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Experience the passion and excitement of our “La Vuelta” cycling trip to Spain during the second week of the race, as it travels across the north of Spain.
We’ll have the opportunity to cycle the route of La Vuelta for ourselves mere hours before the pro cyclists, before heading to our VIP seats at the finish line to watch a peloton full of cycling stars fight for first place.
The Vuelta is the most intimate of the three major professional cycling tours: the relaxed atmosphere and easy access to the professional cyclists and their teams make it a very special cycling experience. Accommodation in luxury 4* and 5* hotels; VIP access to restricted race areas; logistical support from our van at all times; carefully-selected guided cycling routes; as well as the company of our experienced guides, guarantee that your La Vuelta experience will be not only a spectacular cycling experience, but also a fantastic gastronomic and cultural tour. We are confident that our La Vuelta bike tour will be a trip that you will never forget.
Day 1: Monday, September 1st. Bilbao.
Arrival day
Accommodation: Hotel ABBA Euskalduna
Welcome to Bilbao, and to your La Vuelta bike tour!
Arrival at leisure at the hotel. Bilbao has its own airport, and is well-connected with national and international destinations.
If you would like any assistance in booking extra nights in Bilbao, or organising transport to the start of the tour, please contact your Bike Spain Tours travel consultant for their recommendations.
The star attraction of the trendy Basque city of Bilbao is of course the Guggenheim Museum! Take a selfie with “Puppy”, Jeff Koons’ colourful dog sculpture made from living flowers, “Maman”, Louise Bourgeois’ enormous spider sculpture, and Anish Kapoor’s “The tall tree and the eye”.
Bilbao also offers plenty of opportunities to sample the world-famous Basque gastronomy. For an authentic local experience, visit the bars of the city’s old quarter and try pintxos: beautifully-designed little bites displayed on the bars!
Day 2: Tuesday, September 2nd. Bilbao
Accommodation: Hotel ABBA Euskalduna
Our La Vuelta tour begins with a beautiful cycle route along the stunning Basque coastline!
We’ll travel out of the city by van and begin our cycle route at one of the most magical spots in the whole region: the beautiful island hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a 9th century fortified chapel recently made famous in its role as a filming location for Game of Thrones.
From here, we’ll explore the dramatic cliffs, rolling green hills and sprawling vineyards of the Basque coast, before finishing with a stop for lunch in a picturesque fishing village: seafood fresh from the Bay of Biscay, washed down with a glass of local txakoli wine!
Day 3: Wednesday, September 3rd. Bilbao
Accommodation: Hotel ABBA Euskalduna
La Vuelta: Stage 11: Bilbao > Bilbao
It’s time for our very first La Vuelta stage, and what a stage it is!
Today’s stage starts and finishes in Bilbao, so we’ll have the best of both worlds! We’ll use our VIP passes to join in with the behind-the-scenes excitement before the beginning of the day’s stage, taking selfies with our favourite pro cyclists and chatting to their teams.
Full of cycling inspiration, we’ll hop onto our bikes and head out of the city and into the mountains, before finishing up back in Bilbao in time to cheer on the peloton from the VIP section at the finish line.
Day 4: Thursday, September 4th. Oviedo
Accommodation: Hotel Las Caldas
La Vuelta: Stage 12: Laredo > Los Corrales de Buelna
Today we’ll leave the Basque Country behind, and explore the beautiful coastal regions of Cantabria and Asturias.
We’ll begin the day in the charming seaside town of Laredo, where we’ll cheer on the peloton from the VIP section at the start as they set off on today’s stage.
Next, we’ll get on our bikes and explore the Cantabrian coastline, passing through picturesque coastal villages and verdant countryside before finishing up in the elegant regional capital of Santander, popularly known as “the bride of the sea”.
In the afternoon, we’ll travel by van to Asturias and our rural hotel, located a few kilometres outside Oviedo.
Day 5: Friday, September 5th. Oviedo.
Accommodation: Hotel Las Caldas
La Vuelta: Stage 13: Cabezón de La Sal > L’Angliru
Today, we’ll tackle our very first summit finish of La Vuelta 2025: the fearsome L’Angliru! With 13km climb and an average gradient of 9.7%, L’Angliru is one of La Vuelta’s most challenging summits. How will you fare compared with the pros?
Day 6: Saturday, September 6th. León.
Accommodation: Parador de León
La Vuelta: Stage 14: Avilés > Alto de Farrapona. Lagos de Somiedo
Today’s La Vuelta stage is another spectacular summit finish: the Alto de Farrapona, a beautiful mountain pass that marks the border between the regions of Asturias and León.
We’ll take on this challenging climb, and get our breath back with a glass of champagne in the VIP section at the finish line, while we wait for the peloton to arrive.
Next, we’ll travel by van to the historic city of León, and the majestic Parador de León, which is set in a converted 16th-century monastery.
Founded in 68 BC, the ancient city of León will take your breath away. Together, we’ll wander the narrow streets of the city’s old quarter and discover the spectacular Gothic cathedral, which boasts the most beautiful stained glass windows in all of Spain, and admire the Museo Casa Botines de Gaudí, a magnificent example of 20th-century Modernist architecture.
No visit to León is complete without a tapas crawl around the Barrio Húmedo, or “wet district”, so called because it’s where you’ll find the highest concentration of bars and pubs!
Day 7: Sunday, September 7th. Madrid
Accommodation: Hotel Catalonia Goya
Today, we’ll head to Madrid, where our tour finishes – but not before taking on one more legendary La Vuelta climb!
We’ll end our tour in style with a cycling route from Navacerrada and La Bola del Mundo, which will see the finish of the decisive penultimate stage of La Vuelta in just a few days time. From here, we’ll cycle triumphantly into Madrid and celebrate the last night of our tour in Spain’s charismatic capital.
Day 8: Monday, September 8th.
Departure day
If you need any assistance with your onward travel plans, or if you would like to book any additional nights in Madrid, contact your Bike Spain Tours travel consultant for assistance
Hotel Catalonia Goya
Sleep in Madrid’s Golden Mile at the Catalonia Goya hotel in the heart of the Salamanca neighbourhood.
The hotel has recently refurbished rooms with a contemporary design, an urban pool ideal for cooling off on a hot day, and a gym to keep up with your workouts. Each morning you will enjoy an extensive buffet breakfast with a cooking show and you can stop off at the Gastrobar anytime for Mediterranean-inspired dishes that can also be served in your room.
My husband and I loved the trip…the beautiful towns, the great food, excellent routes picked, and of course the experience of seeing the profesional cyclist competing during La Vuelta.
Quality was great, support excellent and price OK considering the hotels, the team and the amazing Vuelta coverage.
Crossing the Vuelta finish line, and the last climb with the crowds cheering, one of my best tours ever – Amazing team
I had an incredible time and can’t wait to head out with Pablo and Niki again. I was so happy to get some good time on the bike again (on a great bike too!) I will be sure to take the survey and recommend to all my friends
