February is a good time to escape the winter of northern Michigan for a warmer destination. I considered destinations like Taiwan and Dominica before settling on northern Spain. I’ve technically already been to Spain as I visited the Canary Islands in 2022 (Tenerife & La Gomera Blog), but mainland Spain also has a lot to offer! I decided to book my flight in and out of Barcelona. Once I bound myself to this trip by buying airfare, I had to decide where all in Spain I would adventure. The touristy south features amazing architecture, great beaches, and warmer weather. But it would’ve required more driving time to see all the sites I would have wanted to see in the south.
So, I sketched out an itinerary through northern Spain that combined seeing the sights of Barcelona with trail running and saltwater fishing in Costa Brava (the Mediterranean shoreline of Catalonia), and exploring Bilbao in Basque Country and Picos de Europa National Park along northern Spain’s Atlantic (Bay of Biscay) coast. I also took a one-day guided bus trip into southern France and Andorra.
I booked my lodging ahead of time and rented a car, so getting around was really easy and relatively stress free (finding and squeezing into tight parking spaces one of the notable challenges). I’m not fluent in Spanish, but I know enough to get around without English when necessary. But I found that many people there spoke some English, anyway, so I felt comfortable even in the Basque region, where they speak the Basque language – completely unlike Spanish or any other European language, really.
I had a Friday afternoon flight from Detroit to Washington DC, with an overnight to Barcelona. I was able to get a little sleep on the plane, so I arrived in Barcelona around 8am local time, ready for a cup of coffee and a day of adventure. I picked up my rental car from Europcar – a white Skoga SUV. It was a smooth and comfortable ride if not a little large for what I needed, as a solo traveler. I had booked my first four nights at one hotel in Lloret de Mar, a smaller coastal village about an hour drive northeast of Barcelona.
That allowed me to skip the stimulation of the bigger city on Day 1 and to get oriented and start my adventure at an easier pace. I stopped at a grocery store for some drinks, fruit, snacks for lunch, and squid for fishing bait (I had pre-purchased a Catalonia fishing license online) and found a place to park at the waterfront. I knew from my planning research that I’d be able to hop on a portion of the 354-mile long GR92 Mediterranean Trail from there. So I started my watch and began running. The next six photos below are some of the views I saw on my seven mile run.
After running an out-and-back along the coast, I returned to the car for a snack and to rig up my fishing rod. I hiked back to a promising spot along the rocky shoreline, with a little shelter from the surge. It looked like the type of water that should have been full of small fish and tide pool critters but surprisingly I didn’t see any fish nor did I get any sign of a bit on my hook baited with a piece of squid. It began drizzling so I packed up and drove to Sweet Lloret Suites, my base for the next four nights. I had to park in a parking garage that required a tight 180 turn to enter (coming down a steep hill on a super-narrow one-way road) and filled with pillars and small parking spots that challenged my driving skills! But it all worked out.
I wasn’t in the mood for a fancy meal, so after a shower I walked to a nearby fast-food-style kabab restaurant for dinner. I had a travel plan active for my cell phone so I was able to call Amanda (6 hour time difference) before I went to sleep. And I slept for about ten hours that first night.
I had booked a via ferrata (iron path) tour at Via Ferrata Cala del Molí for noon on my second day in Spain, which about an hour drive up the coast in Sant Feliu de Guíxols. I parked in the town center and hiked up the hill to the designated meeting spot. A local couple, and a couple guys from Texas, were also on the tour. Our guides set us up with helmets, gloves, and harnesses and taught us how to clip into the cables to ensure a safe and fun activity.
It took a couple hours to complete the route, and the views were pretty amazing. Most of the route was over the surging waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The rock was firm and as via ferrata go, this route was a relatively easy one. It was my first via ferrata and I would definitely do it again!
After that, I returned to the town center and ate lunch at La Proa restaurant, where I ordered paella. It was really delicious.
After the paella meal, I went for another run on a new section of the GR92 Mediterranean Trail. These views were even better than the ones near Lloret de Mar! I ran a ten-mile route through Sant Feliu de Guíxols and s’Agaró. The section near s’Agaró, called the Camí de Ronda, was among the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. It was originally constructed to help guard the coastline and prevent smuggling (with limited efficacy). The set of photos below are all from that run:
I drove back to Lloret de Mar in the dark, and stopped for a random dinner of groceries from Aldi. I called Amanda from my hotel room while I munched on a wedge of aged cheese, chips and guacamole, and a bag of spinach leaves.
The next morning, I left the rental car in the garage and walked to the sea from the hotel with fishing gear in tow. I had picked up shrimp for bait this time (often a more attractive bait than to fish than squid, although squid stayed on the hook a lot better). I picked up a coffee and a red velvet cupcake on my “commute” to the fishing spot (pictured below). It was a pool of deeper water, sheltered from the big waves battering and frothing against the rocky shoreline. I saw lots of small fish, which was a big step up from the previous day. It didn’t take long to catch my first fish of the trip. It was a Giant Goby, which came out from under a large rock ledge to grab my bait. Soon after, I caught a Ringneck Blenny (which I had to identify later). I ended up catching two of those. And I got one Mediterranean Rainbow Wrasse, and then a Mediterranean Chromis. I caught five more of the chromis, and finished the session with ten fish. Four new species, bringing my lifetime species total to 587 fish species.
Upper right: Ringneck Blenny (Parablennius pilicornis)
Lower left: Mediterranean Rainbow Wrasse (Coris julis)
Lower right: Mediterranean Chromis (Chromis chromis)
The rest of my itinerary was booked, and I realized that if I was going to have any time to explore the city of Barcelona, I would have to do it then. I grabbed a quick lunch at a seaside kabab place and then drove into the city. I parked in an underground garage for a steep fee (parking in Barcelona is not cheap!).
The Basílica de la Sagrada Família was a must-see highlight so I parked near it. And then I spent the afternoon exploring Barcelona by foot, running from sight to sight, and dipping into convenience stores as necessary for hydration and nutrition. The weather was perfect (about 60 degrees Fahrenheit) and I really enjoyed myself. I attempted to run through Park Güell, a UNESCO World Heritage site and park with lots of fun architecture designed by Antonio Gaudí. Alas, tickets were sold out for the day and I didn’t get the opportunity to see it. However, the adjacent Parc del Carmel was open to the public and I was able to run those trails. The views from the top, overlooking the city in different directions, was worth the climb.
I then ran to another park I wanted to see, the Parc de la Ciutadella. I passed the Arc de Triomf en route and explored the park right at dusk. I was treated to an amazing, fiery sunset, and the water features and sculptures were incredible.
It was dark when I finished my run, so I got to see the Basilica all lit up at night. I only got to spend a few hours in Barcelona, but it was a memorable afternoon!
The next morning, my last full day in Catalonia, was the “Three Countries Tour” I had booked weeks before my trip to Spain. This was a guided 12-hour bus tour. We met in Barcelona at 7am and the tour brought us north to our first stop, a Spanish village called Baga in the foothills of the Pyrenees. We stopped there for breakfast (for me, a Nutella-filled chocolate-dipped croissant) and coffee, and a guided walk through the courtyard and to an old church with mixed Roman and Gothic architecture.
After about a half hour in Baga, we got on the bus and headed north into the Pyrenees, crossing the border into France. It was my first time in France (aside from a quick layover in Paris where I hadn’t left the airport on my 2015 Romania trip).
Our French stop was in the ski resort village of Ax-les-Thermes. After a short guided walking tour, we were given 75 minutes of free time. Rather than sitting down for lunch in a restaurant, I ran a 5K and climbed a hill with view overlooking the village, and then grabbed some pizza-by-the-slice for a quick meal. It was a quaint town and we were there on a farmer’s market day, so that was nice. Normally, there is a lot more snow and the ski slopes would be attracting guests, but the mountains there were brown and it was an abnormally warm, drizzly February day.
Finally, our bus took us into the micronation of Andorra, which covers only 181 square miles and is nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains between the borders of Spain and France. There’s just one highway that cuts through the mountains diagonally across the country, which takes about an hour to drive across. Driving (or hiking/bicycling) is the only way to get into Andorra. It doesn’t have an airport, nor does it have rail lines. It’s population is approximately 80,000.
We stopped in the capital city of Andorra la Vella. Again, we were given about 90 minutes to explore. The city center was full of duty free shops selling liquor, perfumes, electronics, and other goods. I grabbed a sandwich and coffee at a Starbucks and then went for a 5K run. Salvador Dalí is one of my favorite artists, so I made a point of checking out La Noblesse du Temps (The Nobility of Time), the bronze statue pictured below. Then I ran up the hill and found a trail running along a creek. I assumed I could run a loop and cross the creek to come back to our designated meeting spot. I panicked a little as a I struggled to find a bridge as the roads I tried were dead-ending instead of leading to and across the creek. So, I cut it close but did make it back in time to meet the group and ride back to Barcelona.
I chatted with the other tourists on the ride back, until it started raining and then I took a nap. I chatted with a guy from Australia mostly, and a little bit to a couple from Wales. The highlight of the bus ride back was the rain breaking at sunset for a view of the jagged profile of Montserrat (pictured below). That was cool, because running the trails on Montserrat was on deck for my next day!
I started my last day in Catalonia with a breakfast sandwich and coffee at the cafe near my hotel.
After breakfast, I checked out of Sweet Lloret Suites and started the 7-hour drive to Basque Country. But I broke up the drive with a stop at Montserrat. The drive up to the Montserrat Monastery was scenic.
The photo below is a view of the valley from the parking area near the monastery. The following pictures are from my run up to the summit of Sant Jeroni, at about 4,055′ above sea level. The mounds and spires of gray bedrock jutting up among forested trails made for a really enjoyable adventure. I enjoyed the expansive view from the summit for a while, and then descended down a different trail to make a loop back to the Monastery. There’s a cafeteria-style restaurant there so I made myself a plate of food and had lunch there before getting back on the road.
From Montserrat, I had about another five hours to drive. The weather was clear, traffic light, and sunset colorful. I arrived in Bilbao at about 9pm and checked into Hotel Hesperia Bilbao. It was the fanciest place I stayed during my trip.
My hotel was right on the river and I stepped out to check things out with a night run. The riverfront was very pedestrian-friendly and I saw many other runners out, which made me feel quite safe and comfortable out there. The lights of the city reflected off the water were beautiful, and I was impressed at how artsy Bilbao is. Lots of murals, sculptures, and unique architecture. The Guggenheim Museum was a highlight. My photos from that run are below.
After a good night of sleep, I enjoyed a hearty breakfast at Hotel Hesperia Bilbao.
I checked out after breakfast. Although I was going to head west to my next hotel in Llanes, I drove forty-five minutes out of the way for a very worthwhile exploration of Gaztelugatxe. The next set of photos show off this amazing place on Spain’s Atlantic (Bay of Biscay) coast in Basque Country.
Did Gaztelugatxe look familiar to you? If so, perhaps you’re a fan of the Game of Thrones series, as this place was used as the set for the fictional location “Dragonstone” in Season 7, Episode 1.
I finished at Gaztelugatxe at around lunchtime, so I stopped for a bowl of mushroom soup and a plate of seabass at Asador Cannon. My view from the restaurant, overlooking the Basque city of Bermeo, is below:
I then drove to LLanes. I checked in at Hostal Europa in San Roque del Acebal (just outside Llanes), picked up some groceries for dinner, and ran the waterfront of the small coastal city.
I ate my dinner in my hotel room and had a relaxing evening watching Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and talking to Amanda. After a good night of sleep, I had breakfast at the Hostal Europe restaurant (coffee and yet another meat and cheese sandwich) before driving into Picos de Europa National Park. These are the highest peaks in the Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain and my plan was to run La Ruta del Cares, an epic trail through the Cares River gorge. This trail was the draw that tilted my decision to adventuring in northern Spain rather than planning an itinerary through the southern part of the country. I have no regrets. It was among the most amazing trail runs, scenery-wise, I’ve ever completed. It made me feel tiny, in a way second only to the Grand Canyon. The views on the drive to the northern terminus of La Ruta del Cares in Poncebos were quite nice. And it was a cool, crisp, sun-shiny morning!
I was able to find a parking spot at the trailhead easily. This is the offseason for this trail, but it was all snow-free and the temperature (probably around 40 F) was perfect for a trail run! I actually ran the 7-mile route twice, as an out-and-back, and finished after logging about 15 miles. The photos below show just a fraction of the nonstop view I saw on my exploration of La Ruta del Cares.
La Ruta del Cares arrives in the remote village of Caín de Valdeón, which was overrun with cats and almost devoid of humans. There were a couple of hotels and restaurants that were closed and appeared to be seasonal. The only open store was Supermercado-La Ruta, which was a tiny little shop but it had beverages and food. I bought a bottle of Powerade, a banana, and a bag of cashews for the return trip.
Whereas I enjoyed sunshine for the southbound run, it clouded up as I returned north. The weather stayed dry, but it provided different lighting by which to admire and photograph the mountain scenery.
After running the Ruta, I drove back to LLanes and shopped for postcards, a pen, and some artisanal chocolate. I ate groceries and wrote my postcards and had an early night. I ate another ham, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich with my morning coffee at Hostal Europa and then hit the road back towards Barcelona. I had any early flight back to Michigan the following morning, so I had booked a hotel near the airport.
En route, I stopped in the small town of Solares to mail off my postcards. It was Saturday and the postal office was closed, but I learned after asking around that the tobacco shops sell postage (and indeed they do). I logged a slow run through town as I bought postage, found a mailbox, enjoyed a chocolate-dipped croissant and another coffee, and found a neat little sculpture park with moss-covered rock formations.
The rest of my day was eaten up by the long drive back to Barcelona. Highlights of my drive were talking to Amanda, seeing cherry blossoms blooming, and listening to a variety of tunes ranging from 90’s cartoons theme songs to Rush. The photo below is the marker for the Prime Meridian, at 0 degrees longitude.
I arrived in Castelldefels and checked into Hotel 170 shortly after nightfall. I thought about going for another night run, but I opted to stay in and repack my luggage, shower, finish my grocery food, and get a good night of sleep. The next morning I drove to the airport, returned the rental car, and had breakfast after I passed security. I watched Gladiator 2 and Interstellar to pass time on the flight home. Thanks Amanda for the airport drop-off and pick-up! 🙂