The best road cycling routes around Los Cerralbos

From the Puerto de El Piélago, the Sierra de San Vicente opens up over a landscape of mountains, pine forests, and wide Castilian horizons. The road climbs through forests until it reaches one of the most spectacular natural viewpoints in the province of Toledo, with views that reach the Sierra de Gredos on the clearest days.

The Pedro Bernardo Pass is one of the classic climbs in the Sierra de Gredos mountains, highly prized by cyclists and a regular feature of races like the Vuelta a España. First section: Up to the village (Pedro Bernardo), with gradients of 5-6%, a road in good condition, and spectacular views of the Tiétar Valley. Urban section: In the village, the gradient eases, even offering some flatter sections. Second section: After the village, the asphalt becomes rougher, and the toughest kilometer (7-8%) appears, followed by a "balcony" section with incredible views and a sustained 5% gradient to the summit.

El Real de San Vicente is located at the foot of the mountain range from which it takes its name, in a prime setting for outdoor activities. Its location is associated with military settlements in the 11th and 12th centuries. Remains of its millennia-long occupation are preserved in the village.

At the foot of the San Vicente mountain range lies San Román de los Montes, a town whose historical importance is evident in the impressive 16th-century Roll of Justice, crowned with four dog heads, found in its historic center.

The Puerto de Pedro Bernardo is the younger brother of the Puerto de Serranillos. Almost every time this port has been climbed in a professional race it is linked to the Puerto de Serranillos, only the second being considered a port. However, the Puerto de Pedro Bernardo is in itself a hill where you can go from the valley where the CL-501 road runs (where the town with the same name is located) to the valley of the Puerto de Pico, where Esteban del Valle and Mombeltrán are located. The chain with Serranillos is the most typical, as I said previously, although it is also worth chaining it with the Puerto de la Centenera or the Puerto del Pico. The road is rough, with hardly any shoulder and very little traffic. It is a very pleasant port to climb... as long as the heat is not suffocating.

Mijares is located on the southern slope of the Villafranca mountain range, near the Tiétar river. The town is surrounded by a natural environment with forests and mountains, which makes it an attractive place for nature and hiking lovers. The most important points of the town are the parish church of San Bartolomé Apóstol, rebuilt in the 18th century, and the Plaza Mayor, the nerve center of the municipality, where various businesses are located and local events and activities are held.

It extends along the eastern bank of the Tagus River and is the second most populated municipality in the province and the fourth in Castilla-La Mancha. Among its monuments are the Basilica of Our Lady of the Prado, which houses what is today the patron saint of the city. It was called Queen of the Hermitages by Philip II, it is also called the Sistine Chapel of ceramics, because this colorful art shows here all its splendor from the 16th century to the present day. The style of its construction is a combination of Renaissance and Baroque, although it has undergone various restorations over the centuries. It was elevated to the dignity of Basilica in 1989 by Pope John Paul II. In the Church of Santa María La Mayor (La Colegial) you can admire its pure Gothic cloister, which was built around the year 1469. Its floor plan is rectangular, made up of three longitudinal naves and without a transept. In the years 1704 and 1705 the two upper sections of the Tower were added.

Its name refers to the aromatic fennel plant, abundant in this area. In addition to the surroundings, the town's urban complex and the Church of La Concepción are worth a visit. Also worth visiting are the remains of the castle, built on top of an Islamic tower. A few meters from the castle, you can visit the cave where, according to tradition, Saints Vincent, Sabina, and Christeta, Martyrs of Talavera, took refuge during the Dacian persecution.