Cycling tours in Catalonia for art lovers
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
The admission fee to the Greek/ Roman remains in Empuries supports the current archaeological dig. The entrance fee to the Dali Museum helps maintain the building and contributes to new exhibitions and is a major employer in Figueres.
Our cycling routes use all the old farm tracks and have a minimum environmental impact. We are particularly interested in maintaining them in the natural way they have been laid out. Guests are given guidelines about the best way to conserve this resource while enjoying their cycling holiday. Rucksacks are provided for rubbish which is recycled at the end of the day and reusable water bottles and lunch boxes are used.
Community
This tour tries to give a sense of Catalonia through art, culture, scenery and the people. The museums are very much rooted in the communities around them. The Dali Museum in Figueres is very important in terms of the local economy and the artistic legacy of the area. Dali was born and brought up here and also lived in Cadaques and Pubol. The main source of income for local people is tourism in this area. The Hotel Duran is a typical example, it has been in the same family since 1855 and Ramon Duran’s grandfather was a good friend of Dali’s, and displays many original pieces of Dali’s art gifted to the hotel.
The local area has benefited greatly from low impact tourism as can be seen by the renovation and preservation of the villages and countryside. The economic input from controlled tourists has allowed local restaurants, shops and businesses to be maintained without over development which is seen in some parts of Spain. The cultural and artistic fabric of this part of the world has been allowed to remain very diverse. The local fairs, festivals, concerts, exhibitions and events have been sustained by an innovative, conservationist and forward thinking policy on both tourism and economics which hopefully we follow in the operation of our tours.
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