Cycle Southern Spain - Murcia

Our tour begins in Murcia, a lively university town that's rich in culture. Situated in a fertile plain surrounded by mountains, Murcia boasts sites such as the Murcia Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace, and the Church of San Nicolás de Bari. Our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 8pm for a welcome meeting, followed by the opportunity to join your fellow travellers for dinner. There are no other planned activities today, so you're free to arrive in Murcia at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive at Región de Murcia International Airport (RMU), located about 30 minutes away. Alternatively, if you're flying into Alicante Airport (ALC), there is a regular bus service to Murcia Bus Station operated by Alsa, departing every two hours, and taking one hour to reach the city (https://www.alicante-airport.net/bus.php). If you'd prefer a private transfer from Alicante Airport (ALC), please contact our sales team. Please note, this needs to be booked at least 20 days in advance. If you miss the welcome meeting, the tour leader will catch you up on any essential information once you arrive. For those arriving earlier in the day, there's an optional self-guided ride to the Fuensanta Sanctuary. The hotel can provide instructions to help you get to the bike rental shop where you'll meet your tour leader. You'll be fitted for a bike for the week ahead and given route notes for the ride. If you decide not to ride today, you'll be fitted with your bike tomorrow morning and have time to make any adjustments. Please note, this optional ride incurs an additional charge, which you can pay directly at the bike rental office. We recommend starting by 3pm (latest) from November to February, or 4pm in other months. In the evening, you'll have the chance to meet your fellow travellers at the briefing and enjoy your first group dinner together. Total cycling distance today is approximately 18 kilometres/11.19 miles (Total 100 metres/328 feet ascent and descent) (optional).

After breakfast, we drive out from Murcia and reach the town of Bullas in about 45 minutes, where we begin our ride along the gently graded Via Verde del Noroeste cycle path (a converted railway track). Those who didn't ride yesterday will be fitted with their bikes this morning. The cycle path takes us all the way to Caravaca, but we divert halfway to explore quiet country roads that lead us to the hilltop town and historic old quarter of Cehegín, along the River Argos. We then rejoin the cycle path and continue to Caravaca de la Cruz, where we'll stay for the next three nights. Caravaca is one of the world's five Holy Cities according to the Vatican (the others being Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela, and Santo Toribio in Lebanon). During a Holy Year (every seven years), Caravaca becomes a bustling hub for Catholic pilgrims seeking Eternal Forgiveness at the church. Embracing the town's religious significance, we'll stay in a beautifully restored 16th-century monastery, set in peaceful gardens only accessible to guests. The twin-share en suite rooms are light and airy, with modern amenities like WiFi and air conditioning. This evening, you might like to indulge in the local cuisine and try Murcian paella or Arroz Caldero. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 39 kilometres/24.2 miles (300 metres/984 feet total accumulated ascent and descent).

Today's ride introduces us to the natural beauty and fascinating history surrounding Caravaca. We'll cycle past irrigation channels and elm groves, visiting sites with remains from the Paleolithic, Iberian, Roman, and Medieval periods. The ride begins with a 400-metre/1,312-feet climb over 16.5 kilometres/10.3 miles to the Celtiberian village of Archivel. From there, we follow the waymarked route \ Itinerario Ecoturístico Archivel-La Encarnación,' which leads us downhill past tiny villages to La Encarnación and eventually back to Caravaca. The final stretch of around 10 kilometres/6.2 miles is along an unsurfaced track back to our hotel. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 45 kilometres/28 miles (450 metres/1,476 feet total accumulated ascent and descent).

After breakfast, we leave Caravaca and cycle towards Calasparra. As with yesterday, we'll tackle much of the ascent in the morning, with two notable steep climbs of 150 metres/492 feet each. After that, it's mostly downhill towards Calasparra. We plan to arrive in Moratalla around lunchtime, where you'll have some free time to explore the town's narrow lanes and its 15th-century Christian fortress, including the 'torre del Homenaje' (a reconstruction of a Moorish fortress) and the 16th-century Church of Santa María de la Asunción. After leaving Moratalla, we pass through more barren landscapes, with groves of olive and almond trees and farmland. As we near Calasparra, orchards and vegetable gardens reappear near the river, along with rice paddies. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 44 kilometres/27.3 miles (450 metres/1,476 feet total accumulated ascent and 740 metres/2,428 feet descent).

This morning, we ride towards the Virgen de la Esperanza Sanctuary (Our Lady of Hope), where the 12th-century shrine is carved into the rock face overlooking the Segura River. From there, our ride continues to Cieza, where we'll enjoy peaceful country roads with stunning views of the surrounding hills and past the Alfonso XIII Reservoir. As we approach Cieza, the landscape transforms into a patchwork of almond and apricot orchards, especially beautiful in spring when the blossoms are in full bloom. This natural spectacle, known locally as La Floración, typically occurs between mid-February and late March. The final 6.5 kilometres/4 miles follows a quiet road along the river into the lively town of Cieza. If you'd prefer, you can shorten the ride by 13 kilometres/8 miles by skipping the visit to the Esperanza Sanctuary. Total cycling distance today is approximately 46 kilometres/28.6 miles (480 metres/1,575 feet total accumulated ascent and 630 metres/2,067 feet descent).

Today, we follow the Segura River and ancient irrigation channels as we make our way from Cieza to Archena. The scenery changes as we cycle through the Ricote Valley, where arid slopes give way to oasis-like orchards, with palm trees fed by the river. We pass through villages such as Abarán, Blanca, Ojos, and Ulea, which were the last Moorish strongholds in Murcia during the 15th century. From Archena, we'll cycle through some industrial areas and busy towns before finishing with a peaceful 12-kilometre/7.4-mile section of via verde cycle path along the banks of the Segura River back into Murcia. About 10% of today's route is on unpaved surfaces. In the evening, we can reflect on the week and celebrate with a final supper in Murcia, perhaps tucking into a steaming bowl of Michirones (a rich Murcian stew) and a local Merlot. Total cycling distance today is approximately 57 kilometres/35.4 miles (200 metres/656 feet total accumulated ascent and 340 metres/1,116 feet descent).

Our trip ends after breakfast at the hotel in Murcia. There are no planned activities today, so you're free to depart at your leisure. If your flight is later in the day, luggage storage is available at the hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Región de Murcia International Airport (RMU), which is about 30 minutes away.