Central Spain encompasses the regions of Castile/Leon (except the north), Castile/La Mancha, Extremadura, Aragón (except the north), and Madrid. This vast area is dominated by the Meseta, an expansive plateau occasionally interrupted by hills and mountains. For example, west of Madrid, you’ll find the Guadarrama and Gredos mountain ranges.
The distances in central Spain are vast, and some areas might seem monotonous to cyclists. However, there are many stunning regions to explore. You’ll find beautiful and sparsely populated mountainous areas in provinces like Cáceres, Salamanca, Soria, Teruel, or Cuenca. Almost everywhere, there are quiet roads winding through hills or valleys. In the Bardenas Reales desert in Aragón, you can discover one of the most spectacular mountain biking areas in Europe. Central Spain is also home to numerous historic cities that rank among the most beautiful in Spain, such as Mérida, Cáceres, Salamanca, Avila, Segovia, Soria, Cuenca, and Toledo. The capital, Madrid, ensures you’re never more than half a day away (by train or bus) from a major airport. Moreover, Madrid itself is becoming increasingly accessible for cyclists.
The Meseta plateau sits at an average altitude of 800 meters. The landscape is mostly undulating, except in the heart of La Mancha, southeast of Madrid, where it flattens out. Mountain ranges are scattered throughout the region, including the Gredos, Guadarrama, Montes de Toledo, Sierra de la Demanda, and Serranía de Cuenca.
Several Dutch route planners have wandered through this historic region of Spain and crafted beautiful long-distance routes. Our site features 5 exclusive routes through the area, including a 17-day journey highlighting the best of Castile. There are also numerous Vías Verdes (bike paths on old railway tracks), some of which are long enough for one or two full days of cycling, such as the Tajuña (Madrid), La Jara-Vegas del Guadiana (Toledo-Cáceres-Badajoz), Alcaraz (Albacete), Sierra de la Demanda (Burgos), or the Ojos Negros (Teruel to the east coast).
Thijs put together a customized cycling holiday tailored to my personal wishes. Both the inland and the coast of the Costa Brava are truly worth it. I found the personal contact with Thijs to be very pleasant. Read more…
We are a group of 12 “senior” riders and have been biking together for 30 years. We had a fantastic riding experience in Zona Zero with Thijs and Felix as our guides. A really varied program with some serious technical challenges. Read more…
This is the second time we have used Cycling Spain and it has been the best experience. Thijs organized two coaches/guides and a driver to take our 3 boys on 3 wonderful days of guided adventures. Read more…
Great mountain biking organization in Spain, if you want to make the most of your passion without worrying about anything, you’ve come to the right address. Read more…
I booked a mountainbike trip with cycling spain and I loved it! I will definitely book another trip here if I am in Girona again. I could have never found these trails myself. Read more…
Biking with mtb adventures has been the highlight of our trip to Spain. The scenery was gorgeous and the trails were a blast. Read more…
Check out our trips to see if there’s one that interests you. Do you have a question or would you like us to think along and provide advice? Feel free to request travel advice without any obligation.
View all our tours Request travel advice
