Cycling around Spain : Things to keep in mind

Riding through Spain tends to be a very pleasurable experience due to the excellent condition of its roads, clearly marked signage, and generally considerate motorists.  The responsability to maintain Spain's roadways is shared between its 17 autonomous communities, and in general is handled in strict accordance with motorway legislation.

This being said, and although we know that many cycling rules are universal, we thought it would be a good idea to go over some of the possible differences you might encounter.  

GENERAL RULES & CONSIDERATIONS

• Since in Spain people drive on the right side of the road, for those not accustomed you should be especially vigilant at roundabouts and junctions.  
• Likewise, you should also know that the brakes are set up the other way around, so the left hand is front brake and right hand is back break.
• The use of a helmet is compulsory on roads between towns, but not when cycling within towns and cities.
• Officially, it is prohibited to cycle while using earpieces or headphones which reproduce sound (this includes MP3 players, radios and mobile phones).
• Careful!  Just because you’re not using a motorized vehicle doesn’t mean you can cycle with alcohol in your system!   The maximum blood level allowed is 0.5 g/l.  The local police are authorised to give cyclists, just like motorists, alcohol tests on the spot.

RULES WHEN CYCLING 

In cities, you are obliged to cycle as close as possible to the sidewalk without actually going up on it.  Remember that sidewalks are for pedestrians, many cyclists break this rule and its easy for cyclists as a whole to get a bad reputation as a result.

If you are travelling in a group, you are permitted to cycle maximum two abreast; however, for sections where there is little visibility or if there is high traffic, you are obliged for safety to ride single-file.    Be courteous!  If you are riding with a buddy and there's a long line of motor traffic behind you, it makes sense to ride single file and let people pass :)   In these cases, motorists are obliged to keep a distance of at least 1.5 metres when passing.

Bikes have the right-of-way versus motor vehicles when a motor vehicle is going to turn at an intersection or roundabout and the cyclist is close by or is already starting to cross himself / herself.

Similarly, bikes need to yield to pedestrian traffic when a bicycle is going to turn at an intersection or roundabout and the pedestrian is close by or is already starting to cross himself / herself (even if there is no clearly indicated pedestrian crossing for these situations)

On regular intercity roads cyclists need to remain on the shoulder / hard shoulder area of the road if this area is reasonably wide.  If there does not exist an adequate shoulder, you will need to cycle as close as possible to the right hand side of the road.  

Keep in mind that cycling on highways ("autopistas") is generally ill-advised and in many cases there is signage which forbids it.


SIGNALS

In Spain, the order of priority from highest to least when it comes to road signals is the following:  1. Hand signals from policemen or authority figures, 2. Stoplights and illuminated signs, 3. All other vertical signs, 4. Horizontal painted indications on asphalt. 

If there is a policeman organizing traffic at an intersection, they will have an arm lifted vertically or horizontally against the direction of traffic that cannot pass.  

As with motor vehicles, you must stop at intersections with stoplights that are red or solid yellow (except when the cyclist cannot safely stop in time before the designated stop line).   Also, cyclists must stop before any yield signs or obligatory stop (or equivalent) signs.

If you need to stop or brake suddenly, you must indicate this with short and rapid up and down movements with your free arm.

Gesture for turning Right

Gesture for turning Left

The universal gestures for turning right or left are the same here in Spain, but as a refresher for those fairly new to cycling in general take a look at the accompanying images.

There exist dedicated bike lanes in both urban and intercity areas.  For these lanes, you can turn only when the accompanying signs or lights permit. Keep in mind that you will still need to warn others manual by raising your left arm.   

Finally, in Spain there are a number of T-intersections where the motorists or cyclists need to use a small half-roundabout for safety purposes rather than turn left directly.  See the accompanying diagram here for a better idea on how this works.  

Again, motorists in Spain are pretty considerate, so as a golden rule if you are they will be too.   If you understand some Spanish and want to see more in-depth information regarding regulations for cycling, see here. 

.....and that's it!  Remember to keep hydrated while cycling and keep using those sunglasses!

Happy cycling!

- Iván from Away From The Crowds 

When to travel in Spain?

Among all European countries, Spain is perhaps the most priviledged and diverse geographically.  From the windy and wild coasts of the Bay of Biscay in the North to the typical warm and silky shores of the Mediterranean stretching all the way from South in Malaga to North East in Girona.  The country is second only to France of the European Union member states in sheer geographic landmass, and due to its more southern general position, enjoys a broader range of climate types than it's Gallic neighbour.

Climate map of Spain

Here is a guide on the types of climate you are likely to encounter in the various regions of Spain:

The interior

In the meseta provinces clustered around Madrid, the climate is most characterised by dry weather all year long, with cold temperatures in winter that can dip below 0ºC and hot summers that can reach 35ºC-40ºC. Spring and autumn, on the other hand, are very pleasant but typically short.  Rain is infrequent or even rare during most years.  In general this type of system is sometimes called continental mediterranean weather. 

There are really two mesetas, the region of Castilla y León lies on the northern meseta which is quite a bit higher up and noticeably cooler in the summer than the southern meseta upon which Madrid and the region of Castilla La Mancha is located.

Photo from our Best of La Rioja tour 

The La Rioja region has typical continental mediterranean weather in general; however, if you climb a bit in altitude at the Sierra De La Demanda natural park, you will find a fresher and rainier, if milder, mountain climate.  Keep in mind that if you travel to La Rioja in July and Aug it can get quite hot, particularly close to the river Ebro basin (where it also gets humid), so it may be wise to avoid these months and ideally visit during spring or autumn.

Sepúlveda, from Walking in Segovia's Natural Parks

Segovia, located one hour north of Madrid, is on the higher meseta at an elevation of over 1000m above sea level.  As a result, its surrounding areas are relatively cooler in general, sometimes by as much as 5-8 ºC, while maintaining cool nights (15ºC - 20ºC) in all but the hottest parts of summer.  This also means that the air is a bit thinner and it is easier to get a sunburn during this time of the year.   Even though it can still get quite hot in the heights of summer, the dry air makes travelling much more bearable, meaning that tours in this area are perfectly appropriate from April to late October.

View from the Walking tour Sierra de Francia

To the west, where the Sierra de Francia is in Salamanca, travellers can expect to straddle high and low mesetas and go through dramatic elevation differences.  This affects the temperature you experience in a single day by as much as 5 or even 10 degrees, such as when going from La Alberca (1300m above sea level) down to Mogarraz (at 600m).  On the other hand, those going from Segovia to Ávila are likely to experience fairly steady continental mediterranean climate, but if you continue to heads towards Salamanca itself away from the mountains and descending to the Rio Tormés, it warms up again.

Further southwest into the Extremadura region, the heat is further amplified during the summer,

making for a delightful tour in mid spring and mid autumn, but too hot to recommend doing during July and August.

Client photo of Cycling from Seville to Cadiz

More southwards still, Seville has decent weather for cycling in the winter but it is best to go in the early spring and late autumn.  On the other hand, the summer months of July and August can get far too hot.  Even June or September is not for the faint of heart, if you do want to try going during this time, make sure your hotel has air-conditioning and a swimming pool.  Seville can also be very humid in the summer, as it is positioned next to the river Guadalquivir.  Those travelling to coastal Cadiz and nearby Jerez will pass through solar farms taking advantage of the abundant sun and once at the coast, the temperature is more bearable while maintaining the humidity.  Cadiz tends to experience strong winds though, something to keep in mind especially if you're cycling.   The best times to do the Sevilla to Cádiz route are in March or November.

Northern Spain

A shot from our Cycling Spain's Green Coast route

In general, the weather pattern of the northern regions of Spain can best be described as an Atlantic climate, with an abundance of rain which is unusual for the country in general.  For areas especially close to the coast, temperatures tend to be mild and fresh all year, with winters rarely dipping below 5ºC and summers topping out at 25ºC. 

If you start the legendary Camino de Santiago route from fresher León or Astorga, you will descend into Bierzo valley, where the warmer temperature makes spring arrive earlier, as evidenced by the growth of orchards and vineyards there.  From there, pilgrims typically go up to O'Cebreiro, with its colder mountain climate and then back down to Galicia where it is milder again.   Galicia itself is particularly green and Atlantic in climate.   In general, keep in mind that some especially low elevation areas can get surprisingly hot in summer. 

The northern mountains separate the green north from the northern meseta; bridging Atlantic and Continental Mediterranean climates.   If you were doing our Asturias Mountain to Sea route, you will experience a fairly unique change in weather.  Starting with continental style Mediterranean weather, you would go through cooler mountain areas with altitudes over 1000m, then pass through Potes where it can get quite hot and humid and finish off by the sea where it is mild and the humidity is lower..

From our Walking Somiedo "The Land of Bears" route

Somiedo also has a very interesting climate profile, being a blend of Atlantic and cold mountain weather systems.   Here it can snow into April, meaning the recommended main season for touring is from May to the end of October.  This is a particularly high route to do, starting out at 1750m above sea level, and descending from there.  In Somiedo there is a high incidence of rain all year around, with

cold nights and fog frequently appearing, especially in the summer.

Mediterranean Coast

What most people image as typical mediterranean weather covers the coastal areas of Spain along the Mediterranean sea as well as the Balearic Islands.

These areas enjoy long and hot summers with mild winters.  Humidity varies but rain does tend to fall sporadically in the middling seasons of autumn and spring.  The average annual temperature is approximately between 14ºC and 18ºC, but summers can get up to 40ºC, with an even higher thermal sensation due to humidity.

From our Valencia & Costa Azahar route

Valencia province is a good example of this weather system, although if not far away from the coast you rise up to 1000m above sea level, getting somewhat colder than expected.  Mallorca has the same climate as well, although the humidity makes July and August often too uncomfortable to travel unless you can cool down regularly in a nice swimming pool or directly in the sea.  This means March and November are ideal times to go for active tourism in either of these destinations.

Alicante has areas that are drier than neighbouring Valencia.  It has arid landscapes such in and around Biar and Bocairent where there is hardly any precipitation and the cultivation depends on plants that require little water such as olive and almond trees.  South from Bocairent, however, at the Sierra de Mariola Natural Park, things get greener with pine woodlands and aromatic plants.   From Alcoy you can follow the Serpis River along sandstone canyons down to the sea  and along the way pass through almost arabic-style landscapes heading to Denia.

In general it is recommended to avoid Valencia and Alicante areas during peak summer months, as much because they get too busy with crowds of tourists as because of the combination of humidity and heat.  Autumn and spring are the best times to enjoy these routes

Another typical example of mediterranean coastal weather is in the province of Girona, particularly close to the sea and due to being being further north, travelling during peak summer months is still a viable option.

The great variation of both altitude and proximity to the sea always make travelling across Spain an interesting proposition.  To conclude, one should never assume that because you are in a Mediterranean country you can always count on being warm or dry! 😊

- Iván from Away From The Crowds

Welcome to our official blog!

Hi!

My name's Iván, me and the rest of the team here at sustainable tourism agency Away From The Crowds work out of our offices just an hour north of Spain's capital. It's a beautiful March day, so I thought it would be a perfect time to start a blog so that people can get to know us a bit better.

We're just starting our tourism season and we already have amazing weather in virtually all points of the peninsula. It's pretty unusual to have such warm weather this early in the middle and northern regions of the country (that's global climate change for you...).


Nevertheless, it's a great opportunity for those already wanting to visit our country!

I'll be posting interesting and / or useful (hopefully!) information on a variety of subjects related to travelling in Spain every month, so keep your eyes peeled 👀

The current team in front of the little known town of Sepúlveda.  (Left to right) Jaime, Jorge, Sylvia, Vanesa and yours truly.