Andalusia

Cycling in Andalusia

Cycling in Andalusia can be done all year round, say the Andalusians. That’s true because there is always a region in Andalusia where it’s dry, and the temperatures are pleasant at any time of the year. However, careful planning is required when you look at the map. Otherwise, you might find yourself stuck in the snow of the Sierra Nevada (from November) or riding into the oven-like heat of the Sevilla lowlands (up to 40 degrees in August). But for many types of cyclists, Andalusia indeed has a lot to offer for much of the year. Training cyclists head to the Costa del Sol or recharge their energy on the high slopes of the Sierra Nevada. Ambitious mountain bikers tackle the multi-week TransAndalus. For recreational cyclists, there are many Vias Verdes, and for anyone nearby, a ride through the city center of Seville is a must.

Andalusia, the southernmost region of Spain, is also the most southern part of Europe. Andalusia most closely resembles the traditional image we northerners have of Spain: the sun, the white villages, the festivals and processions, the flamenco, the beautiful horses, the bullfighting… everything in Andalusia is experienced intensely and passionately under the ever-present sun.

Routes and Roads in Andalusia

No one would object to the construction of good roads, but in Andalusia, they sometimes overdid it. Even small mountain roads from one tiny mountain village to another have been widened and paved with smooth asphalt. Some of the romance of cycling has been lost, but let’s not complain too quickly as cyclists about roads that are too good.
Andalusia is actively promoting the region as a cycling destination. The ambitious TransAndalus and TransNevada routes stand out in particular. These are long-distance mountain bike (or hiking) routes across the Andalusian interior, 2,000 km and 450 km long, respectively. Andalusia also has 23 Vias Verdes routes. The shortest is 2 kilometers, and the longest (Subbética and Aceite combined) is 110 kilometers long.

The Terrain of Andalusia

Half of Andalusia’s surface is hilly or mountainous. A third of the land lies above 600 meters. There are 46 mountains higher than 1,000 meters. The Mulhacén in the Sierra Nevada, at 3,479 meters, is the highest mountain on mainland Spain. The slightly lower Pico Veleta can be climbed by bike. You won’t get higher in Europe. On a clear day, you can see Africa.

Other mountain ranges in Andalusia include the Sierra Morena in the north and the Sierras of Cazorla and Segura in the east. The mountain range that rises from the desert near Almeria is called the Alhamilla. In contrast to this arid range, there are the green sierras: the Sierra de Grazalema in the province of Cadiz and the Sierra de Aracena in Huelva.

Between all these mountain ranges lies a large (hilly) plain: the Guadalquivir River basin.