Holiday Highlights
- Riding the beautiful Serrania de Ronda, past white villages, chestnut groves and craggy sierras
- A fantastic mixture of great small rural hotels
- Exploring beautiful Ronda, perched on its magnificent gorge
- Reaching the dramatic Puerto de las Palomas
- Grazalema, nestled below atmospheric, limestone mountains
- Sipping local sherries with tasty tapas in the local bodegas
Itinerary
You’ll be met on arrival into Malaga airport and transferred to your first night’s accommodation in Pizarra in the Guadalhorce valley. After bike fitting or un-packing, should you have brought your own bike, time will be taken to talk you through the week, chat through how to use your navigation app, as well as to answer any queries that you may have.
Pizarra is a small town that lies at the foot of Sierra del Hacho. The community is still largely farming based, and so far remains untouched by the expansion of Malaga. Pizarra is famed for it’s palace: Palacio de los Condes de Puerto-Hermoso, which was built in the 19th century and played a pivotal role in the Spanish Morocco war. The Museo Municipal de Pizarra is another site to see in Pizarra. This museum contains an impressive array of archaeological artefacts from across the ages (including Roman and Moorish).
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 1,160 Metres Approx.
After a relaxing breakfast, packing your bags and leaving them at reception you will set off on your Andalucian adventure. You´ll ride up the Guadalhorce valley passing the dramatic cliff of El Chorro and the deep blue waters of Ardales before meandering up the Turon valley to the white village of El Burgo on the edge of the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 1,350 Metres Approx.
After a delicious breakfast you have a beautiful day’s ride in store. Today’s route will take you through the Sierra de las Nieves and over the Vibora pass. As you drop down through lofty pines there will be great views to the east before you pass through the castle topped villages of Teba and Cañete. Tonight’s accommodation is in the village of Setenil de las Bodegas, famous for the dwellings that are built into the rock overhangs above the Rio Guadalporcun.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 1,500 Metres Approx.
After gliding past the vineyards of Ronda below the saw-toothed limestone peaks of the awesome Grazalema Natural Park, the route takes some easy kilometers along the shores of the deep blue Zahara-Gastor reservoir to the picturesque white village of Zahara de la Sierra, dominated by its magnificent castle, a great place for a breather and maybe a spot of lunch.
The climb to come is probably the climb of the week; both in height gain and views that unfold as you turn each pedal. You will have more than enough time for the steadiest of climbs, so don’t worry. You’ll get great vistas back over the reservoir and across to the conical Penon del Gastor mountain.
Around halfway up the road, you will pass a view point that looks down into the Garganta Verde or (Green Canyon), a stunning deep gorge cut into the limestone by the Rio Verde. It’s often possible to see huge groups of griffon vultures soaring beside the canyon’s cliffs – an awesome sight. The top of the climb will bring you to Puerto de las Palomas (Pass of the Doves), and you will deserve a celebratory rest to admire your efforts.
Approaching the village of Grazalema itself; from above you’ll be in for a terrific sight of pan-tiled roofs and whitewashed buildings nestled beneath the Penon Grande and San Cristobal peaks. The village is famous for its hand-woven woollen blankets and delicious food but nothing compares to its beauty!
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 1,350 Metres Approx.
An easy morning today as there’s no need to pack as the day’s loop ride will return you to Grazalema. The day begins with a steady climb up to the Boyar Pass that stands at over 1,000m. Views are terrific down into the Tavizna valley and across to the deep defile of Salto del Cabrero.
The only way to go from here is down; and wow, what a descent. In all you’ll drop over a thousand metres, passing the small village of Benamahoma, through the Albarracin range covered in pines, to the small town of El Bosque.
El Bosque could be a good choice for a lunch stop as its river, of the same name, is full of succulent trout (quite a rarity at such southerly latitudes).
There’s plenty more beautiful rocky scenery on this afternoon’s route through holm oak and cork forests and skirting the beautiful white towns of Ubrique and then Benaocaz before returning to Grazalema for a well-deserved rest.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 1,400 or 2,150 Metres Approx.
There is a choice of two routes today as you head to the dramatically situated town of Ronda, perched on the top of the El Tajo canyon.
Our first leg of the day takes you east out of Grazalema through holm oak and cork trees and soon you’ll be zipping past Montejaque snugly tucked into the rocky sierra beneath the symbolic El Hacho mountain.
The most significant climb of the day begins after the pretty village of Jimera de Libar but there’s plenty of time to take the climb at a steady pace. Just before the top a choice needs to be made about whether to take the more direct northerly road to Ronda or to continue on and take in Juzcar. On the longer route there’s one more climb for the day through Los Riscos, an area of amazing weather-sculptured rock formations that lead you out of the Genal valley to the edge of the Natural Park of Las Nieves (the snows!).
Whichever route you take there will be a rewarding descent to beautiful Ronda and your accommodation for the night.
Ronda is a delightful town to spend a night and wander the medieval cobbled lanes in search of the perfect bar or restaurant. Visit the museum of the infamous bandoleros; follow the history of bullfighting at Ronda’s elegant bullring or take your chance to relax on one of Ronda’s café terraces and watch the world go by in true Andalus style. The old town across the Puente Nuevo is a beautiful example of Moorish architecture and the views are awesome down into the Tajo gorge and the surrounding mountains.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 1,140 Metres Approx.
The final ride takes us across the northernmost edge of the Sierra de las Nieves National Park and then down to revisit the white town of El Burgo. You can take your pick of pueblos blancos to take a relaxing break today with a gentle mix of great village stops alongside viewpoints over the national park. Returning to Pizarra tonight there will be time to enjoy a celebratory cerveza or vinto tinto. Felizidades!
- Meals: Breakfast
Hopefully, before setting off from the hotel, you will have time to spend the morning exploring the town and enjoying a last café con leche before your short journey back to Malaga for onward journey home.
Gallery
The Cycling
Terrain
This fantastic place to place touring trip is 100% on road, taking you through beautiful Andalucia on mountain roads and back-lanes with almost no traffic. The roads tend to be excellently surfaced with lashings of smooth blacktop. There are some meaty climbs taking you over 1,000m/3280ft, but there is plenty of time to enjoy the scenery on the way up. The trip is designed for the more laidback roadie with a good level of basic fitness.
Road Cycling Grade
Average distances around 70-90 km with occasional challenging climbs
A moderately difficult tour somewhere slightly tougher than a Grade 2, but not as difficult as Grade 3
Some long days and significant climbs
Our grading guidelines have been carefully created based on our many years of cycling experience, as well as customer feedback from our trips. Of course, if you're still struggling to figure out where you fit on the scale, do feel free to give us a quick call and we'll be more than happy to help!
For more information about our grading system click here.
Is this suitable for you?
You’re reasonably fit and ride frequently at weekends, sometimes staying on the bike for a number of hours at a time. You do enjoy an occasional challenge and quite happy climbing but you‘re unlikely to be found daydreaming about ticking off all the famous cols of the Tour de France. That said the prospect of tackling a semi-serious to serious mountain pass doesn’t fill you with dread. You enjoy the social aspect of cycling and look forward to the occasional coffee-stop as much as the riding itself. You have good control of your bike and feel confident in your skills to ascend and descend safely. Whilst you find a full day in the saddle fulfilling, you’re not obsessed and as much as you are looking forward to the riding on your holiday, you’re also looking forward to a little local culture and cuisine. Grade 2-3 would be a good option for you.
For more information about the grading of this holiday in particular, please check out the terrain section which will give you some specifics of what to expect on this tour.
Dates & Prices
Daily departures available. The prices below are per person and are applicable for all start dates between and inclusive of the stated dates.
2024 – £1460 – 01 Jan – 17 Mar / 03 Apr – 30 Jun / 01 Sep – 24 Dec
2025 – £1535 – 01 Jan – 17 Apr / 21 Apr – 30 Apr / 05 May – 30 Jun / 09 Sep – 24 Dec
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Whats Included
A) Accommodation (shared twin / double en suite rooms)
B) Meals as per the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
C) Local representative (with welcome meeting)
D) Access to an app for holiday information and navigation
E) Luggage transfers
F) Airport transfer on scheduled arrival day from Malaga airport (AGP)
G) Airport transfer on scheduled departure day to Malaga airport (AGP)
H) Financial Protection through ABTOT
What's not Included
A) Bike rental (available if required)
B) Flights and charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable)
C) Meals not stated in the itinerary
D) Single room (available if required)
E) Travel insurance
F) Personal clothing and equipment
G) Personal expenditure (souvenirs, bar bills, hotel facilities etc)
H) Entrance fees to museums and other attractions en route
I) Airport transfers on days other than the scheduled arrival / departure days
The Essentials
News, Reviews & Stories
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Reviews
Val, NorthumberlandEverything we hoped for!We had a lovely holiday. It was everything we hoped it would be. The weather was fantastic, cycling wonderful and scenery spectacular, changing every day, and gorgeous villages. It all went very smoothly, from booking to pick up and drop off at the airport (many thanks). What a lovely part of the world.
Every day had something different, the route was well thought out, challenging at times although always achievable. Scenery fantastic. My favourite day was between Ronda and Grazalema, great cycling and lots to see on the way. I enjoyed the climb to the Puerto de las Palomas, wonderful scenery and what a sense of achievement to reach the top. But it didn’t end there, the descent to Grazelema was brilliant and the village itself was lovely.
Clive, SurreyFantastic service!The service, both in the UK and Spain, was fantastic. Even when our original hotel was overbooked in Ronda we were found great alternative in the same street. The routes were great and the airport transfers punctual and friendly.