Europe is one of the top global destinations for cycle and adventure enthusiasts. This is because of its cultural heritage, excellent food, and range of terrain. Spain and Portugal take all of these aspects to the next level. So if you are looking for a long-distance biking adventure destination in Spain or Portugal, you are likely to find some of the best tours in the world. Read on to discover the 10 Best Biking Adventure Destinations Across Spain and Portugal! Table of Contents5 Best Biking Adventure Destinations in SpainDue to Spain’s excellent year-round climate and incredible terrain, the country isn’t short of avid cycling fans. Part of the reason cycling is so prevalent in Spain is because of the excellent route, road and mountain biking opportunities available. Here are some of the best biking routes leading to adventure throughout Spain.
Ruta del CalifatoThe Route of the Caliphate is a prestigious route through Spain. It brings together some of the most significant and emblematic parts of the Andalus region in Spain. You cycle through a period of the past and get to enjoy the cultural heritage of one of Spain’s most beautiful regions.
Ruta del CidRuta del Cid, or the Way of El Cid, offers cyclists the opportunity to get the true Spanish experience. If you aren’t interested in doing the better known and more popular Camino de Santiago, try Ruta del Cid instead. It is a 2000 km route that offers a calm and beautiful tour through Spain. It takes you from Castilla along to the Mediterranean coast.
La Ruta de Don QuijoteEver heard of the literary classic Don Quijote? Cervantes, a satirical Spanish author, may have written the book hundreds of years ago. However, the legacy it left behind is still living on. This route takes you 2,500 kilometers from Castilla to La Mancha, tracing Don Quijote’s route through the region. In addition, there are national parks, cultural communities and more on the ten stages of the route throughout the country.
The TransAndalusThe TransAndalus takes you through one of the most scenic parts of the country, the southern region of Andalucia. The conception of the trail was to get cyclists to experience Andalusia’s eight provinces. The route takes you through the volcanic landscapes of Cabo de Gata along with wetlands and more. Keep an eye out for trail signs and keep a detailed map on you to successfully get through the 2,000-kilometer route. El Camino de SantiagoNo list of the Best Biking Adventure Destinations Across Spain and Portugal would be complete without The Camino de Santiago pilgirmage route. This has been one of the favorites for cyclists and backpackers for many years. Since the bones of St. James the Apostle were supposedly discovered in 813 AD, the route has become a world-famous pilgrimage path. The Camino Frances that runs along the North of Spain is the most popular and sacred cycling trail that leads to Santiago in the North of Spain.
5 Best Biking Adventure Destinations in PortugalSpain isn’t the only country with a beautiful climate and stunning cycle routes. So if you feel the inner adventurer calling out for the next trip, consider indulging them in a trip to Portugal along any one of these four routes.
Rota VicentinaRota Vicentina is a bike tour that takes you along the coast of Portugal from Setubal to Sagres. You get to follow along the Alentejo and Algarve coastline to find your way along the scenic Rota Vicentina. Along the way, take some time to explore the seaside villages and rural towns set next to the some of the most beautiful wild coastline of western Europe.
Douro Wine ValleyDouro Wine Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its ancient relationship with growing valuable wine. The vineyards across the countryside soak up the sun that shines down on them all year round. Don’t only go for the sampling of wine, but indulge in vintage ports and unique landscapes that punctuate the whole ride.
Alentejo Marble RouteAlentejo is one of the least densly populated regions in Portugal. However, it is an area that is well worth visiting on the numerous bike friendly routes that criss-cross this part of Portugal, known mainly for wine, olive oil, cork and marble. Starting and finishing in the postcard perfect town of Évora, you will cycle across the rolling fields past wild flowers, vineyards, ancient castles and cork trees along the way. Loop through the beautiful marble towns of Borba and Vila Viçosa, considered Portugal’s white gold where everything down to the park benches is made of marble!
Ecovia do Litoral Cycling TrailLast but not least is the Ecovia do Litoral Cycling Trail. The route takes you through the well-known Algarve but gives you a different taste of the region than you would typically find. This almost entirely flat trail offers 214 kilometers of stunning cycling by clinging to the coast and swimming into the Spanish border. Enjoy heritage sites like Cabo de Sao Vicente and Vila Real de San Antonio. If you prefer rolling terrain and don't mind travelling a little further inland, the Algarve interior offers superb cycling and very low traffic rides.
EuroVelo 1: The Atlantic Coast RouteThe EuroVelo network is a criss-crossing route of 17 long-distance cycling routes that extend throughout much of Europe. The Atlantic Coast Route is the first route of the EuroVelo system. It is the extension that connects Lison to Oporto. Due to its beauty and positive standing throughout the communities along the route, it is widely promoted by the Portuguese National EuroVelo Coordinator. It is quite a popular route among the EuroVelo network and we recommend riding from Porto to Lisbon, to take advantage of the prevailing tailwinds.
ConclusionSpain and Portugal are fantastic countries for cycling, with great cycling conditions almost year-round. It’s not just beautiful scenery that will tempt you to take a bike out on these routes, but also some of the best food in Europe. You can enjoy delicious regional dishes and wines on any of these bike touring routes. These are just some of the wonderful sights and tastes await anyone looking for a cycling adventure in Spain or Portugal. Are you ready to explore?
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The Coronavirus has hit everyone hard, but as a genius once said: Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. People are like bicycles. They can keep their balance only as long as they keep moving, and that is we what we want to do at Cycling-Rentals. You can help us! And to show our appreciation, we are making the following unique offers for bookings for next year:
Book any 2021 cycling tour holiday or long term bicycle rental before November 30th this year and get 20% off for each rider. You can see the full details of these offers right here, and as always reach out to us if you have any questions! Stay safe, stay healthy and keep moving! Cycling Rentals is a "Clean & Safe" certified business! We are following the strict Health & Safety guidelines issued by the National Health & Tourism Institutes of Portugal. What does this mean for you if you plan on cycling with us? Cycling Rentals is doing everything to ensure your experience is not only fun and unforgettable, but also clean and safe from Corona-virus. Specifically we are following the Clean & Safe protocol established by the Tourism Institute of Portugal:
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We have been in travel for over 20 years and to be sure, these are challenging times for us all. We have weathered challenges before and I know with your help we will bounce back. We thank all of you who have kept your deposits with us, your support has been invaluable to us - as any small business owner knows, it is vital! We look forward to providing you with the unique experience of a cycling holiday in the near future. Our priority is the safety and welfare of our clients, staff and partners, so for now our office is closed to the public and we are all working from home, but we are available as always to respond to your inquiries by phone, email or social media. We have been actively contacting clients that have reservations with us in the coming weeks to work through rescheduling for a later date. Rest assured that we will respond to all inquiries as quickly as possible. If your rental or cycling holiday is scheduled to start on or before April 30th please contact us to reschedule your trip. Rentals and cycling holidays starting on or after May 1st, please refer to the cancellation policy shown on your invoice. Please continue to monitor travel recommendations with your home country’s foreign affairs office and follow preventative measures as directed by your local health authorities. As always, we strongly recommend travel insurance and in these times, cancel for any reason policies would be our choice! Until authorities tell us it's safe, please do your part to help end this outbreak: stay safe, keep calm, wash your hands and do get out and ride! Written by Catherine DeffenseMother, cyclist & Co-founder at Cycling-Rentals. So you have decided to cycle the Camino de Santiago - you won't regret it - but be sure to pack properly so you can have a bike tour you won't forget, for all the right reasons! Written by Didi Knowlton With the growing amount of Camino Rental Packs we dispatch, we thought a Camino cyclist specific packing list would be very helpful! We update this article regularly and count on your suggestions to make it better and better. The first thing to bear in mind is the Camino de Santiago is that you can essentially cycle the pilgrimage route any time of year - though our preference is for late spring, early summer or fall. Other times of year can be rather too cold or hot for comfortable cycling. Having said that, any time of year you choose to cycle the Camino, you should bear in mind that given the distance, elevation and natural micro-climates, the variation of the weather is something you must prepare for. From the brisk mornings in the Pyrenees to the hot plains in and out of Leon, to the chilly heights of O Cebreiro and the possible rain showers around Santiago de Compostela, you will be exposed to a range of temperatures and weather conditions. With that in mind and because you don't want to pack too heavy (despite the generous 40 liter capacity of our Ortlieb panniers!), here is our suggested bicycle packing list - why not print it out and check items off as you pack? Riding Gear 1 x Bike helmet 1 x Sun glasses 1 x Fingerless gloves 1 x Full finger gloves 1 x Clear lens glasses (or changeable lenses) 1 x Cycle Shoes 2 x Padded cycle shorts 2 x Cycle Jersey 4 x Cycling socks 1 x Light Water-proof wind breaker 1 x Warm, light Fleece (makes a great base layer for your rain jacket on cold days) 1 x Arm warmers 1 x Sunscreen 1 x Small first aid kit Post Ride gear 1 x Long sleeve "dinner" shirt 1 x Short sleeve "dinner" shirt or polo 1 x Long trousers / practical skirt 1 x Warm, light Sweater 1 x flip-flops or light walking shoes 5 x Underwear (if you only wear after showering each day!) 1 x Compact wash kit Tools & Equipment 1 x Smartphone 1 x Camera (save space & weight and use your smartphone) 1 x Multi tool 1 x Spare tube (and / or patch kit) 1 x Small bottle chain oil If you have found other items to be useful, or any listed items to be superfluous, get in touch and let us know! Buen Camino! This was first published on our old Blog.
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