The Untapped Gem: Enjoy Denia and Calpe? You will LOVE Ontinyent!

When people think of riding in the Comunidad Valenciana, coastal towns like Denia and Calpe often steal the spotlight. But for those in the know, Ontinyent offers a hidden world of advantages. Here’s why this inland treasure might just be your next favorite base:

✈️ Easier Access from More Airports

Ontinyent is strategically placed for quick access from both Valencia and Alicante airports—giving you flexibility, often better flight options, and shorter transfer times depending on where you're flying from. Denia and Calpe usually rely solely on Alicante, limiting convenience.

🌄 Over 4.5 Times the Terrain

Ontinyent isn’t just a town—it’s a whole playground. With significantly more surrounding terrain than coastal hotspots, it offers endless possibilities for exploration, training, and unexpected detours. Think wide open valleys, dramatic ridgelines, and historic villages waiting to be discovered.

50km aound Ontinyent and Denia

🚴‍♂️ Quieter Roads, Better Rides

Tired of dodging traffic or squeezing past busloads of tourists on narrow roads? Ontinyent’s inland routes are blissfully peaceful. Fewer cars, more birdsong. It’s as if the roads were made just for you and your bike. Every single rider is genuinely astonished at how much quieter and how much more variety of riding there is in comparison to Denia or Calpe. Yes, there's great riding there too (we ride there as well), but getting in and out means navigating busy roads, repeating the same sections at the start and end of every ride and redoing the same climbs during the course of a week long stay. Stay in Ontinyent and you'll be riding new climbs, every day, for weeks.

☕ Cheaper Cafés, Bigger Smiles

A post-ride coffee in Ontinyent doesn’t break the bank. You’ll find plenty of charming cafés that serve excellent coffee and tostadas at prices that will make you do a double-take—in a good way. Local, authentic, and friendly.

🏔️ Gateway to the Full Mountain Experience

While Denia and Calpe give you access to popular climbs like Tudons or Confrides, Ontinyent opens the door to all of the region’s high mountain passes. From the rugged Sierra de Mariola to the soaring peaks near Bocairent, your options multiply dramatically.

🌊 Ride the Coast, Rule the Mountains

You don’t have to choose. Ontinyent puts you within easy striking distance of iconic coastal routes—so you can enjoy a morning seaside spin and be climbing serene alpine roads by afternoon. That includes Vall d'Ebo, Gallinea, Coll de Rates, Petracos, Tollos and Guadalest. From the coast, it's simply too far to ride to many of biggest and best mountains like Carresqueta, Xorret de Cati, Port del Moro, Font, Serra Mariola, Puerto Peregri, Reconco de Biar (highest road climb in the region) and many more.

🧘 Complete Mountain Solitude

Perhaps the most underrated luxury: silence. In Ontinyent, it’s still possible to have entire mountain roads to yourself, both on the way up and down. No honking horns. No photo-snapping crowds. Just you, your breath, and the hum of your wheels. Take the almost unhead of climb of Torra Talada and Pueto Peregri : Together it's a 33km with a 1000m of elevation gain, with a summit just shy of 1100m On a good day, you won't see a single car in either direction, or 66km if you opt for an out and back ride. Busy day, expect 5 or 6 cars. This year (1st July 2025) - 42 attempts on Strava and 188 All time. https://www.strava.com/segments/17456182 It's one of our absolutely favourite routes to ride every bit as good or better than anything you'll ride near the coast,

🛣️ Some of Spain’s Best Tarmac

Valencia is quietly famous for its superb road surfaces. Many of the routes near Ontinyent have been recently repaved, and even the older roads are exceptionally well-maintained—something every cyclist appreciates. Take the Torre Talada. Despite the fact it's quite road with almost no traffic, almost the entire section of the climb was repaved this year. If Carlsberg made roads for cyclists, this would be it.

Whether you're chasing your next big climb or a tranquil Spanish escape, Ontinyent invites you to experience more—with fewer crowds, better value, and a whole lot of open road.