Cycle through the best of Valencia

The trip begins in Biar or Villena, depending on which accommodation is available. Here in the inland of the Valencia region, you get a first taste of the area's long history. Biar is a small town with an impressive cultural heritage, crowned by its well-preserved castle from the 12th century. Take a walk through the old quarter's labyrinth of narrow streets, small squares and churches, and settle into the Spanish pace. Towards evening, bars and restaurants await where you can start getting acquainted with the local cuisine. The cycling adventure truly begins tomorrow.

After breakfast, the cycling begins through a landscape that shifts between pine forests, vineyards, fruit trees and lush plantations. If the route goes via Villena, you pass the town's mighty castle before joining the green cycle path along the Vinalopó river. Here, traffic becomes increasingly distant while fruit orchards and small communities take over the landscape. Today's destination is medieval Bocairent, one of the trip's true gems. The old town climbs up the slope with narrow alleys, small squares, fountains and houses tightly stacked on top of each other. Park the bike and head out on foot – and then find a nice restaurant for the evening.

From Bocairent, you continue up into the Sierra de Mariola nature area. The landscape becomes wilder and higher, with wide views and rich flora and fauna. This is the Valencia region's mountainous inland, far from the coastal resorts – and a fine contrast to the landscape awaiting later in the trip. You follow the route through nature towards Alcoi, a livelier town framed by mountains. Once the bike is parked for the day, there's plenty of time to explore the town and try local dishes and wines. Choose the shorter or longer stretch depending on how much cycling you feel like.

One of the trip's most delightful cycling days. You leave Alcoi and travel through the dramatic mountain valleys of the interior, with views of Lake Beniarrés and the peaks of Benicadell and Montcabrer. After that, the route follows the Serpis river towards the coast. You can choose between two variants. The first follows an old railway through the spectacular ravine and is relatively flat but has a gravel surface. The second climbs over the mountain on a good road and demands more of the legs, but rewards with grand views towards the sea and Safor's mighty mountain amphitheater. Towards Villalonga, the orange groves appear – and the sea breeze reveals where you're headed.

Now you leave the mountains behind you. The day begins among orange groves and continues through small wetlands and lagoons, locally called marjals, where birdlife is abundant. The route continues into a small valley and follows part of an old pilgrim route that once connected the area's monasteries. There is an opportunity to stop at the impressive monastery in Simat de la Valldigna. Eventually, the rice fields spread out and the Mediterranean coast draws seriously near. Today's destination is Cullera, a coastal town with long beaches and a fine view of the sea. This is also the right place to start exploring the Valencia region's famous rice dishes.

The last cycling day ties the trip together perfectly. If you choose the longer route, you begin along the banks of the Xúquer river, whose waters supply the area's fertile farmland. After that, you reach Parque Natural de la Albufera, one of the Mediterranean region's valuable wetland ecosystems. Lakes, wetlands, sand dunes and pine forests create rich birdlife and a landscape that feels far from the big city awaiting you. Feel free to make a stop in El Palmar and taste one of the area's classic rice dishes. Then you roll on into Valencia. The cathedral, the market hall, small squares, bars and restaurants await – a perfect end to the cycling trip, steeped in Spanish joie de vivre.

After breakfast, the cycling trip itself is over. If you have time before the journey home, there are far worse places to linger. Valencia blends old town, modern architecture, parks, markets and the Mediterranean in a particularly pleasant way. Take the opportunity to take one last walk through the historic quarters, sit down at a café, or extend the trip with an extra night. And if you still haven't eaten a proper Valencian paella, it's high time – after all, this is where the dish was born.