perfect trip!
White villages of the 'Costa de la Luz'
Bike Tour: Andalucia cycling from Jerez to Cádiz - 8 days
This 7 night holiday takes in a contrast of wonderfully scenic cycling mixed in with a large blast of culture and history. From Jerez de la Frontera, home to sherry and flamenco, through the stunning hilltop ‘Pueblos Blancos’ to bustling old world Cadiz, with its beautiful sandy beaches. Also quiet some pacifically grazing fighting bulls along the way and vast flooded areas near rivers and rice fields.
This tour routes from 20 to 60km with at least one daily steep ascent of 150 to 200m as you arrive at the end of the day at the Hotel located in the centre of an old hill top village. During the day ascents.
Arrival at your comfortable hotel in Jerez city centre; in time for a walk around the historic centre before dinner (not included).
Leaving Jerez you follow a lovely route passing vineyards, ancient settlements and riverside towns. Quiet country roads and gravel tracks alongside the River Guadalete take you past villages full of pretty, pastel-coloured houses and on towards Arcos de la Frontera. Why not stop to try the local Tierra Blanca white wines en route?
Challenge: 49km / 30,4mill, 450m ascent, 350m descent
In the morning we recommend a circular tour along quiet interior roads, through vast areas dedicated to agriculture; either a long tour of 55km around the Bornos reservoir (past white villages Villamartin and Bornos) OR the short route of 21km around the Arcos reservoir. Arcos itself is worth a visit, because it was one of teh most important frontier towns during the Reconquista (hence the adjective “de la frontera”). Follow the old Arabic walls, passing the impressive Castillo de los Duques, as you make your way to the Iglesia de San Agustin with its fantastic viewpoint over the river and rich fertile valley of orange, almond and olive trees. Spend some time in the unique miniature art museum and lunch at one of the array of restaurants.
Challenge: 53-20km / 32,9-12,4mill, 575/300m ascent/descent
Follow a winding road, passing orange and almond orchards through the town of Junta de los Rios where two rivers converge. Passing through San Jose del Valle, which dates back to Roman times, and the impressive El Tempul, you can choose between the direct route along gravel roads (total of 48km) past the Moorish Gigonza castle or the more challenging route of 60km along quiet but winding and ondulated tarmac roads past vast estates. Both routes come together in Paterna de Rivera, famous for its healing waters after which a steep ascent of 225m awaits to your hotel in Medina Sidonia. Take time to explore before dinner this little gem with its grand plaza, mediaeval Moorish architecture, narrow streets and views of the bay of Cadiz.
Challenge: 48-59km / 29,8-36,6mill, 650m ascent, 500m descent
A short route today to recover from yesterday’s adventure. A quiet lane through fighting bull estates and holm oak woods, takes you from Medina to Naveros. A lovely greenway then criss-crosses this stunning landscape for irresistible views of dark green meadows as they melt into the Sierra de Cadiz (look out for Egyptian vultures and Bonelli's eagles) before you finally reach the most picturesque of our three white frontier villages: Vejer de la Frontera. Our standard hotel is an old convent from the 17th century, conveniently located in the centre of town
Challenge: 37-70km / 22,9-43,4mill, 425/700m ascent, 300/575m descent
It is enough to simply wander through the maze of streets that makes up Vejer de la Frontera to understand why it has been decreed an historic site. Discover its Roman walls, Visigoth hermitage and its castle at the highest part of the old town combining both Moorish and Christian architecture. Lunch in one of the many cafes and restaurants, or walk up to the highest point with panoramic vistas and picnic next to the lovingly restored windmills of San Miguel.
For those who want to cycle in the morning, we have described an interesting route along dirt roads through an entirely different landscape; first alongside the river Barbate, then across vast rice fields to the beach of Zahara de los Atunes and finally uphill across the nature reserve Parque Natural de la Breña y Marismas del Barbate.
Challenge: 59-23km / 36,6-14,2mill, 600-375m ascent, 600-375m descent
You head to the coast today, with a choice of shorter (24km) or longer routes (38.5km); both end in the charming seaside frontier town of Conil de la Frontera. The longer route heads east, passing the town of Barbate, and the pretty surf village of El Palmar. Taking the shorter route affords you more time to wander around the whitewashed houses of Conil de la Frontera, before being transferred to our cosy hotel in the centre of Cádiz ; a very old and magical fortified town.
Challenge: 23-34km / 14,2-21mill, 125-250m ascend, 250-370m descent
Your arrangement comes to an end after breakfast today. Taxi transfers to Jerez, Seville or Málaga airport can be arranged.
The hotels on this trip have been carefully selected for their location, atmosphere and/or unique services. All rooms are en-suite. Some of the hotels we work with appear here. If a certain hotel is unable to confirm due to lack of availability, we will request a similar one and inform you about the alternative booked.
Extra nights can be booked at any of the accommodations along the way
Located in the city center of Jerez de la Frontera, this hotel combines modernity and tradition, gastronomy and oenology, coast and inland, atmosphere and relaxation. It has a wonderful pool and spa and has been awarded with the 'Charming Andalusian Hotels' brand seal.
This accommodation offers all the services and amenities necessary to enjoy an idyllic setting and disconnect in Arcos de la Frontera after the route.
Accommodation located in the historic center of Medina Sidonia, very close to the main monuments and points of interest. The building is an old palace house from the 18th century belonging to a family of the local nobility. It offers all the necessary services to offer the guests a pleasant stay.
This hotel is located in the historic center of Vejer de la Frontera, on the top of a hill from where you can see the dried-up Laguna de la Janda, the Barbate River and the coasts of El Palmar and Cabo de Trafalgar. Built in a 17th century building that was originally a convent for poor clares nuns and later for Franciscan monks.
Accommodation located in a small 18th century mansion that fuses andalusian classic and colonial styles in its decoration, enveloping travelers in a warm and close atmosphere. A unique and charming hotel whose objective in its restoration was to bring it as close as possible to the architecture of the time, rescuing its originality and personality.
- Model: Stevens and Scott (21-24 gears)
Stevens unisex Stevens male
Stevens female Scott male
Model: Bocas or Stevens
E-bike Boca
Model: Conor (21-24 gears). Hidraulic brakes
- Bottle holder
- Gel saddle/ajustable/
- Customer saddles can be fitted
- Customer pedals can be fitted by us
- Provided with repair-kit
- Provided with 1 panier
7 nights at comfortable charming accommodations, rooms with en-suite bath
3*/4* hotels
7 breakfasts
Detailed maps and route descriptions in English
24-hour assistance
Luggage transport on Days 2,4,5 and 7 included
Acces to the trip on our navigation app
Single Room Supplement
Solo Traveller Supplement
Private transfer from Conil to Cádiz included either if clients rent our bikes or bring their own
Not included
- 7 Lunches and dinners (plenty of places to buy lunch along the routes, in the evening there are restaurants at/near the accommodations)
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Bike rental
- Tourist Tax
- Transfers by public transportation
- Transfer to first/ from last accommodation
- Personal expenses such as drinks, phone calls, tips, extra transfers, etc.
- Any items that have not been specifically mentioned in the program
Extras
- Extra nights at any of the accommodations from the programme at other destinations, such as city hotels in Seville or Málaga
- Single Room Supplement (s)
- Optional transfers from Jerez or Sevilla airports to Jerez
- Optional transfer from Cádiz to Jerez airport or to Seville airport
- Bicycle rental (strong but lightweight fully equipped trekking bikes with 24 gears), including bike transfers to and from the accommodations and meet & greet on day 1
- Shipment of printed documents to the first accommodation
Jerez airport (XRY) is a destination for quiet a number of Low Cost airlines (from London, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Cologne , Frankfurt etc) and can also reached via Barcelona or Madrid with regular flight companies.
You can fly to other airports in Andalucía: Sevilla Airport (SVQ) and Málaga (AGP)
Arrival in Jerez de la Frontera
From Jerez airport there is at least 1 direct train to Jerez Train station, but an private taxi transfer can be arranged for aprox 25,- euros. From Jerez Station to your either walk to your hotel (5 min walk to Casa Grande) or take a taxi.
By rail Jerez can be reached from all major Spanish cities
Departure from Cádiz
At the end of your tour, you can take a direct train in Cadíz to Jerez airport.
For time tables of the train connection between Cadiz and Jerez (train station or airport) see: Time tables
