Away from the Crowds

Reviews

You need to emphasise the fantastic bird life. We are not twitchers but regret not taking binoculars.

We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday! It wasn't poor weather. Bit cool in the mornings but we didn't get wet once! As to the power outage, nothing that an 'emergency' sangria at a local bar and a candlelit supper in our hotel room of a banana, some nuts and chocolate cake can't solve!

Your hotel choice was excellent. The evening meals at Hotel Posada was one of the highlights of the holiday.

On the whole the route was excellent. Only point here, the first day cycling from Segovia wasn't as good as the rest of the holiday.

You need to emphasise the fantastic bird life. We are not twitchers but regret not taking binoculars.

We only heard English spoken once on the whole holiday. A big plus for us!

Val and Ivan Moss, Warwickshire, UK

Thanks for that Val and Ivan, I've added a section on the website about taking binoculars- a great tip for other travellers! It sounds like you dealt with the infamous power outage admirably!

Gaynor, Aftc

By the end of the week we felt we had been away for a month!

On the road, everything was great from the friendliness and ambience of the hotels to your response to our technical issue.

The chosen routes were really excellent, managing to find quiet roads with generally good surfaces and very little traffic.

By the end of the week we felt we had been away for a month!

While the route notes and comments were hugely useful (and the Ride with GPS worked well), you probably can’t emphasise enough the need for customers to check in really quiet places (e.g. Pedraza early in the week, Sepulveda at any time) about what's open for eating in the evenings. Websites may suggest opening and closing times that differ from the reality (e.g. open on Mondays might mean open for lunch only). We didn’t starve, though, as my weighing scales continues to remind me!

Thanks again for an excellently organised trip.

Cyril & Deirdre Kirwan, Dublin, Ireland

Muchas gracias, Cyril and Deirdre! You're absolutely right, these routes that are so off the beaten track have so many advantages but there is sometimes a lack of choice for dinners. We recommend having a Spanish lunch (the 'Menu del día' is always the best option) and a light dinner. Our hotels will always offer a light dinner to Aftc travellers!

AFtc

...the monastery at San Frutos will be something we remember for many years for the amazing views and for watching the vultures.

We had a great holiday and please pass on our thanks to the whole team. Our holiday was well planned with just the right balance of rural, mountain and village/fortified castles. The finish at Duraton Canyon was amazing, and the walk down to the monastery at San Frutos will be something we remember for many years for the amazing views and for watching the vultures.

Observations are as follows:-

Luggage transfer was very efficient. We really appreciated having access to our bags as soon as we arrived after long days cycling.

GPX files. These were great. Thanks. - the turn by turn directions meant a we didn’t have to pay as close attention to the road book all the time.

Transfers. - your transfer from Madrid to Segovia by taxi was great and much better value than anything I could find online.

Spanish language. - it would be worth emphasising just how little English is spoken in this region- even in the hotels. We knew a few words of basic Spanish, but might be worth recommending Google Translate in your notes especially the camera function for translating menus!

We’ll be sure to post a review online for you guys and hope to take a holiday with you again some day.

Thanks

Simon Vaux, UK

we had wonderful rides on our trusty electric bikes, Pegasus, Zelda, Trigger and Sancho!

We loved discovering Segovia and the beautiful aqueduct. There was a great variety of landscapes, so we had wonderful rides on our trusty electric bikes, Pegasus, Zelda, Trigger and Sancho! There were plenty of exhilarating down hill rides too!

The hotels were beautiful and we loved discovering all the medieval villages on the ride.

Watching the griffon vultures circling above us on our last ride down the gorge and at the hermitage, and seeing them roosting on the rocks and feeding their chicks outside Pedraza was magical!

Our trusty mechanic, Robert, was so helpful and had the answer to any of our bike problems!

We had such a great time as a result of your wonderful organisation - thankyou! Hasta la próxima vez!

Lizzie and Simon Yauner, London, Uk, travelling with friends Jenny and Tony from Melbourne, Australia.

Thanks for choosing Aftc to organise your annual Aussie/Brit bike adventure! We hope you'll be back soon!

Gaynor, Aftc

The holiday delivered everything you had promised

We thoroughly enjoyed our cycling holiday in Segovia

The holiday delivered everything you had promised, we loved visiting the medieval towns we passed through and stayed in.

The fact we were staying two nights at each destination meant we had time to explore the towns and to enjoy the restaurants and small shops, although some places had already closed for the season or were only open on weekends. Nevertheless we experienced some good meals and tapas.

The hotels were all very good, I think you undersell the breakfasts in your description as we were pleasantly surprised by the varied and generous amount of food available. We did get the toast but also the wonderful chopped tomato to enjoy it with!

Each hotel had a character of its own and the owners were friendly and helpful. Jesus in Collado Hermoso provided me with an off menu main salad on the second night which I had asked for in the morning as vegetarian choices were a bit limited. The owner in Pedraza opened up the bar on our second night and provided us with a good meal there and, although he was a bit shocked that I didn't eat meat or fish, he managed to give me a vegetarian meal! He was very friendly and helpful.

The beautiful hotel in Sepulveda was amazing, we felt very privileged to stay there. The fact the town centre was closed for filming proved a little tricky at first, however, after a phone call to Vanesa, she helped sort it out(Thanks for all your help Vanesa!)It seems like we are a bit obsessed with eating!

We will definitely look to book another holiday with you and try and improve our Spanish a little for next time!

Thank you for a memorable holiday!

Julie and Eric Capewell, Trélex, Switzerland

We're delighted to hear that you loved our hometown! Segovia is such a special place, isn't it?! You obviously have an affinity with the Aftc spirit! We hope to see you again soon!

Gaynor, Aftc

We found the bird life added to the interest of the trip. We liked seeing the Hoopoe and the Bee Eater which are quite rare here.

We very much enjoyed the holiday.

The cycle routes were perfect for us, easy to follow and not too much traffic. The itinerary was full of interest and beautiful scenery.

We also saw and heard many interesting species of birds - I have compiled a list of the birds we identified in case it's of interest *AFTC NOTE: we can send this list to anyone interested. Thanks, Martin!*

We found the bird life added to the interest of the trip. We liked seeing the Hoopoe and the Bee Eater which are quite rare here. Also the nightingales, which are scarce in the UK and only seem to sing in the morning, while in Spain they sing all day! We are not very expert but we enjoyed using the *Merlin Bird ID app* to identify the song bids. Maybe you know it? Perhaps your clients might like it?

The accommodation was excellent and our hosts were very welcoming and supportive. We also appreciated the support from your team in ensuring everything ran smoothly.

All-in-all a perfect holiday. Thank you again for a memorable visit.

Martin Gulliford & Allison Streetly

Thanks so much for all your top tips, Martin and Allison! Very kind of you to send us your list of birds, what a huge selection! We will happily make it available for any of our Aftc travellers! And we are loving the App that you recommended, we're hooked and have shared it with so many friends and family! Hope to see you again soon!

Gaynor and Jaime, Aftc

The handover of the bikes at the beginning was excellent, ensuring everyone was comfortable with their bikes.

From start to finish this was a fantastic holiday. The booking procedure was simple and straightforward. There was always someone available to reply promptly to our queries.

The handover of the bikes at the beginning was excellent, ensuring everyone was comfortable with their bikes. We were a group of six with some experienced cyclists and some of us who had hardly ridden a bike since childhood! Four of us had e-bikes.

The routes were interesting and safe, the hotels quirky (in a good way) and comfortable. We had huge breakfasts provided every day. This was a blessing some days as there wasn’t always a bar or restaurant open for lunch, but we always managed on snacks until we found somewhere for a beer and tapas. In the second hotel we asked Jesus to cook for us both nights. His food was amazing and highly recommended!

The towns we stayed in were beautiful and I can’t imagine a better way to see this stunning area of Spain. We went at the end of May and were blessed with beautiful sunny days every day apart from the last day when there was a huge thunderstorm! One of the bikes had a broken chain that day and the rider and bike were rescued (by Aftc!) promptly and taxied home.

Highly recommend this company. We are already talking about where we will go with them next year!

Alison & David Foster, Julie & Andrew Waldren, Teresa Turner and Frank Convery, UK

We're so glad that you and big group had such a lovely time! We hope to see you again soon!

Aftc

We managed to catch the Easter processions on jueves santo in Segovia; definitely a unique experience.

We had a great time in Castilla y Leon! We will definitely return, especially as we can’t get Judiones de la Granja here…

We managed to catch the Easter processions on jueves santo in Segovia; definitely a unique experience.

The weather was a bit of a challenge during the tour, even some snow on the ground in Collado Hermoso! Luckily I had seen the forecast so we were fairly well prepared, and managed to survive!

Pedraza was amazing, and by the time we left there the warmer weather had arrived. The Duraton canyon was a highlight, and we also walked part of the canyon route from Sepúlveda.

Steve & Carolyne Sullivan, Kent, UK

Thanks for coming back to us for your 4th cycling adventure with Aftc! As the winners of the 2024 Photo Competition, we're looking forward to seeing your photos again this year!

Aftc

absolutely superb

I can safely speak for our entire group when I say that our Spain tour was absolutely superb, including all of the excellent services and equipment that you provided, our nightly lodgings, our splendid route though stunning countryside and lovely towns, the Spanish food (and wine!), and the welcoming Spanish people that we met.

We enjoyed ourselves so much that we are already planning another bicycle tour vacation with your company. You have so many fine itineraries for us to consider!

Hope to see you again. Maybe next year….

Salud,

Larry Rice. Buena Vista, Colorado, USA

the accommodation excellent

The organisation of the holiday was faultless, the accommodation excellent, the people delightful.

The historic villages, scenery, scents of herbs and lavender were stunning, can't wait to do it again; every hill climb was really worth it.

Loved Segovia and Madrid at the end of the trip too, they were a bonus but the solitude of the hills and paths was just marvellous.

Thank you for an excellent service and wonderful experience.

Patricia Methven, UK.

we felt like we were in a dream, it was so beautiful

We biked the medieval villages tour the first week of September. It turned out to be the best possible time – clear cool mornings, hot sun in the afternoons (siesta time) and gorgeous cool starlit nights.

The daily itineraries were perfect, biking on small country roads in gold and dusty green landscapes, stopping in small towns for a cold drink on the plaza mayor and to walk around a church from the 12th century – we felt like we were in a dream, it was so beautiful.

The directions were perfect and perfectly clear, the support was impeccable (kudos to Raquel and Edward and Jaime), the inns were welcoming and comfortable and truly delightful – we can't believe we happened upon this company and this vacation: it was perfect!

One note about the route: we are somewhat in shape, we bike not every weekend but regularly enough. Out of an excess of caution we opted for the 'ebikes' with battery pedal assist. And that first day, slogging from Segovia up into the hills to Sotosalbos, we congratulated ourselves on our wise choice.

We found over the week that we didn't need the pedal assist that often, but when we needed it, we needed it. We are in our mid-50s, more or less in shape – if you are around the same demographic, we advise paying that little bit extra and getting the ebike – it is, after all, vacation.

Barbara and Andy Green, USA

well planned cycle routes

This was a wonderful experience staying at comfortable and interesting historic hotels with delightful hosts. These were connected by well planned cycle routes that were sufficiently challenging for a moderately fit couple in (very) late 50s.

Bikes were a tad heavy but well maintained and reliable. All connection, baggage transfers, etc were smooth and without problem.

Towns and countryside were stunning We would not have known to visit them without the tour.

We did the tour in early October when the weather was just lovely - it may be a tad hot in this region at the height of Summer.

Duncan Veal, Australia.

We can certainly recommend this trip

We took the option of the ebikes and were very glad that we did this. There are quite a few long climbs and the ebike was wonderful.

The maps, small hotels and directions were great. the accommodation got better and better with the jewel being the old hotel in Sepulveda.

We think the new routes that went more off the main roads were better and think, if possible, to do even more small roads. We can certainly recommend this trip.

Jenny Hicks, Australia.

amazing week of cycling

We just got back from our amazing week of cycling through Segovia's medieval villages.

Everything was perfect; the route was really away from the crowds through beautiful villages and swathes of countryside we would never otherwise have seen, the hotels were welcoming, clean, comfortable and full of character, the food was delicious and kept us cycling and the bikes were great too and very well fitted to us.

We will definitely be doing another trip like this!

Catherine Walker, UK.

the rural scenery was delightful

We wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed your Segovia's Medieval Villages tour. Although the weather was a bit challenging at times (cool with rain showers most days, snow one day) the rural scenery was delightful, the roads were in good condition and nearly empty, and the accommodations were uniformly excellent.

We particularly enjoyed the Hostal de Buen Amor in Sotosalbos, and the Posada de San Millan in Sepulveda. The young women who was our hostess at the Hostal de Buen Amor (Racha?) was very accommodating and friendly.

Pilar, who made us feel very welcome at her inn in Sepulveda, even drove us to the bus station in Bocegillas, so we could catch the bus to Madrid after the taxi driver cancelled at the last minute.

We also appreciated the arrangements you made for us for extra nights in Madrid at the Hotel Medium Cortezo, and in Toledo at the Hotel Eurico. Both of these hotels are very conveniently located, and provided very adequate accommodations.

The maps and directions you supplied were both accurate and easy to use, and the bicycles were ideal for the combination of highways, cobblestone streets, and gravel paths we encountered. We experienced no mechanical problems of any kind, or even a single flat tire.

We especially liked the fact that the trip alternated point-to-point rides with circular, "out and back" rides. This allowed us to settle in a bit at each hotel, and also gave us the flexibility to leave the bikes in the garage one day when it snowed in Pedraza.

Although we would have liked to explore the foothills to the south and east of town, the snow and cold made it easy to decide to skip the ride and instead catch up on our correspondence and simply wander about Pedraza a bit.

We will definitely recommend Senderos y Pueblos and your Segovia's Medieval Villages tour to our friends, and we look forward to trying out one of your other tours soon.

Paul and Lee Ann Weddle, USA.

The route was fascinating for us

We all had a wonderful time. The heat was definitely a factor, but we are from Arizona where currently it is 115F (46C) degrees most days!!!

We coerced our lovely hosts to feed us breakfast earlier than they were used to and got on the road early.

The route was fascinating for us and constantly reminded us how young the United States is. The people we met along the way couldn’t have been nicer and despite our poor attempts at Spanish, were most gracious.

Jorge deserves a huge raise for coming through with two additional electric bikes. Saved the day (actually, the whole trip) for Ken and Catherine. In fact, everyone with Senderos y Pueblos was fantastic.

Lee Lambie, USA.

CO₂ footprint offsetting