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Spain - New Trip!
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Home | About Us | Bike Tour Schedule | Walking Tour Schedule | Featured Tour Bike Tours | European Bike Tours | Walking Tours Copyright © 2004-2007, Easy Rider Tours, Inc. |
May 25-Jun 1, 2008
Located in the high plateau country of central Spain, Segovia and Salamanca are two of the country’s most famous cities. Between them, stretched in an arc to the south, lies the mountain greenery of Sierra de Guadarrama and the Sierra de Gredos. Our newest Iberian adventure brings them all together in a grand celebration of Castilian culture and nature.
The province of Castilla y León is the geographic, historic, and emotional heart of Spain. Named for its numerous castles, Castile was the stronghold of Catholic reconquistadores, the summer retreat of the Bourbon kings, and the birthplace of the Spanish language. Romanesque villages dot an ancient landscape and fairytale palaces frame stunning views of snow-capped sierras. Vast horizons are punctuated by walled UNESCO World Heritage cities whose approach is made all the more dramatic by bike: Segovia, with its first-century Roman aqueduct and Moorish fortress; Ávila, enclosed by perfectly-preserved medieval walls and turrets, and Salamanca, famed for its arcaded Plaza Mayor, flamboyant cathedrals, and lively university quarter.
Between these icons of Castile, our cycling route crosses a spacious and varied natural landscape, much beloved by Spaniards but little-known outside the country. Deep river canyons carve through the timeworn limestone plateaus of the Massif Central. Miles of open pasturelands, flanked by the towering Sierra de Guadarrama, are seemingly inhabited only by horses, cattle, and fighting bulls. The Gredos National Reserve is a hidden treasure of granite mountain peaks and shimmering alpine lakes. On our final day’s ride into Salamanca, the landscape softens into a gentle plain dotted with groves of holm oak and whitewashed cortijos.
Our Castilian accommodations are specially selected for their character, authenticity, and superb locations, and include a traditional townhouse dating from the 11th century, a stylish country resort in the heart of the Gredos, and palacios restored as charming small hotels in the Old Quarters of Segovia, Ávila, and Salamanca. Join us as we discover el corazón de España! 
Day
4: Leave Segovia through the royal hunting grounds of the Palacio de Riofrio. Graceful stone walls and grazing bulls line the road to Ávila, another World Heritage city. An afternoon walking tour explores its monuments, market squares, and the Convento de Santa Teresa, built over the birthplace of the 16th-century mystic. Before dinner, enjoy a sunset paseo along the 12th-century city walls. (43 mi.)
Day 6: Through the heart of the Gredos National Reserve! Descend through an alpine amphitheater of granite peaks (topped by the 8,400-foot Pico Almanzor, the highest mountain in central Spain) to the Rio Tormes valley. Stop in the market town of El Barco de Ávila for a riverside picnic and swim before continuing to lovely Candelario, unique for its stone and timber houses with characteristic half doors. (39 mi.)