The Region of Murcia, paradise for cyclists!

A huge range of destinations for two-wheeled travel in all corners of the Costa Cálida

Cycling tourism is becoming more and more popular throughout Europe and, for various reasons, the Region of Murcia is one of the most attractive destinations in Spain for people who enjoy exploring the Old Continent using pedal power!

Among these reasons are the superb climate, with an average of over 300 days of sunshine a year, the variety of the landscape and terrain and the wide range of special routes appealing to all kinds of cyclist, from expert mountain climbers (and descenders!) to those preferring to keep their bikes on flat ground and their legs relatively pain-free!

And the attractions of the “Costa Cálida” are readily endorsed, as cycling fans will quickly realize from the images accompanying this article, by the great Alejandro Valverde, who accumulated 133 victories during a glittering 20-year career as a rode racer and became world champion 2018, as well as winning a Tour of Spain and being named by Cycling Ranking the second most successful cyclist of all time.

But of course, the lure of Murcia is not restricted to only to its cycling routes, and any cyclist worth his or her salt will also find time to appreciate the rich natural environment, cultural and historical heritage and gastronomy…

Special cycling routes abound in the Region, and there are countless secondary and minor roads where the sight of groups of bikes is a common one on a daily basis (even more so at weekends, of course. For mountain bikers there are signposted off-road routes for all levels, and all over Murcia there are recommended excursions both for seasoned pedallers and for fun-seeking family groups.

One of the main concentrations of routes lies around the Greenway of North-West Murcia, an 80-kilometre route which largely follows and old railway track bed from the regional capital to Caravaca de la Cruz. This can be divided into shorter, easier stages (the preferred option for most families with young children), while on the other hand, sterner tests can be found in the mountains of Sierra Espuña, such as the Espubike network.

Similarly, there are stages within the Region of Murcia on the EuroVelo 8 trail, some of them highly demanding as the landscape becomes mountainous and others far more accessible in the flat terrain of the Mar Menor and south-east Murcia.

As cycling tourism has grown, so more and more infrastructures have emerged to support cyclists, including “bike-friendly” accommodation and specific services such as bicycle storage, washing bays, energy-filled menus and even sports physiotherapy. On top of this, there are countless cycle repair and maintenance specialists, rental outlets, specialist transport suppliers and guided tours, enabling you to design a complete cycling holiday with everything you need included.

One of the most positive side-effects of cycling tourism is that it brings a new facet to the attractions of inland parts of Murcia, where the routes generally run through and between areas of natural beauty, regional parks, delightful little towns, farming country and of course historic centres like the cities of Lorca and Cartagena as well as the charming Ricote Valley.

At the same time, of course, it goes without saying that cyclists contribute greatly to the growth of sustainable tourism!

Finally, it can’t be forgotten that moist of the cycling routes in the Region of Murcia inevitably take riders to places which are all but inaccessible by other means of transport! These include hidden covers, valleys and inland paths which cars cannot reach, while to get there on foot would require a long and arduous trek which not many undertake.

In this way, the bike becomes a great advantage for independent travellers moving at their own speed and in their own time, exploring unusual and largely unknown places at their leisure.

So, if you’re considering a cycling trip to Spain, why not explore the Region of Murcia? To help you decide the details, consult this guide to some of the most popular routes and destinations, or take a look at this map of the most frequently chosen suggested routes!

Source: ITREM