The best cycle touring routes in Spain
Spain offers some of the best cycling in Europe. The Spain of the cyclist is not the Spain of the Costas, those narrow coastal strips wedged between mountains and sea where millions of people head for their summer holidays, but the country where Spaniards live, work and play.
In the mountains there can be long, relentless climbs that come with long descents, and those lasting 15 to 20 km are quite common. However, the hard and persistent uphill pedalling is amply rewarded with panoramic views at the col and scenic revelations during the empty descents. Conversely, once away from the mountains, the plains can be very flat, and even when undulating they make for a good, fast ride. Many stages have alternatives that provide easier or more difficult options to the main route. A number of optional loop routes are described that allow further exploration of some of the most interesting parts of Spain.
When to go?
All year round, depending on the area and route you choose. Analyse the route and choose the most suitable one for the season. In some areas the problem will come from the high temperatures in summer, in others, such as the Pyrenees or Picos de Europa, the problem may be the winter conditions of those months.
Reference Cities & Services
Malaga, Ronda, Granada, Seville, Cordoba, Madrid, Segovia, Bilbao, San Sebastian, Girona, Llanes
To be seen
Discover the real Spain from the inside from the tourist centres. A world of villages, small towns and vibrant cities, wooded hills, narrow gorges, Moorish palaces, Roman ruins, cave paintings, art, olive trees and oranges.
Cycling tours in Spain
The routes described extend from the Pyrenees and Picos de Europa in the north, through the Sierras de Demanda, Gredos and Guadarrama in the centre, to the Sierras de Nevada and Grazalema and the Serranía de Ronda in the south. They also visit the cities of Avila, Cordoba, Bilbao, Madrid, Malaga, San Sebastian, Segovia and Seville.
The routes have been designed for maximum enjoyment. The cycling is excellent, passing through the most beautiful parts of the country and visiting many interesting and historic towns and villages. Routes 1 and 2 are perfect for newcomers to cycle touring and Spain as they are relatively short and offer an excellent introduction to the country. Routes 4 and 6 pass through some of the less visited areas of Spain without encountering too many difficulties. The other routes are more physically challenging, but not excessively so.
Route 1 Serranía de Ronda
- Stage 1 Malaga Airport to Yunquera
- Stage 2 Yunquera - Ronda
- Stage 3 Ronda - Teba
- Stage 4 Teba - Álora
- Stage 5 Álora-Málaga Airport
Route 2 Sierra de Grazalema and Torcal
- Stage 1 Alora or Malaga Airport to Carratraca
- Stage 2 Carratraca - Ronda
- Stage 3 Ronda - El Bosque
- Stage 4 El Bosque to Zahara
- Stage 5 Zahara-Teba
- Stage 6 Teba - Antequera
- Stage 7 Antequera - Malaga Airport
Route 3 Las Alpujarras and Sierra Nevada
- Stage 1 Almería Airport to Alhama de Almería
- Stage 2 Alhama de Almería - Bayárcal
- Stage 3 Bayárcal - Capileira
- Stage 4 Capileira - Granada
- Stage 5 Granada - Alhama de Granada
- Stage 6 Alhama de Granada - Colmenar
- Stage 7 Colmenar - Malaga Airport
- Option 1 Bayárcal to Granada
- Option 2 Pampaneira to Alhama de Granada
Route 4 Sierra Morena
- Stage 1 Seville-Almadén de la Plata
- Stage 2 Almadén de la Plata - Cazalla de la Sierra
- Stage 3 Cazalla de la Sierra to Ojuelos Altos
- Stage 4 Altos de Ojuelos to Hornachuelos
- Stage 5 Hornachuelos-Cordoba
- Stage 6 El Pedroso - Hornachuelos
- Stage 7 Lazo Cazalla-El Pintado
Route 5 Gredos and Guadarrama mountain ranges
- Stage 1 Madrid-Barajas Airport to Navalcarnero
- Stage 2 Navalcarnero - Piedralaves
- Option 1 Navalcarnero to Piedralaves via the Alberche Greenway and San Martín de Valdeiglesias
- Stage 3 Piedralaves to Burgohondo via the Serranillos Pass
- Stage 4 Burgohondo - Ávila
- Stage 5 Ávila-Segovia
- Stage 6 Segovia-Cercedilla
- Stage 7 Cerceda-Madrid Airport-Barajas Airport
Route 6 from Madrid to Bilbao through the Sierra de la Demanda
- Stage 1 Madrid-Barajas Airport to Cogolludo
- Stage 2 Cogolludo - Galve de Sorbe
- Stage 3 Galve de Sorbe - San Esteban
- Stage 4 From San Esteban to Quintanar
- Stage 5 Quintanar - Anguiano
- Stage 6 Anguiano - Miranda
- Stage 7 Miranda - Amurrio
- Stage 8 Amurrio - Bilbao
- Option 1: Najerilla Valley to Santo Domingo
- Option 2 Circuit Sierra de la Demanda
Route 7 The Pyrenees
- Stage 1 From San Sebastian to Leitza
- Stage 2 Leitza - Auritz/Burguete
- Stage 3 Auritz/Burguete - Ansó
- Stage 4 Ansó to Jaca
- Stage 5 Jaca to Broto
- Stage 6 Broto to Campo
- Stage 7 Countryside - Pont de Suert
- Stage 8 From Pont de Suert to Tremp
- Stage 9 Tremp - Coll de Nargó
- Stage 10 Coll de Nargó-Berga
- Stage 11 Berga - Olot
- Stage 12 Olot - Girona Airport
- Option 1 Hernani to Leitza
- Option 2 Olot to Anglès
Route 8 Picos de Europa
- Stage 1 Llanes to Cangas de Onis
- Stage 2 Cangas de Onís to Posada de Valdeón
- Stage 3 Posada de Valdeón to Potes
- Stage 4 Potes to Llanes
- Option 1 Puerto de Pandetrave to Potes
- Option 2 Aliva Port Loop
- Option 3 Covadonga
