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Les Merindades - Cycling Holiday in the Green North of Castile, Spain

months available

January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Facilities & Awards

Description

“Las Merindades” form a green region which spreads over the northern third of the province of Burgos and the landscape radically breaks with the cliché that identifies Castile with an enormous and arid plateau: A gigantic and heterogeneous mosaic of ecosystems and natural landscape, -where copious and varied fauna live- still to be discovered. You will see a real green Spain with a great natural diversity and a colourful natural environment. The area is full of Romanesque churches and hermitages, towers, castles and medieval villages. Las Merindades contain vast valleys and elevated plateaus; large caves and sinuous canyons; waterfalls and large rivers; autochthonous forests and steep meadows.

The climate: a perfect synthesis between European mildness and Mediterranean luminosity. The ideal place to forget about stress of busy city life and to let oneself be carried away by the murmur of the water and wind and to delve into a dense network of millenary roads and evoking trails.

This tour is of an easy/medium level. Anyone normally fit is able to enjoy this biking tour.

Your luggage will be transported from one hotel to the other. So you only will carry a daypack or similar to carry snacks, a water bottle, and other personal items you wish to have for the day (binoculars, camera, etc).

Accommodation is in country guesthouses, selected for their charm and character, unique situation and personal attention. It offers you the possibility to get in close contact with the real Spain.

Holiday Details
Product ID: 1367
Type: Private Group Tour
Country: Spain
Theme: Biking Holidays
Region: Castile and Leon
Group Size: 2 or more
Start City: Medina de Pomar
Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights
Lodging: Charming Guesthouses
Season: Jan - Dec

Day by Day Itinerary: 9 Days / 8 Nights

DAY 1: MEDINA DE POMAR
- You will be received upon arrival by a representative. Medina de Pomar is a mediaeval town, with small streets and the towers of the Velasco family.
- You’re excellent hotel is a historic house with tower (built in the 15th century), just 3 km away of the town centre.
- Dinner
- Overnight in Medina de Pomar  D

DAY 2: MEDINA DE POMAR - VALLE DE MANZANEDO (easy: 32 of 50 km)
- Breakfast
- This first stage will lead you the river Ebro along, which aligns various interesting monuments like the cave-church of Argés and some Roman churches.
- Picnic Lunch during the day
- Dinner
- Overnight in Valle de Manzanedo  B, L, D

DAY 3: VALLE MANZANEDO - ROUNDTRIP (easy/medium: 30 of 45 km)
- Breakfast
- The valleys of Manzanedo and Zamanzas offer the most unspoiled villages and nature you can imagine: the Spain tourists never see.
- Take a break at the isolated village of Tudanca with unpaved streets, at the riverbank.
- Apart from a biking roundtrip through these valleys, there are several marked walking tours through some of the canyons.
- Picnic Lunch during the day
- Dinner
- Overnight in Valle de Manzanedo  B, L, D

DAY 4: VALLE MANZANEDO - SANTA GADEA (easy/medium: 31 km)
- Breakfast
- You will head out north, to the huge reservoir of the Ebro, with the Cantabrian mountain range at the background.
- On this route you will be able to visit some caves, bike across a highland and enter a huge beech-wood.
- Picnic Lunch during the day
- Dinner
- Overnight in Santa Gadea  B, L, D

DAY 5: SANTA GADEA - SONCILLO (easy or medium: 31 or 58 km)
- Breakfast
- The long tour will lead you all around the reservoir with interesting places like the roman ruins of Juliobriga or the Spa of Corconte.
- If you prefer, you can just visit the southern part of the lake and go to your next hotel: a renovated old watermill.
- Picnic Lunch during the day
- Dinner
- Overnight in Soncillo  B, L, D

DAY 6: SONCILLO - ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS (medium: 32 Km)
- Breakfast
- You will reach the southern spurs of the Cantabrian mountain range where you will find an impressive rocky crown of limestone and Cretaceous dolomites.
- The rivers Guareña and Trema have penetrated inside this thick massif to create the Karstic Complex of Ojo Guareña.
- You can visit the chapel of San Bernabé, built in one of the caves.
- Picnic Lunch during the day
- Dinner
- Overnight in Soncillo  B, L, D

DAY 7: ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS - FREE DAY
- Breakfast
- If you want, you can climb up for exceptional views over the valleys, with hundreds of stone shepherd’s cabins.
- If you want to stay in the valley, Espinosa de Los Monteros is an attractive town. You’re country guest house is just 7 km away.
- Picnic Lunch during the day
- Dinner
- Overnight in Espinosa de los Monteros  B, L, D

DAY 8: ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS - MEDINA DE POMAR (easy or medium: 42 Km. or 55 Km.)
- Breakfast
-Visit the salt-mines of Rosío or the lakes of Gayangos (bird watching), before this tour comes to an end in Medina de Pomar.
- Picnic Lunch during the day
- Dinner
- Overnight in Medina de Pomar  B, L, D

DAY 9: MEDINA DE POMAR
- Breakfast
- Departure from Las Merindades, extensions are available if you wish to stay longer, inquire for prices.  B

END OF TOUR SERVICES

Lodging: OVERNIGHTS

2 MEDINA DE POMAR (VILLANUEVA LALASTRA):
This marvellous country hotel lays just 3 Km. away from the mediaeval town of Medina de Pomar. A former country palace with defensive tower has been converted into an exclusive hotel which conserves much of the historical details. It has a bar, restaurant and garden.

2 VALLE MANZANEDO:
We picked out the most charming country guesthouses in this area. They only have up till 5 doubles, so we will use several of them. You always sleep in excellent rooms, receive a personal treatment and they offer tasty local dishes.

1 SANTA GADEA:
The owners have restored this house stone by stone on a quiet spot in a quiet village, just five km. from the Ebro-lake. The house has spacious rooms, a living room with fire place and excellent treatment.

1 SONCILLO:
A former watermill, at a 10 min. walk from the town of Soncillo (bank, bars, grocery shop) guarantee you a pleasant stay. Comfortable rooms, a dining room, home-cooked meals and a big garden.

2 ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS:
You will find your country guest house at 4, 7 or 14 km. from this interesting town, all in quiet villages. Every detail has been looked after and they all have a living room for guests.

THE TOUR INCLUDES:
- 8 Nights accommodation in Charming Country Guesthouses. The small country guesthouses, selected for their charm and character, unique situation and personal attention. They offer you the possibility to get in close contact with the real Spain. All rooms have private bathrooms.
- (B) Breakfasts daily, except day of arrival
- (L) Picnic lunches on days 2 till 8.
- (D) Dinners every night, except day of departure
- Luggage transfers during the stages to the next accommodation
- The documentation you will receive contains detailed route descriptions in English, marked maps and tourist information
- Customer telephone number, which you can call with any question
- Local Taxes

THE TOURS DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Entrance Fees
- Airfare
- Bike (Rental available, inquire for price)
- Optional Private Tour Addons
- Table Reservations
- Transfers not specified in itinerary
- Entrance fees when not with guide
- Beverages not specified in selected meals
- Meals not specified in itinerary
- Laundry Expenses
- Telephone & Facsimile charges
- Excess Baggage charges
- Passport & Visa fees
- Personal & Travel Insurance
- Airport & Departure Taxes
- Optional excursions
- Room Service
- Gratuities to Chauffeurs and Guides 

more details