

• Running alongside the river, the C-16 (L’Eix de Llobregat) is the main arterial road in the area and there are several industrial areas between Berga and Manresa.

• Following the Llobregat, we see a complex of industrial (mostly textile producing) colonies between Berga and Puig-reig, such as Cal Rosal, L’Ametlla de Casserres, Cal Bassacs, Viladomiu Vell, Viladomiu Nou, El Guixaró, Cal Prat and Cal Cases. Most follow the same structure and often include Catalan Art Nouveau (modernista) heritage: the factory, owner’s house, school, church, storehouse, workers’ houses, square, orchards, sluice and canal. 

• Cliffs and rocky ridges stand out along the route, such as the Queralt mountain range, with the sanctuary as a landmark, La Quar, also with the Santa Maria sanctuary at the highest point, the Picancel mountain range, the Mata-rodona mountain range, the Garganta cliffs and especially the iconic Pedraforca peak, a top landmark in Berguedà and the surrounding counties. 

• The landscapes of the mining industry, mainly coal mining, are prominent in the most mountainous part of the stage. They are concentrated in Cercs, Fígols, Vallcebre, Saldes and La Pobla de Lillet and the colonies, buildings, mechanical installations, conveyor belts, scrapyards and wagons are the remaining evidence, which are mainly tourist attractions today. The cement train has also been restored for this purpose, in La Pobla de Lillet.  

• Other outstanding scenic elements include the bell tower of Santa Eulàlia de Gironella, the church of Santa Maria de la Guàrdia, located on a high hill, the bell tower of Santa Maria de Borredà, the Artigas gardens of La Pobla de Lillet, the Romanesque mountain architecture seen in the church of Sant Jaume de Frontanyà, the monastery of Santa Maria de Lillet and the monastery of Sant Llorenç, the water of the Baells reservoir, the monastery of Sant Salvador de la Vedella, the chimney of the old thermal power plant of Cercs, the rows of plane trees around the entrance to Berga and the castle of Sant Ferran, also in Berga.  

      The viewpoints of the day

         Cal Prat 

    Santa Maria de la Guàrdia 

        Sanctuary of Mare de Déu de la Quar 

         Viewpoint les Heures 

         Sant Jaume de Frontanyà

          Sancturay of Mare de Déu de Falgars (viewpoint Joan Casanova) 

        Guardiola de Berguedà

          Viewpoint of Pedraforca 

        Cap Deig 

     La Figuerassa 

        Sanctuary of Mare de Déu de Queralt

The "Landscapes of the Day" section has been prepared by the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscapes of the day

Barcelona - Barcelona

 29/03/2026 - Stage 7 – 95.1 km

Pla de Barcelona, Delta del Llobregat

• After leaving the city of Barcelona, this stage runs through Delta del Llobregat, the second-largest river delta in Catalonia, which is partially recognised as a natural park. There are several internationally important wetlands here, such as El Remolar and La Ricarda, part of Llobregat Agricultural Park. The area is dominated by artichokes and includes a significant network of canals, the towns of Viladecans, Gavà, Castelldefels and El Prat de Llobregat, the C-31 and C-32 roads, railway lines, industrial estates and the airport, which occupies more than 10 square kilometres. 

• Once you reach Castelldefels, the return section to Barcelona runs along the Castelldefels motorway (C-31), in a first section close to the sea, crossing sparsely populated residential areas with numerous pine trees surrounding the road. Later, it goes inland, following the limits of El Prat airport to return to the urban continuum that makes up Hospitalet de Llobregat and Barcelona.

• The final stretch of the stage runs along Montjuïc mountain, which provides an iconic silhouette of the city of Barcelona. The mountain’s multiple activitties throughout history (1929 International Exhibition, motorcycle circuit, Olympic Games, etc.) have left a mark on its landscape. Outstanding features include the Venetian towers, the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC), the Montjuïc fountains, the gardens, the pavilions and exhibition palaces, the buildings of the Olympic ring, Montjuïc castle and the Montjuïc communications tower. 

• Scenic features throughout this stage include the church of Sant Ramon, Fels castle, the control tower of the Prat airport, Collserola tower and Tibidabo.

Viewpoints of the day 

Cal Tet viewpoint 

Castle of Castelldefels

Sant Ramon

Puig Madrona 

   La Creu de l’Aragall 

Montjuïc castle 

         National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC)

The "Landscapes of the Day" section has been prepared by the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia