Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Seville, Andalucia
We start our bicycle tour of Andalucia in Sevilla where you can see the Giralda Bell Tower
Highlights: Fit bicycles and meet your tour leaders and fellow travellers
We gather today in Seville and will fit bicycles later this afternoon. We highly recommend you come in a few days earlier to enjoy this beautiful city, capitol of Andalucia. If you have time this afternoon, be sure to visit the Giralda, the famous bell tower built by the Moors and later restored. Also, don't miss Seville's Cathedral, where Christopher Columbus is buried, and which by some standards is the largest in Europe! After introductions and a glass of sherry or juice, we'll take an informal walking tour through downtown Seville. We celebrate the beginning of our tour with a special dinner together this evening and experience some signature dishes of the region.

Lodging: Hotel NH Plaza de las Armas
Day 2: Seville to Constantina
Bulls
Highlights: Foothills of the Sierra Morena, cork trees, bulls and a Andalucian White Village
Our route takes us into the foothills of the Sierra Morena mountains, and past cork tree groves with bulls grazing under them. This is a challenging first day, but our destination today is worth it. Feel like you've walked back in time as you walk around Constantina's old town with low white washed houses and beautiful mountains in the background. Dinner together this evening. Total mileage: 78 km (49 miles).

Lodging: Hotel Rural Casa Grande
Day 3: Constantina to Córdoba
Constantinato Córdoba
Highlights: Museums and history of Córdoba, walk around this beautiful city
Take your time today and enjoy our ride to Córdoba, as we'll have a rest day tomorrow to visit this wonderful city. Córdoba's heritage includes its Roman origins and its role as one of the earliest Islamic cities in Spain. Settled by immigrants from Damascus by 719 AD, Córdoba thrived for three centuries under the Damascus Caliphate. Dinner on your own tonight. Distance: 113 km (70 miles).

Lodging: NH Amistad Cordoba
Day 4: Free day in Córdoba,
Highlights: visit the Mezquita
Enjoy a free day today in Córdoba, one of the oldest cities in Spain, or choose to do an optional loop ride in the morning. You may wish to tour the Mezquita of Córdoba, enjoy a walk around the old Jewish Quarter, or stroll Córdoba's whitewashed neighborhoods with flower filled patios. Dinner on your own.

Lodging: NH Amistad Cordoba
Day 5: Into the Olive Groves, Córdoba to Baena
Highlights: Hills of Andalucia, tasting and a visit to an olive press in Baena,
Today we pedal over hills and through olive groves into the heart of the province of Córdoba. This region produces some of the world's finest olive oils. We'll organize a tasting and visit to a family run and owned organic olive press today. Dinner together this evening. Distance: 68 km (42 miles).

Lodging: La Casa Grande
Day 6: Rolling Hills of Andalucia, Baena to Jaén
Highlights: Jaén and its olive groves, stay and dine in a Moorish Castle
Enjoy vistas of olive groves as far as the eye can see in one of Europe's largest olive growing regions - (some estimate there are over 150 million olive trees in this province!) with a backdrop of the beautiful Sierra Morena mountain range. This afternoon enjoy the vistas from the hotel, a restored Moorish Castle. Dinner together in the grand dining room of the castle. Distance: 70 km (44 miles).

Lodging: Hotel Parador de Jaen
Day 7: Úbeda
Gaspacho Andaluz
Highlights: Renaissance town of Úbeda
Our ride today takes us through the beautiful countryside from Jaén to the monumental city of Úbeda. Our destination for the next two days, Úbeda was a wealthy Renaissance town and it retains that character to this day in the old quarter. Don't foget to join the locals for a café con leche at an outdoor cafe. Dinner together this evening. Distance: 70 km (44 miles).

Lodging: Hotel Maria de Molina
Day 8: Rest day in Úbeda, with optional ride
Highlights: Discover the UNESCO sites of Renaissance Architecture of Úbeda and Baeza with an enjoyable ride into the hills
This is a free day to enjoy beautiful Úbeda. We offer a visit including an artist's demonstration at a famous local ceramics studio. The rest of the day is yours to walk through the historic Renaissance district or consider cycling into the hills to Baeza, another prominent Renaissnace town. The ensemble of Renaissance monuments of Úbeda and Baeza is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites and should not be missed. Distance: 28 km (17 miles) - more for those who want.

Lodging: Hotel Maria de Molina
Day 9: Úbeda to Guadix
Highlights: Ride towards the Sierra Nevada, the cave dwelling neighborhood
We head south today on our way to Guadix towards the hills of the Sierra Nevada. Enjoy a change of scenery as we enter the "southwest" of Spain. We'll cross the Sierra Magina on our route and then head down towards the clay formations of Guadix. It is easy to see how for the past 500 years most houses of the villages in this valley were built as caves inside clay mounds. View the historical monuments and join us on a walking tour of the cave quarters neighborhood. Dinner together this evening. Distance: 112 km (70 miles).

Lodging: Hotel Comercio
Day 10: Bicycle to Granada
Inside Alhambra
Highlights: Views of the Sierra Nevada, Guided tour of the Alhambra
Today we ride to Granada in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Enjoy a fun downhill stretch as we pedal past fields of asparagus and tobacco as the olives and grapes give way to more diverse crops. Our destination is the glorious city of Granada, home of the Alhambra (the 13th and 14th century complex of buildings representing the finest example of Moorish architecture left in Spain). On the way we'll pass by the famous village of Purullena, known for its ceramics. We'll have a final dinner together this evening after taking a guided tour of the Alhambra. Distance: 57 km (35 miles).

Lodging: Hotel Hesperia Granada
Day 11: Farewell
Highlights:
Our adventure ends after breakfast together this morning. If you decide to spend more time in Granada you can explore the beautiful old quarter of town and the tea houses. Granada is known for its tapas. Whatever you do, Buen viaje!

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