La Costa de la Luz
Blue seas, savory sherry, exotic Moorish culture and the incredible sunsets together make up the magic that is the "Coast of Light". Bike rolling terrain past the fields of wheat, warm beaches, oak and pine tree forest, grazing bulls and lots and lots of sunflowers in the Spring!. The busy port of Cadiz will offer a curious contrast with the dream like "pueblos blancos" of Vejer de la Frontera. Ever present is the Moorish influence as we near the south to Tarifa, where Spain and Africa meet. La Costa de la Luz, where light is so apparent, all who see it swear they've reached paradise.
2010 Dates see Tour Calendar
8 days/7nights
Level of Difficulty: Easy great for a beginner to cycling tours. 25-40 miles of gently rolling terrain with one or two hills.
Accommodations:
18th Century Convent
Manor House
Tour Details:
Included: All breakfasts,
2 dinners with wine
Use of Trek Customized 24 speed hybrid bike
Begins/Ends: Sevilla/Malaga
Arrive: Sevilla
Depart: Malaga
Itinerary
Day 1 San Lucar la Mayor - We meet in Sevilla at 2:00pm for a brief orientation meeting, bike fitting and a welcome sherry. This afternoon we visit the Cathedral and the Jewish Quarter of Santa Cruz. After our visits we shuttle to San Lucar la Mayor where you may relax at the pool until it is time to dine.
Day 2 San Lucar de Barrameda - We bike through the park and then shuttle past virgin sand dunes,, marshland, brush and pines. We complete our journey with a boat ride to San Lucar de Barrameda.
Day 3 Cadiz - We bike the countryside to Jerez de la Frontera where we watch the horses perform at the Real Escuela de Arte Ecuestre. Then we on our way to the bay of Cadiz colonized by the Phoenicians more than 3,000 yers ago. A a great place to watch the sunset.
Day 4 Vejer de la Frontera A morning ride on gentle hills through fields of wheat, fruit orchards and white villages. At our destination we can shop for baskets and later enjoy a flamenco guitar performance that can only be found in the tiny villages of Andalucia.
Day 5 Zahara de los Atunes We take the coastal route and bike throught the beautiful Parque Natural del Acantilado where pine forests reach for the sea. A stop at the 1,800 year old ruin of the Roman City of Baelo Claudio and perhaps a dip at the beach called Bolonia. We continue our ride through the Mediterranean forests which offer views of Gibraltar. Its uphill for a bit to see the town of Castellar de la Frontera, built inside a 9th century castle.
Day 6 & 7 Sotogrande - We bike through the largest Mediterranean forest in Europe along country roads with incredible views of Gibraltar and the African Coast. The next day is free to enjoy the day relaxing, playing golf or by taking a trip to visit Gibraltar or Tangiers.
