oregonhusker

I'm looking for a town to call home in Spain from mid-March to mid-May. I'd like to live somewhere with lots of very small, lightly traveled country roads, with many small towns to explore. Something like what exists in many parts of France where every few kilometers you stumble on a town with a small town square, a cafe, a bakery, and a cathedral and they are connected by many narrow country roads. Preferably relatively flat. The reason: I have a one year old child and want to explore but within a 30ish km radius of home base. Any recommendations would be much appreciated!

indyfabz

Somewhere in Andalucia, like Ronda, would be nice except it ain’t flat. Ask me how I know.

Maybe research somewhere east of Sevilla, but it could be relatively boring. The Rough Guide makes a travel book for Spain in general and one for Andalucia specifically.

oregonhusker

Ha! We checked out Ronda as a potential. Overrun by tourists: buses coming and coming every day in huge numbers. And the hills too.

indyfabz

I was in Ronda twice. Once in March without a bike and once during Semana Santa during a 7 week tour. The town itself was crowded the second time (for obvious reasons), but most of the surrounding roads were not busy. IIRC, Castile-Lamancha is relatively flat. Maybe Aranjuez. You’d be an easy train ride from Madrid, and it’s home to the old summer palace.

skidder

Try posting your question in the 'Touring' forum below. There's at least one guy who frequents it who lives in Spain, a few others who have experience bicycling around Espana.

MarcusT

The problem is; if someone here knows about it, it's probably over-run with tourists. Outside of major cities and tourist attractions, Spain is quite rural.
A lot o research should net you something nice.
Try sites like:
https://www.trip.me/blog/spain-off-the-beaten-track/
https://www.worldnomads.com/explore/...ten-path-spain

indyfabz

I remember the area to the east of Córdoba being relatively flat with farmlands. The weather was warm and dry at the end of March. That was nice after chilly, wet days in the Sierra Morena earlier in the tour.

ironwood

By May Andalucia can get very hot.

billridesbikes

Might have some trouble getting there, air travel is suspended between the US and most of Europe for at least next 30 days.

caloso

Galicia. Santiago de Compostela is well known as the destination for pilgrims on El Camino de Santiago but many of the beautiful coastal towns are hidden gems. Green and cool in the summer while the rest of Spain is hot

indyfabz

I toured there 20 years ago. Finished in Sevilla just at the end of April. It was still pleasant, but with the warming trend that area has been experiencing for more than a decade, I would bet May is a good deal warmer than it used to be. Several years ago, during the Vuelta, there was a time trial stage in Sevilla. It was held at night because of the heat yet it was still around 90 degrees--in September. That's crazy. The relatively flat area east of Sevilla was known to some as "Europe's frying pan."

hubcyclist

Or as the border crossing signs say "Galiza" (with Espana crossed out). My family is from a Portuguese border town and all the road signage is defaced in a similar manner. Not relevant to this topic but a fun fact, not sure if most folks are really against the central govt or if it's just a few die-hards. I've never been to Santiago (it's further east than we are) but where we're at is really rural, and great for cycling, but it does get hot in the summer.

dedhed

Better cancel those plans

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51888936

wphamilton

According to news reports today, some police in Spain are using Strava records to arrest people for violating the ban on recreational cycling. Not to say break Spanish law, but don't forget about the phone.

DJJonnyT

Not only that it's currently illegal to ride your bike outside in Spain during the pandemic. They don't want to risk overloading the health system anymore then it already is. NEXT year you should be able to find a deal but no way in hell would I go this spring.

Phil_gretz

Plan this trip for Spring 2021.