Exploring Albacete: Spain’s Quiet Cycling Paradise
Taking Time to Ride New Places
by Nadezhda Pavlova, Editor in Chief
When people talk about cycling in Spain, the same names always come up: Girona, the Pyrenees, maybe the Sierra Nevada. They’re classics for a reason, and popular paces for cyclists the world over. I’ve ridden in each of these amazing places, and felt the warm sun beating down on me, with a cool breeze refreshing my face as I’ve descended the epic climbs that seem to lie in every mountain valley.
However, this summer I found myself pedalling in a place far less famous – and it completely won me over. Albacete, tucked away in Castilla-La Mancha, is an underrated cycling gem that offers stunning scenery, peaceful roads, and a real sense of adventure. It’s a place that quietly exists, seemingly knowing that once you’ve discovered it, you’ll always want to come back for more – and I do.
Cycling Off the Beaten Path
I was there in August, during the peak season, when most tourist hotspots in Spain and elsewhere are overflowing with traffic and long café lines. Not so here. The roads around the small mountain villages were blissfully quiet, the travel affordable, and the hospitality was refreshingly authentic. Instead of queues and crowds, there were olive groves, fig trees hanging heavy with fruit, wild blackberries by the roadside, and even truffles hiding beneath the soil. If I hadn’t been cycling, I would have been foraging and collecting some of this bountiful food and fruit. Yes, it felt like pedalling through a Mediterranean garden with a special pass for the most beautiful areas. My senses felt alive both on and off the bike and I felt alive and ready to explore.
The only downside – and it really was a first-world problem? Finding a decent cappuccino. I learned the hard way that oat or almond milk is much easier to track down than a proper cappuccino with “avena” milk – after a week, I almost quit coffee entirely. Almost… but obviously, not quite!
Rides That Stood Out
One of the most memorable cycling routes took me from Molinicos, climbing up through Puerto de las Crucetillas and over to Peralejo. These are not monster alpine passes, but instead are rolling, gentle climbs through quiet forests, with sweeping views that appear out of nowhere. They lie like ribbons across the Spanish landscape, and the gradients are kind, the tarmac is smooth, and you achieve that wonderfully calm and tranquil feeling of total solitude on the bike – just you, the road, and the whisper of wind through the pines.
Cycle tourism these days is big business, and too many places become filled with too many cyclists, losing that reason why we all headed there in the first place. But here in the gentle, rolling hills of Albacete, I was able to lose myself and to find time to ride and time to rejuvenate my soul.
Another highlight for me, was looping around Embalse de la Fuensanta, a reservoir surrounded by dramatic limestone mountains that stood sentinel and which radiated the sun with the light rock. The turquoise water of the reservoir looked so inviting that we ditched the bikes for a swim – easily one of the most memorable mid-rides stops I’ve ever had.
Seeking Adventure
Not every adventure went perfectly to plan. At one point, convinced we’d found a clever shortcut, we ended up lost. Trust me, this isn’t a regular thing for me – my navigation is usually spot on! However, whilst riding along our not-so-shortcut, after 30 minutes it was clear this was not rideable gravel, and three hours later – sunburnt, dusty, and pushing bikes uphill in 40°C – we admitted defeat! Lesson learned: the long way round is the better option. (You can see the comedy of errors on my Strava route if you’re curious!) I promise you, I won’t send you on the shortcut, if you want to repeat the ride, error free! Although, it may provide you with a real sense of adventure!
Why You Should Go
Albacete might not yet be on the cycling world’s radar, but that’s exactly what makes it special. The landscapes are raw and beautiful, the climbs are friendly but rewarding, and the roads are blissfully free from traffic. Add in warm, welcoming locals and a slower pace of life, and you’ve got the perfect destination for cyclists who want more than just ticking off famous passes.
One aspect of cycling that always appeals to me, is to be able to relax and find myself again. To set myself free as I climb the passes and to feel the wind in my face as I explore the descents and watch the amazing landscapes fly by me at speed – or at a slower pace, where I can press pause and take it all in. Taking time to pause is always good – and riding my Time Scylon in these hills, was just perfect, as the bike and I became one.
If you’re looking for a quieter, more authentic cycling trip in Spain – one where you can ride all day, swim in a reservoir, eat figs straight from the tree, and never once get stuck in a café queue – then put Albacete on your map. Just maybe bring your own coffee beans!
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Image courtesy of www.bormio.eu/en
