Bike routes in the Canary Islands: the best routes!
Bike routes in the Canary Islands: the best routes!
The Canary Islands have so many wonderful bike trails! All the islands, with (almost) always perfect temperatures, are a cyclist’s paradise! In this post I describe some of the most beautiful bike routes in the Canary Islands!
I rode almost all of these routes during the
Coast to Coast Canarias, that is, 657 km by bike through seven islands
.
Best bike routes in the Canary Islands. Teide, Tenerife
Let’s start with the largest island, Tenerife! Every cyclist’s dream is to get to Teide, at an altitude of 2350 meters. There are as many as four ways to get to the Teide Funicular: from Arona/Vilaflor, from Chio, from Orotava, and from La Laguna.
The most beautiful part of the route is, of course, the high ground. The 21 kilometers of TF – 21 that connect Las Canadas del Teide to Boca Tauce are unforgettable. In fact, you ride with sensational views of the Teide volcano (3716 meters). The volcanic landscape catapults cyclists’ thoughts to the moon.
The altitude, as mentioned around 2300 meters, makes one breathless: one is truly left breathless, both from the beauty and the fatigue.
However, the elevation gain in this part is minimal (about 350 meters both downhill and uphill).
As for the
Teide ascent, I discuss this in more detail in a dedicated post
. My two favorite slopes, however, are those to the south. In fact, on the Vilaflor side you can see a beautiful laurisilva forest, while the Chio side is spectacular on the downhill side-the island of La Gomera shows itself in all its beauty!
Best bike routes in the Canary Islands. Masca, Tenerife
Staying in Tenerife, the TF – 436 road is definitely worth a ride! The stretch from Las Portelas to Santiago del Teide is one of the most beautiful and challenging in the Canary Islands.
Along these 13 kilometers, in fact, you can see the small village of Masca, one of the most beautiful in all of Spain. The course is truly sublime! It feels like going through a canyon in Sergio Leone’s westerns!
All this beauty, however, comes at a price. The 4 km just after Masca are very steep, with gradients several times exceeding 15 percent. I traveled this stretch of road in the opposite direction, so downhill-I had several times the sensation of flipping over!
Best bike routes in the Canary Islands. GC – 200, Gran Canaria
For the third Canary Island bike route, we switch islands. Gran Canaria is, perhaps, my favorite island for cycling in the Canary Islands. The GC – 200 that connects Agaete to Puerto de Mogan is an incredible sight!
The first 14 km are truly spectacular. The road never leaves you breathless: climbs, descents, curves….with superlative views of the cliffs of western Gran Canaria and with Teide towering majestically over the island of Tenerife. Shortly after El Risco you face a 3-kilometer tunnel, perfectly lit.
At the exit of the tunnel, a detour leads to the Mirador El Balcon: the Teide from here is spectacular!
From La Aldea begins a 6 km climb, almost constantly at 10 percent. Once the ascent is over, we descend to Puerto de Mogan. Along this of descent you can admire the Azulejos de Veneguera, colorful rock formations!
The GC – 200 is 58 km long in total: the arrival in Puerto de Mogan is spectacular, as the town is home to a beautiful beach and very characteristic artificial canals!
Best bike routes in the Canary Islands. Valley of the tears, Gran Canaria
Southern Gran Canaria is also home to one of the most difficult climbs I have ever tackled. The so-called ‘Valley of the Tears,’ i.e., GC – 606 that runs from Presa de Parralillo to the junction with GC – 60, is a crazy road!
The view is splendid. Indeed, we pass from the magnificent Presa de Parralillo (a spectacular water reservoir) to Carrizal de Tejeda, a small village perched in the mountains of Gran Canaria.
To get there, one must pedal down infamous inclines. The average for these 11 km is 9%, but a downhill piece makes this figure lower than reality. In particular, the first two kilometers are at an average 15%-it’s a real challenge! As mentioned, this climb is one of the most famous in all of Gran Canaria: the Titanica, the Granfondo of Gran Canaria, passes through here!
Best bike routes in the Canary Islands. Parque Timanfaya, Lanzarote
Lanzarote is also home to a must-see street!
The 13 km of the LZ – 67 from Mancha Blanca to Yaiza is spectacular! In fact, you pass by the Parque de Timanfaya. All along this route you ride in a volcanic environment: you can feel the effects of volcanic explosions in the 18th century.
Some of the straights, in particular, are majestic: you cross a landscape reminiscent of Mars! This ride is practically flat: the elevation gain is only 150 meters!
Best bike routes in the Canary Islands. Betancuria, Lanzarote
Downtown Fuerteventura is home to one of my favorite Canary Island bike routes! In fact, the 21 km of the FV – 30 from La Valle to Pajara crosses the Parque de Betancuria.
Initially we climb, always meekly: the ascent ends at the Mirador de Guise y Ayose. From here there is a splendid 360-degree view of northern Fuerteventura and the small village of Betancuria.
A beautiful descent leads to the center of Betancuria. On the way out of the village, the road remains decidedly spectacular: the Las Penitas mirador is one of the most beautiful spots!
The uphill height difference is about 400 meters: beware of wind!
Best bike routes in the Canary Islands. Garajonay, La Gomera
The Parque Natural de Garajonay in La Gomera is not to be missed among the Canary Islands bike routes!
The 21 km that join Morro de Agando to Vallehermoso traverse a fantastic forested landscape. At times there is the feeling of pedaling through a tunnel, so dense is the forest.
Once the forest is finished, the beauty does not end! In fact, the road continues to descend to the small Vallehermoso-the views are sublime! Almost all of these 21 km are downhill!
Best bike routes in the Canary Islands. The forests of La Palma and El Hierro
Still in the area of forests, both La Palma and El Hierro have wonderful views.
On the island of La Palma, LP – 131 joins Barlovento to Roque del Faro: these 17 km are beautiful as they pass through a beautiful forest. There is no shortage of viewpoints: the Mirador de Las Mimbreras is one of them! The elevation gain is small (about 200 meters), and the road is narrow and curvy!
El Hierro is also home to a beautiful forested landscape. The HI – 400, 16 km long and with never challenging climbs, runs through a spectacular forest. Again, there is no shortage of vantage points over the ocean, particularly at the Santuario de Nuestra Senora de Los Reyes.
Best bike routes in the Canary Islands. La Graciosa
Little Graciosa also has a wonderful bike route!
With a MTB, and with very few climbs, you can get to know the most beautiful beaches of the island: playa de las conchas and playa de ambar! The scenery of La Graciosa is truly sublime: in 18 km you cross a desert-like landscape and can see Lanzarote.
La Graciosa has only one town, Caleta de Sebo: you have to bring all the necessary food and water supplies!
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USEFUL INFORMATION FOR THE BEST BIKE ROUTES IN THE CANARY ISLANDS
- The Canary Islands have a wonderful climate! It is possible to ride a bike practically 12 months of the year. Of course, you have to watch out for winter rains and summer heat, especially in the interior of the islands.
- Attention must be paid to the wind. I found La Gomera, the south of Fuerteventura and the eastern part of La Palma particularly challenging.
- I rode all the islands by bike, making a
Canarias Coast to Coast wonderful
!
- Gran Canaria has an incredible amount of routes: both in
north
both in
south
there is no shortage of routes not to be missed!
- Reaching the Teide funicular railway is a great satisfaction! From here you can
walk to the top
or with a
funicular
!
- The highest point reachable by road bike in the Canary Islands is Roque de los Muchachos, in La Palma, at an elevation of 2426 meters.
- Some of the most popular outlets for renting a bike in the Canary Islands are
Wilier
e
Freemotion
.
21 August, 2021
