Cycle Journey Granada

Upon arrival either in Málaga or Granada, our pick-up will drive us to the village Puebla de Don fadrique which takes 3 hours of drive from the airport in Málaga. As soon as we arrive we will take time to walk around the village and have lunch.

At the northernmost tip of Granada province, lies this isolated but beautiful village, surrounded by the breathtaking Sagra Mountain Range, an isolated peak of 2.383 meters, the highest mountain in Andalusia after the Sierra Nevada Mountain. We are heading to our hotel located near the village after our visit.

A little piece of Yosemite in Granada? For those who like to take a walk through the sequoia forest, one of the few places in Europe where these giant trees can be found, or just relax at the hotel enjoying the peace and serenity of nature.

An introductory briefing about the trip will be given by the tour leader in the morning, followed by a road safety and bicycle technical briefing in the afternoon. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to try out the bicycles and make minor adjustments to ensure comfort.

Distance: 34.5 km                                                                                                                                            

Accumulated ascent: 545 m                                                                                                                              

Accumulated descent: 690 m

Delving right into the heart of Granada Geopark means entering one of the few natural deserts in Europe, between badlands and, geological landscapes carved by erosion in the form of rocky outcrops, gorges, fluvial canyons, intense gullies, clay ridges, and many other capricious formations. This territory, after countless millions of years forming part of ancient seas, emerged and became a great closed depression surrounded by mountains. A dense network of streams and watercourses collected the rainwater that, without a sea outlet, would accumulate in a lake. This process lasted hundreds of years and the great depression slowly filled with sediments such as layers of sand, silt, clay, and plaster deposits in the lagoon area. Later on, the closed depression would be opened by the west towards the Guadalquivir basin and the rivers and streams started to drain in that direction. In their new path, the channels full of life, started to easily pierce the soft accumulated sediments until they formed the current drainage network and the unique erosive landscape seen today.

We start today by going to the village of Purullena, which is known in the region for its cave houses, and have a look at a 3-floor troglodyte house. From here we begin to cycle through the heart of Europe’s most southerly desert passing the isolated towns belonging to the territory of the Granada Geopark declared UNESCO Global Geopark in 2020. We carry on towards Alicún de las Torres, located in a secluded spot in the midst of nature surrounded by megalithic remains. Here we see a strange natural formation, a limestone wall formed over time by the precipitation and sedimentation of the mineral salts of the water that runs through here, which is now 15 meters high and about 1 kilometer long. It is thought to be the only one of its kind in the world. After we continue to our destination for today, the town Gorafe, which is the location of the highest concentration of dolmens in Europe. There are around two hundred megalithic burial grounds, the first examples of architecture known by mankind. We stop at a hidden panoramic scenic view of the desert landscape before heading to our hotel.

Distance: 49.5 km                                                                                                                                            

Accumulated ascent: 855 m                                                                                                                              

Accumulated descent: 2.030 m

The Alpujarra is s an area where time seems to stand still. It has picturesque villages perched on mountain slopes, a popular architecture inherited from Muslim dwellers, landscapes of indescribable beauty, Moorish irrigation canals, and crops grown on terraces. The last redoubt of the moriscos from Granada is living proof of the symbiosis between man and the environment reached by the Moorish culture of Al-Andalus.

We start the day by driving to “Puerto de la Ragua”, a mountain pass at an elevation of 2.000 meters, located on the boundary of Granada and Almería provinces. The route passes through picturesque villages with stunning views over the valley and its terraced farms. On clear days, it’s possible to see the Mediterranean Sea and even the coast of Africa.

Along the way, there is time to stop and explore some of the rustic villages having a very distinct architecture as a result of the Berber occupation: flat-roofed, box-shaped white houses with tall round chimneys, clustered along narrow, winding, and steep streets, clinging to the mountains of the Sierra Nevada.

Eventually, we reach our hotel near the village of Cádiar, which is located near the banks of the Guadalfeo river with panoramic views over the Sierra Nevada.

Distance: 38 km                                                                                                                                            

Accumulated ascent: 650 m                                                                                                                              

Accumulated descent: 880 m

Today we continue the journey in the “Alpujarras” with our first destination the village Trevélez, one of the highest villages in Spain located at 1.480 meters in the Trevélez Gorge. It is well known for ham drying in a traditional way, which has its own Denomination of Origin for its quality and great flavor. Require the geographical surroundings in which it is produced, where climatic conditions such as altitude, temperature, and humidity give the product, unique qualities. Then continue towards our target for today the village Capileira, the highest of the three villages in the Poqueira Gorge, at 1.435 meters, one of the most beautiful places in the Alpujarra. A truly great experience to stay the night with the breathtaking landscapes of the southern slopes of Sierra Nevada.

Distance: 50 km                                                                                                                                            

Accumulated ascent: 450 m                                                                                                                              

Accumulated descent: 1.350 m

The waters of the Mediterranean have been a historic gateway for the most varied civilizations, from the Phenicians who founded Sexi - now Almuñecar - and Salambina - now Salobreña to Abd al-Rahman I, who established the Hummeyad Emirate of Al-Andalus. The unique silhouette of Salobreña strands out between a sea of tropical crops and the Mediterranean Sea, a village perched on a rock, and an impressive Arab castle at the top.

Today we leave the Alpujarras behind and go with our vehicle to the village Nigüelas, the highest village in the Lecrín region at 930 meters, called: the Balcony of the Valley. Our team will prepare your bicycles while you can visit the 15th-century oil mill “La Erilla”, which is among the oldest olive oil mills in the country, or you can enjoy a coffee in the gardens of “Hotel Alquería de Los Lentos”, a restored 16th-century grain mill.

Our last cycle day takes us through the Lecrín Valley, an area of rolling hills, ravines, rugged cliffs, and rivers covered with cultivated citrus and orange groves, almond trees, and olive oil plantations. We make our way around the Béznar Reservoir, the heart of the Lecrín Valley which is filled by several rivers that flow from the Sierra Nevada, passing several villages which have kept their morisco or Moorish essence over the centuries. Let’s cycle towards the village Pinos del Valle, which offers a stunning view over the valley. We continue cycling towards the Old Road Granada-Motril where we pass through a big canyon famous for rock climbing. The last part is in the direction of Salobreña, a beautiful village that sits atop a giant rock, capped with an ancient Moorish castle. There is time to visit the old part of the village, swim or relax at one of the beach bars. Next, we will head to our final destination of this journey Granada.

A city with history located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The cultural riches of Granada with influences from the Moors, Catholics, and Jews make this city in Spain into an important cultural center. In the 7th century, the Moors continued to invade Spain from North Africa, following which Granada was occupied by the Moors for 800 years. Granada's role gradually increased within the Moorish realm, became one of the richest cities in Europe and eventually became a kingdom with the stunning Alhambra palace. In 1492, the city was reconquered by the Catholic kings (Ferdinand and Isabel), due to which the Moors and Jews had to convert to Catholicism or flee the country. Slowly but surely, this caused the city to fall into economic and cultural decay for several centuries.

We start the day with a private guided tour of Alhambra and the gardens of the Generalife (UNESCO World Heritage Site) where you discover one of the best-preserved monuments of Islamic architecture. The rest of the day you are free to explore more beautiful places and to try the Granada tapas which are known for serving free tapas with every drink. The tour guide will organize a place to have dinner together to celebrate the last evening of the journey.

The journey ends after breakfast at our hotel. There will be a private airport transfer from the hotel to the airport in Granada or Málaga.