We had a fantastic week and a wonderful group. We hope to see you all again somewhere on this planet.
Safe travels and thanks for everything
Ursula, Claudia and Dieter
6. Day: Ronda - Malaga
Amazing view to Estepona
Our last riding day - unbelieveable!
Whoever did not get enough curves so far on this tour, well there are plenty left. The loop down towards the beaches of Marbella, where the rich and famous go to play, offers great riding and vistas. The road back to Ronda ranks among the most beautiful motorcycle routes in all of Spain.
.... perfectly lined up
Michael, Susan and Hillary
Steve, Claude and Herbert love Cortado after the week in Spain
Stephan at our morning stop
Susan enjoyed her yummy chicken at our lunchspot in Ronda
Thank you Walter for your speech at our final dinner!
5. Day - Restday Ride around Ronda
What a beautiful morning to start to our Restday ride. A loop through the cork-oak orchards of the Sierra de Ubriwue and the national reserve of Cortes de la Frontera. Ursula prepared us a yummy picnic at the top of Las Palomas. Thank you very much , we enjoyed it.
View to Gibraltar and Maroc Atlas mountains
Coffee stop with amazing scenic view
Delicious
and after the restday ride we went downtown to the famous Puente Nova - here you see the Parador de Ronda on the cliff....
tapas, tapas, tapas....
and on the way back - the bridge at night
4. Day: Arcos de la Frontera - Ronda
Hopefully you are well rested, because a fairly busy day lies ahead of us. Across the vast rural plains we leave the Arcos and enter into a more hilly area. The road we travel on is called Ruta de Toros because the fiery Andalusian fighting bulls are bred in the many haciendas along the way.
On tiny back roads with little traffic and fantastic panoramas, we climb up the Sierra de Ronda. So expect a good workout before dinner!
Michel... happy about the sunshine, way better than last year!
View to Gibraltar
this is bull breeding area
Costa del Luz - the Atlantic ocean
Walter, Stephan und Herbert enjoying the view to the Atlantic
Julie and David
Our lunchspot today.... next to the ruinas Baelo Claudia
Axel is enjoying the sun
... in the relax mode Ruinas romanas de Baelo Claudia
Kevin, Julie and Michael
Tarifa with view to Africa
3. Day: Antequera - Arcos de la Frontera
Two areas of distinctively different scenic beauty will be our playgrounds for today. Through barren, almost desert-like mountain landscapes, we approach the fertile valley of the Guadalhorce River. A narrowing canyon leads us to the Garganta del Chorro, a narrow crevice carved into a sheer 600 ft. sandstone cliff. Truly one of Andalusia’s natural wonders!
After tonight the word "Parador" will have a different meaning for all of you and you maybe wish to come back and stay in some other paradores. Arcos is preparing for the Semana Santa - a very special event all over Spain.
El Torcal is a spectacular limestone rock formation south of Antequera in the otherwise very rural area. 100 million years ago, the whole area was still covered by a huge ocean.
Convento la Magdalena in the morning mist - what a wonderful hotel
we leave Antequera
Joel happy with his bike
Axel on his discovery tour
Michael, Hillary and Claudia having fun
Stephan on his Triumph
Steve our journalist
Caminito del Rey - a wooden walkway along the cliff that was constructed for a royal visit early this century.
Amazing view
Ramsey and Susan having a great time
Olvera - one of the "Pueblos Blancos"
Sentenil is located on the riverbed of the Rio Guadalporcun, our first "pueblo blanco". The houses of this white village are crouching under overhanging rocks. The rocks are partially used as a roof or wall. Its hidden location made it difficult for the Catholic kings to conquer Sentenil. They only succeeded in 1484. In the rocky outcrop there are numerous small bars where delicious fish and tapas are served.
Susan and Hillary
Zahara..... one of the pueblos blancos - white villages
Claudia and Michael
Rosa und Sebastian in front of Zahara
Walter... super happy with his GS 750
... always in the back of the tourguidesse
... on top of las Palomas.... after free riding ! riding pleasure - Michael
Jared
Julie
David
Steven
Akarawat and Monticha
Kevin
Michel
Parador Arcos de la Frontera - the place to be
2. Day: Granada - Antequera
Today we will take you out of Granada and off the beaten tourist paths into the heart of the real Andalusia. Seemingly endless olive orchards will be our companions as winding back roads lead us through the rolling hills of rural Spain. The ride along the majestic limestone range of the Sierra Loja will mark the end of a perfect riding day. Our final destination is Antequera.
a little bit stress in the morning gets you awake
A morning walk through Granada.... but the Spanish get up late.... Our morning ride to the Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada, Ski season is still open
Joel is having fun
Michael and Hillary
Rosa and Sebastian enjoying the ride to Sierra Nevada, although it is a bit cold
Stephan in front and Ramsey & Susan, maybe it was a bit cold at Ramsey's feet we have a birthday today, lets say one and a half birthdays
Sabine's birthday
picnic in the olive tree country
Ramsey and Susan - next time I`ll show you his "motorcycling boots"
Thanks Ursula for the super yummy picnic, Claude is enjoying it
All bikes lined up for a coffee in Alagarinejo
1. Day: Malaga - Granada
We welcome quite a range of nationalities - US, Canada, Thailand, Norway, Germany, Switzerland. Everybody is a bit excited. The weather is fine - so lets go.
Countless turns up the Montes de Malaga will put your riding skills to the test. In return, you will be rewarded with breathtaking vistas of Málaga, the Mediterranean Sea and the unique mountain scenery of the natural preserve to the west.
After a nice lunch at the Mediterranean Sea we head into the mountains again towards Granada.
Granada is certainly a highlight of any Andalusian trip, simply because of the Alhambra. This impressive architectural work was created under the Caliphs of the Nasrid dynasty, Ismail I, Yusuf I and Mohammed V. In order to conceal the disappearance of their secular power, they created their idea of a paradise on earth.
It was very difficult to get entrance ticket - a big thanks to Sarah in the office, she managed it. We will meet Carlos at the entrance, our guide for the gardens and the palace.
Sunrise in Malaga
Our first fotostop with a great view over Malaga
Sebastian, Rosa and Joel
Watch Rosa`s retro gear - so cool, it is from her father
Our lunch spot today .... nothing to add just amazing
The boys - Jummy fishsoup for Walter and Herbert
the Fassbender/Kessel familiy
after a beautiful riding day we met Carlos at the Alhambra and had a guided tour through the gardens, the Generalife and the kings palaces
it rained - but still it was a great experience
the Generalife - the summer palace and the gardens. It is like in paradise
Famous lion court
Boabil - the last sultan, loved his Granada so much that he surrendered and handed the city over to the Christian kings to avoid destruction. It was the January 2nd,1492
The gardens in the Alhambra
Arrival Day in Malaga
Edelweiss branch Malaga
quite a lot