Andalucía Bike Tour

Meet your guides in Seville, the vibrant capital city of Andalucía. Hop in the van and transfer to the country estate of the late Álvaro Domecq and his influential sherry family, where we’ll watch a demonstration of Andalusian horsemanship and see what life is like for cattle and bull farmers. Shuttle to our hotel for a lunch that introduces local delicacies like cured ham, flavorful olives, and tangy cheese. After a bike fitting and safety talk, it’s time to set off on our first ride. Tonight, we head into the city of Jerez to sample a tasting menu paired with several styles of premium sherry.

Meals: Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Medina-Sidonia, La Barca de la Florida, Jerez de la Frontera
Accomplished: 30 miles / 50 km, elevation gain: 350 meters
Longer Option: 56 miles / 91 km, elevation gain: 730 meters
Accommodations: Casa Viña De Alcántara

Today’s ride takes us into the plains and rolling hills that lie east of Jerez. Reach the whitewashed city of Arcos de la Frontera, inhabited by Phoenicians and Romans at its peak in the Moorish period of the Early Middle Ages. We’ll work our way up narrow medieval streets to the Peña Nueva balcony and take a breather to appreciate the dramatic views before lunch. Tonight finds us back in Jerez and our first stop is a sherry winery where we’re treated to a private tasting of some standout bottles. Later, it’s tapas at a typical tavern called a tabanco and a nightcap of a more rustic sherry, sipped to the sound of Flamenco.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Arcos de la Frontera, Jerez de la Frontera
Accomplished: 43 miles / 70 km, elevation gain: 709 meters
Accommodations: Casa Viña De Alcántara

After a hearty breakfast, gear up for a ride north through the same wheat fields that once supplied ancient Rome. Our destination is the incredibly romantic boutique hacienda we’ll call home for the night, managed by our friend Anthony and his family. It feels more like your own country hideaway, especially during lunch in the garden and an afternoon spent sunning beside the pool, decompressing with a massage, or succumbing to a Spanish siesta. This evening, we’ll join Isabel in the kitchen for a cooking class, then sit down to an intimate and convivial dinner.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Espera, Las Cabezas de San Juan
Accomplished: 42 miles / 68 km, elevation gain: 660 meters
Accommodations: Hacienda San Rafael

Our first ride of the day follows rolling terrain toward the spectacular mountain range of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. The real climbing begins as we approach the western edge of the Serranía de Ronda region: the medieval city of Ronda starts to rise from the Mediterranean Sea, small white-washed villages appear peppered across the horizon, and majestic griffon vultures and eagle owls swoop playfully across the sky. When we reach the village of El Gastor, we’ll give our bikes a break and hop into a Land Rover for a safari-style drive to our luxurious eco-retreat, La Donaira. Enjoy a late lunch and swim in the pool of refreshing mountain water, or reward your legs with a deep tissue massage. Tonight’s dinner is a beautiful spread of organic ingredients and biodynamic wines—all from La Donaira’s farm and winery.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Villamartin, El Gastor
Accomplished: 50 miles / 81 km, elevation gain: 1,466 meters
Accommodations: La Donaira

Our last full day of cycling is the week’s most challenging (and the most scenic). Get a lift from La Donaira to the village of El Gastor—our bikes are ready and waiting to begin an epic ride south into the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. Pro cyclists like Bradley Wiggens and Alejandro Valverde have frequented these roads, and we’ll pedal to some highlights like Ronda, one of the oldest cities in Spain, and the cinematic Puente Nuevo bridge that spans the El Tajo gorge. If you’re beat, take the van back to La Donaira or choose to round out the day with the return ride. We’ll regroup for a happy hour tasting of the estate’s organic wines—the precursor to an unforgettable gastronomic feast that celebrates the end of our wonderful week in Andalucía.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Grazalema, El Gastor
Accomplished: 42 miles / 68 km, elevation gain: 1,332 meters
Longer option: 63 miles / 102 km, elevation gain: 2,200 meters
Accommodations: La Donaira

One last breakfast of homemade muesli, organic eggs, and robust coffee, and we bid farewell to La Donaira. Transfer by van to the place where it all began in Seville (or we can arrange a drop off in Ronda for a little more time in one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite cities).

Meals: Breakfast