Ronda to Cadiz Cycling Tour

Enjoy a Leisurely Self-Guided Cycling Tour in Spain

Take a self-guided cycling tour through western Andalucia. Cycle from the mountains of Ronda via a cycle track along a disused railway (Via Verde de la Sierra), to visit Arcos de la Frontera and Jerez, then through the Sherry Triangle to the Atlantic coast and historic city of Cadiz. 

Our Andalucian cycling tour routes always take the less-travelled path. We avoid the easy-to-find roads in favour of more scenic, lesser-known minor roads and country tracks, to give you a truly unique experience of the real Spain.

(Looking for a single-day experience? Check out our Cycling Day Tours from Ronda.)

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Overview

 

START:  Ronda     FINISH:  Cadiz

Price	From €1165 p.p. based on 2 people sharing a double or twin room
Duration	8 days	7 nights	5 cycling days
Distance	180 km total	36 km daily avg     ( max 58km: min 40km )
Grading	Moderate - this tour has been designed to follow the 'less travelled path', cycling on a mix of quiet roads, unsurfaced roads and tracks on hybrid bikes (e-bikes also available). The route keeps riders away from traffic as far as possible. There are hills throughout the region but this tour is aimed at leisure cyclists. N.B. there are 2 longer-distance days; the first includes hill climbs to avoid main roads and get up into the hilltop town of Arcos, the second is mainly very flat and easy.
Availability	March - June | Sep - November  Choose the dates which suit you. Start on any day of the week. N.B. Supplements may apply during Easter week due to inflated accommodation prices.

 

Ronda to Cadiz Cycling Tour Highlights

Culture & History Ronda 'City of Dreams' - Puente Nuevo bridge and 120m gorge Setenil de las Bodegas - village of the cave houses Arcos de la Frontera - clifftop town Jerez - Cathedral, Alcazar, and sherry! Cadiz - historic seafront city	Cycling Highlights Ride on quiet roads and easy unsurfaced tracks, away from traffic Take the less-travelled routes, that tourists rarely discover Via Verde de la Sierra - disused railway track with tunnels and viaducts Sherry tasting in the Sherry capitol of Spain, Jerez de la Frontera

Itinerary

 

Arrival Day in Ronda

Extra sightseeing days can be added on request

Check in to your hotel and enjoy the sights and sounds of the beautiful clifftop town of Ronda. Briefing and bike set-up will take place on your first evening.

 

Cycling Day 1 - Ronda to Olvera

40km +462

From Ronda, you cycle northwards, past vineyards and olive groves. Lunch in Setenil de las Bodegas, under huge overhanging limestone cliffs. Ancient "cave houses" built into the rock form the basis of many village houses, shops, and cafes. Cycle on through limestone gorge and farmland, up into Torre Alhaquime village, with great views across to Olvera's striking skyline of Arab fortress and twin-towered Renaissance church. A final section through the olives brings you to your overnight accommodation in a traditional Andalucian-style hotel.

Cycling Day 2 - Olvera to Montellano

43km +681m

Today you ride along the Via Verde de la Sierra, a disused railway line through the mountains and olive groves, with long tunnels, viaducts, and a griffon vulture colony, perched high up on the rocks above the track. Lunch at one of the old station buildings before continuing through seasonal farmlands known for the sunflowers. Your final stop is at the village of Montellano.

Cycling Day 3 - Montellano to Arcos de la Frontera

58km +621m

The route is very quiet and rural, passing through endless rolling hills cotton fields and the lake and village of Bornos. You soon find yourself gaining height as you enter the town of Arcos de la Frontera positioned on the top of a large hill with one side of the town being a cliff edge. You will stay in the heart of the old town – the short ride today allows you longer to explore the steep narrow streets on foot; see the church of Santa Maria (with its unfinished tower, where the church guardian still lives) and, on the opposite side of the church plaza, a balcony with views from the top of the cliff down to the river.

Cycling Day 4 - Arcos de la Frontera to Jerez de la Frontera

44km +349m

Descending into the countryside below Arcos gives fantastic views of the clifftop town and makes for an easy 38km start to the day with only one hill before you head into Jerez. Jerez is an historic and interesting town with lots to see - maybe visit the cathedral, the Alcazar fortress or, as the heart of the 'Sherry Triangle' region, there are many sherry bodegas (wineries) where you can enjoy a tour and tasting of the famous locally-produced sherry.

Note: an extra night can be added in Jerez to give you more time to explore the town.

Cycling Day 5 - Jerez de la Frontera to Cadiz

54km +290m

Your last day's starts with a short distance through the countryside to the seaside town of Puerto de Santa Maria, another town well known for its Sherry production, particularly Osbornes where you could enjoy the morning bodega tour before carrying on to Cadiz or visit the castle in the centre of the town. 

From Santa Maria you will cross the Rio Guadaleta and follow the coastline around the Bay of Cadiz passing through the Natural Park with salt pans and lagoons where you can spot flocks of Flamingo birds.  The route circumnavigates the bay all the way into Cadiz and passes the Cathedral before you arrive at your hotel.

Sightseeing Day in Cadiz

Historical Sights of Cadiz

Cadiz is famous for its long maritime history, having been founded by the Phoenicians in 1100 and being the main port of the Catholic Kings at the time of the discovery of America and the New World. The cathedral is hugely impressive, with twin towers and a huge yellow-tiled, Moorish-style dome, with a lovely plaza in front. The Museo de Las Cortes has many interesting artefacts and views of the changing size and shape of the city over the centuries. The botanic gardens overlooking the sea contain species brought back from travels worldwide. Soak up the atmosphere in the old towns’ narrow streets or at the seafront fort or simply go to the beach – this city has something for everyone!

Departure Day

Extra sightseeing days can be added on request

Check out from your hotel and have a safe trip home or to your next destination.

We can provide transfers to your next destination or airports of Sevilla or Malaga. POA

We hope to see you again in the future.

 

What's Included

 

WHAT'S INCLUDED?  7 nights of accommodation on a B&B basis Luggage transfers Quality hybrid bike (or e-bike, supplement applies) Optional seat-post rear bag and/or handlebar bag for your daily needs (we recommend travelling light) Helmet & water bottle (or bring your own) Toolkit (multi-tool, chain tool and speed links, tyre levers, inner tube, pump, puncture repair aerosol) Overnight lock Route GPS (phone App with daily routes, profiles, and maps, no Data-usage required) or GPX files Handlebar phone mount (normally 1 per couple/family) Annotated route maps Briefing Pack, incl advice, tips, and day-by-day route notes Briefing meeting on arrival Bike collection from cycling finish point See our suggested KIT LIST for cycle touring in Spain.

ACCOMMODATION Your tour goes through a mix of large and small towns and more rural areas, so the accommodation style and standard will vary greatly. In the larger towns, we usually book 4-star or 3-star hotels; outside of these, you will stay in countryside haciendas, boutique B&Bs or traditional-style village hotels. All rooms have en-suite facilities. Our selections are based on clean and comfortable accommodation (if sometimes quite simple), friendly owners and staff, a warm welcome, bike storage, and sometimes a swimming pool too.

ROUTE NAVIGATION For self-guided cycling, we provide a GPS application on your mobile phone.  We give free access to the application which can be used in offline mode for each day's ride.  The app. shows maps and the route in great detail. We supply a quality phone holder on the bike to keep your phone safe. We also provide a large-scale, annotated map, designed specifically for your tour by Hike and Bike, giving you a perspective of where you are at all times.

FAQs

 

IS THERE A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON THE ROUTE?

All our Leisure Cycling Tours are designed to follow the ‘less travelled path. The route avoids traffic as much as possible, cycling on a mix of quiet country roads and unsurfaced tracks. It is not off-road mountain biking, so is perfect for cyclists on our hybrid bikes (or e-bikes) who are keen to explore the countryside. Drivers in Andalucia are generally very considerate to cyclists.

 

HOW FIT DO I NEED TO BE?

All our Leisure Cycling Tours are graded at a ‘Moderate’ level with daily distances from 20-55km, depending on the specific tour. There are hills in every tour but we keep daily distances manageable, particularly on days with more hills. These tours are designed for leisure cyclists who are reasonably fit and happy to be on a bike for 3-5 hours a day. Check the individual tour Itinerary for a daily breakdown of distance and ascent.

 

WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE?

Our cycling tours run from March through to November, with the best cycling weather from March to June and from September to November. Most routes are also possible during the summer months but we recommend an earlier start to beat the main heat of the day, and don’t forget to carry plenty of water.

 

WHAT HAPPENS TO MY LUGGAGE?

We transfer all your main luggage for you. We provide a rear seat trunk bag or small side pannier and a handlebar bag (per couple) to carry a few essential items with you each day e.g. water, snacks, sunscreen, but we recommend you travel light.

 

HOW DO I NAVIGATE EACH DAY?

Navigation on this tour is very easy with our phone app. RidewithGPS. We provide personalised daily routes from door-to-door of each day’s accommodation. The app shows maps and daily routes in great detail, with distances and route profiles, so you always know what is coming up. The app is used in offline mode so you do not need to use Data on your phone and can still navigate in areas where there is no phone signal.

 

WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE A PUNCTURE OR PROBLEM WITH MY BIKE?

On this self-guided tour we provide all the necessary kit on your bikes for you to fix your own flat tyres or deal with minor mechanical issues (e.g. broken chain). If you do not know how, ask a bike mechanic at home to show you before your holiday or check our Bike Repair notes at the bottom of every webage. If you need our assistance, you can call us on the number provided and we will help as much as possible on the phone; we may be able to attend minor mechanical issues but this may be subject to a charge. In the case of a more major mechanical issue, we we will come to repair the bike or bring a replacement.

 

WHAT MEALS ARE INCLUDED?

All accommodation includes breakfast (unless specifically stated). Lunch and dinner are not included, so you are free to eat when and where you wish. We mark up your map with suggested lunch locations. Your hosts can recommend dining options, or sometimes they will serve dinner – this information will be included in your daily route notes.

 

IS THIS TOUR AVAILABLE WITH A GUIDE / SUPPORT?

We can offer a guided version of this tour with qualified guides and support vehicles or a semi-supported version with a support vehicle and driver/mechanic. There is a minimum requirement of 6 people to be able to provide this service. Please do not hesitate to enquire about price and availability.

 

WHAT IF I NEED TO CANCEL OR CHANGE MY BOOKING?

If you need to cancel or change the dates of a booking, we have a scaled set of charges based on the work already completed and any costs already incurred which we cannot get back. If you re-book a holiday with us within 12 months of a cancellation which has incurred charges, we will credit up to 50% of the retained amount to the new holiday. Our full cancellation policy can be found here