Spain is one of the richest countries to explore by bike. Each region has it's own appeal, and there is a bike tour for every type of rider here, whether you want to tackle the hilly and delicious Basque Country, cruise the Mediterranean landscapes of Catalunya, expore the moorish heritage of Andalusia, taste La Rioja wine country or complete the pilgrimage of the Way of St. James. Check out our cycling holidays in Spain below:
After we were picked up from the airport and driven to the hotel, the magical adventure began. Riding the Douro Valley was just magnificent. The scenery and landscape could not be compared to anything I've seen before. Riding consisted of 35 to near 50 miles each day with elevations of 3,000-4,500 feet gain at an average 5-8% grade. On the last day of riding, the most difficult of all, we experienced a 16% grade that seemed to go on forever. Every day presented itself with great challenges wonderful pleasures and fantastic downhills that would go for 6-7 miles at speeds of 25+ mph. WOW!!
Our group was small with 7 riders plus 2 guides. The locations we stopped at were local places giving you a sense of real Portugal.
The people running the tour couldn't be better. They address every need from the group. We used carbon bikes from Scott that performed flawlessly even when riding on cobblestone which was in almost every town or village.
I can't speak highly enough about this adventure. However, that said, be sure to come well trained with lots of hill climbing under your seat because it's challenging everyday.
Live Love Ride comes highly recommended. We choose a self guided bike tour from Porto to Santiago de Compostela on The Central Camino. It was well worth hiring them to make our trip hassle free. They took care of all the details; arranged transportation to and from the airport, booked our hotels, provided us mountain bikes and all the gear, transferred our luggage daily, provided exceptional restaurant recommendations, and checked in with us along the way. The service was excellent! They went out of their way to answer our questions and make sure we were happy and taken care of. Their service made this trip extra special.
The mountain biking was unbelievable. It was both challenging and rewarding. I loved the different terrain and remarkable views. We never knew what to expect around the next turn. This route was perfect for us! In total it was 6 epic days of riding, 180 beautiful miles, and 15,000' of elevation gain, making this trip one of best vacations I have ever taken.
