Cycle tourism in the Region of Murcia all year round
The Region of Murcia is perfectly tailored to the bicycle’s needs. The Costa Cálida (Warm Coast) combines a mild climate for much of the year, quiet roads, greenways, mountain passes, and routes overlooking the Mediterranean or venturing into interior landscapes. The proposal combines routes for road cycling, mountain biking, and gravel biking, alongside specialized accommodation options and services designed for those who consider travel to be an active experience. Pedaling here does not involve simply moving from one point to another. The bicycle dictates a different rhythm: it allows travelers to move without hurry, stop at a cove, follow the course of a valley, or detour along paths that seldom form part of the more conventional itineraries. This intimate scale transforms the route into a way of reading the territory, with greater attention to the villages, landscape changes, and local identity. The cycle tourism provision unfolds along different types of routes. The Northwest Greenway, designed over the old railway that connected Murcia and Caravaca de la Cruz, offers 78 kilometers of route through nature, tunnels, aqueducts, and unique landscapes. Its accessible nature makes it a suitable option for families, beginner cyclists, or bikepacking trips. In Mazarrón, the IMBA routes total nearly 49 kilometers for mountain biking, featuring single tracks, routes running parallel to the sea, gentler stretches near the coves, and ascents towards La Perdiz.
The Sierra Espuña offers one of the most demanding and recognizable experiences at the destination. Espubike covers 146 kilometers of pure MTB, with more than 4,000 meters of total elevation gain and stages linking El Berro, Gebas, Casas Nuevas, and Las Alquerías. On top of this sporting intensity is the environmental value of the regional park, the first protected natural area in the region, endorsed by the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism. Its mountainous and forested landscape makes it an attractive setting for mountain biking, road cycling, or gravel riding. The coastline opens yet another chapter. EuroVelo 8 crosses the Region of Murcia and the Costa Cálida along 217 kilometers divided into six stages, along paths near the sea, mountain passes, quiet roads, and changing landscapes. The Mar Menor, with its warm and serene waters, invites you to circle a coastal lagoon covering 170 km2. La Manga del Mar Menor, for its part, offers cycling between two seas, the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor, along a coastal strip of approximately 24 kilometers.
Those seeking greater elevation changes will also find their own challenges. Carrascoy presents an intense ascent, with gradients over 10%, hairpin turns, and peaks approaching 20%. Cresta del Gallo stands among the most emblematic passes, while Collado Bermejo, on its southern and northern slopes, and the Cedacero Slopes add further difficulty and panoramic views linked to Sierra Espuña, Mazarrón, Cartagena, Cabo Tiñoso, and Roldán. The experience is complemented by an increasingly cyclist-oriented infrastructure. More than 20 specialized accommodation options, hotels with cycling centers, washing areas, bike rentals, tools, guided routes, boxes, transfers, and other support services facilitate full stays from La Manga and Los Alcázares to Murcia, Águilas, Mazarrón, or El Berro. After each stage, this journey continues in cities like Murcia, Cartagena, and Lorca, or around a table with michirones (Spanish bean stew), paparajotes (friend lemon leaf dessert), zarangollo (scrambled eggs with zucchini), or caldero rice. In the Region of Murcia, cycling is discovering a destination best explored with time, attention, and one’s own pace.
Location
The Region of Murcia is located in the southeast of Spain, between the Region of Valencia, Castile-La Mancha, Andalusia, and the Mediterranean. Its main access points are the highways A–7, AP–7, A–30 and A–33, the Murcia International Airport, the Murcia del Carmen and Cartagena train stations, and the port of Cartagena.