Heading out from Girona in a few kilometres you can be heading up the famous Cataluña climb of Els Àngels. It is a gentle incline of 3.8% gradient for 11km. Switch backs are painted across the mountain but the gradient doesn’t exceed 7.5% which makes for a nice leg opener to start the day. Remember as you take on this ride that after the effort of reaching the top you will truly feel gratitude for the scenery, skies and a warm cup of coffee that awaits.

Many think the name is Hells Angels but the native pronounce it like Els ”Angles”. In spite of the confusion that occasionally arises from the pronunciation of the name, there is absolutely no debate on the beauty and prestige of this mountain. It’s incredibly popular with both professional and amateur cyclists alike due to it’s close proximity to the city of Girona.

Elevation: 499m
Max Elevation: 474m
Distance: 42.28km

We spent a little time here, basking in the glow of the afternoon light. It’s a place of strong devotion by both those on foot and by bike so if you do stay a while you will see many pilgrims of the mountains making their way up to the summit.

Don’t settle for the views at the bottom, I urge you to take on the adventure, it’s always worth it.

You can view the route that these riders undertook here: https://www.strava.com/activities/6175001773