Love Spain 2021 Madrid to Mediterranean Cycling Tour

Please check out the daily details of our Love Spain 2021 Madrid to Mediterranean Cycling Tour itinerary from June 7-20, 2021 below.  The route from Madrid to Cadiz is around 930 kilometers long over nine cycling days, which averages out to 104 kilometers (64 miles) per cycling day.  The itinerary also includes four rest days to allow for ample enjoyment of the places we will be. Stages are relatively flat which allows us to save afternoons and evenings for sightseeing and group activities. Anyone with a moderate level of fitness should be able to complete the trip.  Road bicycles are strongly recommended.  Non-riders are welcome and each day for them will be filled with unique tourist opportunities. For more technical details about the trip, consult the blog for occasional updates.  We will be staying in high quality hotels (including five different paradores) and resorts on all nights save for house accommodation the first night in Madrid.  Accommodations throughout will be centrally located and extraordinarily relaxing allowing you to mix biking, great scenery, tourist attractions, comfort, and a great cause!   Each registrant's fee helps us pay for a half scholarship for a Mosaic Cultural Center student!

Itinerary

monday, june 7

All participants need to fly into Madrid, arriving by noon at the latest. In the afternoon, we will assemble bicycles, and in the evening the Mosaic Cultural Center in Rivas Vaciamadrid will host an ethnic dinner to welcome all participants.  We will make introductions, debrief the route, and get organized for cycling departure the following morning. Participants will stay in private accommodation in Rivas Vaciamadrid for the night.  

tuesday, june 8

After breakfast, we will depart for a 95-kilometer relatively flat ride to the walled, medieval city of Toledo. There will be an optional stop about halfway through the route at the Royal Summer Palace in Aranjuez. Here is the route on Strava. Toledo is one of Spain’s three-star Michelin attractions. It has a rich and diverse history and was also where the Spanish Inquisition began. Non-cyclists will travel directly to Toledo for a walking tour of the various quarters in the city. We will be staying for two nights at the Parador de Toledo, which overlooks the walled city.

wednesday, june 9

The first rest day comes early in the trip so that we all get to know each other a little better and, most importantly, get sufficient time to explore Toledo and all its wonders. Wander the streets and get lost in time, and then return to the sumptuous Parador de Toledo to rest up for another night before hitting the road again. 

thursday, june 10

We cycle 130 kilometers on a relatively flat route into the heart of La Mancha (look out for Don Quijote) until we arrive at the Parador de Manzanares. Here is the route on Strava. The surrounding town of Ciudad Real is interesting to explore - and is surrounded by natural parks. If you wander off, you might come across an old windmill. Be sure to give chase.

FRIDAY, june 11

We cycle 93 kilometers into the Despeñaperros Natural Park - a wild reserve filled with waterfalls, canyons, rock formations, and hidden trails. Here is the route on Strava. After crossing through the park, we spend the night near the town of Santa Elena at the Hotel Alfonso VIII and at the Casas Puerta de Andalucia - two typical local houses.

saturday, june 12

We have a shorter cycling day - only 75 kilometers - so there is plenty of time to enjoy Úbeda at the end of the day, a classic medieval town, just as you enter the southernmost province of Andalucia. Here is the route on Strava. The old stone carvings, the city walls, and the terra-cotta roof tiles will remind you of an age gone by, as you rest, pampered at either the Parador de Ubeda or the Hotel Las Casas del Consul which is 300 meters from the Parador.

SUNDAY, june 13

By now, legs will be getting tired after the fourth day of riding in a row - but after 121 kilometers, the destination will be worth it - the historic city of Granada - the last bastion in Spain of the Moors who left weeping in 1492. They did, however, leave behind the Alhambra Palace, a World Heritage sight and memory of a bygone era. Here is the route on Strava. The city of Granada will be a good resting spot as we spend two nights at the Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula in the historic city center - close to the best restaurants, shopping, and flamenco.

monday, june 14

Free day in Granada. A tour of the Alhambra is a must. Wander the streets - see the ancient Jewish and Muslim quarters and see how they continue to thrive today. In the evening, we will have dinner at a local teahouse at the foot of the Alhambra followed by a flamenco show in one of the gypsy caves. Everything is walking distance from our hotel, the Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula.

tuesday, june 15

Our 105-kilometer route takes us out of Granada via the “Last Sigh of the Moor” pass, before rapidly descending to the Mediterranean and then following the coast westward until we reach the resort town of Nerja. Here is the route on Strava. Our hotel, the Parador de Nerja, sits on a hill overlooking the beach. The coast stretches away for as far as you can see.

wednesday, june 16

Our route follows the Mediterranean coast westward for 86 kilometers and after a short, sharp climb, finishes in the scenic Andalusian “white town” of Mijas, that among many attractions, boasts a donkey taxi service. Here is our route on Strava. The handicraft shops, art stores, and many cafes are enticing - and we will get a crack at them the following day as we take a break from cycling just 7 kilometers down to the coast on the beach at the delightful Hotel Ilunion Fuengirola.

thursday,june 17

We take a rest in Fuengirola and possibly travel back up the hill 7 kilometers to the Andalusian hill town of Mijas. Sit back, relax, watch the world go by. Have a coffee. Talk to your friends. Learn about many things happening in the south of Spain. Enjoy your rest day at the Hotel Ilunion Fuengirola.

friday, june 18

We take a bus transfer to a point around 100 kilometers from Cadiz and cycle from there to Cadiz. Here is our route on Strava. COVID restrictions permitting, non-cyclists may make a tourist stop in Gibraltar which was the headquarters for the Allied command for a time during World War 2. Take a cable car to the summit and look across the Mediterranean to the North Africa coast, but watch out for the Barbary apes! We will stay at the Hotel Cadiz Paseo del Mar which is right on the beach.

Saturday, june 19

On our last full day together, we can kick back and relax and enjoy a beautiful day together at Hotel Cadiz Paseo del Mar.

Sunday, june 20

Time to say goodbye! Everyone flies home. The tour officially ends after breakfast. We will make sure we provide you as much information as possible so that you are able to navigate to your point of departure home - whether it is is Seville, Malaga, or even Madrid! Let us know how we can help you figure out the best way to get home.