Cycling Spain’s Land of the Conquistadors

4.5/5 (8)
6 nights
35 miles/day
Self guided from EUR € 1084
Bike tour in Spain
Rider Level: Active Electric bike tours Client favorites

Cycling Spain’s Land of the Conquistadors

4.5/5 (8)

Rider Level: Active Electric bike tours Client favorites

6 nights
35 miles/day

Self guided from EUR € 1084
Bike tour in Spain

Tap above to jump to different sections of this tour

  • Cycling Spain’s Land of the Conquistadors

    This unique tour cycles from Parador to Parador in Extremadura, west Spain. This tour features luxury hotels with a focus on historic buildings such as restored palaces, monasteries, or castles.

    The route starts in the old castle of Oropesa and takes you through the south side of the Gredos Mountains in the La Vera region, a place rich in agriculture. You will get to cycle to three beautiful old cities: Plasencia, Trujillo, and Caceres, traveling along Monfrague National Park, famous for its spectacular bird life. Extremadura is the land of the Spanish Conquistadors that grew in wealth from the conquest of South America.

    If you are interested in a guided experience, please contact us for details and pricing.

    • Cycling Spain’s Land of the Conquistadors Bike Tour
    • Delicious Spanish wines! Brett Jordan@Unsplash
    • Monfragüe National Park, Extremadura, Spain. Raul Hidalgo@Flickr
    • Trujillo, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. VALDITHRASH@Flickr
    • Villanueva de la Vera, Spain.
    • Vineyards! Nacho Dominquez Argenta@Unsplash
    • Cáceres, Spain. Alex Chaves@Unsplash
    • Monfragüe National Park, Extremadura, Spain. CC:Jorn Wendland

    View more photos

    Highlights

    • Parador Hotels
    • Cathedral & Old Town in Plasencia
    • Monfragüe National Park
    • Historic town of Trujillo
    • Monumental city of Cáceres

    Learn More

    Learn more about self-guided tours or see more Spain bike tours.

  • Traveler photos

    • Bike overlooking Tajo River (photo by Miguel7844)

    Cycling Spain’s Land of the Conquistadors

     Tour Description Daily Program 

  • Daily program

    Day 1: Oropesa
    Oropesa is easily reached by train from Madrid (1 hour and 40 minutes).
    Overnight in Oropesa

    Day 2: Oropesa to Jarandilla de la Vera (34-42 mi/55-67 km)
    Today you will cycle on flat land amongst typical Mediterranean woodland towards the foothills of the Sierra del Gredos.
    Overnight in Jarandilla de la Vera

    Day 3: Jarandilla de la Vera to Plasencia (36-42 mi/59-69 km)
    An easy cycle through lovely countryside takes us to the historic town of Plasencia with its beautiful cathedral and old center.
    Overnight in Plasencia

    Day 4: Plasencia to National Park of Monfragüe (27 mi/44 km)
    Today you begin the day cycling south towards the Tajo River. As you enter the National Park of Monfragüe, watch its famous bird life. On the way, you will enjoy the landscape of grazing land with holy oaks and cork trees. The landscape is dotted with large farms that are dedicated to raising wild bulls and the famous black “iberico” pig.
    Overnight in Monfragüe

    Day 5: Monfragüe to Trujillo (31 mi/49 km)
    Another cycle through Mediterranean woodland to reach Trujillo. Trujillo is one of the areas most important historic and cultural towns and is certainly one of Spain's finest gems. The walled hilltop town, which overlooks the countryside dates back to 600 BC.
    Overnight in Trujillo

    Day 6: Trujillo to Cáceres (34 mi/56 km)
    The last day of cycling gives you a last chance to explore this beautiful landscape, crossing little villages along the way to reach the historic city of Cáceres. Strolling along the narrow cobble stone streets of the old city center, having a drink in one of its small old taverns, and enjoying a terrace in one of its plazas are all great ways to end your holiday.
    Overnight in Cáceres

    Day 7: Departure
    Departure from Cáceres or extra nights.

    Surface and terrain

    The tour has very reasonable length cycling days. Most of the cycling is done through relatively flat terrain on tarmac roads, although there are some climbs.

    Tarmac: 99%. Cycle track: 1%.


    Hotels

    These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability.

    The accommodations on this tour are mostly Paradors. Paradors are a semi Estate owned chain of high-end hotels that offer superb service. Their uniqueness lies in the fact that they are all placed in renovated, historic buildings such as palaces, castles or convents. One of the accommodations is a restored traditional country farmhouse.

    Oropesa: Parador de Oropesa

    Jarandilla de la Vera: Parador de Jarandilla de la Vera

    Plasencia: Parador de Plasencia

    Monfrague: Palacio Viejo de las Corchuelas

    Trujillo: Parador de Trujillo

    Cáceres: Parador de Cáceres

    Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.


    How to get there

    Tour start
    Nearest airport: Madrid-Barajas airport
    Nearest train station: Madrid

    To reach the tour start, you can take a train from Madrid train station to Oropesa train station, 2 kms from the Parador. There are 5 trains a day which take approximately 2 hours and cost about €15.

    Tour end
    Nearest airport: Madrid-Barajas airport
    Nearest train station: Cáceres

    At the tours's end, you can take a train from Cáceres to Madrid. There are 5 trains a day, and the trip lasts about 4 hours and costs about €30.

    Tips on getting to and from your tour


    Cycling Spain’s Land of the Conquistadors

     Tour Photos Dates & Prices 

  • Dates

    Daily, upon request: Mar 1 - Jun 30; Sep 1 - Nov 30, 2024

    Prices

    Tour package

    Per person, double occupancy €1084
    Single use room (1 person/1 room) €1356
    Solo traveler (1 person in party with single use room) €1637

    Bike rentals

    Standard touring bike, 24-speed €100
    Electrically assisted bike €180
    GPS unit (1 per room) €32

    Additional Options

    Hotel upgrades (to superior rooms, 5 nights) €105
    Dinner package €226
    Transfer from Madrid to Oropesa (1-6 people) €255
    Transfer from Caceres to Madrid (1-6 people) €544

    Extra night in Madrid and Caceres upon request.

    Included services

    • 6 nights accommodation
    • Daily breakfast
    • Luggage transfers between hotels
    • Detailed maps with your trail clearly marked
    • Roadbook with itinerary, recommendations, and tourist information
    • Emergency telephone support
    • Activity insurance

    Bike rentals

    Bikes available to be rented (reserved in advance at time of booking):

    • Standard touring bikes, 24-speed or equivalent (men's or ladies')
    • Electrically assisted bike*

    *More about electrically-assisted bikes >

    All bikes are equipped with:

    • Rear rack and pannier
    • Mudguards
    • Bottle holder
    • Odometer
    • Waterproof map holder and stand
    • Helmet
    • Repair kit, pump, spare inner tube, multi-tool (per room)

    GPS units are available to rent for €30 (1 per room)

    Bike Protection:
    Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.

    Pedals:
    The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.

    Helmets:
    Helmets are included with the bike rental. For safety and hygiene reasons, we still recommend that you bring your own helmet.


    Tour Company


    Cycling Spain’s Land of the Conquistadors

     Daily program Route Map 

  • Route Map

    Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.


    Cycling Spain’s Land of the Conquistadors

     Dates & Prices Tour Reviews 

    • Miguel7844 October 21, 2019

      Amazing Cycling Experience

      What a great trip! Just imagine staying in old castles as lodging and cycling from one castle to another going past ancient rivers and seeing condors fly right above you. That’s what you have in this trip. The cycling was challenging enough to keep myself engaged as an avid cyclist. The best part if this trip was going thru small towns and cycling in a part of Spain that isn’t talked about enough. Extremadura is an amazing place to visit!!!

      What was the date of your tour?
      October 5, 2019
      How many tours have you completed?
      2
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Somewhat harder
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      Solo travelers
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • Bike overlooking Tajo River (photo by Miguel7844)
      • 5/5 Value
      • 5/5 Included meals
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection
    • DRC1 October 8, 2019

      Great intro to Extremadura

      An area with tons of sites and (relatively) little visited. Can you say Juradilla de la Vera? The Paradors are outstanding. Only down side of trip is that it involves a substantial amount of blacktop. Plus side of that is that it is usually lightly trafficked. We had ebikes and grateful we did because some of the days are long and with a difficulty greater than I would have otherwise enjoyed. The bikes were first rate, German built with Bosch drives. Can’t comment on support because we needed none.

      What was the date of your tour?
      Sept/Oct 2019
      How many tours have you completed?
      10
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Somewhat harder
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      Solo travelers, Families with teens
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • 4/5 Value
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 4/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 4/5 Route selection
    • CJ4EY March 30, 2019

      Fabulous Paradors - Challenging Cyclying

      We really enjoyed the Paradors as each one is historical and unique. The biking is through rural countryside and is very pretty, and the temperatures in March were perfect. The directions provided by the tour company were outstanding! The surface of the trip is along asphalt roads, but I think it should be noted that the terrain is very hilly. The only flat section of the trip is the first half of the first cycling day and last cycling day. Otherwise, you’re climbing or descending, and since descending is much faster, you’re spending most of your days climbing. It was our 8th trip and definitely the most challenging. Another aspect of the trip is there is a lot of traffic passing at high speeds. While most of drivers are courteous in the amount of space given, if you’re accustomed of cycling without traffic, it can be very disconcerting. It a lovely trip, but I think the surface and terrain need to be disclosed.

      What was the date of your tour?
      March 2019
      How many tours have you completed?
      8
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Much harder
      Do you recommend this tour?
      No
      • 4/5 Value
      • 4/5 Included meals
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 4/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 2/5 Route selection
    • Brad2008 November 28, 2018

      very nice lodging and service

      Great places to stay and eat. Great service. It was definitely hilly but beautful.

      What was the date of your tour?
      November 2018
      How many tours have you completed?
      15
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Somewhat harder
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      Solo travelers
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • 4/5 Value
      • 5/5 Included meals
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 4/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection
    • ned75 November 10, 2018

      Two small issues. When we arrived at Oropresa (TO) the printed material told us to ring the Paradore to organize a taxi. Unfortunately the reception did not speak English (only in this Paradore) and we could not get an answer (after they hung up they did not answer the phone any more). Good thing that the station master spoke English and gave us the Taxi number whihc is 670841586. We suggest that the tour operator changes his instructions and tells people to ring the taxi directly.

      also unfortunately the second day is on a very busy road but the rest is ok

      What was the date of your tour?
      October
      How many tours have you completed?
      three
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Somewhat harder
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • 5/5 Value
      • 5/5 Included meals
      • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 4/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 4/5 Local tour company services
      • 3/5 Route selection
    • Amy M August 8, 2018

      Unbelievably Amazing

      My husband and I took this self-guided tour in mid-June. It was the fourth trip booked through biketours. Despite hot weather (above 90 degrees farenheit every day) and elevation profiles that were definitely a bit more than anticipated, we loved this tour. The route was interesting, with lots to see. The Paradors were some of the nicest, most comfortable hotels I have stayed in as part of a cycling tour. The bikes were in good working order, and we didn't need assistance. The only thing to keep in mind is that Extremadura shuts down on Sundays, and services, especially groceries, are hard to come by. With the help of biketours and the local company, we booked a second night in the Monfrague National Park, which provided a much-needed day off the saddle, and the opportunity to take a bird watching tour with Monfrague Vivo. The trip was definitely an experience we won't soon forget!

      What was the date of your tour?
      June 14-20, 2018
      How many tours have you completed?
      4
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Somewhat harder
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • 5/5 Value
      • 4/5 Included meals
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 1/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection
    • Long legs June 21, 2018

      Challenging and wonderful!

      To be in the Extremadura on a bike was a dream. Many hills but wonderful rewards. A lot of beautiful solitude in varied remote and rural landscapes.

      What was the date of your tour?
      5/12/18
      How many tours have you completed?
      3
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Somewhat harder
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      Solo travelers
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • 5/5 Value
      • 5/5 Included meals
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection
    • Big Wave Dave June 24, 2016

      A Beautiful Ride With Great Accommodations

      This was our tenth self-directed tours with BikeTours.com and was one of the best. The seven of us - three quite fit mid-sixties and four thirty-somethings - had a fun time exploring the very pretty countryside and ancient towns. The Paradors were spectacular - the best accommodations we've had on a trip. The rides were challenging with a good bit of ups and downs. The bikes were relatively new and in good shape. As usually happens, we had a couple of mechanical challenges, but the support team was excellent and made the issues into an adventure rather than a detriment.

      What was the date of your tour?
      May 2016
      How many tours have you completed?
      11
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Somewhat harder
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      Families with teens
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      • 5/5 Value
      • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 4/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection

    Cycling Spain’s Land of the Conquistadors

     Route Map Book This Tour 

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