Gravel Rides Granada - Ronda de Nigüelas

A Hidden Gem in the Sierra Nevada

Tucked against the western wall of the Sierra Nevada, the village of Nigüelas feels like a place time misplaced and forgot to reclaim. Moorish terraces, a 16th-century olive oil mill, and old stone lanes still hold the shape of centuries of quiet graft. It’s the sort of village Paul Theroux would wander into, muttering approvingly about places that refuse to hurry.

For gravel cyclists, though, Nigüelas is a launchpad — one of the finest in Granada.

The Route

Short, sweet, and about as gentle as a mule with attitude.
31.2 km with 1,433 m of climbing: a straight-up, straight-down affair. Sixteen kilometres of ascent, sixteen of descent. No meandering. No mercy. But the views? Worth every bead of sweat.

You follow the Río Torrente on the Camino Molino Alto, climbing through sun-bleached pines and past weather-sculpted landmarks: the Pingurucho de Nigüelas, the rugged Peñón de Muñoz, and the sweeping balcony of the Mirador de la Rinconada de Nigüelas. The world opens in layers of rock, ravines, and snow-streaked peaks.

At around 2,189 m, the climb finally exhales. Up here the air feels thinner, the silence heavier, and Granada’s vastness spills out beneath you.

The Descent

Not overly technical, but steep enough to make you sit back and pay attention. The gravel rolls fast, the corners tilt just so, and before long Nigüelas reappears — warm, whitewashed, quietly proud.

Why Ride It

Because in a region stacked with iconic climbs, this one remains strangely overlooked.
Because it’s pure Sierra Nevada gravel — raw, beautiful, unapologetic.
And because every cycling holiday in Andalucía needs at least one ride that reminds you why you came: to work hard, breathe deep, and see Spain from angles most tourists never will.

A hidden gem, indeed.

KEY RIDE KIT

Fast and Furious? More like fat and furious! You may think you’re fast, but there’s no way you’ll ever look as fast as our Patrón next to an “Alpujarra Racing” Seat. Stay cool in one of our lightweight cycling jerseys, built for long ascents under the Andalusian sun.

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The Climbs of Granada & The Sierra Nevada

The climbs of the Sierra Nevada may not be the most well known, but they are undoubtedly some of the best in Europe. Most tend to exclusively consider the likes of Mallorca or Girona for their cycling holiday/training camps. While these are all great options, the Sierra Nevada matches and even outdoes each of the aforementioned

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strava route MAP

other rides in granada & the sierra nevada

Sunshine, solid climbs, perfectly engineered roads, the Mediterranean and a local community tuned into the needs of the visiting cyclist.

Contact Information

Cycle Sierra Nevada
Calle Mariana Pineda 13 b,
Vélez de Benaudalla, AL, 18670, Spain

Phone: +34 684205648
Email: info@sierranevada.cc

Let’s make your next cycling adventure one you’ll never forget!