This Andalucia adventure is a treasure trove of experiences and so much more than just the cycling...
Contained within this week of exploring the stunning, award winning villages of Andalucia is the opportunity to discover the majestic, historical Alhambra Palace, the Picasso Museum in Malaga, Flamenco in Granada, wine tasting in Bodegas and that's even before we mention the opportunity to press your own virgin olive oil at our eco-friendly, organic farm.
Over the course of the week we will also put together a small hamper of your favourite and most exquisite produce for you to take home.
Oh, and of course, some cycling too!
The price is based on per person, two people sharing. There is a supplement for indevidual rooms and we do NOT expect two people who do not know each other to share.
Private groups welcome at no extra charge. Minimum of four required.
We will collect you from Malaga airport at a pre arranged time and transfer you to the comfortable hotel in Lanjaron which will take approximately 90 minutes.
When we're all together we will have a quick team meeting, present you with your welcome pack and explain the process for the rest of the week. This is also a great opportunity to meet the rest of the team.
This evening you are welcome to explore the Bodegas and restaurants of Lanjaron or dine in the hotel restaurant.
After a lazy breakfast we will spend some time preparing your bike and making sure you are happy with every aspect of it.
When you are ready and in your own time you can head out on the first ride of the week. This ride takes us through the citrus groves of Lecrin and around the damn back up to Pinos De Valle where you have the fist spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada.
We aim to have lunch at the Bodega Gonzales in Lanjaron after the ride at approximately 14.30hrs. After lunch you have the option of cheese and wine tasting at the Fabrica de Queso on the edge of town. The selection of wine and cheese (among other incredible local produce) is inspiring.
This ride takes you into the villages of Pampaneira, Bubion and Capileira. Voted the most beautiful villages in Spain in 2022 and 2023, the ride is also stunning as you round the corner from the Ermita de San Padre into the immense Poquiera gorge.
Lunch is at the 27.3km mark in a restaurant called Teide, in Bubion. Bubion is the middle of the three famous villages and Capileira (for the super keen!) is a further 3km up the road.
The restaurant Tiede is a classic Spanish affair with high quality Alpujarra food, great wines and flavoursome local beers. The food and drink is so good here that to climb back onto the bike to cycle home can be a challenge, which is why we aim for downhill ALL the way! The only other limiting factor would be if you've had too much of a liquid lunch and (or) would prefer a lift home. The support vehicle is always on hand with some warm clothes and the bike trailer for support - just in case!
For the evening we have an optional trip to the Senor De la Nevada Bodega for a two hour wine tasting session. Here you can sample some of the incresingly popular local wines.
Today is the largest day of the week with a 96km loop that takes you into Trevelez, the highest village in mainland Spain (1520m) and nestled at the foot of the highest mountain in Spain, Mulhacaen (3500m).
Trevelez, and the outlying villages, are famous throughout Spain for the pure, clean mountain air. Companies from all over Spain bring their Jamon here to be cured in the clean air which gives it a unique, expensive flavour.
After lunch in Trevelez you have the option of either cycling back the way you cycled in or continuing round into the Contraviensa and Torvicon. Whilst riding to and from Trevelez you will pass through lots of small, white villages where you can stop for refreshments and recharge the legs.
Transfer to a city center hotel in Granada with direct access to the Cathedral, Moroccan quarter and a five minute taxi to the Alhmbra Palace
Granada is steeped in a bloody history where religions and nationalities have fought over the Alhambra Palace and surrounding land for thousands of years. The Moorish and Roman influence can be seen throughout the city. It is well worth a visit to the Alhambra Palace and the gardens and we recommend getting early morning tickets well in advance (We can arrange this for you). Below are our recommendations for Granada:
The albacin is the gypsy (Gitanos) quarter of Granada and retains a strong connection with its people through music and dance. Mainly Flamenco. This makes it one of the most authentic, passionate and breath taking Flamenco shows you can see.
Montefrio is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful villages in all of Spain. It's rich history dates from before Christ and the fortress (used by the court of King Aben Ismail III) played an important part in the defense of Vega del Genil.
There is a good selection of villages with cafes and restaurants dotted along the route to Montefrio. We recommend taking your time as the last 6km has a steep, very challenging climb to the top before decending into the village of Montefrio. Caution is the word of the day as the village is so spectacular it's hard to keep your eyes on the road!
We all meet for dinner at 20.30hrs in the very highly rated Restaurante El Pregonero located in the center of the town where we can discuss the next day activities for Malaga.
This morning we transfer to Malaga after our classic breakfast of churros (optional!). We aim to be in Malaga for 11.30 so we drop our bags off at the hotel and have most of the afternoon free to visit the Picasso Museum, botanical gardens and other exceptional sites. Malaga is a stunning port town with lots of things to explore and do.
We believe this is the 'best' wine tasting tour available in Malaga
An absolute favourite with a nice descent all the way to the coast and a single, steady 1300m climb to the top. The ride back into Lanjaron is mostly downhill so you can spend the budget on the climb if you're brave...
You will need to be able to corner and use your brakes instictively. You should expect to be challenged on some short sections.
The fitter you are the more fun you'll have. But that does not mean you need to be a pro/elite rider. There are some large climbs and we are usually out on the bikes for 5-7 hours each day. Whilst there is a support vehicle we try not to use it except when really needed.
The airport to fly into and out from is Malaga (AGP).
The transfer to Lanjaron/Malaga upon arrival is when the last guest arrives. Airport transfers cost between 120€ and 180€ is per trip, not per person.
The transfer from Malaga at the end of the week is in the morning of the Saturday to coincide with the first departing flight. If your flight is an evening one then you are welcome to leave your bags at the hotel in Malaga until you choose to leave.
Flying to Malaga really is very straight forward, but there are some things you might like to know before you fly. And remember, it's part of your holiday so you should enjoy it!
If you arrive early and you've beaten us to the airport please rest assured that we will be there as soon as possible. However, for your own comfort and to make finding you a bit easier we recommend that you take a seat and grab a coffee in the bar just outside the arrivals lounge.
All routes can be downloaded for free via Strava and/or GPX files onto a Garmin or similair navigation device. Including recommendations for coffeee stops.
There are fantastic roads all over the world. The difference here is that they are also virtually traffic free.
Many pro team and pro tour riders own property in this area for good reasons. It's safe, roads are super smooth and quiet.
All the routes are carefully designed with options for stopping for breaks and enjoying the ride. Quiet roads, smooth asphalt/tarmac, stunning views and locations and an area steaped in history.
If you are unfortunate enough to need collecting whilst out on your ride (out of daylight hours/puncture/chain snapped etc.') we can recover you quickly and easily.
We strongly recommend that you take out insurance to cover you and your kit. A european health card will cover most things for free if you're from the UK otherwise you'll be charged. We also strongly recommend you keep a copy of your passport photo page on your phone as well.
The local currency in Spain is the euro (€). There are plenty of cashpoints/ATMs in Lanjaron and banks wheere you can change currency but cards with chip and pin or contactless is used everywhere. However, we recommend that you check with your bank regarding fees for using your card for cash withdrawals and general transactions.
We usually recommend £200 / 220€ / $225 spending money. Andalucia is very good value for money with eating out. Drinks and a good meal, with wine or a few beers will cost in the region of 20€
You must have your own insurance which should include helicopter evacuation and repatriation. A search on the internet will reveal a host of insurers to choose from, but please ensure that it includes extreme sports. We do not go above 3000m. In the past we have used companies like Sports Cover Direct who seem to have a good reputation. Other recommended companies are Ski Card and the Austrian Alpine club although they may not include baggage insurance.
We are in the process of finding an insurance partner to offer the best coverage for our guests. As soon as we have these details we will update the website.
Global Bike Adventures was previously trading as Freeridespain. We have rebranded as the company has expanded to enable us to encompass all our websites 'under one roof'. These included Freeride Oman, Freeride Morocco, Road Ride Spain and Freeride Spain. We have been running trips in Spain since October 1999
We have been in Lanjaron since 2004 and know this area well. We also ride in and around Bubion, Lujar and Granada NOBODY knows this area better than us!
We recommend a good quality road bike. Serviced and ready to go!
We use bikes with 28mm, tubless tyres for the best traction and to help void punctures. this is of course a personal preferance but we recommend a good quality race tyre rather than a touring tyre!
The transfer to Lanjaron is when the majority of the guests arrive. For example, if 8 guests arrive in the morning then the transfer will be an AM transfer. However, if most of the guests arrive in the evening then the transfer will be a PM transfer when the last guest has arrived.
The training accommodation has three double bedrooms, high speed broadband, Netflix and Amazon Film etc.' It has direct access to the road in a very quiet part of town and is designed for you to relax and recover with facilities for cooking. Bars and restaurants are nearby but CANNOT be heard at night. For larger groups we use a 5 double bedroom Villa with a pool which can be used in the summer months.
Please be careful. And stay on the right! We try and design routes so that you are turning 'right' as much as possible. Whilst traffic is very light compared to the UK, crossing lanes is taken into account when designing routes..
We always recommend bringing your own bike.
If you do need to hire a bike please let us know well in advance and we can arrange bike hire for you.
When out on the road there are some items you should always take with you as you would if you were going out for the day on your bike at home. Please see the list below
A warm jumper or fleece for when you're at the bar in the evening is also recommended.
We have NEVER cancelled a ride although there have been times when we have changed the route. Your safety is our prime concern and your guide will always have the final say. The mountains here go to 3500m and we know them well and as Mountain Biking is a dynamic sport and influenced by many factors such as fitness, ability, weather and other potentially unforseable events there may be a need at some point to amend or change a route or the itinarary.
Unless you're coming as part of a group or on a private tour/adventure the maximum group size is 10. We need a minimum of four to run a tour.
October 2023
October 2023
November 2023
December 2023