Explore & Enjoy
Arrive in Granada and perhaps visit the Alhambra Palace, the most magnificent blend of Arabic ruler’s ingenuity and medieval Christian king’s architectural skill. Relax in your 4 star hotel for the night with views of the city and Sierra.

Crazy about Kilometers? For those really keen to get this trip on the road, why not extend your trip here for a day and go up into the Sierra Nevada and have a go at the Pico Veleta, Europe’s highest road.

Day 2. GRANADA TO ALHAMA DE GRANADA

Ride: 49 km | Elevation Gain: 833 m or 74km | 1445m

Transfer out to one of the more romantic Andalucian towns, Alhama, which for centuries has lured travellers with its thermal waters, gorge and attractive Arab quarter.  Take a circular cycle around the beautiful lake – 2 options available.

Enjoy your dinner here at the hotel and then go for an evening stroll around, taking in the fresh air here.

Countryside Romance is your thing? It is a shame to leave this lovely place so quickly, why not stay awhile and soak in the medieval ambience and go for another ride?

Ask us about Extra Days here in our Home town!

This Andalucian cycling trip has some beautiful accommodation. Work hard, Play hard is our motto! 🙂 The small hamlets bursting with geranium colours, a peep into village life, the awakening of towns in the mornings; this route gives you a glimpse of southern Spain at its finest. This tour has fine upgraded 4****options in Ronda, with hotels like the awesome Catalonia Reina Victoria,  with its beautiful gardens and elegant interior. The distinguished luxury Parador hotel in Antequera* allows the cycling visitor to inland Andalucia to enjoy this historic town with its bullring and Arabic Alcazar fortress, in absolute comfort. Both are true new highlights to this bike tour from Granada to Ronda.

The tour commences in the bustle of Granada, where you will enjoy the centre of this ancient town. The very attractive Palacio de los Gamboas hotel is a nice walk to the Cathedral and Royal Chapel. Heading into the country, the hotels are rural and quaint. Encamp and enjoy Ardales and its lovely lodgings in Apartamentos Ardales. Take a dip in the plunge pool!

Ronda’s accommodation is perfectly placed near the gorge and bullring. If continuing to Arcos you will enjoy your Parador stay right next to the castle. It is a touch of class in an already charming place to stay the night. The destination of Jerez awaits, as you stay in an 18th century building, with easy walking to all sights and the lively dining scene to try the sherry!

 

“White Villages – Amazing!
We cycled the White Villages tour on a tandem with two friends on single bikes. The routes were excellent with good distance and hill work for our tandem riding experience. We stayed in comfortable hotels and enjoyed delicious foods during the evenings. My husband and I have completed dozens of cycling trips – Greek Isles, Japan, Chile, Corsica, Sicily, Danube, Majorca, Ireland, Madera, Pyrenees, Tahiti – all included. The small group experience in Andalucia with Cycling Country is intimate and good to do with great friends. This is my favorite cycling trip!”
B.Alost, Minnesota, USA – October 2023

“Bike Trip from Granada to Ronda. If you want to bike Spain, then you have to go south!! This is a superb route that really, we thought, gives everything you want on a cycling trip – great hotels, historical places, delicious local foods, amazing scenery and oh my gosh, the roads are so quiet!! We had a great time with Cycling Country and their White Villages tour this fall. Their support and friendlyness (you actually stay in their village!!) was really nice to have for newbie cycling tourists. Would not hesitate at all to recommend them and this trip. Thanks!!”
H. & S. Cooper-Bell, San Francisco, USA – October 2023

“Culture, great riding, lovely hotels and friendly locals
We did the White Villages bike tour – self guided – going from Granada to Jerez de la Frontera. There were two of us and Cycling Country arranged for our bikes (Trek Emonda) and took care of pretty much all of our logistics. The bike routes were wonderful and the hotels Cycling Country arranged were all wonderful. Good communication from start to finish and delivered on all fronts.”
S.Corradino, Colorado, USA – April 2023

“Thanks Cycling Country! Just finishing up the laundry from our travels and thought we’d write and say thanks so much for the great bike trip you organized for our family. The Andalucian White Villages route, from Granada to Ronda, really ticked all the boxes! Lucky you folks get to live in such amazing Cycling Country (ha ha see what I did there?! 🙂 ) All of us, each had our favourite place but, we all agreed, this trip had some of the best scenery to cycle. We appreciated your constant checking up and making sure all was going smoothly and we loved the variety of hotels as well. We hope to see you again and maybe complete the trip by doing the Cordoba to Granada bike tour next year
S. G. W. & C. Owen, San Diego, USA – April 2023

“White Villages, Yes, Spain has just been magical. These climbs and descents make us just whoop with joy!
Thanks again!”
J.Jandro, Minnesota, Idaho, USA – November 2022

“Cycle Trip Granada to Jerez – Greetings from Jerez! We arrived in time to see some of the horses at the festival. And all the women dressed up in their stunning dresses. We’ll go back again today as it’s really something. The horses are groomed so well they literally shine.
Our bikes should be ready to go soon. We catch the train to Seville this afternoon and then home on Tuesday.
Thanks for everything. Your organization, routes, and recommendations were excellent. We enjoyed reading the CC booklet at each destination and took your recommendation for many restaurants.
We hate to leave, but we’ll be back!! If you have a newsletter, please add us to your list. Otherwise, we’ll be in your website planning our next trip.”
S.Liermann, Idaho, USA – May 2022

“Hi Maggi and Geoff
Well thankfully we made it home and while we thoroughly enjoyed our trip we’re very glad to be back home.
Thank you for your great organisation of what was at times a challenging trip but a wonderful experience overall. It was the best way to really see the beauty of the area and we certainly feel we got to savour more of the culture, the rural way of life and the fabulous scenery on the bikes.
We will both be recommending this trip to others…..when things settle down again.
Thanks again.”
E. Devane, Killarney, Ireland – March 2020

“We can’t say enough good things about Cycling Country Bike Tours! My wife and I just finished the White Villages of Andalusia tour and loved every aspect of it. The routes were quiet, climbs were challenging yet very rewarding, spectacular views, towns with interesting things to do, nice hotels within walking distance to the fun things the towns had to offer, and great restaurants. The bikes we rented came with WAY more amenities than we’ve encountered on other tours; each Trek Madone 5 came with handle bar bags, map pouches, seat bag, bike tool, tire lever, 3 inner tubes per bike, patch kit, mini-pump mounted on bike, 4 water bottles, bag to carry extra stuff, and a floor pump that was transported with our luggage each day. Our luggage showed up by the time we had arrived at our destination town each day. The company was great about customizing our tour so we could have an extra day in two different towns that offered neat things to see (Ardales to hike the Caminito del Ray, and Antequera to see the monolithic ruins – highly recommend both!). First bike tour we’ve been on where we honestly can’t think of anything that would have made it more perfect. Can’t wait to tour with Cycling Country again!”
A.Fredrick, Colorado, USA – June 2019

“We can’t say enough good things about Cycling Country Bike Tours! My wife and I just finished the White Villages of Andalusia tour and loved every aspect of it. The routes were quiet, climbs were challenging yet very rewarding, spectacular views, towns with interesting things to do, nice hotels within walking distance to the fun things the towns had to offer, and great restaurants. The bikes we rented came with WAY more amenities than we’ve encountered on other tours; each Trek Madone 5 came with handle bar bags, map pouches, seat bag, bike tool, tire lever, 3 inner tubes per bike, patch kit, mini-pump mounted on bike, 4 water bottles, bag to carry extra stuff, and a floor pump that was transported with our luggage each day. Our luggage showed up by the time we had arrived at our destination town each day. The company was great about customizing our tour so we could have an extra day in two different towns that offered neat things to see (Ardales to hike the Caminito del Ray, and Antequera to see the monolithic ruins – highly recommend both!). First bike tour we’ve been on where we honestly can’t think of anything that would have made it more perfect. Can’t wait to tour with Cycling Country again!”
A.Fredrick, Colorado, USA – June 2019

“Thank you so much – we had an absolutely fantastic trip. As Ant mentioned, Dean was great and my bike was set up perfectly. I have already talked with my wife about doing another of your tours and having her join us.

Thanks much and thank you again for memories that will last a lifetime!”
G.Thomas, UK – June 2019

“White Villages Route! Thanks Maggi. And thanks for a 2nd great cycling trip with Cycling Country. Everything was fantastic and well planned – the hotels, the itinerary & the gear… Plus the food, wine and scenery were outstanding! We hope to be back again in future.
Thanks again for everything.”
C&S.Savage, Vancouver, Canada – May 2019

“We just finished the self-guided White Villages of Andalusia tour and had a fantastic time! Dean and Maggi were very attentive and helpful. It’s great that they are based right in Alhama- we felt like they really understood the area. The touring bikes were good, the route gorgeous (although hilly!), and the towns/cities we visited were beautiful and so interesting. Special faves were Granada, Antequera, and Ronda (Ardales was nice too!) There was also opportunities to swim and hike along the route.”
Blue B., ME, USA – May 2019

“Awesome White Villages of Andalusia!
Beautiful scenery, nice roads and good accommodations resulted in an awesome cycling holiday through the White Villages of Andalusia. We chose the self-guided option and rented the carbon-aluminum bikes, which were perfectly fine for the mountain climbs and descents. (We ride full-carbon bikes at home.) The cue sheets had lots of important details, but using a gps is definitely helpful. Maggi was wonderful to work with as we sorted out details and Dean was most helpful with bike set up and talking through details before we hit the road. We highly recommend Cycling Country and the White Villages tour.”
C. & G. Donin, NC, USA – October 2018

“My wife and I just completed the White villages tour in the last 9 days of June. It is a hilly route but I have never enjoyed biking more. Every corner seemed to offer a new view and every hilltop a new landscape. The back roads chosen by Geoff and Maggi are excellent and the bicycles performed well. My wife used an ebike which made the trip possible for us. The hotels were very comfortable and the small towns are often off the tourist track which I appreciated. I was especially impressed with the Spainish drivers who would never pass until it was completely safe to do so. That said we often cycled for many kilometres without seeing a vehicle. The hotels are comfortable and the food fantastic. Book now!”
A. Grant, NM, Canada – June 2018

“We would like to give a huge thanks to Cycling Country. Maggie, Dean, and Jeff were amazing and put together a fantastic trip for us in Andalucia. We rode from Granada to Ronda and had nice, high-quality road bikes. The hotels we stayed at along the way were all great. The routes were low-traffic, mostly nicely paved roads and the instructions and maps were perfect. We could not have asked for a better self-guided option. We highly recommend Cycling Country if you want to bike southern Spain!”
M & K. Gabe & CA, USA – May 2018

“We are having a great ride and actually enjoying those climbs! Thx for the heads up about getting out of town tomorrow morning. Antequera is great and the church/sites/town fabulous! We’re having wonderful time! The hotels are all great! Thx for everything!”
S. Whitney & Family, NM, USA – April 2018

“With great hybrid bikes, fantastic scenery, hotels, considerate drivers, tapas galore but above all excellent directions, maps, gpx and information notes this holiday delivered on every level. We will be back! Thank you Cycling Country, worth every penny.”
M. Robertson & Friends, UK – November 2017

“Hi Maggi, We arrived safe in Ronda after another good day. The hotel is great, the bikes are in the garage. Overall it’s been a terrific holiday. Everything has worked just as we hoped it would. Dean was excellent at setting us up. We had just the right amount of challenge on the trip. The villages and hotels were beautiful. The climb of El Torcal all the way to the top was a real highlight.
Your guide book is so good! I took the Lonely Planet guide to andalusia and your book is MUCH better. You have historical detail and just the right amount of tips about where to go and what to see. I especially appreciated the notes about the Civil War as this is something I am very interested in. So thank you!
The notes you provide for cycling directions were also excellent.
Tomorrow we head off for Malaga and home. Thank you again for a terrific trip.”
D & R. Grieg; UK – October 2017

“Maggi, An incredible journey, excellently executed and planned by Cycling Country. Hotels ranged from 9/10 to 11/10! Complements to you guys.
Routes chosen were brilliant. Thanks again for an excellent tour.”
D & A. Lowes; Sydney, Australia – September 2017

“Hi Maggi,
We are now back in Australia after our wonderful trip to Spain. And I just wanted to say thank you once again for such excellent service, particularly getting a bike sent out to me so I could finish the ride to Ronda. We are already planning our next ride with you guys!
Thanks again.”
D & M. Hill and Friends; Sydney, Australia – June 2017

“Hi Maggi – Thanks for replying yesterday – we didn’t take the bikes out this morning in the end. Thanks again for the superb holiday. We’ve loved it! What a gorgeous part of the world you live in!”
D & E & N. Baker; Sydney, Australia – June 2017

“All in all, I would say that it was a very enjoyable trip. Certainly we had lots of adventures—good exercise, beautiful scenery, great people—that’s what cycling is all about, eh?! Your company and your people lived up to the glowing reviews we read ahead of time. : ) Perhaps some day we will have another chance to tour with Cycling Country.”
V. Hook – Ontario, Canada – September 2016

“Hi Geoff and Maggie, Finally back to our daily routine and an opportunity to write this email to you guys. Spain was awesome and the 5 day cycling trip was the absolute highlight of our vacation. The directions, accommodations, Luggage transfers and restaurant recommendations were all excellent! The views, villages and experiences along the route were memorable! AND SO WERE THE ELEVATIONS…..but we did it And felt totally exhilarated by it all.

Thank you Maggie and Geoff for the adventure of a life time. It was great meeting you guys and we wish you continued success. We will highly recommend your tour  and look forward to traveling with you again one day.”
B. Korodetz – Toronto, Canada – November 2015

“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 trip was great and the organization and preparatory help from Cycling Country was superb. A great big thank you from us both.”
G. & K. Osborne – Kingston, Canada – November 2015

“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 – Sept 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 – Ireland

Dear 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 – Finland

Testimonials 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 .