escapar.cc

day 01: arrival

One of the escapar team will meet you on arrival at the airport and transport you directly to the retreat.

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If you are arriving on an early flight and wish to ride after assembling your bike or fitting of our hire bike, we can recommend an easy rolling route towards Albadia or Fontanars. It's locally known for good reason as the 'Tuscany of Valencia'. We have many other routes to choose from, if you want something more challenging.

day 02: fontanars loop

Heading straight from the Finca, pristine tarmac immediately takes you onto on beautifully scenic and traffic free country roads, where you'll pass by vineyards, bodegas and castles, with views of the Serra Mariola to your left and Serra Grossa to your right.

We take a stop in Fontanars del Alforins at an inernationally renowned Bodega, where we can sample the local vermouth or simply enjoy a cortado before we head back The return takes us on a perfect beginner friendly descent. to build confidence and fine tune our technique.

Ride extensions include  Font de la Figuera, Villena or the Beniexama climbs. There are no major climbs on the ride.

day 03: serra mariola

A day of stunning riding in and around the Serra Mariola National Park. We climb out of Ontinyent over the Port Bocairent and head towards the Port de Mariola. The riding and scenery is different from that you might have experienced nearer the coast, the land and colours and more vibrant, the fields greener and the mountain tops occasionally snowcapped in winter.

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We make stops in ancient Bocairent, possibly the best preserved ancient village in Spain and can choose to visit the bullring and hermitage or the Moorish caves in the mountains.  We also stop in Alcoy, City of Bridges before returning via the Serra Mariola and Agres.

Ride extensions include La Cantera and Zapata from Cocentaina. The ride includes climbs of the Portillol, Serra Mariola and Subida a Agres.

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day 04: rest day

On the rest day you can choose to put your feet up and relax at the Finca, go sight seeing, walking or perhaps a gentle spin to a Bodega.

We recommend and can arrange the following:

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• Day trip to Valencia

• Local walk to Pou Clar or Bocairent

• Sighting, shopping and Menu del Dia in Ontinyent

• Train ride through the Serra Mariola to Alcoy

• Wine testing Bodega visit and trip to Villena

• Day in Xativa and trip to Xativa Castle 

day 05: mogente

We roll out from the Finca and drop down to briefly follow the Clariano (Ontinyent) river taking us towards Ontinyent, where it's a short sharp climb backup to cross the stunning Santa Maria bridge and onto the mountains of the Serra Grossa. Our biggest climb of the week takes us up the Port de Portitxol, with stunning views of the Vall D'Albaida, Serra Grossa and Costera plains, matched by a spectacular descent, down through the gorge into Mogente and the nearby El Pobalado Ibero de La Bastida de les Alcusses, a 4th century BC Iberian city of major importance. We continue towards Fontanars del Alforins passing Celler del Roure, where wine is made with ancient amphora.

day 06: xativa

We ride west and north through the pretty villages of the Vall d'Albaida with stunning views of the Sierra de Benicadell, passing lake Bellus before arriving in Xativa. There's a short climb to the castle, where we stop to explore and take in the most fantastic views in every direction. The castle sits on Vernissa hill on the strategic Via Augusta and was declared a National Monument, having been built and developed by Iberians, Romans and Borgia's.

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Ride extensions include the stunning El Campello, Port Paller and Port Beniarres and rides towards lake Anna.

day 07: sant esteve

We finish our week with a ride in Umbria and Tuscany of Valencia, passing the stunning Pou Clar lakes before taking the stunning Port Paller and descending back down towards Ontinyent. We complete the week with the spectacular climb to the Sant Esteve hermitage, that offers unparalled views of the Vall D'Albaida, Serra Grossa and Ontinyent.