This user’s experienceby Matt Henderson, since 2003

This page contains a compilation of our hiking, road and mountain bike cycling routes, mostly around Andalucia, Spain. If you use any of these, please consider saying hello by dropping us a comment at the bottom of the page.

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• Road Cycling Routes…
• Mountain Bike Cycling Routes…
• Hiking/Walking Routes…

Road Cycling Routes

✪ Marbella→Ojen→Coin→Juanar
70 km ( Profile Image, Google Maps, GPX File)

This is a relatively hard route beginning from Marbella, climbing to Ojen (and climbing the Ojen switchbacks), continuing on to Coin (through the old highway), climbing the big hill back to Monda, and then on to Juanar. I’d forgotten to turn on the GPS returning from Juanar, so you should add another 16 km on the downhill return to Marbella, for a total of 70km.

A shorter variation (50 km), one can turn around in Monda ( Profile Image, Google Maps, GPX File)

✪ Marbella→Istan→Marbella

This is the “classic” daily ride for all cyclists in Marbella, riding up the beautiful mountain road to Istán. There’s two short but steep climbs towards the beginning, then it’s a gentle 14km climb to the pueblo. Many cyclists climb it multiple times for additional kilometers in their training.

✪ Marbella→Puente de Hierro

This is the “classic” Saturday morning ride, taking us from Marbella all the way down the coast to Sotogrande.

✪ Marbella→Parador de Tolox
85 km ( Profile Image, Google Maps, GPX File)

This challenging route takes us from Marbella up the Puerto de Ojen, then through the rolling terrain of Monda and Guaro, finally arriving in Tolox. In Tolox, we ride up to the Balneario, and then up the steep 3.2km climb to the mountain hotel.

✪ Estepona→Casares→Manilva→Estepona
44 km ( Profile Image, Google Maps, GPX File)

Sometimes I take the car from Marbella to Estepona, and ride this loop to Casares, carrying on to Manilva, and then back to Estepona. An additional flat 55km can be added, for a total of about 100km, if you begin the ride in Marbella..

✪ Tolox→Alozaina→Zalea→Coin→Tolox

This medium difficulty loop begins at the Venta (restaurant) at the Tolox turn-off (i.e. not actually in Tolox), and begins immediately climbing to Alozaina. From there, it continues on towards Casarabonela, turns right towards Zalea, right again towards Malaga, right again towards Villafranco, then Coin, and finally back to Tolox.

✪ Puerto Martinez to El Burgo to Alozaina to Casarabonela

This is one of my absolute favorite rides. It’s at the same time challenging, not too short and not too long, passes through spectacular scenery, and on roads that don’t see a lot of traffic. We park at the dirt parking area at the trailhead of the Puerto Martinez hike (just above Casarabonela), and then descend down to the junction to El Burgo and Ardales. On your left of this descent is the beautiful Sierra Prieta mountain range. We turn left and ride into El Burgo, where we turn left again and climb up to the Puerto de las Abejas. From there we descend down through Yunquera to Alozaina, where we turn left and head back towards Casarabonela, ending with a 9km beautiful climb back to the car.

✪ Ronda→Estacion de San Roque

This is one of my favorite rides. Taking the car from Marbella, I park at one of the ventas at the first round-about before Ronda (usually at the Venta Higuero). The one-way ride starts from Ronda and climbs for about 10km, then continues up and down to Gaucin (35km). After Gaucin, there’s a 15km down-hill stretch, before continuing on flat past Jimena de la Frontera and on to Estacion de San Roque. In Estacion de San Roque, I take the spectacular train ride (1.5 hours) back to Ronda.

✪ Cartajima to Carretera de Ronda to Pujerra to Juzcar

An absolutely beautiful ride through the Valle del Genal. Narrow roads, very little traffic. Particularly recommended during October, when the chestnut harvest season is on.

✪ Casarabonela→El Chorro→Alora→Casarabonela
73km (GPX File)

✪ Alora→Yunquera→Ardales→Alora
85 km (GPX File)

Mountain Bike Cycling Routes

✪ Marbella→Istan→Monda→Marbella
53 km ( Profile Image, Google Maps, GPX File)

This is the “classic” MTB ride from Marbella. We start by climbing the usual road to Istan, stopping for water at the Naciemiento de Istan (the river head). We continue on around the backside of the mountain range on the beautiful dirt path all the way until we get to the Ojen highway (careful not to turn left at the Tolox intersection midway on the dirt path). At the Ojen highway, we turn left, and head back down to Marbella.

Hiking/Walking Routes

✪ Benaojan→Montejaque
11.7 km ( Profile Image, Google Maps, GPX File)

This walk begins in Benaojan, climbs up the zig-zag path, and then down the gradual backside of the mountain (and over the famous Cueva del Gato). It continues on to the cross which would lead to Ronda (off to the right). We, however, turn left, and back up an over the mountain (on the other side), eventually coming to the Ermita de Montejaque, and then back down the Montejaque zig-zag and back down the road to Benoajan. It’s a beautiful hike!

That’s all!

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