Andalusia
Adventure holidays in Andalusia
There are many Natural Parks in the western part of Andalusia, and all of our bike routes are located within three provinces, that stretches from Cadiz right through to Granada. For onroad cyclist you'll mostly be riding in Malaga, Cadiz or Seville provinces. With one of our bike routes it’s possible to cross three provinces in one day!
The friendly region of Andalusia consists of 8 provinces: Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Cadiz, Malaga, Huelva, Jaen, and Almeria with a combined population of 7 million. Andalusia also covers 17.3 % of the Spanish territory which is a little more than 87.000 km sq!
Their are many Natural Parks that you'll be able to see whilst your cycling or hiking in the surounding area of Ronda:
1. Los Alcornocales (the area of Jimena and Gaucin)2. Sierra de las Nieves (between Ronda, El Burgo and Tolox)
3. Montes de Malaga and the most famous and the most spectacular
4. Park of Grazalema. Further away we have the Parks of El Torcal (Antequera) and Sierra Nevada/Alpujarras which are close to Granada, the capital.
Unique in this beautiful region of Malaga (and nearby to Cadiz) are the remains of the Moorish influences and it’s famous White Villages. Andalusian capitals like Cordoba, Seville and Granada boasts spectacular remains of their monuments, the most unforgettable of which is, Granada's Alhambra palace. Granada has a good train service that connects with Ronda and within two hours you can be in either city. In Ronda you have everything at your disposal: sports, leisure, art, history, culture, white villages, shopping and authentic Spanish food at tapas bars or local restaurants.
The main source of income has always been from working the land, however in the last 10 years tourism is gradually changing this. Spain is also renowned for it's exotic products like Olives, Jamon and fine Wine. One of Spains biggest export products are olives and olive byproducts such as oil, soap, olive pitts etc. Serrano Ham or Jamon Ibérico are also world famous and in the Southern point of Spain this is the heart of Flamenco and bullfighting.
Self-guided Bike Tours in the Serrania de Ronda, Andalusia
Serranía means mountaineous area. In the area around Ronda you can expect to see green valley`s, rocky mountains and various forests. In the White Villages, which are mostly hidden between the mountains, as you get aquainted with the Spanish way of life and authentic culture of Andalusia as it has been passed down every generation, and still has a strong influence in this southern most part of Spain.
Many people don’t realise that Malaga and Cadiz, are the greenest of the 8 provinces in Andalusia, not solely from rainfall as it can become very dry, but mostly due to its underground wells and water basins. As nature surrounds you, you can cycle on small inland roads, through olive groves, cork and stone-oak forests, and pass by lush green fields filled with wild flowers from the Serrania. In between these green fields can lay the famous White Villages, which aren't over-populated by tourists, which makes this an ideal place to relax and watch the world go by.
Or for the history buff, why not stay in Ronda and visit its Moorish monuments such as the Arab Baths, water mine and fortress, Mondragon palace or the old city walls before cycling onto historical landmarks like the Cueva de la Pileta, with its cave paintings that are 22,000 years old or to the Roman citadel and baths at Acinipo or Antequera.
The Serrania de Ronda is not only rich in history and culture but in nature, with many Natural Parks that you can visit which includes: Los Alcornocales (the area of Jimena and Gaucin), Sierra de las Nieves (between Ronda, El Burgo and Tolox), Montes de Malaga and the most famous Park of Grazalema (and beautiful).
Sometimes in winter there's snow on the highest peak (La Torrecilla which is 1.919 meters heigh!) on the Southern mountain range of the Sierra de Las Nieves. In this area there aren't many routes you can cycle, because it's mostly mountain range in the Natural Park. In this case why not make the most of the terrain, and ride as far as you can, then lock up your bikes, and hike through the mountains until you find the pefect spot to eat your packed lunch.
Further to the west of Ronda, lays the Natural Park of Los Alcornocales and the Natural Park of Grazalema. These natural parks stretch from Ronda to Jimena and all the way up to Grazalema, and happen to be the most cycled routes we have. Although these parks are green, the terrain is rough with mountaineous peaks, valleys, gorges and in between, flows the Genal River and the Guardiaro River.