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Carmona (Seville), Córdoba, Granada
7 or 9 days − Self Guided.
3 & 4* Hotels & Country Inns
From
€ 1,295
Seville, Cordoba, Granada Cycle Tour
Self guided cycling in Andalucia, Spain
If you love cycle touring, the charting off new places, discovering ancient ones and revelling in a countryside well trodden though the centuries, then this Andalucian Self-guided bike tour is for you. A nature lover’s paradise as well as the traveller on 2 wheels. Seville, Córdoba and Granada are all explored.
Our home is Andalucía and our self guided bike trip lets you ride across the best and most famous landscape of Southern Spain. From your start in Carmona (just outside busier Seville) you can cycle all the way to Granada!
With an option to begin in Cordoba for those with less time, this is a route that encapsulates what we believe is the true heart of the South of Spain. You even pass through our home town, so we know the route pretty well! Think, Castanets, Caliphates, Carmen and Castles, that is what this colourful vivacious land shouts.
To explore this area in which the Romans trod, the Moorish society developed, and Spain takes particular pride in, is too much fun to pass up.
Dates
15 Jan 2024 to 30 Nov 2024
15 Jan 2025 to 30 Nov 2025
%
Riding Level
Moderate with
Longer Hills
60KM Daily Average
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- Enjoy atmospheric Carmona with her Roman amphitheatre
- The elegant UNESCO site, the Mezquita in Córdoba
- Rest in the same place where Columbus slept
- Stay in charming villages and experience the real Andalucia
- Vistas and Visions of loveliness and legends
- Grand Moorish city of Granada & snowy Sierra Nevada backdrop
CC Advantage
Charming hotels with a Historic Manorial home, 15th Century Monastery, Boutique Hacienda, & 4* City Class Hotels
A delightful route for the A to B orientated Cycle Tourist!
Pass through Alhama, CC´s Home Town which We are Proud to Show to You!
Our first route from 16 years ago and we are still loving it!
We had a great trip. The cycling was challenging but well worth the scenery, the views and the white villages we visited. The accommodations were wonderful and the hosts were very pleasant and helpful. The food was very tasty but then how can you go wrong with tapas, cerveza and sangria.
Kathy and I would like to thank Cycling Country for setting up the tour, providing the bikes, maps, information sheets/booklet and directions. Definitely, an A-One job. It was a pleasure meeting Warren, Geoff and Maggie. Otherwise as we said, the Moorish trip was great and the organization and preparatory help from Cycling Country was superb. A great big thank you from us both.
Route Map
itinerary
Day 1. CARMONA
Explore & Enjoy
Come early and take time to explore elegant Seville and her impressive cathedral (we recommend arriving a day earlier to fully sightsee and enjoy this spectacular place). Make your own way to arrive in the ancient city of Carmona (35km away) where the town walls attest to its illustrative history and your 17th century manorial hotel awaits. Visit the charming centre, the imposing Alcázar and lookout points and curiously, a complete Roman burial ground with excellent museum. With views out to the green countryside and the shuttered white washed homes with blossoming balcony geraniums it is a nice introduction to inland Andalusia. (Options for night in Seville prior the tour.)
Day 2. CARMONA TO PALMA DEL RIO
Ride: 55 km | Elevation Gain : 120 m | Extra Mileage if wanted : Always More!
We meet in a lovely plaza here in Carmona to enjoy the twitter of sparrows and introduce your stead to you. Glide off into the Roman Campaña, a fertile area which fed the empire. Spend the evening in an atmospheric 15th century monastery hotel in Palma del Rio, where the timbers could share tales of Christopher Columbus’ stay and those who came before. The town itself is a pleasant stay with a well preserved Moorish wall and some lovely monuments and plazas. Read about it in our Blog piece of Palma del Rio.
See more
Day 3. PALMA DEL RIO TO CÓRDOBA
Ride : 64 km | Elevation Gain : 504 m
Orange blossom was made into an evocative perfume by the Moors, you will be reminded of this as you cycle here the air is so fragrant. The heartland route of the Seville Orange will take you into the rolling hills near Córdoba and into this mesmerising city that once had more street lights than Paris. An illustrious collection of artists, philosophers, architects, poets, Cordoba still has this draw and you will fall in love with its medieval centre near which you stay. (Options for extra night.)
OR – begin the tour today. Travel to Cordoba (and have time to enjoy the city. Spend the night in your 4* hotel and be relaxed to start riding tomorrow morning.
Day 4. CÓRDOBA TO ZUHEROS
Olive Groves, Andalucia, Spain
Ride : 74 m | Elevation Gain : 1294 m
True Andalucian landscape on this bike ride. If starting today, meet the representative and get set up to leave Córdoba behind and head out into the rolling landscape that surround this city. It is an exposed farming area with cortijo farmhouses dotted around before you get into the olive area near Baena, one of Spain’s largest olive producers. Arrive in Zuheros, set into the mountainous Subbética area. It is a precious village and is known as one of Spain’s “Pueblos Más Bonitas” (most beautiful villages).
Dinner is included here tonight.
Day 5. ZUHEROS
Ride : 38km / 480 m or | 53 km | Elevation Gain : 814 m | Extra mileage : 12 km / 410 m
The silvery olive tree will be your companion as you cycle around Zuheros, the most romantic village in Spain which sparkles in the sun above on the mountain. Here its Renaissance Castle is perched high and the panorama afforded from the main plaza is awesome. Stay in the romantic white washed village and dream of moving in.
Cycle the Via Verde, a delightful rail to trails initiative which takes you through this pleasant countryside without the strain of climbing any hills – a perfect cycling rest day.
Day 6. ZUHEROS TO IZNÁJAR
Ride : 54 km | Elevation Gain : 910 m
Cycle around the pretty Subbética National Park and enjoy the morning bird song and the 14th century Moorish watchtowers which still stand sentinel. Arrive in the curley-qued Baroque town of Priego, with its many beautiful doorways and Alcázar castle. Take a café on one of the many plazas in this place of countless fountains before carrying on to the lakeside town of Iznajar and your charming hacienda hotel.
Take it slow and Easy : *Option to stop in Priego for the night and carry on to Iznájar the next day.
Day 7. IZNÁJAR TO ALHAMA DE GRANADA
Ride : 68 km | Elevation Gain : 1420 m | Extra Mileage if wanted: Loop ride : 37 km / 450 m
Continuing on cycling up (!) though the olives and hill climbs to arrive in the Poniente Granadino, the last kingdom of the Moors, and where you can get glimpses of the Sierra Nevada on each hilltop. Stay in the town of Alhama de Granada, our CC headquarters and where it´s 2 medieval churches are stage centre next to the enchanting gorge. Wander this true town of Andalus, enjoy its peaceful plazas, medieval Moorish quarter, an excellent museum and cafes galore.
Drop in to say Hello!
Day 8. ALHAMA TO GRANADA
Ride : 65 km | Elevation Gain : 774 m | Extra Mileage if wanted : 55 km
The Sierra Nevada in sight now, leave the countryside, the coastal mountains and lakes and cycle past the historic area in which Columbus received his commission and where Reconquest battles were fought. Arrive in glorious Granada with the snowy Sierra Nevada as your companion and relax in this fascinating city of hillsides and charming palaces and take in the tapas as a celebratory snack, there are a bountiful variety!
Day 9. GRANADA & ONWARDS
Relax by strolling the bustling streets and elegant plazas or tour the elegant palace of the former Arab rulers here, the Alhambra Palace. The elaborate stucco, the colourful tile work, the soothing sounds of fountains, the inestimable grace of it all, it is a timeless monument in an remarkable place.
Mad about Mountains? Stay and cycle up Europe’s highest road – Pico Veleta, Granada’s famous climb at 3398 m!
Trip details
Road Cycling Tour: Self Guided Cycle Tour Seville to Granada
Bikes: Hybrid | Road | Ebike
Route: 9 or 7 days – Carmona – Palma del Río – Córdoba (or start here) – Iznájar – Alhama – Granada
Group Size: Minimum 2 people – Discounts for 4+ booking together
High season supplement: €115 p.p. (Easter Week 2024 March 24 – 31 & Cordoba Feria 2024 May 06-20)
Riding Level
Moderate / Challenging – Distances are kept lower (daily average of 60 km) but terrain is challenging. Expect longer hills and hot days in the summer. This is suitable for more experienced cyclists as the route can be quite isolated in parts as you traverse this beautiful landscape. Some will find this route Challenging if heat / climbs are issues. A real fantastic accomplishment for those who enjoy cycling a historic but large landscape.
Good surfaced roads on quiet country roads (busier as you near Cordoba and Granada). Suitable for touring-hybrid bikes and road bikes.
Accommodation
- 8 / 6 nights – 4* City hotels, a manorial and monastery hotels and beautiful country inns.
- All bedrooms en-suite
- The accommodation can be upgraded 4 nights: Córdoba, Zuheros & Granada – 375€ PER PERSON
Food
All 7 breakfasts (5 from Córdoba) – Buffet / Home cooked
1 Dinner included (3 Course meal)
Also Included
- Luggage delivered to your next hotel
- Welcome meeting & intro to route
- Emergency support & contact details – we’re local
- Guide book of history & customs, helmet bag, Bottle, Tee & Tags
- Navigation by Phone App /GPX provided if wanted (Garmin hire available-extra)
- 5% off your next tour with us!
Staff
1 driver will meet and greet in Carmona / Córdoba / Daily luggage transfers provided. As we are based in Alhama de Granada, we are never far away from offering advice and assistance. Feel free to drop in anytime while here on your penultimate day.
Not Included
Entrance to Alhambra Palace or museums en-route & Massage treatments in Granada or Alhama / Hot bath experiences
Gastronomy Welcome Package – Day 7 of cycling includes a 3 course dinner and wine for 2 & 1 welcome pack of local products – 100€ per couple
If bringing own bike – Bike Box delivery to Granada – €135 / 100€
Bikes
9 day Tour – Carmona to Granada – Bike Hire: Hybrid (155€) | Carbon Bike (285€) | Ebike (365€)
7 Day Tour – Córdoba to Granada – Bike Hire: Hybrid (105€) | Carbon Bike (210€) | Ebike (315€)
Getting Here
Private transfers from Sevilla to Carmona can be arranged (including bike transport if required). Please enquire for return prices or other destinations.
There is a regular local bus from the bus station at Prado de San Sebastian in Seville to Carmona and the trip is about 45 minutes. Sevilla also is connected by the AVE Train (www.Renfe.com) and has an international airport.
Arriving in Córdoba is easiest by direct AVE fast train from Madrid or Málaga.
Guided | Private Option
This tour is available as a fully supported and guided option if booking with a group of 6 or more. With a van as support, the tour can be custom designed and the daily distances changed. Please contact us for prices and availability.
Lodgings
Lovely hotels in Andalucia to discover on your cycling tour of Spain
The small hamlets bursting with geranium colours, the peep into village life, the awakening of towns in the mornings, this Andalucian bike route gives you a glimpse of southern Spain at its finest. Thus hotels are chosen for their comfort and central to the sights and cycling.
On our Moorish tour, the hotels chosen for this trip are in keeping with this historical but yet rural area. Some are historical monuments or reflect the unique heritage and tradition of this special area of Andalucia. We have a selection of Monument hotels on this tour (former Convents, Palaces, Castles, Monasteries, Paradors) including one where Christopher Columbus slept, Highlight Hotels (modern 4 or 5 star hotels) and Boutique spots (smaller, family run places which are charming).
Reviews
“Cycling Trip from Carmona to Granada – Wow, History! Hi Maggi & Maria! Just wanted to say, thanks so much for your help during our cycling trip from Seville. It was amazing. You were not wrong when you said, history around every corner. We have nothing like the architecture and history that we saw in our week of biking. Really impressive. The cycling was really great too and we enjoyed the good quality road bikes and roads… and drivers are awesome in Andalusia! The phone app was so easy to follow even for a technaphob like me, and the guide part of it really helpful on finding hidden gems. Thanks again and hope to see you soon for more cycling!”
C. & D. McBrian, Brisbane, Australia – April 2023
“Great bike trip through Andalucia! Thanks Cycling Country Team for your well put together tour. We really enjoyed all the hotels, staying so central in Córdoba was really a highlight too as where the places we ended each days’ route in. Very nice and all those olives!? That is just crazy! Great gear as well and the ebikes made the terrain perfect for us. Nice to meet you in Alhama. We hope to do another trip with you folks really soon! Gracias! 🙂 “
J. Hall, Florida, USA – March 2023
“Well organized by people who have a great enthusiasm for Andalusia. Highly recommended.”
S. Zirulnik, California, USA – November 2022
“Maggi thank you so much for providing such a great trip. We both had such a great time. The 9 Day Moorish route was perfect, roads are in good shape and very quiet. GPS and travel directions were easy to follow and kept us from worrying about where we were going. Hotels and restaurants were great and sightseeing recommendations were very helpful. The bikes were in good shape and the ebike allowed Wendy to really enjoy each day.
Also thanks for checking in with us, the whole experience with Cycling Country was great.
Thanks again.”W. & R. West, Florida, USA – March 2020
“We’ve arrived at the hotel in Granada and all in one piece! Bikes are in the garage with all equipment you provided.
Really enjoyed the trip and thanks to Dean for his help throughout.”K. & C. Hardman, Yorkshire., UK – Oct 2019
“Our tour has been really wonderful. It was a treat to meet Dean in Salar today – hope he told you how enthusiastic we were with the trip organization and ebike performance. Thanks!”
E.Moase, B.C., Canada – Oct 2019
“Thanks to you, Geoff, Maria and Dean. First rate operation. Great time. That descent down to the sea was truly memorable.
We are talking about the next trip with you to Portugal or maybe Galicia and the Camino Santiago.”D. Alterwitz, J. Hanlon, H. Kesser, & F. Santayana (Florida & Las Vegas), USA – May 2019 – Custom Moorish Tour
“We arrived dry and happy at the hotel!
The bikes are safely locked in the garage and we will put all your stuff ( laminated book and so on) to the bikes.It was a very nice trip, quiet roads, lovely sights, friendly hotels.
It’s been fun 🙂
Thank you very much for sorting that trip out for us!
Mit besten Grüßen,”
S. & D. Schneider, Alemania – April 2019“Maggie…it was a perfect glorious day and Bob was delighted with the bike…huge improvement and thank you so much to you and Dean for your help and efforts. Zuheros is spectacular and we are happy campers! Thank you!! Here is Bob ” Maggie, the new bike made all the difference, Dean was great in setting it up for me! Could not have made that 4K climb with just a double chainring . Don’t know how the day could have been better, sunshine ,almost no wind, wildflowers and ending up in Zuhero. You guys are our Zuhero today. Thanks so much,Bob”
B. Holtby, CO, USA – 28 May 2018
“We cycled the self guided Moorish Andalucia tour from Cordoba to Granada in late March. In spite of unusually cold weather we had great cycling though beautiful country and charming rural towns. Excellent support from Geoff the proprietor”
P.Ackerley, NSW, Australia – May 2018
“Hi! The route sheets have been< excellent quality and the little guidebook is great. Thanks for doing it! Thanks again for everything!”
S.Woodward, Vancouver, Canada – November 2017
“Hi Maggi and Jeff,
Our last day of cycling went just as well as the preceeding ones. Thanks again for the great trip! We‘ll recommend your tours to anybody showing the slightest interest in cycling. 🙂 Have a good time!S. Ruf – Generva, Switzerland – November 2017
“Thank you so much Maggi for helping us organise our cycling holiday. Your flexibility was really appreciated. Everything went perfectly and Michele and I had a wonderful tour. For anybody considering this tour be prepared for some hard rides but it is certainly worth it. The bikes were good, the navigation instructions were extremely clear (we did not get lost once) and the hotel accommodation was good value and very comfortable. I highly recommend Cycling Country.”
S. Beaton – Tauranga, NZ – June 2015“Very well organized, from the routes chosen, the detailed instructions, the unique accommodations to the insider tips on dinning and sightseeing.. Loved everything (with the exceptions of some of the steep hills!). Will be going back!.”
A. Moore – Emirates – April 2015“On 25 October 2014, we finished the White Villages of Andalusia tour from Granda to Ronda thanks to superp planning, logistics, equipment and support of Maggi and Geoff. They took the time to advise and select a trip that was a good match of our experience and skill level. The weather was ideal and the cycling was very enjoyable and the scenery was outstanding! The climbs were not steep apart from getting to the top of Torcal which was optional…not really(!) We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would highly recommend Cycling Country if you are looking to organise a cycling holiday.”
A. Drom – Cumbria, UK – November 2014“Hi Maggi and Jeff – we really enjoyed our tour – definitely some climbs but the scenery was amazing and overall we had wonderful weather – slightly cool in the morning, warm but not too hot during the days, rainshowers in the late afternoons. Even the one day that had several rainstorms was beautiful – we saw a double rainbow that day. Thanks for the GPS routes – that really helped us get into and out of some of the towns. And we loved the information packets – its always fun to know more about the place you are in. Hope you are having fun in Portugal – it was great meeting you!”
M. Pratt – Portland, Oregon, USA – September 2014“I just wanted to thank you for a great cycling trip to the White Villages. The scenery was absolutely spectacular, and everyone was extremely friendly. And of course the cycling was super. …. I was very pleased and impressed by your organization and what you provided – well done!” .
G. Spence – Vancouver, Canada – November 2013“Just a final note to thank you so much for a great trip. The route you chose was perfect – no traffic and splendid scenery. The luggage transfer went without a hitch and you even transported me without complaint. All in all, I can’t really think of how you could make it better. Many thanks – We will be spreading the word about how great a company you are.”.
J. Hyndham – Canada – November 2013“Just back from a great self-guided trip of 5 days through the white villages…Maggie and Geoff of Cycling Country did a great job from start to finish, from initial booking through follow up. The bikes were great, the route notes and maps fine (never got lost!), and their preselected hotels were just great. The recommendations for restaurants and sights along the way are most helpful. Went in mid-June so the temps were high–would recommend earlier or later in the year–but an early start each day made the going bearable. This company is a great operation and we highly recommend them.” .
R. Vargo – Connecticut, USA – June 2013“Four of us celebrated significant birthdays (50) by cycling the White Villages of Al-Andalus. What a terrific trip through the real Spain, great quiet route, friendly and clean accomodation and terrific food. Geoff and Maggi were outstanding and ever helpful. Route directions great, no wrong turns, no waiting for bags, and all the pieces came together for us without a hitch. Can’t wait until the next time. Muchas gracias a Cycling Country par una adventura tan buenissima.
Gerry Cleary – IrelandDear Maggi, Jeff and Dean: A brief note of thanks for our terrific adventure in Andalucia. We truly appreciated all your efforts to make the cycling and accommodations first rate. Our cycling pals are quite envious and you may be hearing form them (and us) in future. Best wishes and good luck down the road”
Ron and Cheryl Matthews – Langley, Canada“Hi Maggi, we are back at work now. Thank you very much for the cycling holiday. The route was wonderful. The information package you gave was very good and we did not get lost. The bikes worked well and we did not have any problems with them. The weather was almost too good. We had a fantastic week in Spain. Thank you very much!”
Suvi, Erkki and Sirpa – FinlandTestimonials from previous cyclists are always available and we enjoy receiving the feedback after tours. It helps us improve our services and offer you an even better experience. Please feel free to contact us if you would like a reference to talk to. Others have also posted reviews on the independent travel website .
DATES & RATES
MOORISH ANDALUCÍA
FROM 7 DAYS / 6 NIGHTS
FROM €1295
SINGLE SUPP. FROM €275
SELECT YOUR DATE AND CHECK AVAILABILITY HERE
CARMONA
START – 9 DAYS
€1,570
STARTS ON MONDAYS
Single Supp. €415
CÓRDOBA
START – 7 DAYS
€1,295
STARTS ON WEDNESDAY (95€ p.p. other days / Groups 4+ free)
Single Supp. €275
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