We can't wait to get started on the up, and up it is into the beautiful area of Grazalema and the impressive mountains around this pretty place. Stupendous climbs in this area and we take on one of the biggies, the Puerto de los Palomas (”the climb of the doves”). The name sounds almost poetic, the reality may be a little bit rougher! At the foot of the sierra del Jaralin, in Grazalema's Park, we visit the white washed village of Zahara de la Sierra before looping back to Ronda

Awake with the sun and move on to our next destination being Roman loved Antikara (Antequera) to try out the thoroughly enjoyable, El Torcal climb, a favourite for the Tour of Andalucia ("Ruta del Sol"). Pro riders, with its last steep kilometres, have struggled through the strange limestone wind warped rocks. Fly down this descent and traverse the small villages lost in the hills around the Axarquia and mountains of Malaga. Next up is the optional climb of the famed cat 1 Puerto de Leon. La Vuelta managed to climb this twice in 2010. We head to a small white village for the night to enjoy a relaxing evening.

Fly down to edging closer to the Mediterranean Sea before you sneak up this snaking epic portal, the rocky Puerto de Zafarraya cat 1 summit featured in La Vuelta a few years ago. Keep going across the coastal mountain ridge to drop into the Genil Valley, a fertile plain. From here, we ride through the shady hillside of the Sierra Parapanda, route of the pros for many years, to attractive Montefrio, its precariously perched church a testament to its Reconquest heritage.

A challenging route that winds its way around the white washed villages of Jaen province, seeing those places in which battles were fought during medieval times. However, the main fight of the day will be up the famed Hors category La Pandera, featured in 4 Vueltas in the last 10 years, with some of the top places taken by luminaries such as Heras, Cunego, Simoni & Samuel Sanchez. End in historical Alcala La Real, which has an imposing castle atop the town and a pleasant main square to wander in the cool of the evening.

A more relaxed route today although there are always a few hills in this area being so close to the granddaddies of the Sierra Nevada. Making our way onto the regal city of Granada you head in time to arrive and enjoy its tapas. Over the hillsides across to Moclin with its sturdy fortress above town and an amazing descent (featured in La Vuelta 1994 - Pedro Delgado's last year). The Sierra Nevada will be in your sights now as you head to this royal city

How could you possibly come to Southern Spain without trying to tackle this peak, the highest on mainland Spain and the highest road in Europe, the Pico Veleta. Here you get a short warm up before the long climb of 25km up to the thin air at 2500m and above (weather permitting to 3398m!). It really is awesome and your own ragged breathing takes away the traffic sounds far below. Around each bend in the road you will expect to see the end....just keep going. Countless clashes occurred on this climb in the Pro Circuit with the Titans battling the Titanic: the names will all be familiar (Valverde, Menchoz, Vinokourov, Jalabert...). The way back via Monachil, another famous climb, is a departure from that barren rock where you've just been, the pastures and mountain plains, lush and green into thriving Granada.  Enjoy the evening taking in the atmosphere of this great city at our farewell dinner.

After breakfast, we say "adios" to each other before a transfer back to Malaga airport (for midday 12:00) for onward connections. Or indeed take our option to stay in Granada for a few more days to explore and/or ride some self guided routes.