This 24-day, 23-night tour starts and ends in Seville, Spain. Spain’s region of Andalucia is composed of eight provinces, stretching from the south-east to the south-west of the country. Each province is named for its capital city, and we will visit four of these cities – Cordoba, Jaen, Granada, and Seville. Three of these stunning and historic cities are UNESCO world heritage sites and have preserved Mudejar gems.

This is a hotel tour with a support vehicle. The rides will vary from 45-80 kms per day. The average distance and ascent for 18 days of riding is 63 kms/700m. Total distance is 1,137 kms. There are 4 scheduled days off. Detailed daily route maps and cue sheets, elevation profiles and road condition information will be provided at the commencement of the tour.

The Tour Coordinators will arrange for several experiences for the group to delve into the –local cuisine and culture of the region, including five group meals (lunches/comida, dinners, or tapas) for the best of Andalusian dining, three or four sightseeing visits (e.g., museums, wineries, boat excursion), and possibly a group cooking class. The Tour Coordinators will also assign each tour member a topic on the region to research and present to the group during the tour – local industries, history, myths, monuments, wine, food, geology, craft traditions, ethnic costumes, religion, politics, etc. We want everyone to have fun and get the full Andalusian experience.

Both the Tour Contractor and Tour Coordinators have lots of experience leading successful tours for CCCTS. The Tour Coordinators have led nine tours and coordinated one for CCCTS and the Tour Contractor has led five for CCCTS. The tour contractor, Sitnica, is not based in Spain and does not have prior experience leading cycling tours in Spain. However, Sitnica will fully scout the route in advance of the tour.

About the Ride Area:  Once Spain´s poorest region, Andalucia is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. There are sandy beaches, beautiful countryside, mountain ranges, many important monuments, and high-spirited people who are known for their vitality, warmth and hospitality. Andalucia is also the home of flamenco dancing and bullfighting.

One of the most unique features of this region are the remnants of its Moorish past. The Moors were a mixture of Berbers and Arabs who crossed into Spain from North Africa by the Straits of Gibraltar and occupied the peninsula – which they called al Andalus – for more than seven centuries, dating from 710 when they first landed in Tarifa. Within only four years, they had virtually conquered the entire country, but soon withdrew to the southern part of the peninsula, where they established one of the most advanced civilizations of the Middle Ages in the towns of Cordoba, Seville and Granada. Each of these Andalucian capitals has monuments dating back to this era, with the most important being Granada’s Alhambra palace.

Lodging will be in three and four-star hotels / guesthouses / B&Bs, based on two persons sharing a Double or Twin room. Breakfasts are always provided with our accommodation

Food:   What can we say about Spanish food other than it is fabulous. One of your Tour Coordinators is a serious cook and has taken many Spanish cooking classes at home. The Spanish dishes are some of the best, and most labor-intensive she has ever eaten. We will do our best to enjoy the wide variety of Andalusian cuisine and our group meals could involve lunch (called Comida and eaten between 1:30 pm and 3 pm), tapas (a meal made up many varied and wonderful appetizers and available around 7:30 pm), or dinner (eaten around 8:30 to 10 pm). Don’t worry, we won’t let you faint from hunger.

Please note that the exact route or route conditions are not fully known at this time because it has not yet been scouted by the leader. It will be scouted by the Tour Contractor before the tour and the route will be revised slightly if necessary. Our route will generally follow secondary paved roads, but up to 10% of the route could be on bike trails (paved or good gravel) known as “Via Verdes”, and we will cycle on some primary roads. Many of the smaller local roads can have very little traffic and provide idyllic riding conditions but are prone to some very steep sections in hilly terrain (you can always walk some hills). Spain is known for courteous drivers to bikes. Total accumulated elevation gain is +12,500m. On-board GPS (or smart phone) will be very useful for navigating, particularly in urban areas.

The details of our support vehicle have not yet been fully worked out. Our expectation is that it will transport our luggage (a reasonable amount per person) and only carry passengers in the event of injury, illness, or a broken bike. It won’t be used as a SAG wagon to carry cyclists who are just feeling tired. Of course, if you’re desperate, there is always public transportation or a taxi as an option.

The tour fees include hotel lodging for 23 nights, all breakfasts, 5 group meals (large lunch, tapas, or dinner – including the first and last tour nights), 3 or 4 sightseeing outings or experiences, vehicle rental, snacks (fruit) and water, daily route maps and descriptions, English-speaking cycling guide, vehicle driver, GPS data, SITNICA liability insurance, technical assistance up to a certain level, and $375 per person to account for currency exchange risk. (Any funds not needed for currency fluctuations or expended for group dinners/outings will be refunded to participants.)

The fee breakdown is as follows:
Sitnica price for accommodations, guiding and baggage: Euro 2500 equiv. to CAD$ 3,740 (1/5/18)
Coordinators budget for dinners and group activities CAD$ 285
Coordinators contingency for currency fluctuations 0.15 x 2500 CAD$ 375
Total CAD$ 4,400

Transportation to and from Seville, arrival and departure transfers, dinners other than the 5 group “evening” meals, lunches (buy or sit down in a restaurant / cafe /picnic), bike rental, or medical insurance.

Day 1 : Mon, Oct 1

Arrivals in Seville. Sorting out the bikes, tour briefing, and our first group meal (a very late dinner or tapas a bit earlier) at restaurant selected by Tour Coordinators.

Day 2: Tue, Oct 2: Sevilla – Carmona (70 kms/340 meters ascent)

Cycle through Sierra Norte in the north of the province of Seville. Carmona is a picturesque, small town with a magnificent fifteenth century tower built in imitation of Seville’s Giralda.

Day 3: Wed, Oct 3: Carmona – Ecija (80 kms/230m)

Écija is known as “la sartén de Andalucía” (the frying-pan of Andalusia) due to its temperatures, which once reached 52 degrees celsius.

Day 4: Thu, Oct 4: Ecija – Cordoba (70 kms/300m)

The Río Guadalquivir flows westwards towards Seville through the fertile heart of Cordoba province, with some interesting towns situated on the river plain. On its banks is the provincial capital of Cordoba, established by the Romans but most famous for its Moorish heritage. In the 10th century it was the western capital of the Islamic empire – El-Andalus. Today, it is a friendly city popular with visitors for its celebrated mezquita, known as the Great Mosque. Next to the mezquita on the riverbank is a woodland wildlife haven in the heart of the city centre, Los Sotos de la Albolafia Natural Monument.

 Day 5: Fri, Oct 5: Day off Cordoba

Cordoba was founded by the Romans and became a port city of importance for shipping Spanish olive oil, wine and wheat back to Ancient Rome. Places to visit in Cordoba include the Mezquita, the Great Mosque dating back 12 centuries, the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos, a 14th century fortress and gardens, and the Puente Romano, a bridge built by the Romans and still supported by the original foundations. Don’t miss the flamenco music and dancing in the local restaurants.

Day 6: Sat, Oct 6: Cordoba – Cabra (80 kms/800m)

Southeast of Aguilar, on the border of the rugged limestone peaks of the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, is the attractive town of Cabra, which has many interesting sights, including an archaeological museum and various churches and mansions. There is also a park visitor center where you can learn more about the Sierras Subbéticas.

Day 7: Sun, Oct 7: Cabra – Alcaudete (65 kms/850m)

In Alcaudete you’ll find history in every corner. The village forms a ring round the hillside, embracing its two most distinctive buildings: the Church of Santa María la Mayor and the Calatravo Castle, with views over olive groves and market gardens. It has three villages: La Bobadilla, Los Noguerones and El Sabariego, where the white houses are highlighted by the green olive groves.

Day 8: Mon, Oct 8: Alcaudete – Jaen (60 kms/550m)

Jaen is a city that every lover of Andalucia should visit. Not only does the city have an ancient and fascinating history, but the castle that towers over its winding streets offers some of the most quintessentially Andalusian views there are to be had.

Day 9: Tue, Oct 9: Jaen – Baeza / Ubeda (60 kms/900m)

Jaén Province boasts two of Andalucia´s most impressive and ancient monumental towns, standing only a few miles apart from one another, each on its fortified hill – Ubeda and Baeza. 

Day 10: Wed, Oct 10: Baeza / Ubeda day off

Both Ubeda and Baeza have a distinctly Castillian severity, with their granite buildings and plazas, as opposed to the white walls and flower-fill courtyards of Andalucia proper. In many ways they resemble Segovia and Avila more than Cordoba or Seville. Poetry lovers will be interested to know that the 16th century mystic, Saint John of the Cross, died in a monastery in Ubeda.

Day 11: Thu, October 11: Baeza / Ubeda – Cazorla (55 kms/650m)

Cazorla is steeped in tradition, with origins reaching back six centuries before Christ, though it was officially founded by the Romans. Its splendour grew under Moorish and then Christian control. Today, the town has a Medieval look about it, and boasts numerous springs, steep, narrow streets and stone houses with balconies full of flowers. There are two well preserved castles (the Moorish La Yedra and the Christian Cinco Esquinas). Testament to the town’s former religious importance, five convents can be found amongst the ruins of the Santa María Church.

Day 12: Fri, Oct 12: Cazorla – Huelma (70 kms/1000m)

We will cycle through the rugged Sierra Mágina Natural Park covers 19,900ha of rocky, steep limestone terrain, with precipitous cliffs and high summits that are often snow-capped in winter. Evocatively named by the Moors as the mountain of the spirits, the Sierra has a fascinating history glimpsed in its prehistoric cave paintings and defensive architecture built by warring Christians and Muslims. In the 10th century it harboured Moorish rebel leaders and much later, bandits. Its remote corners also provided a refuge for bears, wolves and the pardel lynx.

Day 13: Sat, Oct 13: Huelma – Granada (80 kms/900m)

Day 14: Sun, Oct 14: Granada day off

Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonised southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon. A visit to the Alhambra Palace is a must do since it was built in 1365, is fabulous, and probably the biggest tourist attraction in Spain. The Tour Coordinators will try to reserve a time to visit for the entire group. The Albaicin is an area of cobbled medieval lanes dating back to the 1300’s.

Day 15: Mon, Oct 15: Granada – Alhama de Granada (65 kms/850m)

The area west of Granada was once a crucial frontier between the Moorish kingdom of Granada and the Christian territory. Today, it is now dotted with some dramatically sited villages, on rocky crags or hills overlooking the fertile vega (plain). These villages still bear the stamp of their defensive past in their ruined fortifications in hilltop positions, with magnificent views over the olive groves and grain fields of the undulating vega. Alhama de Granada is a pretty, ancient spa town. It is perched at the top of a ravine from where the Rio Alham carves through otherwise rolling countryside.

Day 16: Tue, Oct 16: Alhama de Granada – Colmenar (60 kms/750m)

Colmenar is a lovely village nestled in the northern part of the Montes de Málaga on the edge of both the Axarquía and the municipality of Antequera. The area where the village is located has a rather ancient history thanks to the fact that it is on the route that links the Axarquía and the GuadalhorceValley. The village itself could be classified as one of Andalucia’s “younger” pueblos as it wasn’t actually established until after the Christian King’s conquest and it didn’t become an independent township until 1777.

Day 17: Wed, Oct 17: Colmenar – Antequera (45 kms/840m)

A visit to this historical town is a journey almost 5,000 years back in time, beginning with the Bronze Age and the native Iberians. The timeline can be followed in this city’s profusion of burial mounds, dolmens, Roman baths, a Moorish Castle, Gothic churches, Renaissance fountains and baroque bell towers. The first sighting of Antequera in the distance is that of a typical medieval town, with the spires of her many churches and the walls and towers of the great Moorish fortress silhouetted against the sky. Spread out in the valley below lie rich farmlands irrigated by the Guadalhorce River. For centuries this has been one of Andalucía’s most fertile areas, and is currently a leading producer of asparagus, cereals and olives. In summer, its fields turn brilliant yellow with sunflowers.

Day 18: Thu, Oct 18: Antequera – Ardales (65 kms/1000m)

Day 19: Fri, Oct 19: Ardales – Ronda (52 kms/750m)

The Serranía de Ronda is studded with charming pueblos blancos (white villages) that can be visited by car in a number of delightful day trips. The dramatically positioned town of Ronda, on the Tajo gorge, has become one of the most popular destinations in Andalucia. It enjoys magnificent views over the mountains of the Serranía de Ronda (Ronda Mountain Range) and the Sierra de las Nieves (Snow Mountain Range) Natural Park.

Day 20: Sat, Oct 20: Ronda day off

Despite being a growing town Ronda retains much of its historic charm, particularly its old town. It is a spectacular setting on top of rock cliffs. The Puente Nuevo (“new bridge”) is an impressive 18th century feat of engineering over a 100m deep gorge. The Plaza de Toros, is one of Spain’s oldest bull fighting rings from 1875.

Day 21: Sun, Oct 21: Ronda – Olvera (45 kms/800m)

There has been a human settlement on the site of Olvera for more than two thousand years. Archaeological findings suggest this verdant agricultural region was an important area for settlement as far back as the Palaeolithic era. It was definitely settled as a town by the Phoenician and Roman periods. Its first appearance in history is in the 1st century AD History of Pliny.

 Day 22: Mon, Oct 22 Olvera – Montellano (45 kms/800m)

Montellano is a town with a perfect balance between beauty and culture with its pink marble buildings and natural monuments. The origins of this town can be traced back to the Bronze Age and show the historical importance of this town.

Day 23: Tue, Oct 23: Montellano – Sevilla (70 kms/200m)

Final tour group dinner at restaurant selected by Tour Coordinators.

In Sevilla, you will want to visit the old city, with the Cathedral and the Giralda tower at its heart. (You can climb the steps inside the tower for a magnificent view of the City). Very close by are the royal Mudéjar palace known as the Alcazar with marvellous gardens and the Santa Cruz quarter, with cramped streets, flowered balconies, decorated facades, and hidden patios. Other sights not to be missed are, in the old city, the Casa de Pilatos, a large sixteenth-century mansion where Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance styles blend harmoniously amidst exuberant patios and gardens and, crossing the Triana bridge over the Guadalquívir River, the lively popular quarter of Triana with charming narrow streets around the church of Santa Ana and traditional ceramic factories.

Day 24: Wed, Oct 24: Departures

The registration and tour member selection process will follow the recently amended CCCTS system.

Registration will take place on the CCCTS website (not Karelo) at the date and time noted above, with a $50 deposit. A computer-generated lottery system will be used to assist in the selection of riders in the event the ride is oversubscribed, (not the time based previous system). The lottery sign up will run for 3 days, after which time a wait-list is automatically generated and the Tour Coordinators will review the results. Note that the Tour Coordinators are allowed to select 30% of the tour members from the registrant list, and the Tour Coordinators may also give priority to one or two Spanish-speaking registrants who would be expected to assist the group with translating. The $50 deposit will be refunded if you are not selected for the tour.

The fitness and riding experience of registrants will be considered in terms of suitability for the tour, and the leader may interview registrants of others who know them to confirm their suitability.

The Tour Coordinators will contact those who have been selected and direct them to make the first payment of $1,350 on the website within approximately 1 week from the close of the lottery. The Tour Coordinators will also contact those who have been waitlisted. The second payment of $2625 will be due on Sep 1. A final payment will be made in Spain by each participant directly to Sitnica in cash for $250 Euro. (equivalent to approx. $375 CAD). Total tour cost $4,400 CAD.

Deposits are non-refundable unless the registrant is not selected for the tour and wishes to be removed from the waitlist. Payments are non-refundable unless replacements person(s) are found.