The coasts and the borders of Spain are the most popular among (sportive) cyclists. The vast, empty interior of Spain boasts beautiful natural areas and impressive cities, but it is clearly less frequented than Northern Spain, the Pyrenees, Catalonia, the Eastern Coast, Andalusia, Mallorca (Balearic Islands), and the Canary Islands. These regions are also where most tour operators, bike rental companies, bike-friendly hotels, and cycling routes can be found.
Throughout Spain’s interior, there are several stunning long-distance routes. Rarely does a cyclist return from these routes without stories of breathtaking landscapes and memorable encounters with the local population—and with plans to cycle in Spain again soon.
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Nowhere in Europe can you start cycling so early in the year and continue for so long as in Spain. I’m writing this text at the beginning of November, and when I look at the weather map, I see that it’s still 18 degrees in the north and 22 degrees in the south.
Of course, during the summer months of July and August, it can get quite warm in many places, but with a bit of planning, you can keep cycling, especially in the north.
In some areas, you can even enjoy cycling during the winter months (December, January, February). And by the end of February, spring is already starting to arrive in the south. Click here for cycling possibilities by month.
Spain is mountainous, filled with large and small mountain ranges. As a cyclist, you’ll often face a climb. Flat cycling is possible along the coast and in the valleys of major rivers like the Ebro and Guadalquivir. The famous Spanish high plateaus, the Meseta, also have flat areas but are often interrupted by mountain ridges and hills.
If you enjoy climbing, Spain offers endless opportunities. The most famous mountains are located behind the northern coast in the Cantabrian Range (e.g., the Angliru), in the Pyrenees, in the Sierra Nevada (with the Pico Veleta, the highest climbable road in Europe), and on the Canary Islands. Additionally, cyclists in well-known cycling areas like Girona, Costa Blanca, and Mallorca have their favorite climbs as well.
The infrastructure in Spain is of exceptional quality. With European funding, slow train lines were transformed into high-speed railways, highways were constructed everywhere, and local roads were resurfaced with new asphalt. When you see that only a few cars drive on these beautiful roads each day, you might wonder if they might have gone a little overboard.
Spaniards have a very positive attitude towards cycling. Their top cyclists are national heroes, and there is a lot of touring and training done on both mountain bikes and road bikes, often in cycling clubs. In many cities, a true cycling culture has emerged, with bike lanes and bike rental services appearing. In a city like Seville, everyone uses bikes to get around. It’s certainly not yet on the level of the Netherlands or Flanders, but the movement is irreversible.
The so-called vías verdes (green ways) are also on the rise. These are old railway tracks that have been converted into bike paths. They are usually gravel paths that wind through natural landscapes. Spaniards themselves are very impressed with these special routes, which collectively span 2,000 km.
The central heartland of Spain is vast and empty. You can travel for hours without encountering much, but as soon as you reach larger villages and towns, you’ll find them bursting with life (well, except during siesta time). In many ways, Spain has become a modern European country, yet it has retained its distinct character. Spain is beautifully large, rugged, and adventurous. It’s a fantastic experience to cycle through its landscapes, especially knowing that you can celebrate the end of your journey with tapas, good company, and a fine glass of wine.
You can see all our cycling holidays here.
It was a wonderful cycling trip through the olive groves of Andalusia. Everything was great: good bikes, comfortable accommodation, friendly people, and above all being outdoors together and cycling through the beautiful landscape. Our family of six, with children aged between 9 and 17, enjoyed it very much. It definitely left us wanting more!
We enjoyed a well organised tour with friendly guides and clean, pleasant hotels. The support was excellent, even in rainy weather. We would definitely book this kind of trip again.
We enjoyed very much the biking, setup and everything around it✨
We had a fantastic week long cycle along the Ojos Negros. Pretty towns , charming hotels great food and a lot very safe riding along that spectacular greenway. Highly recommend!
We loved this beautifully organised Camino tour with great hotels and excellent bikes. The route allowed plenty of time to explore towns and villages. A fantastic experience overall.
This self-guided e-bike tour was perfectly organised and the route was beautiful and well maintained. The e-bikes made riding easy and the navigation worked flawlessly. A fantastic trip we highly recommend.
We loved this beautiful three-day ride through olive groves, old bridges and tunnels. The towns and accommodations were authentic and the people very friendly. A perfectly organised trip through Southern Spain.
We loved this beautiful three-day route with varied scenery, charming towns and great accommodations. Everything was very well organised, including bikes and transfers. We would definitely book again.
We loved this four-day ride with great organisation and extremely friendly support. The route was beautiful and the bikes were in excellent condition. Highly recommended for exploring Spain by bike.
We loved this beautiful three-day ride through olive groves, old bridges and tunnels. The towns and accommodations were authentic and the people very friendly. A perfectly organised trip through Southern Spain.
We extended the Via Verde del Aceite with the Via Verde de la Campiña to Cordoba. We enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to other cycling enthusiasts. We would love to return for our next cycling holiday in Spain.
We had another fantastic experience with Cycling Spain. Our three boys loved the three days of perfectly guided adventures. We will definitely be back and highly recommend their guiding services.
It was very well organized from the Netherlands, we definitely recommend booking with “Cycling Spain.”
The cycle paths are excellent, very safe, and drivers are very considerate of cyclists. Great e-bikes. The period from September 12th to 19th was wonderful. Not too hot. Luggage transfers were fantastic. Transfers to and from the airport were included. We’ll definitely do it again.
Everything was superbly organized, and the route took us past stunning places you might not otherwise discover. The equipment and service were excellent, and the communication beforehand was also very pleasant. We were kept updated via app throughout the trip, for example about the weather conditions, which was very helpful. The hotels were wonderful and well-maintained, and every day our luggage was neatly packed and ready at the next hotel.
Our first cycling trip in Spain, and it left us wanting more. Thanks to this organization. Everything was perfectly arranged and communicated in advance. Good e-bikes, the beautiful routes of the Via Verde del Aceite, the punctual local partner—everything was very good.
We did a multi-day cycling tour around Ronda and the white villages. We were provided with nice, clean bikes, and the accommodations were good. The scenery was very varied, with good climbs, and of course, the delightful Spanish villages. We will definitely go again!
Had a fantastic 4-day mountain biking tour in Girona. Every day was challenging and well-structured. Varied landscapes and hotels. Great support from Thijs! Highly recommended for anyone who wants to actively relax.
Great mtb trip, highly recommended. The trip is well organized and we cycled independently in 4 stages through beautiful area. The trails are very challenging and the hotels were more than fine! Thanks Thijs for this beautiful adventure! Sander
Super nice tour on the racing bike through Mallorca. In our opinion, all routes have been put together by people with experience. Receive detailed information in advance about what you can expect from each route. Beautiful hotels. Thijs prepares everything well and is also quickly accessible during your trip if necessary.
Beautiful views! You can cycle the Via Verde del Aceite in 3 days. We opted for 5 days (25 to 32 km per day). This gave us the opportunity to explore the towns upon arrival. We had a great time! Excellent accommodations. Luggage transport was well-organized. Highly recommended! Cycling Spain, thank you for the organization and the pleasant and practical communication!
We took a fantastic 5-day gravel bike tour around Girona through “Cycling Spain.” The trip was booked at short notice, and Thijs worked quickly to arrange everything. Communication was smooth. The surroundings are beautiful and diverse.
We had a very positive experience during our 9-day Mallorca tour. Hotels, routes and quick support were excellent. The personalised approach really made it stand out.
Thijs created a tailor-made cycling holiday tailored to my personal preferences. As a result, I got to know the Costa Brava better by bike in just 9 days. Both the inland and the coast of the Costa Brava are well worth exploring.
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.
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