Cycling the Ruta Via de la Plata : On and off-road options on the Camino from Seville to Santiago and Gijon

The Ruta Via de la Plata follows an ancient Roman road for 930km through the heart of western Spain, from Seville to the coastal city of Gijón. Passing through seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the vast open landscapes of the meseta and dehesa, it offers everything a long-distance cyclist could want: ancient cities, sweeping plains, mountain passes, and a finish on the Atlantic coast. A pilgrimage variant, the Camino Sanabrés, branches off at Zamora to reach Santiago de Compostela. This Cicerone guidebook presents both the main route and the Camino Sanabrés variant in full, with road and off-road options throughout. The main route covers 930km from Seville to Gijón in 14 stages, passing through Zafra, Mérida, Cáceres, Plasencia, Salamanca, Zamora, León and Oviedo, with the Camino Sanabrés adding a further 6 stages from Zamora to Santiago de Compostela. Detailed ride planners show where you can switch between road and off-road alternatives, making the route accessible to road, touring, hybrid and gravel cyclists. Leg-by-leg route descriptions are supported by 1:150,000 colour mapping and elevation profiles, with GPX files available to download. Detailed accommodation listings cover pilgrim hostels, hotels and other options along the way, alongside practical advice on equipment, travel, transporting your bike, and a useful Spanish glossary. An introduction covers the route's history, landscape, wildlife and climate, including guidance on choosing between the road and off-road options.