Costa Dorada Spain
The beauty of travelling is that you get to discover new
things each time, higher mountains to climb, new routes to cycle, unusual
wildlife not seen before and a chance to try different things, even down to
local cuisine. This weekend we head off to the Costa Dorada region of Spain to experience “the real Spain
The weekend starts with cycling. A number of superb cycling
routes enable you to explore the area with its many quaint little villages and
picturesque towns. La Galera is situated about 15 minutes from Tortosa and
Amposta on the Galera plain. The area is rich in the cultivation of olives,
almonds, peaches, mandarins and oranges, and is a delightful area for cycling
with great terrain. There are routes for beginners and the more advanced, as
well as mountain biking.
La Galera enjoys views of the Tortosa/Beceite range of
mountains within the Els Ports natural park as well as the Senia mountain range
and the Montsia hills. The Els Ports mountains are a natural reserve boasting
the highest point in Catalunia at Mont Caro where there is plenty of scope for
bird watching and spotting the wild Iberian mountain goats. This is where we
stop off on route and spend time bird watching.
A half hour drive to the coast brings you to the Ebro Delta
wildlife reserve with a wide variety of birds and waterfowl including
flamingos. The area is also renowned for its extensive paddy fields, high
quality sea salt, mussel beds, sand dunes and open beaches.
La Galera enjoys views of the Tortosa/Beceite range of
mountains within the Els Ports natural park as well as the Senia mountain range
and the Montsia hills. The Els Ports mountains are a natural reserve boasting
the highest point in Catalunia at Mont Caro where there is plenty of scope for
bird watching and spotting the wild Iberian mountain goats. This is where we
stop off on route and spend time bird watching.
A half hour drive to the coast brings you to the Ebro Delta
wildlife reserve with a wide variety of birds and waterfowl including
flamingos. The area is also renowned for its extensive paddy fields, high
quality sea salt, mussel beds, sand dunes and open beaches.
We decide to take it a bit easier the following day and do a
spot of fishing at the River Ebro. The River Ebro, surrounded by stunning
scenery, flows through Tortosa and Amposta and is renowned for fishing, mostly
of giant catfish but also carp and other varieties of fish can be found. I’ll
let you know what we manage to catch!
Our next theme to try is horse riding, something I’m really
looking forward to. The stables nearby offer simple pony trekking to more
advance riding routes, with qualified instructors. The scenery I’m told is
simply breath-taking through the natural parks and mountains range.
There are so many themes to try in this area that I’m not
sure if we can fit them all in. So a word of advice, it’s best to go for at
least a week when visiting The Costa Dorada. There is everything from golf,
walking, cycling, canyoning, bird watching, horse riding, historical tours –
the list is endless. However, we could not go there without taking a wine
tasting tour. Now you are talking!! Catalonia is an important wine region in Spain province
of Tarragona are Conca de Barberà,
Montsant, Penedès – both situated in Tarragona
and Barcelona
If this sounds like the ideal getaway break for you,
please contact us at Themed Holiday Ideas. We have accommodation on offer in
the area and you will be met by our qualified and good-looking guides who will
look after you throughout any of the
activities you wish to take part in. Well it’s adios from
me, I have a flight to catch but our booking team are on hand to book that
perfect themed holiday for you!
