Spain & Iberocycle

The best introduction to a beautiful country

Spain is one of the least densely populated countries in Europe, twice the size of Great Britain and with a population density of 78 inhabitants per square kilometre, just a third of that of the UK. It’s a nature lover’s paradise, full of unknown corners and wild open spaces just waiting to be discovered.

Northern Spain – Cantabria and Asturias

Explore the “Green Coast” and the Picos de Europa Mountains

Many of our tours run around our home base in Cantabria. The mild climate makes it ideal for cycling right through the summer months when the rest of Spain is baking in the summer sun. The tours run through Asturias and Cantabria, two of the eighteen comunidades autónomas into which Spain is divided.

This is an unspoilt and largely unknown region of Spain where mass tourism has made no real impact and which has managed to remain authentically Spanish. Foreign tourists are really the exception here, which means it is ideal for those who really want to get to know the country. It’s an area of great contrasts between the verdant countryside, the deep blue of the sea, beautiful sandy beaches, washed every day by the tides, and the jagged grey limestone summits of the Picos de Europa. This impressive mountain range rises up to over 2648 metres (almost 9000 feet) above sea level, within a relatively short distance from the coast. Its gentle valleys with their picturesque villages are ideal for cycling.

The coast has an immense variety of superb uncrowded beaches in all shapes and sizes ranging from the elegant Sardinero beach in Santander, made popular by visiting royalty at the beginning of the 20th century, to small sheltered coves where the only company is provided by the seagulls. The beaches around Llanes in the province of Asturias are famous for their unspoilt beauty where the green countryside contrasts with the sea. The coastline is divided by various estuaries and bays with great stretches of sand dunes such as those of Liencres near Santander and Oyambre near Comillas. Other parts of the coast are lined by imposing cliffs, some of enormous height and spectacular beauty.

Further inland, the scenery becomes more and more mountainous. The valleys are of green pastureland – dairy and beef farming is an important part of the local agricultural economy. And then there are the mountains themselves, often wild and inaccessible; where one might walk all day and never see a soul. These are areas where wild boar, wolves and brown bear still roam, and eagles, vultures and birds of prey are common.

Northern Spain – La Rioja and the River Ebro
From the Cantabrian Mountains to the vineyards of La Rioja

This area is covered by the La Rioja route. The River Ebro provides a fascinating guide to the route and indeed to Spain itself. The Ebro rises close to the Atlantic yet flows across Spain and into the Mediterranean. The trip follows the upper reaches of the river as it flows through four regions of Spain, Cantabria, Castile (province of Burgos), the Basque Country (province of Álava) and La Rioja.

Our route begins high in the Cantabrian Mountains, close to the ski resort at Alto Campóo and in the midst of green pastures and immense forests. As we descend, the climate and the vegetation slowly become more Mediterranean. The river begins to form huge canyons, which would not look out of place in a Western movie. A succession of wide valleys and more canyons follows dotted with tiny villages, churches and castles. It’s an untouched and remote country where vultures and eagles fly overhead as we pedal along the valley of the Ebro.

Finally the river forms the immense open valley of La Rioja itself; a sea of vineyards decorated with medieval villages whose very name is synonymous with the production of fine wines such as San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Haro and Laguardia. In the background are the high and abrupt limestone mountains of the Sierra de Cantabria.

Andalusia

Fascinating Southern Spain with its Moorish Legacy, dazzling white villages, olive trees, sherry and much more

Possibly the most exotic area of Spain and probably one of the most varied. Its landscapes range from the desert of Almería, olive groves in Jaén, vineyards around the sherry triangle of Jerez, Sanlúcar and El Puerto de Santa María, fine Atlantic beaches on the Costa de la Luz of Cadiz, the immense natural park of Doñana where the River Guadalquivir flows into the Atlantic – home to many species of bird and animal life such as flamingos, wild boar and deer and the Spanish lynx. Between Granada and the sea is the highest mountain range in Spain – the Sierra Nevada. Andalusia has a tremendous variety. It’s a land of marvellous and dramatic scenery, well away from the hustle and bustle of the Mediterranean coast.

It also has an incredibly rich cultural and artistic heritage. This was the Arab kingdom of al-Andalus and the Moors pervasive influence is seen everywhere, from the most fantastic and monumental cities such as Granada, Seville and Cordoba to small beautiful whitewashed towns and villages such as Ronda, Vejer de la Frontera, Zuheros and many more. Flamenco was born here and still flourishes with new musicians reviving and revising the music and imbuing it with new life. The cuisine is rich and varied with Arab influences and of course the ever-present olive oil produced in such large quantities. Last but not least, the climate is one of the most benign in Europe and ideal for spring and autumn cycling.