SpainCABO DE GATA COAST
Self-Guided Cycling Holiday
SpainCabo de Gata Coast
Self-Guided Cycling Tour
Length: 6 Days
Level: 
Price: €1,190 EUR
This leisurely cycling holiday explores one of the most remote regions in Spain - the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. Situated in the far south-east of the country, the Cabo de Gata region is home
to a spectacular coastline and beautiful cycling routes.
On this tour you ride between charming towns passing incredible beaches, extinct volcanoes, historic monuments and beautiful natural scenery. The area is known for its tranquility, and it is a great place to relax both on and off the bike.
The Cabo de Gata makes for a great winter cycling holiday. It has the highest temperatures and lowest levels of rainfall of anywhere in mainland Europe during winter. The daily distances are short, with optional longer extensions, making this a flexible holiday, suitable for riders of all levels.
Below you can find a detailed itinerary. Click on the tabs to see more highlights, as well as all the practical information about the holiday.
Day 1 - Arrival - Mojácar
We will pick you up from one of the arrival points (see info tab for details), and transfer you to the charming town of Mojácar. Mojácar is divided into two parts,
with an old town set on the top of a hill slightly inland, and a newer part next to the beach.
Both areas are well worth exploring and have played an important role through much of history. The town was originally settled by Iberian tribes and Phoenician sailors, before growing more prosperous under ancient Greek and Roman rule. Most of the town today dates from the Medieval period, when Mojácar was part of the Nasrid Sultanate, based in Granada.
Depending on your arrival time, there is the possibility of doing a short ride along the coast and exploring the old town.
Both areas are well worth exploring and have played an important role through much of history. The town was originally settled by Iberian tribes and Phoenician sailors, before growing more prosperous under ancient Greek and Roman rule. Most of the town today dates from the Medieval period, when Mojácar was part of the Nasrid Sultanate, based in Granada.
Depending on your arrival time, there is the possibility of doing a short ride along the coast and exploring the old town.
Mojácar - White Village
Day 2 - Coastal Road - Carboneras
The first full day in the saddle begins by heading south out of Mojácar. The ride follows a beautiful road that rolls and winds its way along the picturesque coastline.
There are opportunities along the way to explore some of the quiet beaches and coves, before arriving at the charming town of Carboneras. A traditional Andalusi town, Carboneras has fantastic beaches and a wonderfully relaxed feel. You can visit the castle here, or enjoy the charms of the various tapas bars and bodegas.
The longer routes head inland along rolling roads through pleasant scenery. The landscape here is dotted with olive and almond trees, with cactus and pomegranates making for a colorful backdrop.
Shorter Route: 21km (13 miles)
Medium Route: 33km (21 miles)
Longer Route: 50km (31 miles)
There are opportunities along the way to explore some of the quiet beaches and coves, before arriving at the charming town of Carboneras. A traditional Andalusi town, Carboneras has fantastic beaches and a wonderfully relaxed feel. You can visit the castle here, or enjoy the charms of the various tapas bars and bodegas.
The longer routes head inland along rolling roads through pleasant scenery. The landscape here is dotted with olive and almond trees, with cactus and pomegranates making for a colorful backdrop.
Cycle Routes:
Shorter Route: 21km (13 miles)
Medium Route: 33km (21 miles)
Longer Route: 50km (31 miles)
Carboneras Coastal Road
Day 3 - Cabo de Gata Natural Park
Today you continue south and head into the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. Early on in the ride you reach the Mesa Roldán; a great viewpoint overlooking the dramatic coastline.
Here there is also an impressive fortified tower dating from the 16th century. You will see several of these along the routes; they were lookout posts built at strategic intervals so that messages could be passed quickly between them. Together they lined the perimeter of Spain's south-east coast. They would warn of potential attacks by pirates, who were sponsored by Spain's great rival of the time - the Ottoman Empire.
The ride heads briefly in through fine open scenery, before arriving at Rodalquilar; a beautiful village in the heart of the Natural Park. Here you can head down to the beach, or relax at the hotel's spa.
The longer route loops around to Los Albaricoques. This village is a throwback to an early time, and was the filming location for many of the Spaghetti Westerns, including The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. You won't find many gunslingers around here today, but the iconic scenery remains pretty much unchanged!
Shorter Route: 34km (22 miles)
Longer Route: 55km (34 miles)
Here there is also an impressive fortified tower dating from the 16th century. You will see several of these along the routes; they were lookout posts built at strategic intervals so that messages could be passed quickly between them. Together they lined the perimeter of Spain's south-east coast. They would warn of potential attacks by pirates, who were sponsored by Spain's great rival of the time - the Ottoman Empire.
The ride heads briefly in through fine open scenery, before arriving at Rodalquilar; a beautiful village in the heart of the Natural Park. Here you can head down to the beach, or relax at the hotel's spa.
The longer route loops around to Los Albaricoques. This village is a throwback to an early time, and was the filming location for many of the Spaghetti Westerns, including The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. You won't find many gunslingers around here today, but the iconic scenery remains pretty much unchanged!
Cycle Routes:
Shorter Route: 34km (22 miles)
Longer Route: 55km (34 miles)
Windmills in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park
Day 4 - Volcanoes & San José
The ride today begins by visiting the abandoned gold mines of Rodalquilar. The gold rush here was relatively short lived in the late 19th century, but the original appearance of the mines has been preserved, and
they have been used as the backdrop in several films - including the Indiana Jones series.
The rest of the route is spent riding through the wild landscapes of the Cabo de Gata. The Natural Park was produced by volcanic rock formations and is recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere site because of its natural beauty. You can visit several of the charming coves and beaches along the coast, and ride past windmills and cactus fields, as you head towards the town of San José.
San José is the largest village in the Cabo de Gata park. But it is still a tranquil and beautiful place to relax - with a fine beach and some excellent restaurants.
Shorter Route: 25km (15 miles)
Longer Route: 39km (24 miles)
The rest of the route is spent riding through the wild landscapes of the Cabo de Gata. The Natural Park was produced by volcanic rock formations and is recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere site because of its natural beauty. You can visit several of the charming coves and beaches along the coast, and ride past windmills and cactus fields, as you head towards the town of San José.
San José is the largest village in the Cabo de Gata park. But it is still a tranquil and beautiful place to relax - with a fine beach and some excellent restaurants.
Cycle Routes:
Shorter Route: 25km (15 miles)
Longer Route: 39km (24 miles)
Winding road past volcanoes
Day 5 - Playa de Monsul & Salt Lake
The route today is optional, but we highly recommend it. From San Jose it is just a short ride along the coast to two of the most spectacular beaches in the whole of Spain.
First you reach Playa Genoves - a huge sandy beach situated on the most extreme south-eastern point of the Iberian Peninsula. From there it is just a short distance further along a quiet track to Playa de Monsul.
Playa de Monsul is a dream beach; it is very quiet and isolated with perfect golden sand, surrounded by dramatic cliffs and with crystal clear water. Director Steven Spielberg was such a fan that he moved the whole film crew to the area during the production of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, to shoot a scene on the beach.
From here you can return to the hotel in San José, or continue further to the salt lake. This is a popular spot with birdwatchers, who come to see the many herons and flamingos that typically hang out there.
Shorter Route: 24km (15 miles)
Longer Route: 42km (26 miles)
First you reach Playa Genoves - a huge sandy beach situated on the most extreme south-eastern point of the Iberian Peninsula. From there it is just a short distance further along a quiet track to Playa de Monsul.
Playa de Monsul is a dream beach; it is very quiet and isolated with perfect golden sand, surrounded by dramatic cliffs and with crystal clear water. Director Steven Spielberg was such a fan that he moved the whole film crew to the area during the production of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, to shoot a scene on the beach.
From here you can return to the hotel in San José, or continue further to the salt lake. This is a popular spot with birdwatchers, who come to see the many herons and flamingos that typically hang out there.
Cycle Routes:
Shorter Route: 24km (15 miles)
Longer Route: 42km (26 miles)
Cycle Route to Playa de Monsul
Day 6 - Almería Extension Option
The tour comes to an end after breakfast. We will transfer you to Almería in time for your onward journey.
If you can spare the time, we highly recommend adding an extra night in Almería city. It is home to a huge 10th century Alcazaba (citadel fortress), that was constructed under the great Muslim caliph of Al-Andalus - Abd al Rahman III. It is in excellent condition and a fantastic example of Islamic architecture.
Almería's cathedral is also well worth a visit. It was heavily fortified to help to protect it from pirate raids, making for a rather imposing monument.
To find out more information about this holiday; including practical information, prices, dates and more tour highlights; return to the top of the page and click on the various tabs.
If you can spare the time, we highly recommend adding an extra night in Almería city. It is home to a huge 10th century Alcazaba (citadel fortress), that was constructed under the great Muslim caliph of Al-Andalus - Abd al Rahman III. It is in excellent condition and a fantastic example of Islamic architecture.
Almería's cathedral is also well worth a visit. It was heavily fortified to help to protect it from pirate raids, making for a rather imposing monument.
To find out more information about this holiday; including practical information, prices, dates and more tour highlights; return to the top of the page and click on the various tabs.
Almeria's Alcazaba
This cycling holiday explores the tranquil and serene South-East of Spain. Highlights include the charming 'white towns' of Mojácar and San José, the stunning coastline, and the impressive scenery of the volcanic natural park.
You will visit empty beaches, hidden coves, historic lookout towers and gold mines as you ride along quiet country lanes.
Check out just a few of the tour highlights in the photo album below:
You will visit empty beaches, hidden coves, historic lookout towers and gold mines as you ride along quiet country lanes.
Check out just a few of the tour highlights in the photo album below:
Quiet Roads
The roads here tend to be very quiet. On many of the routes you can ride for long periods without seeing a single car.
Cabo de Gata Windmills
Despite being a very dry region (note the cactus!), there are plenty of wheat fields nearby, which used to be processed in the windmills. The region is also a major producer of soft fruit and tomatoes.
Los Albaricoques
The area around Los Albaricoques provided the film set for many of the Spaghetti Westerns. A Fistful of Dollars, A Few Dollars More and The Good the Bad and the Ugly were all filmed here. It is known for looking more like the Wild West, than the Wild West itself!
Volcanoes
These extinct volcanoes are dotted throughout the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, creating a distinctive landscape.
Alcazaba of Almeria
This Muslim era fortress is the second largest in Spain, behind only the Alhambra Palace in Granada. It is a hugely impressive site which dominates the city.
Carboneras Coastal Road
A dramatic rolling road along the Mediterranean coast. We generally recommend hybrids or e-bikes for this tour, but can also provide road bikes if you prefer.
Las Negras
Small white villages are dotted along this scenic coastline.
Coastal Lookout Tower
These 15th and 16th century towers are dotted along the coast, in various intriguing shapes and sizes. They were designed to warn the Spanish of attacks by pirates raiding from North Africa.
Playa de Monsul
One of the most famous beaches in Spain. This was also the setting for some of the Indiana Jones films.
Local Wildlife
Wild goats, deer and rabbits are a common sight along the rides. But the Cabo de Gata is even more known for its birdlife. Vultures, eagles, herons and flamingos are all regular visitors to the Natural Park.
Calm Waters
The impressive volcanoes provide a nice contrast with the calm waters.
Gold Mines - Rodalquilar
These (now deserted) gold mines in Rodalquilar briefly brought much attention to the Cabo de Gata area in the late 19th century.
Rolling roads
The routes here are undulating, as the roads thread their way between the coast and the volcanoes, but the climbing is mostly gentle and well worth it for the stunning views.
Open Scenery
The Cabo de Gata has beautifully open landscapes
San Jose
One of the large villages in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, San Jose has a charming beach and town center. John Lennon wrote the Beatles song 'Strawberry Fields Forever' while staying here.
Included
- ✔ Five Nights Accommodation (see the Hotels section for more details)
- ✔ Continental breakfast each day
- ✔ Bicycle Hire (We recommend hybrid bikes or e-bikes for this holiday)
- ✔ Transfers to and from the arrival and departure points (see below for details)
- ✔ Luggage transferred between hotels
- ✔ GPS routes and mobile app to easily follow the routes
- ✔ Detailed information pack about the routes, restaurants and everything to see along the rides
Not Included:
- ❌ Flights
- ❌ Tour Extensions
- ❌ Travel Insurance
Bicycles
Bicycle hire is included in the cost of the holiday. We recommend our lightweight hybrid bikes or e-bikes for this tour.
If you prefer we can also provide road bikes, although the routes do change slightly for these to avoid a couple of gravel sections.
More details about our bikes can be found on our bicycles page. The exact model depends on availability, so please get in touch if you would like more information.
All of our bikes come with helmets and handlebar bags if required.
More details about our bikes can be found on our bicycles page. The exact model depends on availability, so please get in touch if you would like more information.
All of our bikes come with helmets and handlebar bags if required.
Difficulty Level & Roads
We rate this tour as 'easy' level if you ride the shorter routes, and 'medium' for the longer routes. The rides are quite short and are mostly rolling. There are some short
hills, but they are not too steep and so you can spin up them.
An electric bike is a good option if you are worried about the hills, or if you would like to do the longer routes on some days.
We hate cycling alongside traffic, and so ride on a combination of quiet paved roads and cycling greenways. The majority of the route is paved, but there are some light gravel sections to visit a couple of the great beaches. These can be avoided if you are on a road bike or prefer to stay entirely on paved roads.
Find out more about our tour difficulty levels here.
An electric bike is a good option if you are worried about the hills, or if you would like to do the longer routes on some days.
We hate cycling alongside traffic, and so ride on a combination of quiet paved roads and cycling greenways. The majority of the route is paved, but there are some light gravel sections to visit a couple of the great beaches. These can be avoided if you are on a road bike or prefer to stay entirely on paved roads.
Find out more about our tour difficulty levels here.
Arrival and Departure
At the start of the tour transfers are included from Almeria, Murcia or Alicante airport. We can also collect you from Almeria or Murcia train station, or from anywhere else in the Cabo de Gata area.
At the end of the tour we will transfer you to Almeria airport or train station. From Almeria airport there are direct flights to a number of European destinations, as well as quick low cost daily flights to Madrid and Barcelona. From there you can reach most destinations in the world.
If you have trouble finding flights to the arrival or departure points, please contact us, and we can try to assist.
At the end of the tour we will transfer you to Almeria airport or train station. From Almeria airport there are direct flights to a number of European destinations, as well as quick low cost daily flights to Madrid and Barcelona. From there you can reach most destinations in the world.
If you have trouble finding flights to the arrival or departure points, please contact us, and we can try to assist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please browse through some of the frequently asked questions about this cycling tour. If you have any further questions, or would like any more information, please contact us and we will answer by email.
Should I do the longer or shorter routes?
This depends entirely on you! The longer and shorter routes all start and finish at the same place, and so you can decide on any given day which you would prefer to do. There is no need to commit until the day of the ride itself.
On the longer routes you see more and are able to visit more places, while the shorter routes are more relaxing and ideal if you like to take your time and go at a slower pace.
When can I do this tour?
This tour is available starting on any day throughout the year.
Winter and early spring is a particularly good time to visit as the weather is dry and warm and the villages are still lively, unlike many coastal areas which can shut down in the off-season.
From June to September it can get very hot (average over 30° / 85°F) and so we only recommend doing the tour then if you are used to riding in the heat.
What is the weather like on this tour?
The Almería region contains the only desert in mainland Europe, which gives a fair indication of how much rain the area gets.
The region also has very mild winters, with daily temperatures regularly over 20 degrees celsius. Temperatures in July and August often touch 40 degrees celsius, so unless you have experience of riding in these conditions, we would recommend avoiding the height of summer.
Can I personalise or change aspects of this tour?
Absolutely! We have designed a tour that we feel strikes a great balance between cycling routes, accommodation and interesting towns. However, if, for example, you would like to do the tour
for a different number of days, stay in a different level of accommodation, or extend the route to a different location, we would be happy to discuss the options with you.
What is your cancellation policy?
The full cancellation policy can be found in our terms and conditions.
Why book with us?
We are a small and independent company who are locally based, which offers several advantages:
- We have a lot personal experience of all of our tours, which have been refined over many years. We believe we are genuine experts in the regions where we run tours, and we are also close at hand to offer support and a personalized service.
- We are flexible and can tailor our itineraries to suit your requirements.
- We have low overheads. We don't spend money on advertising and don't use third party agents. We only sell our tours through this website.
By cutting out the middle man, you can be sure that more of what you pay is
being spent on the important things: like hotels, equipment and other services.
- We are a registered and fully bonded tour operator in accordance with EU regulations.
Parador de Mojácar
This stylish 4-star Parador Hotel is situated opposite the beach in Mojácar. It has pleasant gardens and a large swimming pool, with comfortable rooms. It is within walking distance of the historic old town and has good restaurants nearby.
Hotel Carboneras Cabo de Gata
This high quality 4-star hotel is set overlooking the beach at Carboneras. The rooms are large with sea views and are great for relaxing. The hotel also has a swimming pool and spa facilities, as well as an excellent restaurant.
Hotel Naturaleza Spa
This beautiful 4-star hotel is situated on the edge of the village of Rodalquilar in a rural finca. It has large rooms and spa facilities, which are great for relaxing after a ride.
Hotel MC San Jose
This 4-star hotel is located in the center of San Jose, close to the beach and the restaurants and bars of the town. It has stylish rooms and a swimming pool and sauna for relaxing.
To find out more about how we select our hotels, please see our accommodation page.
| Starting Date | Price (per person)¹ | Single Supplement | Bike Hire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan - May & Oct-Dec | €1,190 EUR | €520 EUR | Included | |
| June - September | €1,540 EUR | €520 EUR | Included |
¹Price is based on two people sharing a double or twin room. If you would prefer to stay in a single room, the single supplement is applicable.
To reserve a place on the tour, click the button above and complete the reservation form. We will then get back to you within 24 hours to confirm the reservation, and to arrange for payment of the deposit.
For more details on the booking process, please check out our Reservations page.
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