For Cyclists

We originally bought the apartment because it was the best mix of cycling, beaches and beautiful white villages - after all, who doesn't appreciate a steep climb all the more when it opens up to a stunning vista and a welcome cup of coffee?

We've since used it as a base for training camps, cycling holidays, and sometimes just for a long weekend, fitting in three decent rides in glorious winter sunshine before heading home happy. Below, you'll find all the info you need to have a great cycling holiday here, and, on the next page, there's some detailed route maps and an itinerary if you want to spend a full week out on the bike.

The terrain

You get a real variety of options straight from the apartment door. Head to the coast, and there's miles and miles of flat or gently undulating tarmac to explore, but head inland, and the road tilts up, and then some!

If, like me, you love the climbs then you'll want to head up to Mijas Antennae. There's several routes up to the look out above the white village that allow you a fantastic vista, before dropping down into one of the most beautiful white villages around. The final climb itself is about 5km at an average of 9.8% and cars aren't allowed on it, making it all the more enjoyable!

There's longer climbs, like Puerto del Leon and El Chorro detailed below, and there's a whole bunch of really punchy routes you can do amongst the golf courses nearby. So if you want to spend all day on the bike and rack up the meters, or get in a couple of good hours before hitting the beach, the choice is yours.

Mountain biking

I tend to stick to the tarmac, but the area is also really good for mountain biking, especially if you head up to El Chorro. Right next to the apartment there's a whole web of gravel tracks worth exploring but for more detail on this, ask Antonio or Ashley, who run bike businesses, and whose details are outline below.

The weather

The great thing about this part of Spain is obviously the weather! I regulalry get out for weeks in November, or February when it would just be far too cold to enjoy serious miles in the UK and I enjoy hours and hours of sunshine riding the hills near Mijas. It has been cold occasionally, especially on the longer winter rides, but you can expect glorious sunshine for most of the year.

In summer, it does get ferociously hot - so bear that in mind. But, being Spain, you will find every bar and restaurant more than happy to fill up your water bottles for you, and plenty of places to stop and get a coffee or a beer.

Your bike

The apartment has more than enough space for you to store your bikes inside, or on one of the two balconies. It's on the first floor, so it's not a hassle to get the bikes in, and it's very secure, so you're fine to leave them on the balcony overnight or when you go out without them. 

Kit & supplies

There's a number of bike shops in Fuengirola but there's also a large Decathlon a couple of kms from the apartment. This has everything you need from chamois cream and gels, to spare pedals, helmets and bike parts. So if you forget anything, or would rather buy energy bars etc. after you arrive, it's a really good option - and not expensive either. You'll also find more specialist bike shops dotted along the coast, from Marbella to Fuengirola to Malaga.

Bike rental & holidays

If you don't want to bring your own bike, then there's a fantastic rental in Fuengirola run by Antonio, and his son, Antonio Jr. They have a great range of well-maintained bikes for very reasonable hire fees and you can swap between road and mountain too. If going for less than a week, I will rent from Antonio and just take my own pedals etc. You can also ask him about mountain bike routes, if that's more your thing.

And, finally, if you want to spend more time inland, I couldn't recommend Ashley and Claire at Andalucian Cycling Experience more highly. Based in Ronda, they run cycling holidays year round in the neighboroughing hills and will happily look after you for a few days or a couple of weeks at a time, taking you on epic guided rides, renting you equipment, or just helping you out with the best routes. Ashley can also sort you out with guided mountain bike holidays (or gravel) and loves to spend time doing that around El Chorro too.