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Please leave your luggage in the hotel reception each morning (by 9am at the latest) so that it can be transferred to your next hotel. Make sure that your luggage is clearly labelled with the nametag provided.
Your bike fitting is scheduled for Monday April 20 in the afternoon (time TBC) at your hotel in Lucena.
Call the Bike Spain Tours office on +34 915 590 653, or out of office hours call +34 677 356 586. We will get you where you need to be and get you the help you need.
Please be aware that Spaniards follow a very particular routine in terms of their daily meals, and this is often strictly enforced by restaurant opening hours, especially in small towns!
You can expect restaurants to be open for lunch from approximately 1:30pm – 4pm. Many places will offer a menú del día: a set menu with 2/3 options for each course, usually including a drink, bread and dessert or coffee. Remember that lunch is the main meal of the day in Spain.
Dinnertime in Spain is any time from 8pm onwards. Dinner in Spain is typically a lighter meal.
Andalucía, a vibrant region in southern Spain, is renowned for its rich culinary heritage and diverse flavors. The cuisine here is a delightful blend of Mediterranean influences, local ingredients, and traditional recipes that have been passed down through generations.
One of the most iconic dishes is gazpacho, a refreshing cold soup made from ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, garlic, and olive oil, perfect for hot summer days. Another must-try is salmorejo, a thicker version of gazpacho, often garnished with hard-boiled eggs and jamón (cured ham).
Seafood lovers will be in heaven with dishes like fried fish (pescaíto frito) and grilled sardines (espetos), especially along the coast. Andalucía is also famous for its tapas culture. Small plates of delicious bites, such as patatas bravas (spicy potatoes), croquetas (fried dough filled with various ingredients), and jamón ibérico (Iberian ham), are perfect for sharing with friends over a drink.
Speaking of drinks, you can’t visit Andalucía without trying sherry (vino de Jerez), a fortified wine that comes in various styles, from dry to sweet. Another popular beverage is tinto de verano, a refreshing mix of red wine and lemonade, ideal for cooling off in the sun.
For dessert, indulge in flan or rice pudding (arroz con leche)!
In summary, the food and drinks of Andalucía offer a delightful journey through flavors and traditions, making it a must-visit destination for any food lover! Enjoy your culinary adventure!
Click here for our packing suggestions for a self-guided bike tour.
Click here for our recommendations for cycling safely and legally in Spain.
Click here for our recommendations on what to do if you experience mechanical issues with your bike during your tour.
Saturday April 18: Cordoba
Arrival Day
Accommodation: Hotel Casas de Juderia
Hotel services: laundry, restaurant, bar
Meals included: breakfast
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Good morning and welcome to your pre-tour fun!
Today you have a train from Madrid to Cordoba. The train tickets are here and the train departs from Atocha station at 10.35am. We recommend arriving at least 30 minutes prior to departure in order to arrive at the platform without complications. There can be lines at security.
Upon arrival in Cordoba, you’re free to explore the city or relax at the hotel. Enjoy your stay!
At leisure in Córdoba
Ten centuries ago, Cordoba was one of the greatest cities in the world and the capital of Muslim Spain, and boasts no fewer than four UNESCO World Heritage sites!
Eating and drinking in Córdoba
Among locals, a popular option are the tabernas: informal restaurantes that serve both tapas and sit-down meal options. La Taberna Santos (open from 10am Mon – Fri and from 11am Sat/Sun), located directly in front of the mezquita, is very well-known for its enormous tortillas de patatas, served in small portions known as pinchos. Other recommended options to try traditional cordobés fare are Taberna Casa Pepe Salinas (open Thu – Tue 12:30pm – 4pm/8pm – 12am, closed Sunday afternoons) and Casa Pepe de la Judería (open daily 1pm – 4pm/7:30pm – 11pm).
For a more formal meal, we recommend Ermita de la Candelaria (open Tue – Sun 1:30pm – 4:30pm/8:30pm –12am, closed Sunday afternoons) or Restaurante El Churrasco (open daily 1pm – 4pm/8pm – 11:30pm).
Sunday April 19: Cordoba
Arrival Day
Accommodation: Hotel Casas de Juderia
Hotel services: laundry, restaurant, bar
Meals included: breakfast
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Today’s plan is an exciting walking tour of Cordoba city. Your guide, Nacho, will pick you up at your hotel at 10am and it will last about 2.5-3h. His phone number is +34 605 75 30 00.
Monday April 20: Lucena
Arrival Day
Accommodation: Hotel Santo Domingo
Hotel services: laundry, restaurant, bar
Meals included: dinner
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Welcome to Lucena and the start of an amazing tour!
Your taxi driver, Francisco, will pick you up at the hotel at 12 noon. His number is +34 659 12 82 52. He will transfer you to Lucena where your tour will begin.
Your accommodation tonight is a repurposed 18th-century convent, full of local character and charm – the perfect place to begin your adventure! Tonight’s dinner at the hotel is included in your tour package. Please advise reception of your preferred dinner time upon arrival.
Click here for our Google Maps list of recommendations!
Tuesday April 21: Lucena – Casa Olea
Route: 48 km
Elevation: +673 m
Accommodation: Casa Olea
Hotel services: laundry, restaurant
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
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Please leave your luggage in the hotel reception each morning (around 9am) so that it can be transferred to your next hotel.
Now it’s time to start cycling! Enjoy a beautiful route through classic Andalusian countryside, over rolling hills covered with endless olive trees and vineyards. Once we pass the town of Cabra, we will continue along a peaceful greenway biking path, a former railway line once used to transport trains full of olive oil from Andalusia to the rest of Spain. Our destination for today is the charming medieval Moorish village of Zuheros, a striking example of beautiful Andalusian architecture, nestled in the Sierra Subbética mountain range.
As you enter the town of Cabra, you have an optional ascent to the Hermitage of La Virgen de la Sierra, from where you can enjoy fabulous views (700m/2300ft over 12km/7.5 miles!)
Once in Cabra, you can decide whether you would like to go directly to Zuheros or ride an extra loop through the Protected Designation of Origin wine region of Montilla-Monriles, where you can visit Bodega Rockera (open Mon – Fri, 7am – 3pm) and/or one of the traditional lagares (wineries/olivepresses) We recommend La Primilla (open Mon – Fri 9am – 2pm / 5pm – 8pm, Sat/Sun: 10am – 2pm) or Los Raigones (open Mon – Fri: 9am – 2pm, Sat/Sun: 10:30am – 2pm).
Zuheros retains the traditional architectural style of white houses with ochre roofs, and is set at the foot of a historic Moorish castle. Although there is a hill to enter the village we recommend heading up the hill and exploring the charming town. It’s small and adorable! After Zuheros you will continue on small country roads to Luque, before arriving in your rural hotel for the night, Casa Olea.
Tonight’s dinner at the hotel is included in your tour package. Please advise reception of your preferred dinner time upon arrival.
Bike shops
Wednesday April 22: Casa Olea – Priego de Córdoba
Route: 36.5km
Elevation: +759m
Accommodation: Hotel Patria Chica
Hotel services: laundry, restaurant, massages
Meals included: breakfast
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Today, you will enjoy a day of cycling through dramatic landscapes, passing by the traditional Andalusian white village of Carcabuey on your way to your next destination: Priego de Córdoba.
In the afternoon, take some time to wander the streets of this romantic Andalusian white village, surrounded by the mountains of the Natural Park of Las Sierras Subbéticas. This is one of the key stops on the Route of the Caliphate between Córdoba and Granada, recognised as an official Cultural Route by the European Council.
This afternoon, you have 4 entrances to the Arab baths at 18h/6pm. Your voucher is here and the baths are here.
Bike shops
Click here for our google maps recommendations!
Tonight, dinner is not included. The hotel restaurant is excellent; however, if you would prefer to explore the town further we recommend Asador La Muralla (open Tue – Sat, 8pm – 12am), located close to the hotel. Priego’s cuisine, made with olive oil with its very own Protected Denomination of Origin, completes this perfect day.
Thursday April 23: Priego de Córdoba – Iznájar
Route: 31.7 km/19.7 miles
Elevation: +528 m/1792 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Caserío de Iznájar
Hotel services: laundry, restaurant, bar
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
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Today you will enjoy a beautiful cycle route through the Natural Park of Sierra Subbética, riding through endless olive trees and along quiet roads that curve through the mountains as you bike south towards the valley of the river Genil. Your destination for today, Iznájar, is a gem of traditional Andalusian architecture: a maze of narrow streets and whitewashed buildings, winding their way up a hill overlooking the impressive reservoir of the same name. The Moors called the town Hins Ashar (stone castle), after the 8th century castle that keeps watch over the area from the top of the hill.
Our route takes us up into the town to explore the winding streets and enjoy the fabulous views, before heading back down to our hotel, located just outside town beside the reservoir.
If you feel like a bit more cycling once you arrive in Iznájar, you can enjoy an optional extra loop around the reservoir and through the foothills of the Sierra Subbética up to Rute, a beautiful moutain town famous for the production of anís: a sweet liqueur made from aniseed. Visit the town’s own Anís Museum (open Mon – Fri, 9am – 2pm) to discover the secrets of this local specialty, and enjoy its prize-winning flower-filled Andalusian patio.
Tonight’s dinner at the hotel is included in your tour package. Please advise reception of your preferred dinner time upon arrival.
Click here for our google maps recommendations!
Friday April 24: Iznájar – Loja (La Paloma)
Route: 47 km/29.4 miles or 22.6 km/14 miles
Elevation: +1100 m/3574 ft or +543 m/1782 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Rural La Paloma
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
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Today’s ride takes you through beautiful traditional villages, against a background of mountains and endless olive groves. Everywhere, the air is scented with aniseed, thanks to the numerous traditional aniseed distilleries that made the area famous.
You have a few possible cycle routes for today: a long route through the villages, and a more direct route for those who would like to spend the afternoon at the hotel. You also have the option of visiting the charming village of Riofrío, famous for its pure river waters which have made the area a production centre for organic beluga caviar, and consequently a place of pilgrimage for fans of fine gastronomy. The Caviar de Riofrío farm offers guided tours, subject to prior reservation.
Tonight’s dinner is included; when you check-in please confirm the time with the receptionist.
Saturday April 25: Loja – Antequera
Route: 43 km/26.7 miles
Elevation: +500 m/+1629 feet
Accommodation: Parador of Antequera
Hotel services: laundry, restaurant, bar, swimming pool
Meals included: breakfast
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Your final cycle route takes you along quiet country roads through the foothills of the Sierra Subbética, passing through olive groves and meadows, and through the medieval frontier town of Archidona, a stage start line for this year’s La Vuelta a España. We recommend a quick stop here to visit the hilltop Moorish fortress. If you’d like to have lunch in Archidona, we suggest Restaurante Arxiduna (open Thu – Sun, 11am – 4pm), set in a natural cave.
The route is largely downhill, allowing you to enjoy a relaxed ride into your final destination: Antequera. When you arrive at your accommodation, please leave your bike with reception for us to collect.
The city of Antequera dates back to time immemorial, to the extent that even the Romans named it “Antikaria”, meaning “ancient”! The city’s Bronze Age dolmens have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the patchwork of streets reflect the many different eras and cultures that have left their mark in the city over the centuries. The city is surrounded by mountains, of which the most famous is the Peña de los Enamorados (Lovers’ Peak), the base of many local myths and legends.
Click here for our google maps recommendations!
Dinner tonight is not included. The restaurant at the hilltop Parador de Antequera offers delicious local gastronomy with fabulous views; if you would prefer to eat out in the city, we recommend Restaurant Mar de Gloria (open Mon – Sat 7:30pm – 11pm).
Sunday April 26: Caminito del Rey to Granada
Accommodation: RoomMate Leo
Meals included: breakfast
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Your bike tour has ended but the fun continues and today you’ve got a great plan in the books!
You can have a relaxing morning in Antequera as your taxi transfer will pick you up at 12 noon. You’ll be taken to Caminito del Rey and your walk (with guide) starts at 13.40h/1.40pm. The walk is relaxed and lasts about 2h. Your taxi will be waiting to pick you up once you depart and you’ll be transferred to Granada.
At leisure in Granada
Arriving into Granada is like stepping into another country; Granada was the capital of the Spanish Caliphate for two and a half centuries, and the Moorish influence is still very noticeable in the architecture, gastronomy, and culture of the area.
Eating and drinking in Granada
Granada is famous at the international level for its tapas: small plates that are provided free of charge to accompany a drink. Typically, these improve in quality and quantity with each round of drinks!
Some of our favourite tapas spots include Taberna La Tana, Bodegas Castañeda, Los Manueles, Bar Aliatar Los Caracoles (to try snails!), Bar Los Diamantes and Restaurante Casa Torcuato.
Monday April 27: Granada
Accommodation: RoomMate Leo
Meals included: breakfast
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Today is an exciting day!
You have your private guided tour of the Alhambra (tickets here) at 10.30am.
IMPORTANT: YOU MUST BRING YOUR PASSPORTS (originals, no copies or photos). Security is strict!
You will meet your guide, from Granada Travel Center, in front of this hotel.
Then, at 7.20pm, you will be picked up a few minutes walk from your hotel, here, for the flamenco show and dinner. You’ll be transferred back to your hotel once the dinner and show is over. You don’t need a voucher.
Tuesday April 28: departure
Meals included: breakfast
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After breakfast you have a taxi to go to the airport in Malaga. Your driver will pick you up at your hotel at 9.30am which will give you plenty of time to make it for your flight at 12.50h.
We hope that your family has had a great time exploring, and biking, through Spain! Bon voyage!
