The holiday starts with a touch of luxury, as we enjoy a stay at a Spa Hotel located within easy proximity to Alicante Airport. The hotel provides an ideal opportunity to enjoy a spa treatment or to take a dip in the pool.
Heading inland, the first day in the saddle, 'Kickstarts the climbing legs', with some significant, albeit scenic climbing. Our stay in Cocentaina is suitably located at the foot of the Sierra de Mariola Natural Park.
Leaving Cocentaina, we head eastwards along rolling country roads towards the town of Pego, (with its distant views towards the sea), before we head back inland to rest for the night in Benimaurell - a rural setting with impressive views of the valley.
Today's route takes us along some climbing terrain favoured by many professional cycling teams on their Calpe winter training camps. We will stop for the night in Biar - a quaint small town with its historic hilltop castle.
Leaving Biar (and the Valencia region), we head towards the Region of Murcia. We weave our way towards Yecla - one of Murcia's three principal wine areas. We arrive at a rural and rustic vineyard homestay, with a wholesome BBQ and plenty of locally produced wine.
An action planned day starts with a visit to a working olive farm where we enjoy a very informative guided olive oil tour and tasting. We cycle to and from the olive farm.
After a light lunch back at the vineyard homestay, we make our way to Jumilla (Murcia's 2nd wine area), where we will immerse ourselves in a comprehensive wine tour (inc. tasting), at one of the town's leading wine producers. They run an impressive bodega to promote their wines and wine making in the area. You will quickly become familiar with the importance of the locally cultivated monestrell grape. There will be transport to and from the wine tasting experience.
To finish the day, we enjoy a full main meal of the day at a local restaurant, with one or two bottles of local wine to ensure you fully savour the day.
Perhaps a little jaded, we set off riding from Yecla, through an ever-changing landscape towards the historic town of Caravaca de la Cruz. The town is famous for its pilgrimage heritage, and it is therefore fitting that we stay in the old Monastery in the heart of the town.
Today's cycling provides further opportunity to put the climbing legs into practice as we weave our way via Bullas, (Murcia’s 3rd wine area), towards the edge of the Sierra Espuña Natural Park. We finish the day at another old monastery.
With the majority of the climbing behind us, we enjoy the flatter terrain towards the coastal town of Los Alcazares, nestled on the edge of the Mar Menor Lagoon. Our hotel stopover is only 50 metres from the beachside promenade, providing ample opportunity to loosen our legs with a walk or have a swim either in the Mar Menor or the hotel pool.
Today is the last cycling day as we make our way back inland towards Alicante. The route passes through the village of Torremendo, where there is a naturally unspoilt turquoise reservoir to both marvel and navigate.
Our last night is spent back at the Spa Hotel and a chance to enjoy one last spa treatment or a dip in the pool.
The tour ends after breakfast.
Land Only - £1650
A deposit of £150 per person is required as soon as possible once the Tour Organiser has processed your Booking Form (see below), with the final balance of £1,500 per person to be paid no later than ten weeks prior to departure, by 17 July 2025.
Written Notice Received:
Cancellation Charge:
17 July 2025
150
03 October 2025
1650
Read the section on 'Booking a Holiday' on the Bikexplore website, then contact the Tour Manager to check that there are still places available. If there are, download and complete the booking form and then submit it to the Tour Organiser. Once it's been processed instructions on how to pay the deposit (and balance) will be sent to you.
The price of £1650 (land only) is based on a minimum number of 8 people taking part in the holiday. If there are insufficient bookings by Thursday 17th July 2025, we will contact you and return all monies paid.
The maximum number of participants will be 18 including the Tour Organisers and support.
We will be mainly staying in Grade 3 or 4 star hotels. However, on two days we will be staying at a farm stay, similar to an Italian Agriturismo.
There are twin and double bedrooms available, all en-suite. There will be a very few single rooms. Rooms will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Prices are based on two people sharing a room.
When booking with a partner to share with, please specify twin or double beds.
Only a few single rooms are available. Please note single rooms can be of a lower standard than twin or double rooms even though they may incur a supplement.
We will frequently be travelling through rural areas and will stop at cafes during the rides whenever possible, but you should buy and carry sufficient food and drink for lunch in case of emergencies. In the tour information pack, I will suggest places to where we may be able to buy food as this might be tricky in rural parts of Spain.
Check which meals are provided in the Payment Schedule and ensure you have access to sufficient monies to cover any meals you will need to buy.
Although, Spain is a big meat eating country vegetarians can be catered for, vegans however, may find the food quite bland.
Check that you have informed the Tour Organiser of any dietary requirements in your Booking Form.
Please remember to pack any medications that you need to take regularly.
Health – please check the current Foreign Office advice for Spain:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/health
Mainly quiet roads, most roads have excellent tarmac, but some of the smaller ones may be a little rough. There will be a few busier connecting roads especially around the towns. We may need to use some gravel roads to avoid the busier sections.
The tour route provides the ideal opportunity to explore the best of South-East Spain from a cycling perspective and so much more.
We will be travelling through the regions of Valencia and Murcia where there are an average of 300+ days of sunshine a year.
Our route ensures a fair share of undulating and at times hilly terrain, as we pass through a number of Sierras. Rest assured, there is time to take a breather on less arduous gradients along the way.
Cherish the rural country roads and witness first hand, the wide variety of fruit and vegetables being cultivated across both regions.
Of particular interest, when we cross over from the Valencia region into the Region of Murcia, we will fully explore the three wine areas.
As often as it is in Spain, once out of the bigger towns, the roads are very quiet and generally well maintained. It makes for an excellent cycling experience.
Route sheets and GPX files will be provided.
The maximum group size will be 15, plus the Tour Organiser, assistant and driver.
Lightweight clothing, suitable for a range of temperatures is needed and possibly smarter, warmer clothing for the evenings. Lightweight waterproofs/ windproofs will be needed.
Sun cream, lip balm and sunglasses are recommended along with insect repellant and bite cream.
My packing list is available on request - advisable if this is your first tour.
Temperatures in October are likely to be between 22 and 28 degrees C. Spain is generally dry in October, but it might rain and if it does the rain is likely to be heavy.
The holiday is for 10 days, 9 days riding and 1 rest day. Most of the holiday will be 80 to 100 km days and there is some climbing as we visit the Sierras in the area. The rest day is in Yecla where we have organised trips to the winery/ bodega and the olive farm. Although we will be riding a few kilometres to the olive farm and back, it is effectively a rest day.
This is a moving-on holiday staying in a different location each night. However, we do spend 2 nights at one location where we plan to visit the Winery and Olive Farm. There is a short ride to the Olive Farm and back in the morning.
Most of the roads are minor and used by rural traffic and will be hilly in parts. We may need to use some busier roads at times, but we avoid them as much as possible. There will be short stretches of gravel track to avoid some of the busier roads.
Most of each cycling day will be spent cycling. People will be expected to ride at their own pace and often in loose groups, at around 16 to 28kph on the flat, slower up hills, usually meeting up at cafes for lunch and refreshment breaks. You will be notified of the two or three available or recommended refreshment stops each day.
As you are on holiday, it is expected that you may want to stop for photographs, look at the view or explore and this is okay.
It is essential to get out on your bike and do some 100 km rides before the tour starts. There may be steep descents too, so you should be able to negotiate these safely.
Please note unforeseen circumstances can arise, e.g. roadworks/ closures, unforeseen weather conditions. In these circumstances, you will be advised of alternative arrangements.
The organisers will not always be at the front of the group but may be anywhere within it, as circumstances require, so you will need to be aware of the route and likely stopping places each day.
We recommend a good audax/ gravel type bike, however, since no luggage needs to be carried you can bring your lightweight road bike. Be aware that some of the roads are very small and although Spain usually has good tarmac, but we will be using short gravel stretches. Therefore, I recommend larger tyres than usual to minimise any problems.
You should ensure your cycle is well maintained, paying particular attention to wheels, tyres and brakes. Some climbs are long so a low bottom gear (i.e., small chainring the same size or smaller than the largest cog on your rear wheel) is recommended. If you are unsure about gears, please discuss with the Tour Organiser. New tyres and inner tubes are recommended. Participants will be expected to carry sufficient spares and tools each day to deal with punctures and minor repairs.
You will not need to carry luggage, but a saddlebag, rack pack or bar bag will be useful for carrying wet weather gear, spare clothing needed for the day, camera, snacks and your map. Each participant is expected to bring and carry their personal items and spares. As it is a legal requirement for helmets to be worn in Spain it is essential you bring a helmet.
Although you will be provided with route notes and GPX files and there will be a support vehicle as well as the Tour Organiser, please bring a map with you in case you get separated from the group.
The tour starts and finishes in Alicante. Alicante (Alcant) airport is well served by several UK airports.
Travel to the start and from the finish is not included in this holiday. It is very important that you note that neither your Tour Organiser nor Bikexplore are responsible for you in any way until the appointed time at the designated meeting point. Should you fail to arrive at the appointed time for whatever reason, we will not be responsible for any additional expenses you may incur in order to meet up with the tour group. Before finalising travel arrangements, you should ensure that the tour is definitely going ahead.
Should there be insufficient bookings or pandemic travel restrictions are re-imposed, we reserve the right to cancel the tour at any time. It is therefore recommended that you book fully flexible and refundable transport and accommodation or wait until you have
been told the tour will go ahead. In the event of the tour being cancelled we will not be responsible for any losses incurred outside what you pay us.
We will use WhatsApp to communicate details like café stops, meal arrangements, places of interest and any emergencies en route. Ideally, everyone will bring a smart phone and be happy to be included in the group.
If you are unable to join the WhatsApp group, I can only communicate with you in an emergency.
Spain is in Europe, but Britain is no longer in the EU. Your EHIC card is valid until its expiry date, but it cannot be renewed. Instead a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) has been introduced (see https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/). However, at present Britain no longer has a reciprocal health agreement with Spain, though this might change before the start of the tour. Appropriate travel insurance is therefore essential; please check with your provider to ensure that they cover the revised conditions in Europe and also they cover touring by bike. Although most travel insurance policies do not cover cancellation due to pandemic restrictions, the money you pay to us for the holiday is fully protected until we depart.
Current Covid and Influenza vaccinations are recommended for participants of 75 years of age and over and those deemed medically vulnerable.
UK citizens must hold a passport that is still valid for at least six months at the end of the tour.
UK citizens travelling to the European countries below must hold either a visa or, 6 months after the EES (Entry/Exit system) comes into operation in 2025, an ETIAS travel authorization:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Your ETIAS check-list:
• Apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation well in advance – before you buy your ticket or book your accommodation
• Make sure your passport details correspond to those in your ETIAS authorisation – you will be refused boarding and entry at the border if they do not match
• Make sure your ETIAS travel authorisation is still valid
• Check how long you can stay in the European countries requiring ETIAS
• Make sure your passport is valid for six months after your intended departure from the European countries requiring ETIAS - you will be refused entry at the border if it is not (exceptions apply).
Full Details at: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en
UK citizens resident abroad should check their ETIAS status. Holders of non-UK passports are advised to check whether they require a visa.
I am a keen cyclist, trained cycle instructor, ride leader and mechanic, able to support members of the group who require it. I have managed a number of tours for CTC Holidays and Tours and Bikexplore, and I have toured extensively in Europe and further afield. For more information about my style of managing cycling holidays, please see my Bio on the website.
Chris:
Residing in Murcia for over five years, Chris is well-honed in the joys of cycling in South-East Spain.
Having previously worked in cycling for a London based cycling advocacy organisation, he is now content with the somewhat quieter pace of cycling life.
He is excited to volunteer in supporting Greg with this tour and is very much looking forward to showcasing some great cycling and perhaps sharing a glass of wine over dinner.