Welcome to Hooked on Cycling Holidays and our cycling holiday in Andalusia. Our biking vacation in Andaluica takes you from the fabulous Granada in a south west direction to Ronda. During your cycling holiday you shall cycle through many of the fabulous white villages which make this region of Spain so unique. This cycling tour we have called the white villages of Andalusia and is available as a self led level 2-3 cycle tour. Granada  probably best exemplify Spain’s Moslem heritage at a time when the Arab Empire included substantial portions of Europe and the greater part of the Iberian Peninsula. This occupation of Spain by the Moslems was to last almost eight centuries. The start of the cycle tour is in beautiful city of Granada with the Arab palace-cum-fortress of La Alhambra and the winding streets of the Albayzín. This tour is an unforgettable journey in space and time, in constant touch with Andalusia’s landscapes and culture, with its diversity and spirit riding in reverse the route once taken by warrior monks of the north African desert along the frontier of the last surviving kingdom of Moorish al-Andalus, the kingdom of Granada. Setting out from Granada and following a constant southwesterly direction you will ride through various mountainous regions, crossing age-old passes. These are the mountains of Almijara, Antequera, Líbar, Alcornocales, and finally Cabrito. You will finish in the romantic town of Ronda.  Granada, the Alhambra and the city’s plain, the Alhama mountains, the picturesque Axarquía region, Antequera and its stunning Torcal mountain, the El Chorro gorge, Ronda mountains, Cortes Nature Reserve, Alcornocales mountains are just some of the places, peoples and pleasures that you will discover as you ride the ancient trails of Andalusia. They all come together to form the backdrop for a unique experience.

Available daily March to November ( not 31/3-9/4)
Level 2-3 self guided tour

Day 1 Arrive Malaga or Granada airports and transfer
The journey from Malaga to Granada takes approximately 2 hours. Depending on your arrival time you will be able to visit this beautiful city with its famous Alhambra (Arab palaces), try some typical “vino & tapas” and wander in the old silk market or the ancient Moorish Albayzin neighbourhood.

Day 2 Granada to Alhama, 37 miles ( 60 km )
Setting out from Granada, you cycle over smooth hillocks and through small villages to Alhama, once a very important town in the Nasrid Kingdom, now famous for its thermal baths. You can see the original cistern where its hot water, with medicinal properties, has been collected since times gone by. It is built on a Roman foundation and crowned by Moorish arches in the Caliphate style. You can have a bath yourself in “El baño de la Reina” (Queens’ bath)

Day 3 Alhama to Axarquia, 19 - 33 miles  ( 31-53 km.)
(Due to limitations in accommodation in this area we may have to adapt the route according to availability). You leave Alhama and cycle to the “Boquete (gap) de Zafarraya”, a strange hole in the otherwise impenetrable mountains. You are now in the Axarquía region, with views of undulating hills and mountains south towards the Mediterranean. Follow a disused railway line in continuous descent to the town of Periana, and from there you continue through the mountains with beautiful views of the villages and biking that await you.

Day 4 Axarquia to Antequera 25-37 miles (  40-53 km )
Today you cycle up and down through the Axarquia and its villages.  A good climb brings you close to the El Torcal Nature Reserve with its limestone mountains. Then you head down fast to Antequera, approaching this ancient town by its oldest route of access, enjoying beautiful views of its white washed houses and the Peña de los Enamorados (Lover’s Rock), named after a local legend about the impossible love of a young Christian man and a beautiful Moorish girl, driven to the top of the cliff by the Moorish soldiers. Rather than renounce their love, they chose to hurl themselves into the abyss.

Day 5 Antequera to El Chorro or Ardales, 19- 28 miles ( 32 or 45 km )
In the morning you have some time to visit Antequera, the castle, the dolmens (megalithic tombs) of Menga, Viera and Romeral, the “Iglesia de Carmen”, etc. Afterwards you cycle over smooth hillocks through Holm oaks and olive groves, passing the Abdalajís Valley and its village, to El Chorro, a beautiful spot next to a lake, surrounded by mountains.

Day 6  El Chorro or Ardales to Ronda, 60 or 47 km
Today the biking will be a bit more challenging. You start with a beautiful ride through a strange, lunar landscape to the villages of Ardales and El Burgo. Then you have to climb to the Puerto de los Vientos (Mountain pass of the Winds, 1190m), crossing the beautiful Sierra de las Nieves Nature Reserve. A long descent will bring you finally to the lively town of Ronda.

Day 7 Departure after breakfast
Depending on your departure time you can visit this romantic town, with Spain’s oldest bullring, three bridges over its spectacular gorge, Arab baths, old town wall and gates, its churches and palaces, interesting museums. You can also decide to stay for an extra night in Ronda and see an evening flamenco show!

The tour uses mainly quiet country roads with some forest and wide land rover track which are stoney in places, some sections are also narrow. There are some climbs on this tour of which some are long.

2012 prices

Fly Low cost to Malaga www.easyjet.com , flyglobespan.com , Thomsonfly.com , flymonarch.com

How to get there
By Plane
To Malaga / Granada  airports where on arrival transfer to Hotel , Go , Easyjet , BA , Iberia , British Midland , Aerlingus , Air Europa are the major airlines flying into Malaga. See our general Information for links to these airlines.
A Train service is possible from Ronda to Malaga cost around 10€. It is also possible to take a train from Malaga to Granada for around 20€ each. Check out time tables by clicking here

To choose another Spanish tour check on your chosen tour: Majorca , Route of the Caliphate , Cycle and Culture , Sweet Catalonia , Castles of Andalusia, Asturias, Andalusia Sport, Baix Emporda, St James Way, El Cid, Rioja Wine Trails, Santander 12

Click below to view our
Walking Holidays in Spain

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