We love to keep up with the photos and videos of your fabulous cycling tour!
Follow us on Instagram at @bikespaintours and on Facebook at BikeSpainTours, and tag us in the posts from your trip.
Don’t forget to join our Strava club, so we can give you kudos for all your amazing bike rides!
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 Tuesday March 3 at 9.30am at Kyclos Bike Shop.In case of any issue please contact Juan at +34 679 80 99 28
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.
Monday March 2: Lucena
Arrival Day
Accommodation: Hotel Santo Domingo
Hotel services: laundry, restaurant, bar
Meals included: dinner
______________________
What a special Monday!
You have your train tickets for a high-speed train to Cordoba. Your train departs at 9.35am, there is some security controls hence we recommend arriving at least 30 minutes early to make sure everything goes smoothly!
Your guide, Nacho, will be waiting for you to start your city tour when you arrive at 11.25am.
After the tour he’ll indicate where you can have lunch before helping you get in the taxi to Lucena. Francisco is your taxi driver and he’ll take you directly to your accommodation in Lucena. Tonight you’ll stay in 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 March 3: Lucena – Priego de Cordoba
Route: 55km/34 miles
Elevation: +854 m/2801ft
Accommodation: Hotel Patria Chica
Hotel services: laundry, restaurant, massages
Meals included: breakfast
______________________
Please leave your luggage in the hotel reception each morning (around 9am) so that it can be transferred to your next hotel.
After breakfast, please head to Kýclos bike shop (C/ San Francisco 50, 14900 Lucena, Córdoba) for your bike fitting at 9.30am.
Next, it’s time to start cycling! Enjoy a beautiful route through classic Andalusian countryside, over rolling hills covered with endless olive trees and vineyards. This scenic ride traverses the heart of the Sierras Subbéticas, a protected natural region in southern Córdoba known for its dramatic limestone landscapes, extensive olive groves, and millennia of human settlement. The route follows sections of the Vía Verde del Aceite — a converted railway greenway that once transported olive oil across Andalusia — offering a smooth, traffic-free path through valleys, rolling hills, and Mediterranean woodland.
Beginning in Lucena, often called the “Jewel of Sefarad” for its rich cultural heritage, you’ll pedal out through gentle, cultivated countryside into a mosaic of olive orchards and scrubland characteristic of this part of Andalusia. Lucena’s historical layers — from Roman vestiges to medieval and Baroque architecture — set the tone for a route where nature and culture are closely intertwined.
The landscape gradually opens toward Doña Mencía, a charming town perched above the surrounding plains, where traditional Andalusian life continues amid vineyards and hilltop views. The rhythm of the ride here is one of open horizons, soft sunlight, and fragrant rosemary and thyme in the underbrush.
Continuing toward Zuheros, the route dips into classic Subbética scenery — rugged rock formations, terraced olive groves, and pockets of oak forest — before arriving at this striking white village crowned by its medieval castle. Zuheros’s traditional streets and historical core, designated as a Conjunto Histórico-Artístico, invite a short stop to explore and enjoy the panorama of the Subbética Natural Park.
From Zuheros you climb gently to Luque, another village with strong ties to the olive landscape and panoramic viewpoints over the surrounding hillsides. The ride delivers a satisfying mix of natural beauty, quiet roads, and glimpses of local life. Continuing toward Priego de Córdoba, known as the “Baroque Jewel” of the region, the final stretch rewards with contrast between the softer lower slopes and more rugged, karst-shaped horizons that define the Subbética.
Throughout the day, expect to see the hallmark features of the Subbética’s natural environment — limestone peaks, aromatic maquis vegetation, and expansive groves of centuries-old olive trees — together with the historical marks of a landscape shaped by human hands for generations.
After your day on the bike we’ve reserved a 30-min. massage for each of you and some time in the thermal waters at Baños de la Villa. Your visit is from 6-7.30pm. Here’s your voucher. Dinner is on your own tonight.
Bike shops
Click here for our google maps list of recommendations for Zuheros!
Click here for our google maps recommendations for Prieg de Cordoba!
Wednesday March 4: Priego de Córdoba – Hotel Rural La Paloma
Route: 27.1 miles
Elevation: +2856 ft
Accommodation: Hotel Rural La Paloma
Hotel services: laundry, restaurant, bar
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
______________________
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 and across the reservoir. After crossing the bridge and the reservoir, the rest of the 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.
Once you make it to the hotel you can relax and enjoy the peace and calm in the countryside. Tonight’s dinner at the hotel is included in your tour package. Please advise reception of your preferred dinner time upon arrival.
Thursday March 5: Caminito del Rey to Madrid
Meals included: breakfast
______________________
This morning you’ll be picked up and transferred to the start of our impressive guided walk through a beautiful canyon! Your driver will come at 8.30am as your walk starts at 10am, this is quite an experience and definitely bring your camera.
Your tickets are here (Ami and Tejas). The route is about 2h, it’s not strenuous and the guide will explain the history and the evolution of this area. Once the walking tour is completed your van will be waiting for you. You can have an early (for Spanish standards) lunch and then you´ll be dropped off at the train station. You have a 4.06pm train (tickets here) which arrives in Madrid at 6.39pm, you can watch the sunset from the comfy seats!
Enjoy your stay in Madrid, your bike tour will have come to an end. We hope you’ve had a great time, if you need suggestions or ideas please feel free to let us know. You could even stop by the office, we’re here (very central) and we love to meet our customers!
Here’s our google maps list for spots in Madrid, we love this city !
