Pico Veleta is Europe’s highest cyclable climb, rising above Granada’s skyline. Soaring up to 3,394 m (11,135 ft), Veleta is a regular entry on lists of superlative bike climbs like “world’s highest/toughest/hardest” and it more than deserves the distinctions. But Veleta has a few things that the others don’t. It’s the second highest peak on the Iberian Peninsula, and unlike the highest peak directly to the east, you can ride your gravel or road bike (with 28-32 mm tires) to within 25 meters (82 ft) of Veleta’s peak. If you time your climb to a summertime full moon, aim to reach the peak at sunrise for an experience that’s hard to match anywhere else…MORE
