Cycling In Andalucia

Day 1
Fly to Malaga; transfer to Ronda (approx. 2.5 hrs). Depending on the flight times, it is well worth spending the evening exploring the charms of Ronda's back streets and, of course, its famous bridge spanning the gorge.

Day 2
We head north west into the Natural Reserve of 'La Sierra de las Nieves' and up to the 'Puerto del Viento' mountain pass. We then descend to the town of El Burgo and later Ardales, where we cycle by a reservoir before entering the impressive limestone gorge of El Chorro, a climbers' mecca in the winter. 58km

Day 3
Follow a remote road past the Sierra del Valle with beautiful views of the valleys dotted with white Cortijos, almond trees and olive groves. Arrive at the mediaeval town of Antequera, one of Andalucia's architectural showpieces. 30km

Day 4
Climb to the Sierra del Torcal and then down to Villanueva de la Concepcion. From here you can see the sea on a clear day. We climb up again to Villanueva de Cauche on a quiet road and descend to Colmenar. 40km

Day 5
Another day of cycling through superb mountain scenery. We leave the sea views behind as we enter the province of Granada and ride through a mountain pass that takes us to the charming town of Alhama de Granada, precariously located on the edge of a gorge. 53km

Day 6
We still have a couple of climbs through olive groves and quiet country roads before we leave the mountains behind. We spend the evening in the magnificent city of Granada, with stunning backdrop of snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains. We stop riding in the town of Santa Fe, 8 km from Granada, to avoid cycling into the city with heavy traffic. We leave the bikes and take a bus to the city centre. 48km

Day 7
Today is free to explore the interesting city of Granada independently. We recommend you visit the Alhambra Palace (entrance not included), one of the great wonders of Islamic architecture. The fortress-palace stands high up on a hill above the city and with a stunning backdrop of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains.
If you wish to visit Alhambra Palace, we recommend you reserve a ticket in advance due to high demand and long queues. Tickets can be purchased via their website - www.servicaixa.com

Day 8
Transfer to Malaga; fly to London.