Cycling in Spain

Mallorca has more road cyclists per square kilometre in spring than anywhere else in Europe. The Serra de Tramuntana along the northwest coast holds the famous climbs, while the flat interior around the plain is perfect for recovery days. Sa Calobra is the one everyone rides: a dead-end road that drops about 9.5 km and 680 m to a tiny cove, so you ride down first and then have to climb back up through 26 hairpins, including the Nus de sa Corbata, where the road loops under itself. Go early, before the tour coaches.

From Sóller the long climb to the tunnel below Puig Major, Mallorca’s highest peak, gains about 850 m. In the north, the road from Port de Pollença to the lighthouse at Cap de Formentor is about 20 km of cliff-edge riding, and in summer it closes to private cars, which leaves it to bikes and buses. Port de Pollença, Alcúdia and Palma have dozens of hire shops: a carbon road bike costs roughly 30 to 60 euros a day (about 35 to 70 USD), less by the week.

Girona became the European home of English-speaking pros in the early 2000s, and its cafés and bike shops still cater to them. The local test is Rocacorba, a long, steady climb averaging around 6 percent, and the quiet roads of La Garrotxa and the coast road from Sant Feliu de Guíxols to Tossa de Mar give some of the best riding in Spain.

For gentler riding, the Ruta del Carrilet follows an old narrow-gauge railway about 57 km from Olot through the volcanic hills of La Garrotxa down to Girona, and a second section continues on to the sea at Sant Feliu. Most of it is gently downhill heading south, and shops in Girona rent bikes and run luggage transfers.

The Vuelta’s hardest finishes are in Asturias. The Alto de l’Angliru, south of Oviedo, climbs about 12.5 km at an average of about 10 percent, with ramps above 20 percent in the final kilometres; most amateurs need a compact chainset and a very low gear. The climb to the Lagos de Covadonga, from Cangas de Onís to Lake Enol in the Picos de Europa, is long and steady, about 12 km at 7 percent, and the road is closed to cars at peak times, but bikes are exempt from the restrictions.

The road from Granada to the Veleta in the Sierra Nevada is the highest paved road in Europe, climbing more than 2,500 m from the city. Cars are stopped at the Hoya de la Mora above the ski resort, and cyclists continue on a rougher road towards the summit; it is clear of snow only from about late June to October.

Andalusia also has the best Vías Verdes. The Vía Verde de la Sierra runs about 36 km between Olvera and Puerto Serrano in the hills of Cádiz province, through 30 tunnels and over four viaducts, passing the Peñón de Zaframagón, a crag with a big griffon vulture colony. Bikes can be hired at the old station hotels along the route. The Vía Verde del Aceite crosses well over 100 km of olive groves from Jaén towards Córdoba province.

The Costa Blanca between Dénia and Benidorm is Spain’s busiest winter training ground, with pro teams based in Calpe and Altea from December to February. Inland, quiet climbs such as the Coll de Rates lead into almond-growing valleys, and the coast gives about 300 days of sunshine a year.

Tenerife has one of the longest continuous climbs in Europe: from the coast to the crater of the Teide National Park at about 2,300 m, about 35 to 50 km uphill depending on the start, and pros come to train at altitude in the Parador. Gran Canaria has steep interior roads up to Pico de las Nieves, and Lanzarote has flatter but windy volcanic roads that host the Ironman triathlon.

The Camino de Santiago can be ridden by bike, mostly on road alternatives to the walking path; to earn the Compostela you must cycle at least the last 200 km. The Vía de la Plata, an old Roman road, runs north from Seville through Mérida and Salamanca, quieter and hotter. EuroVelo 8 follows the Mediterranean coast and EuroVelo 1 the Atlantic coast in the north, though signage on both is patchy.

In cities, Seville built a network of well over 150 km of segregated bike lanes and has the Sevici bike share; Valencia has the Turia gardens, a 9 km park along an old riverbed; Madrid has Madrid Río and the Anillo Verde Ciclista ring around the city. Our Europe cycling guide compares Spain with France and Italy.

October to May is the season for Mallorca, the Costa Blanca, Andalusia and the Canaries; March to May is peak time in Mallorca, when hotels fill with cycling groups. June to September suits the north, the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada. Inland summer temperatures pass 40°C (104°F) in July and August, so ride at dawn. Our best time to visit Spain guide has the regional weather.

• Helmets: compulsory for all cyclists on roads outside towns, and for under-16s everywhere.
• Overtaking: drivers must leave at least 1.5 m when passing, and cyclists may ride two abreast on most roads.
• Lights and alcohol: front and rear lights plus a reflective garment at night or in tunnels outside towns; the drink-drive limit applies to cyclists too, and headphones are banned.
• Trains: Cercanías commuter trains usually carry bikes outside rush hours, while on long-distance and high-speed trains bikes generally must be boxed or folded. Check the current rules on Renfe before you go, and see our getting around Spain guide.
• Insurance: check your policy covers cycling and third-party liability.