Spain Active Journeys Self-Guided Road Bike tour

Spain Asturias—La Costa Verde

The green north coast of the Iberian peninsula makes the perfect setting for a cy‐ cling holiday. Over hills, or more mountainous terrain if you choose, you'll cycle along the coastal ranges of El Cuera and El Sueve, beneath the impressive snowy peaks of the Picos de Europa.

Following sections of the Pilgrims' Route to Santiago de Compostela (Saint James' Way), you'll visit ruins and Romanesque chapels. After a stop in the cider‐making capital of Villaviciosa, you cycle off to the friendly city of Gijon for a tapas feast to celebrate the end of your journey.

Highlights of this trip include some of the most pleasant cycling through the gor‐ geous landscapes, enjoying views to both the mountains and the sea,. You do have a choice of different routes on some days, making shorter or more challenging. The gastronomy, wines and ciders of this region, are now becoming world renown.

Tour Details Daily from April to November (not offered in August) Length: 8 days / 7 nights

Cost: $1195 per person Fast Facts

Single Supplement: $375  This trip offers the best of cycling on  Breakfast and 4 dinners included, Bike/Equipment: $150 quiet country roads, and bike trails  All equipment available for rentals  Lovely accommodations through- Grade: Easy to Moderate  Luggage transfers, route note and out the journey hand-picked for Starts: Vilde charm and personality services of local office Ends: Gijon

Active Journeys Contact: 1-800-597-5594 or 416-236-5011 Email : [email protected] Itinerary

Day 1: ARRIVE IN VILDE Arrival in Vilde, on Spain's Costa Verde, where you are welcomed at a charm‐ ing family‐run bed & breakfast.

Day 2: CICULAR ROUTE AROUND VILDE 41km or 47km, 375m or 440m in ascent Circular cycling route from Vilde. You start the trip off with a lovely ride through rolling hills, never too far from the sea, right on the border between Cantabria and Asturias, two emerald provinces of Northern Spain.

Day 3: FROM VILDE TO CUÉ 25km, 325m in ascent A quiet ride across the border and into the Principality of Asturias, through charmingly authentic villages and along cliffs overlooking the Cantabrian Sea. There's the opportunity of stopping off to visit the Cueva del Pindal, a beauti‐ fully situated cave with valuable prehistoric paintings, or to admire the Ro‐ manesque ruins of Santa Tina church.

Day 4: FROM CUÉ TO NUEVA DE LLANES 37km, 650m in ascent Choose between an ascent to enjoy lovely views from the Sierra del Cuera coastal range OR a gentler ride through green hills, among fields of grazing cows and tiny villages of quiet beauty. En route there are several spots where you can stop for a refreshing paddle in the sea.

Day 5: FROM NUEVA TO SALES 39km, 420m in ascent Follow the northern route of the Camino de Santiago pilgrims' trail (Saint James' Way) through the foothills of the Sierra del Sueve. This tiny yet im‐ pressive mountain range is home to the stunning black elegance of the Ca‐ ballo Asturcón, a beautiful breed of horses native to Asturias.

Day 6: FROM SALES TO AGÜERO 34km, 420m in ascent The estuary town of Villaviciosa, cider making capital of Asturias, is sur‐ rounded on all sides by green hills covered with apple orchards. A visit to its inviting historical centre recalls the past, proving that this was once an impor‐ tant stop along the Camino for pilgrims making their way to Santiago de Compostela.

Day 7: FROM AGÜERO TO GIJON 29km, 240m in ascent Your last day of cycling is slightly shorter but starts off with a good ascent. Climb up through the lush greenery of the Asturian countryside and then, from an elevation of 220m, sail down into the city of Gijon, riding along the beautiful San Lorenzo Beach boardwalk all the way to your hotel.

Day 8 The tour ends after breakfast.

What to Expect Getting There What will the weather be like?  The nearest airports are The weather in this region is definitely Mediterranean, so cooler spring Oviedo (OVD, also known as and fall mornings and evening, but can get hot during the day. We tend Asturias airport), Santander to avoid July and August due to larger crowds and very hot weather. and Bilbao. From these air- Mornings in the mountains will definitely be cooler, jacket recommended. ports there are good bus

connections to city centre How many hours of cycling a day? Be prepared to be active between 3 to 6 hours daily, everything will be at bus stations, where you can a moderate level. This is not a supported tour, so you should be able to catch a connecting bus to ride the minimums required each day. Keep in mind that you can opt out your destination (ALSA bus occasionally or take local transport en route. company, see time tables at www.alsa.es). How fit do I need to be? The fitter the better, as you will enjoy the holiday more. This is a moder-  From Oviedo city centre, ate trip with easier options. Keep in mind that like all wine regions, they Santander or Bilbao, you can tend to be hilly. catch a direct bus to Un-

What are the hotels like? quera. You then continue by Based in 6 properties, we use a wide mixture of accommodations. Hotels taxi to Vilde (2,5km). To be and guesthouses are small and charming with private facilities. Four din- booked in advance. ners are included.  At the end of your trip, the return journey is from Gijón, also well connected to all 3 airports (Asturias-OVD, Santander and Bilbao) by public bus services. Our of- fice in Arenas de Cabrales can help you make the res- ervations.

How to book your holiday Extra Info  Contact our office to make sure there is space available. One of our travel planners will walk you through the entire proc- We have a small selection of hotels for your ess. arrival or departure.  Download the reservation form from our site and send in Hotels in either Orviedo, Barcelona or Madrid completed form by fax or email. Once this is done, your space will cost from 140 € per night. is confirmed and a pre-departure packet will be sent.

 A deposit is required immediately, and final payment is due 60 days prior to the trip departure. Terms & conditions are outlined in our Reservation Form.

 Plan your air travel as soon as possible.

 We encourage you to purchase travel insurance, either through us or a travel insurance provider directly.

 Ensure you are in proper health for the trip chosen. Contact us, for more information on vaccinations, inoculations, and fitness requirements.