Self Guided Cycling Tour - White Villages (high Road) - Challenging - 6 Days Cyc

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Ronda

Stop At: Regio Andalusie, 29400 Ronda Spain
Make your own way to Ronda or take advantage of our pickup service. Check in to your hotel and enjoy the sights and sounds of the beautiful clifftop town of Ronda. We will meet you at your hotel for briefing and bike set up at your time of arrival or in the evening.
Duration: 5 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Double or twin room with en suite facilities, normally in a **** 4-star hotel, subject to availability.

Day 2: Ronda to Olvera - 35km - 461 metres ascent.

Stop At: Olvera, Olvera, Province of Cadiz, Andalucia
From Ronda cycle northwards, past vineyards and olive groves. Lunch in Setenil de las Bodegas, under huge overhanging limestone cliffs. Ancient "cavehouses" 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.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: You will stay in a boutique B&B or traditional hotel on the edge of the village.

Day 3: Olvera to Montellano - 38km - 823 metres ascent.

Stop At: Montellano, Montellano, Province of Seville, Andalucia
Today you ride along the Via Verde de la Sierra, a disused railway line through the mountains and olive groves, with long tunnels (automatic lighting), viaducts and a griffon vulture colony, perched high up on the rocks above the track. Lunch at one of the old station buildings before climbing up into the hills to your overnight hacienda. Peaceful, exclusive and with a hint of luxury. A table will be reserved for you in the hacienda restaurant for dinner.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Boutique countryside hotel with pool.

Day 4: Montellano to El Bosque - 56km - 649 metres ascent.

Stop At: El Bosque, El Bosque, Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, Province of Cadiz, Andalucia
Ride through farmland, passing through olive, sunflower and cotton fields. Lunch in the small village of Prado del Rey - lots of little tapas bars and cafes close to the picturesque village square. Ride on past an area of natural inland salt deposits, Las Salinas de Iptuci, managed as salt flats since Roman times and where 300 tonnes of salt are still produced every year. Overnight in El Bosque in a traditional village hotel; an old mill wheel and fountain on the village square provide a lovely spot for dinner.


Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel in the centre of the village

Day 5: El Bosque to Grazalema - 20km - 959 metres ascent

Stop At: Grazalema, Grazalema, Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, Province of Cadiz, Andalucia
Today's ride includes a steady 15km climb up "The Beast of El Boyar" to a high elevation of 1103m. The climb is tough and not to be taken lightly but it doesn't have to be tackled at race-pace, so should be perfectly do-able if you take your time. Enjoy the views along the way and you'll forget about the climb! Continue on to Grazalema, set beneath dramatic mountains with fabulous views out into the valley below. You will stay in the centre of the village, which is picturesque and well maintained with quite grand houses and a large central plaza and church. The village has lots of good restaurants for evening dining.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel in the middle of the village

Day 6: Grazalema to Montecorto - 28km - 681 metres ascent

Stop At: Montecorto, Montecorto, Province of Malaga, Andalucia
Another good but shorter climb today, up to Las Palomas Pass (1189m). Going in this direction, from Grazalema, is the easier way to enjoy this high Pass, as you ride up for 5km out of Grazalema and then have a fantastic 11km twisting descent down to the village of Zahara de la Sierra. All the way down you will have fabulous views of the beautiful blue lake below the village. Take a lunchtime stop here and then continue via an undulating road around the lake's edge to your spa cortijo accommodation, overlooking the lake. A table will be reserved for you for dinner in the hotel restaurant. Spa treatments can be pre-booked for you on request.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Spa hotel overlooking Zahara lake

Day 7: Montecorto to Ronda - 33km - 942 metres ascent

Stop At: Ronda, Ronda, Costa del Sol, Province of Malaga, Andalucia
Head back towards Ronda via Montejaque, a village nestled into the mountains with a lovely central square. Continue on to the Cueva del Gato (Cat Cave), a local beauty spot with a year-round waterfall which cascades from a cave mouth into a crystal clear, blue pool of water. From here it is a gradual climb back up to Ronda. You can shorten this day by either taking the train back to Ronda from a station near the Cat Cave or choosing to stay one night in a country boutique hotel with pool at the bottom of the hill up to Ronda. We will drive you to Ronda next day.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: 4**** hotel in centre of town

Day 8: Depart Ronda

Stop At: Ronda, Ronda, Costa del Sol, Province of Malaga, Andalucia
Check out from your hotel and have a safe trip home or to your next destination. Transfers can be arranged in advance if required.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.