Almería is a big province, and the four areas are far from each other. A car is the easiest way to arrive, move between bases and reach the start of your rides. This page gives you the distances, the times and what to check when you hire one.
Arriving
Almería airport is the closest and the most practical. If you fly into Granada or Málaga, you can still do it by car, but plan the drive: it takes between two and four hours. If you are going to Vera, Murcia airport (Corvera) is also an option, about an hour and a half away.
Distances and times by road
| From | Almerimar | Berja | Armuña de Almanzora | Vera |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almería airport | 62 km 48 min | 75 km 1 h 01 min | 97 km 1 h 34 min | 80 km 1 h 01 min |
| Almería city | 42 km 34 min | 55 km 47 min | 93 km 1 h 32 min | 90 km 1 h 09 min |
| Granada airport | 149 km 1 h 51 min | 136 km 1 h 45 min | 155 km 1 h 54 min | 218 km 2 h 36 min |
| Málaga airport | 192 km 2 h 33 min | 179 km 2 h 27 min | 273 km 3 h 23 min | 308 km 3 h 49 min |
Distances and times come from OpenStreetMap routing, without traffic. Add 10 to 15 minutes for the mountain roads, and more for the long drives.
Between the bases
| Almerimar | Berja | Armuña de Almanzora | Vera | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almerimar | - | 29 km 32 min | 135 km 1 h 58 min | 131 km 1 h 34 min |
| Berja | 29 km 32 min | - | 148 km 2 h 11 min | 145 km 1 h 48 min |
| Armuña de Almanzora | 135 km 1 h 58 min | 148 km 2 h 11 min | - | 59 km 55 min |
| Vera | 131 km 1 h 34 min | 145 km 1 h 48 min | 59 km 55 min | - |
Almerimar and Berja are close, so a car makes it easy to ride in both on the same trip. Vera and Armuña de Almanzora, in the east and the north-east, are about an hour apart, so they work well together. Between the west (Almerimar and Berja) and the east (Vera and the Filabres) the drive takes between one and a half and two hours: choose one side for your trip, or plan a transfer day.
Do you need a car?
- Almerimar: you can live without one if you stay near the marina and ride from the door, but you will want it for the airport transfer and the shops.
- Berja: the starts of the loops are in town. A car helps you arrive and reach the places off the bike.
- Filabres and Armuña: yes. The villages are far from each other and public transport is thin.
- Vera: it helps. You can ride from the door of many houses, but the airport is an hour away, and the villages, the beaches and the golf resorts are spread out.
- Two areas in one trip: yes.
Tips for riders
- Bike boxes. One box takes a lot of space. Two boxes and luggage usually need a van or an estate, so check that they fit before you book.
- Hiring bikes here. If you hire bikes locally, you only need a car for the people and the luggage, and the bikes can be delivered to your door.
- Deposit and insurance. Compare the deposit, the excess and what the insurance covers, and keep a card with enough limit for the deposit.
- Fuel and mileage. Return it with the tank as agreed, and look for unlimited mileage if you will move between areas.
- Parking. In the villages you usually park on the street. In Almerimar, check that your accommodation has parking.
- Book early. In spring and autumn, the best seasons for riding, vans sell out first.
Hire a car
We compare prices for hire cars on DiscoverCars. You see the conditions, the deposit and the insurance before you book. Choose the dates of your trip and the kind of car, and the search opens with Almería airport and your dates already filled in.
Basic
About 20 € a day5 seats. A small car for two or three riders with little luggage. The cheapest way to get around. Bikes in boxes will not fit.
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Automatic
About 40 € a day5 seats. Most hire cars in Spain have a manual gearbox. If you prefer automatic, choose this one: usually a medium car with more room. Filter by automatic in the results.
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Van
About 150 € a day9 seats, with room for riders, luggage and bike boxes. The best choice for a group. Filter by vans in the results, and check that the bikes fit.
Search carsPrices per day are an estimate from DiscoverCars searches for Almería airport, for cars with 5 seats and vans with 9 seats. They change with the dates and with how early you book, and the final price is always the one DiscoverCars shows you.
This is an affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. How we earn money. We do not hire cars ourselves, and the contract is always between you and the provider.
Planning the trip? See where to ride and where to stay.