Welcome to Hooked on Cycling Holidays and our cycling holiday in Spain. This biking vacation in Spain will take your through northern Spain along the pilgrim route the Saint James Way, the famous Pilgrim route along to Santiago de Compostela. The cycle tour takes you from Leon in the east to Santiago de Compostela in the west. This cycling tour is available as a self guided level 2-3 tour and is intermediate in difficulty. The route is part on road and part off road. The total distance for this 7 night tour is 190 miles , 304 km. We also have an easier 9 night tour - please see below the tour schedule for details.

 Available March to November ( starting on a Wednesday , Thursday , Friday or Saturday )
Level 2-3 self guided tour

Day 1 Arrival in Leon
After arrival in Leon , pick up your bikes at your hotel and then explore this wonderful historic city. You can spend many hours walking around the small streets of between ancient buildings.   

Day 2 Leon to Astorga 30 miles 47 km
Today you cycle to Astorga , remember to keep looking behind you as there are many vantage points as you leave with great views over Leon. You will pass through the villages of La Virgen , San Miguel and Villadangos with a climb of around 120m, from here it is pretty flat. You should stop at Hospital de Orbigo and relax by the river before completing the last stretch to Astorga. Astorga has a Roman heritage with some wonderful buildings to see.  

Day 3 Astorga to Pontferrada 33 miles 52 km
Today you cycle with the climb up towards Cruz de Ferro from 870m to 1520m before dropping to 600m at Molinaseca. On this stage you see some wonderful mountain scenery.

Day 4 Pontferrada to O Cebreiro 32 miles 51 km
Today you roll out across the valley to Villafranca del Bierzo where it is wise to stop and take a look around at this lovely town. Take some lunch as afterwards you climb steadily by 700m in 28 km to your hotel. O Cebreiro is a little mountain town famous for its round stone houses with thatched roofs called pallozas and for its history of this Holy Grail. Here the church and cobbled streets take Pilgrims back to medieval times.   

Day 5 O Cebreiro to Portomarin 39 miles 62 km
You continue today at the altitude of 1300m for a few miles before descending to Triacastela . Along the way you have 2 further shorter climbs of 300m before you reach Portarmarin. Here Portamarin has an association with Grappa or Orujo. The church San Nicholas has numbers on each of the stones as it was once moved from the old town to its current place due to flooding. 

Day 6 Portomarin to Arzua 34 miles 53 km
A chance today for a general downhill day, only a climb as you leave of 400m !!.

Day 7 Arzua to Santiago 24 miles 39 km
Today is the final cycling day , your Pilgrim along the St James Way is nearly complete. Just the last few climbs , not so high before your final descent into Santiago and your well owned rest.

Day 8 Tour complete after breakfast
La Compostela, this is a certificate issued by the Catholic Church to all Pilgrims who have completed  the cycle tour. We give you a passport which needs to be stamped each day and then you can receive the certificate from the Cathedral before your departure.

We also have a 9 night tour available from Leon to Santiago. On the 9 night tour the Day 3 of the above schedule is split in two Astorga – Rabanal del Camino , Rabanal del Camino – Ponferrada. Also day 5 is also split O Cebreiro – Sarria , Sarria – Portomarín.

2012 Prices

Map of Route

How to get there
By Plane
To Santiago , Madrid , Asturias airports and then by train/coach to Leon.
For detail of other Cycling holidays in Spain

White Villages of Andalusia ,Majorca , Route of the Caliphate , Cycle and Culture , Sweet Catalonia , Castles of Andalusia, Asturias, Andalusia Sport, Baix Emporda, El Cid, Rioja Wine Trails, Santander 12

To View our Walking Holidays in Spain

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