A tour based out of one hotel for the road bike enthusiast!

Experience Bilbao and its surroundings in the best way possible: from the seat of a bike.

You will bike in Basque Country on high-quality road bikes, guided by local, ex-professional athletes. You will challenge yourself with climbs such as the Orduña pass, the Urkiola pass, and the Humaran pass. Delightful villages like Asúa, Mungia, and Armintza will enchant you with their traditional architecture and culture. The incredible gastronomy of the region will ensure your strength is renewed for each cycling stage.

Don't be intimated by the difficulty level, a support van will always be available to provide technical assistance, snacks, and transportation for any section you don't wish to cycle, and an experienced physiotherapist will ensure your muscles are rejuvenated. And the best part: you can rent a high-quality electric road bike if you want!

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Highlights

• Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve
• The underwater winery Crusoe Treasure, the world’s first underwater winery and artificial reef
• Private guided tour of the Guggenheim Museum
• Delicious cuisine including a meal at an award-winning Michelin-star restaurant
• Massage by a professional physiotherapist
• San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a filming location of Game of Thrones

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Daily program

Day 1: Arrival in Bilbao
Upon your arrival in Bilbao, you will be transferred from the airport to the Miró Hotel by private vehicle. There will be a briefing on the tour, detailing the bike rides and other activities. You will also receive your bike and all other tour material.

Meals included: B

Day 2: Roundtrip Lezama, Derio, and Asua (31 miles/50 km)
The day begins with a visit to one of the most emblematic places of Bilbao: Artxanda mountain. Here you will get the best views of the city. After walking around Artxanda, you will descend to the Vivero, a popular picnic area among the locals. From there, you will head towards the Txorierri, where the scenery transforms from a quiet valley into an important industrial section of the metropolitan area of the city.

You will go through some inland villages such as Larrabetxu, Lezama, Zamudio, Derio, and Sondika until reaching Asúa. You will then take the road along the estuary to return to Bilbao, from where you will pass through the historic neighborhood of Deusto, where one of the most prestigious universities in Spain is located, as well as iconic places such as the Tiger building, by the famous Biscayan architect Pedro Ispizua.

Accumulative climb: 3,051 ft/930 mts.

Meals included: B, L, D

Day 3: Roundtrip Orduña Climb (84 miles/135 km)
Starting in the center of Bilbao, today you will head towards the interior of Bizkaia and the Ayala Valley, with its overflowing nature and towns with centuries of history.

Along the Encartaciones road, the westernmost region of Bizkaia, you will reach Sodupe and then take the road to Okondo. This peaceful municipality has splendid natural viewpoints, offering numerous opportunities to enjoy its green landscapes and rich cultural heritage. From there, you will head towards Amurrio until reaching the emblematic town of Orduña. Orduña's historical importance will be clear, from its narrow cobbled streets to the buildings of great interest.

A tough ascent awaits you, but the incredible views will make the 7km climb well worth it! Afterward, you'll make your way to Artziniega. A quiet and cozy medieval village located in the Ayala Valley, which has some of the most striking urban centers of Euskadi, with impressive tower houses, emblazoned palaces, and cobbled streets. From there, you will gradually return to Bilbao.

Accumulative climb: 6,726 ft/2,050 mts.

Meals included: B, L, D

Day 4: Roundtrip Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve (75 miles/120 km)
Leaving Bilbao through its iconic estuary, you will head to Asua. After a gentle climb to warm up, you will descend to Mungia, a small town surrounded by mountains and a multitude of farmhouses, some of them built between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

You will continue flat to Gerekiz, a pass with 2 km of ascent. A fast and fun descent of 6 km will lead you to Gernika, famous for the bombing suffered during the Spanish Civil War, the famous painting of Pablo Picasso, and a wonderful symbol of Basque culture.

From here, you will cycle to the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, passing by some of the most beautiful beaches of the Biscayan coast: Laga, undoubtedly one of the most photographed beaches of the Basque Country, and Laida, an impressive dynamic sandy beach whose strong tides in winter change its appearance every year. Urdaibai, famous for its beauty, is a protected nature reserve with breathtaking views.

You will conquer another pass of 5 km, gradually returning to the imposing medieval castle of Butrón. To finish this beautiful stage, you will ascend to Unbe and end the tour in Bilbao. After your ride, you will enjoy a massage from a professional physiotherapist.

Accumulative climb: 8,760 ft/2,670 mts.

Meals included: B, L, D

Day 5: Roundtrip Markaida, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, and Plentzia (58 miles/94 km)
This morning, you will pass through some beautiful villages in the interior of Bizkaia.

You will take a backroad to Markaida and then to Larrauri, where spectacular palaces were built. You will continue along the coastal route that goes through Jata, which will allow you spectacular views of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a protected biotope, which will captivate you with its dazzling landscape in the middle of the sea. Its spectacular beauty led it to be chosen as a filming location for the famous TV series, Game of Thrones.

You will continue pedaling towards Plentzia, a coastal town with beautiful beaches. Plentzia is a pleasant and cozy coastal town located about 25 kilometers from Bilbao, in a beautiful bay overlooking the sea. It is one of the most demanded localities by the Biscayans themselves to enjoy the summer season.

Finally, you will return to Bilbao along the coast.

Accumulative climb: 7,415 ft/2,260 mts.

Meals included: B, L (lunch onboard a boat over the Underwater Winery)

Day 6: Roundtrip Urkiola climb (90 miles/145 km)
Today you have a memorable stage ahead of you. Starting from Bilbao, you will reach Larrabetzu before ascending another slope of Morga, then down Gerekiz towards Gernika.

You will climb Mendata, an exceptional natural area surrounded by green mountains until reaching the Balcony of Bizkaia. On the slopes of Mount Oiz, south of the Biosphere Reserve of Urdaibai, this viewpoint gives you one of the best panoramic views of the Urdaibai basin.

There are a few kms of flat terrain before facing the climb to Urkiola, the mythical ascent of the Basque cycling races. It is the hardest pass of the trip due to the harshness of its ramps, but also the most spectacular and the one with the longest history in Basque cycling. It is 6 km without rest, with an average gradient of 9.13% and a maximum gradient of 14%.

The lovely Sanctuary of Urkiola awaits you at the finish. According to tradition, the person who turns seven times around the rock known as “the meteorite” located in front of it, will find a partner.

Today's stage finishes with the descent of Dima, one of the longest and most fun in the region with 11 uninterrupted kilometers of beautiful scenery. A massage from a physiotherapist will be the cherry on top of a spectacular day.

Accumulative climb: 13,124 ft/4,000 mts.

Meals included: B, L, D

Day 7: Roundtrip Humaran and Bezi Passes (48 miles/77 km)
Leaving from Bilbao, today's stage takes you to the westernmost region of Bizkaia, the Encartaciones. A natural environment that extends to the west between valleys, peaks, and forests and an infinite tangle of roads and more than two hundred caves.

Two passes await you today: the Humaran pass, pleasant and long, which prepares you for the Bezi pass, short but intense. It is a good challenge before crossing the historic town of Balmaseda.

Balmaseda is the first town founded in Bizkaia in the 12th century, located in a narrow gorge bathed by the waters of the river Kadagua. A medieval bridge spans its waters and protects the old town, full of churches, mansions, and stately homes.

You will return to Bilbao in the afternoon where you will be transported to the airport unless you wish to extend your stay in this delightful city! Refer to pricing for additional night details.

Accumulative climb: 5,250 ft/1,600 mts.

Meals included: B, L

Surface and terrain

This tour takes place on totally paved roads.

Hotels

Hotel Miró, Bilbao
www.mirohotelbilbao.com

This 4-star boutique hotel is located across the street from the Guggenheim Museum, in the center of Bilbao. Should this hotel be unavailable, we will do our best to find another. All accommodations will be at least 4-star.

How to get there

Nearest airport: Bilbao, Spain
Nearest train station: Bilbao-Abando

The closest airport for arrival and departure is Bilbao Airport. A transfer to and from the airport is included in the tour cost.

Dates

Prices

Included services

• 6 nights accommodation in a 4-star hotel
• Transfer to and from Bilbao airport in a private van
• All Breakfasts
• 6 x light lunches on the road
• 4 x dinners which include a selection of wines, beer, and other drinks
• 1 x dinner at the award-winning one-star Michelin Mina restaurant
• Visit to the underwater winery Crusoe Treasure (wine tasting on board)
• Snacks and drinks during the cycling routes
• Cycling jersey
• Water bottle
• Bilingual professional tour guide (English-Spanish)
• Support van
• 1 x massage by a professional physiotherapist
• Daily laundry for cycling gear
• Daily bicycle cleaning
• Private guided tour of the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum
• Personalized photo album of the tour

Bike rentals

Trek Emonda SL 6 Disc Road Bike
This bicycle can deal with the toughest mountains, the steepest descents, the tightest curves and the fastest sprints. The hydraulic disc brakes have great breaking power and control regardless of the type of road and the weather conditions.

BH Core Gravelx Carbon 2.6 Electric Bike
Lightweight, carbon e-bike, designed with the technology used in the frames of BH’s high-end road bike range. This electric bike has an incredible range (165 km and up to 220 km) thanks to a combination of low motor consumption and a 540Wh battery. The Core display is fully integrated into the stem and it features a button that allows you to increase or reduce the assistance level, through an LED color system.

Pedals (please specify)
Shimano, Look, or standard pedals 

Helmet (available on request)

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

Tour Company