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Experience the heartland of Andalucia, with its
beautiful cities and charming villages, as we bike along quiet
rivers, ride past white-washed hillside villages of the Sierra
Nevada mountains, and traverse off-road Via Verde rail trails
through some of southern Spain’s most dramatic scenery. Nestled
in the shadows of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, our route will be
on flat to rolling terrain, with some larger hills near Granada,
mostly with light traffic and surrounded by the beauty of rural
Spain.
To enjoy a more in-depth
experience of the cities, we suggest adding a few days before or
after the tour in Seville or Granada.
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We will meet in Seville in the afternoon and
enjoy a walking tour of the old city from the Barrio Santa Cruz
with its Moorish and Jewish quarters, to the cavernous gothic
Cathedral, with its distinctive Moorish-style bell tower, through
the romantic Murillo Gardens to the banks of the Guadalquivir
River. Afterwards, we will transfer to our unique hacienda outside
of town, and enjoy a Welcome Dinner.
After breakfast the following
morning we will transfer to Carmona, one of Andalucia's most
historic and beautiful white towns/pueblos blancos. Carmona is
built on a hill overlooking the sprawling suburbs of Seville.
Dating from medieval times, complete with ancient walls, Carmona
is dominated by the Alcazar del Rey Pedro, the ruins of the palace
of Pedro I, known as Pedro the Cruel.
Leaving Carmona, we descend from
the city walls to the valley below and ride over undulating
terrain past fields of cereals and sunflowers, owned by Andalucian
gentry since the Reconquest of these lands from the Moors in the
15th century. For much of the day, we will ride through the Nature
Reserve above the Guadalquivir River, over gently undulating
terrain with one short climb, pausing for a picnic lunch along the
way. Today's destination is Palma del Rio, where we will stay in a
former monastery, known for its gardens and superb food, which we
will enjoy during our included dinner.
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After breakfast, cycle out from Palma del Rio
along a system of canals formed from the Guadalquivir River to the
town of Almodóvar. There we will have time to visit the
impressive castle, which can be reached by biking up the steep
incline or by riding in our van. Lunch is on your own, in or
nearby the castle. After lunch, we ride over gently undulating
terrain to the outskirts of Cordoba, after a leisurely 42 km
riding day. After the ride, we have the option of shuttling into
the city in a mini-bus or riding into town along rather busy
roads.
Cordoba was the center of Western
Civilization in 1,000 AD, with over 500,000 inhabitants; today the
city preserves its rich medieval atmosphere and legacy. We stay in
the heart of the old quarter of this white city. Dinner is on your
own, leaving you the evening to explore the labyrinth of streets
and alleys that weave this city together.
The next morning, a local guide
will escort us to the Mesquita/Great Mosque and show us other
treasures of Cordoba. After lunch on your own, we will transfer by
mini-bus to the village of Zuheros, a dramatic pueblo blanco in a
gorge, crowned by a Moorish castle, and with hiking paths to
explore the area. Before our dinner at our hotel, we will visit a
local olive oil and cheese producer.
OPTION: Those who would like some
biking today can ride 34km from the village of Castro del Rio
along a very quiet country road to Zuheros.
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After breakfast in Zuheros, we shuttle to the
Cueva de los Murcielagos (Bat Caves). Holy Guano Batman! These
caves date back thousands of years, evidenced by the cave
paintings and objects left by Neolithic cave dwellers who could
never have imagined a gay group on bikes!
Starting at the top of the
mountain we can gaze out on the expanse of undulating hills as we
begin our ride through the Parque Natural de las Sierras
Subbeticas along the via verde trail that once carried trains
through the valley to Cabra. From Cabra, we follow a quiet country
road to the village of Zagrilla, nestled in the shadow of the
mountains. This region was once the heartland of the Sephardic
Jews of Iberia, but is now better known for its National Park and
its anise production. You may want to taste the famous anis dulce,
a favorite aperitif in the area. Dinner is on your own in one of
the cafes of Zagrilla.
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This morning we cycle 45km along hillier country
roads than we have seen so far on the trip. Our first destination
is the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain, Montefrio (Cold
Mountain). Across a stretch of rocky outcroppings, dramatically
placed walled villages are like a crown, with Montefrio the jewel
in the diadem. You'll see wonderful views of tile-roofed,
white-washed houses running up the steep crags. Montefrio, known
for its acoustics and chorizo sausages, sits on the remains of
16th century Moorish fortifications.
We pause in Montefrio for lunch,
then for our final biking of the week, you can bike or take our
van to the summit, followed by a 23 km downhill ride to the
outskirts of Granada. We end our ride near the town of Fuente
Vaqueros, at the Casa Museo Federico Lorca, former home of Spain's
outspoken gay writer and popular personality. We will round out
the day with wine and tapas in a local taberna before we board our
mini-bus for the shuttle through traffic into central Granada
where we will spend two nights.
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This morning we tour the renowned Alhambra and
Generalife Palaces with a local guide, then have the afternoon
free to explore this vibrant city on our own. In the evening we
enjoy our Farewell Dinner together at one of Granada's signature
restaurants.
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Our tour concludes this morning after breakfast.
For now we say Hasta Luego!!
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