The 4-Hour Motorcycle Tour of Barcelona
Barcelona is truly one of the urban gems of Europe. Situated on the Mediterranean Sea, the city uniquely blends a cosmopolitan lifestyle with beach vibes often associated with holiday destinations. Terraces are always full, hosting hour-long lunch breaks or after-work meetups for drinks and rounds of tapas. With beer at a reasonable price of €2.50, these weekday gatherings are frequent, regardless of season. Thanks to over 300 days of sunshine and winter temperatures that rarely dip below 15°C, motorcycle riding is a year-round activity here.
In addition to the favorable weather, Barcelona is surrounded by varied geography that’s accessible within close proximity. To the north, mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees await; along the coast are roads cut into cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean; to the west are the Penedès wine fields; and in the interior, there are quaint medieval towns.
This curated 4-hour tour touches on each of these elements. It includes one of the best coastal roads in the region, winds through the Penedès wine region famous for its Cava, and finishes with a ride through Montserrat’s mountainous landscape, before heading back into the city just in time for an evening of tapas and Vermouth.
Tour Specs
Time: 4 hours, 5 minutes (not including stops)
Stops: 2-3
Distance: 209 km (~130 mi)
Towns: Castellet, Aiguaviva, Sant Cugat
Difficulty level: Medium to Difficult
Best season: May/June, September
Insider Tip: If taking the tour over the weekend, Saturdays are preferable as cyclists are out in full force on Sunday mornings, and many of the roads are narrow.
Mediterranean Coastal Road
Connecting the suburban beach town of Castelldefels and the famous coastal village of Sitges—worth spending half a day if you haven’t been before—is a narrow roadway cut into the cliff face 100m above sea level, offering amazing views of the Mediterranean. This 16 km stretch of the C-31 highway is one of the few sections of the coastline around Barcelona that’s worth riding, as most of the coastline lacks the mountainous geography needed for twists and turns.
Insider Tip: This bit of the C-31 can get congested with motorists avoiding the toll road, so if you’re able to take this tour on a weekend morning before 10 a.m., it’ll be a better experience. Even better if you can make the morning "Golden Hour," when the light off the Mediterranean Sea is unreal.
The scenic stretch of the C-31 ends in Sitges. Our tour continues to the next checkpoint, but if you want to spend a couple of hours in Sitges, refer to our Sitges City Guide to help plan your visit.
After Sitges, a 10-minute motorway stretch connects us to BV-2115—my first "hidden gem" discovery when I moved to Barcelona. The BV-2115 links the sea with the Penedès wine region, offering well-paved tarmac with challenging turn angles and open sight lines, so you can push your riding skills with confidence. The highlight of this road is a right turn that reveals Castellet, a hilltop village of 250 inhabitants, overlooking a reservoir and once farmed by feudal peasants.
Castellet Cafe Review: The town is a regular stop for motorcyclists, with one restaurant and one cafe. The small cafe is run by Diana, a friendly woman who moved to the town from Portugal with her daughter. Though they’re fluent in English, they enjoy practicing with visitors.
This spot is about an hour into the ride, so you could make a quick coffee and smoke stop, or continue to the next small town in 30-40 minutes for a beer or lunch.
Main Roads: C-31, BV-2115
Time: 45 minutes
Distance: 36 km
Penedès Wine Region
As the hill town of Castellet and its modest castle pass on our right, we cross into the Penedès wine region of Catalonia. Famous for its Cava, the region also produces other major wine varieties. The vineyards sit atop sloping hills, offering expansive views and gentle, winding curves. Riding between vineyards won’t challenge your riding skills much, but it does provide a relaxing ride with scenic views.
As we reach the northern edge of the vineyards, we gain altitude, encounter tighter turns, and the Mediterranean Sea comes back into view. Heading towards Aiguaviva at the intersection of TP-2442 and TV-2443, you’ll find a town so secluded it’s almost a secret. Its single road, lined with white homes and flowered window sills, ends with a single restaurant offering traditional Catalan recipes. It’s a good place for lunch if the schedule permits (about 1.5 hours into the ride).
After Aiguaviva, the Penedès section wraps up with a country road that feels less restrictive than previous routes. Here, you’ll find wider curves and room to take in the surroundings as you ride through a deep valley. This 40-minute stretch culminates in a view of the Montserrat mountain range, a preview of the next section.
Main Roads: BP-1101, BP-1103, BP-1121
Time: 2 hours
Distance: 104 km
Vineyards worth a stop: Great thing with Spanish wineries, you can stop by for one glass as if it were a cafe. No need for a full tasting committment. Here are the top wineries worth stopping for!
Montserrat and Surrounding Mountain Rides
We’re now just under the 3-hour mark of the ride, not including stops. The tour continues along the Montserrat mountain range, an area now popular with local Barcelona hikers and tourists. Historically, Montserrat served as a refuge for monks, with hermitages carved into the mountainside, and the Santa Maria Monastery, first built in 1025, protected monks during the Franco era.
Montserrat—rising 1,200 meters above sea level—is famous among local motorcycle riders for its aggressive cornering opportunities and proximity to Barcelona (less than 40 minutes away).
Main Roads: BP-1101, BP-1103, BP-1121
Time: 32 minutes
Distance: 22.5 km
Final Roads of the Barcelona Motorcycle Tour
The final stretch of the tour takes us past Sant Cugat, a wealthy suburb of Barcelona with its own impressive monastery. We then descend via the BP-1417, which offers expansive views of Barcelona’s skyline, including landmarks like the W Hotel and the Sagrada Familia.
Main Roads: C-16, BP-1417
Time: 50 minutes
Distance: 46.5 km