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three cultures |
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Given
its location at the western
end of the Mediterranean, it’s
not surprising that so many
cultures – Moorish, Visigothic,
Roman and Greek – have
crossed paths in the southernmost
part of Spain. This route follows
the paths of the Caliphs –
the chief civil and religious
ruler of the Muslim faith, regarded
as the successors of Muhammad
– and of Washington Irving,
most famous as the creator of
“The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow”, but who stayed
in the Alhambra Palace while
serving as the American ambassador
to Spain in the 1840s.
Our bicycling routes include
an old rail track perfectly
adapted for pedaling, smaller
country roads and paths. We
will stay in outstanding accommodation:
four-star hotels in the bigger
cities and smaller hotels with
their own special charm in a
few picturesque Andalusian villages.
This is a perfect opportunity
to experience traditional Andalusian
cuisine with excellent wines.
We will be using our minibus
during half of the journey to
arrive at the starting points
of each one of our stages. We’ll
ride the most interesting parts
of our journey and for those
looking forward to a bit more
of a challenge, each day’s
stages may be lengthened or
shortened (depending on the
group’s bicycling skills.)
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Itinerary |
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Day
1: Madrid
We meet clients at the airport
and transfer them to the
hotel located near Atocha
Station. This is a great
opportunity to visit the
city (by bicyle, if you
wish) and the nearby Prado
Museum on your own. |
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Day
2: Cordoba
We
will leave Madrid early
in the morning by van and
stop in Toledo to visit
the spectacular walled city.
We will also make a stop
in the land of Don Quijote,
La Mancha, to see the ancient
windmills made famous by
the novel. Alternately,
if you would like to explore
the quaint streets of Cordoba
by day, you have the option
to catch the fast train
from Madrid in the morning
and we will meet you in
Cordoba in the evening.
That night, we’ll
immerse ourselves in Spanish
culture with a tapas dinner
and flamenco show.
Ten centuries ago, Cordoba
was one of the greatest
cities in the world and
the capital of Muslim Spain.
Today Cordoba is well-known
for its mosque but there
are many other artistic
and architectural treasures.
The old Arab and Jewish
quarters with their narrow
streets offer the visitor
a unique experience.
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Day
3: Zuheros (CORDOBA)
Total
distance 40 Kms. flat terrain.
After
breakfast, we’ll travel
by minivan to visit a winery
in the town of Montilla,
then we’ll head to
Lucena and start riding
east on the “Via Verde
del Aceite” rail trail
– a disused railway
line which has been converted
into a recreational trail
for walkers, hikers and
horseback riders. We’ll
stop and have lunch at the
converted train station
in the town of Cabra (now
an interpretation centre).
That afternoon, we’ll
continue to the charming
town of Zuheros, nestled
in the Sierra Subbética
mountain range, and have
dinner at the hotel. |
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Day
4: Priego de Cordoba
Total distance 40 Kms. rolling
terrain.
The Sierra Subbética
is home to some of the most
beautiful architecture in
Andalusia, and we’ll
get to see some of it today
as we ride to Luque, famous
for the imposing ruins of
its Moorish castle, and
to Priego de Córdoba,
known for its 17th and 18th
century palaces. Dinner
that night will be at the
hotel. |
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Day
5: Granada
We’ll start the day
by visiting the castle of
Alcalá la Real, and
from there, go to Puerto
López, where we’ll
get on the bikes and ride
through countryside to Moclín
(with its fabulous views
of the Sierra Nevada) and
take advantage of the hills
to ride down to the outskirts
of Granada city. That afternoon,
if your muscles need some
relief, there’s the
opportunity to have a soak
in a hammam (traditional
Moorish bath). |
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Day
6: Granada
No visit
to Andalusia would be complete
without taking a half-day
to explore the centuries-old
hallways and gardens of
the Alhambra Palace, the
most complete and beautifully
restored Moorish building
in western Europe. After
exploring the Alhambra (and
revelling in the views from
the Palace’s battlements),
we’ll explore the
atmospheric Albayzín
neighborhood by bicycle,
taking advantage of its
narrow, winding streets
to go where no car was meant
to go. At sunset, we’ll
climb to the Mirador de
San Nicolás to get
the most perfect view of
the Alhambra’s red
walls, backed by the snow-topped
peaks of the Sierra Nevada.
An unforgettable moment
on our bicycling tour through
Andalusia. |
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Day
7: Madrid
After a hearty breakfast,
we’ll head back to
Madrid. |
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