Calpe — Guadalest & Vall d'Ebo
About this Route
← Costa Blanca Cycling GuideA front-loaded epic through the Costa Blanca mountains, designed for maximum enjoyment. From Calpe, the route climbs deep into the interior — through the Guadalest valley to Puerto de Confrides, across the rolling inland plateau, and up the iconic Vall d'Ebo from the easy western side. The reward: one of the finest descents in Spain, plunging through hairpin bends above the orange groves toward Pego, with the Mediterranean glittering in the distance. 137 kilometres, 2,681 metres of climbing.
We rode this on 23 March 2026, and it turned out to be one of the finest days on the bike I have had in Spain.
The climb to Guadalest is everything the description promises — a long, gentle gradient with sweeping bends that carry you steadily upward through almond groves and terraced hillsides. As you gain height, the village of Guadalest appears above you, perched impossibly on its limestone crag. We stopped at one of the cafés in the village for coffee and a baguette — there are several to choose from, and after 30 kilometres of climbing, all of them look good.
Puerto de Confrides is not savage, but it is long. The pass itself sits at 770 metres, but the road continues up to around 967 metres on the plateau before it begins to descend. The descent on the far side is the reward: sweeping bends on perfect tarmac, the mountains opening up around you. Beyond the summit, the route threads through some of the most remote terrain on the Costa Blanca. A note on water: it can be a long way between stops up here. We filled bottles in Benimassot — I recommend doing it here so you do not risk running dry.
The inland plateau through Benasau, Gorga and Balones is extraordinary cycling. Narrow roads, fresh tarmac, almost no traffic. Port de Tollos comes around the midpoint — 3.96 km at 6% looks harmless on paper, but with 70 km in the legs you feel it. We had a headwind that day — it made the flat plateau section harder than expected.
We stopped at Restaurante Foc i Brasa in Vall d'Ebo before the final climb — a good call. The 3.35 km at 4.9% is manageable, but it is the descent that demands fresh legs. Hairpin after hairpin unwinding above a vast plain of orange groves, the Mediterranean on the horizon. This descent is the high point of the entire route.
The return through the Jalón valley is a gentle roll home. Velosol in Xaló at km 118 is worth a stop on the way back — we skipped it that day, but it is a well-known favourite among cyclists in the area.
Kilometre by Kilometre
Rolling coastal roads south from Calpe through Altea before turning inland. The road climbs gradually through Callosa d'en Sarria — a pleasant warm-up with the mountains growing larger ahead. Good roads, light traffic.
The valley narrows and the climbing steadies as the route passes beneath the iconic village of Guadalest — perched impossibly on a limestone crag above the reservoir. Stop here for a coffee before the real climbing begins. The reservoir views from the road are extraordinary.
Puerto de Confrides: 20.4km at 3.5% average, Category 1. Gianni Vermeersch holds the KOM at 39:02. The gradient never lets you fully rest but never breaks you — find a steady rhythm and hold it all the way to 770m. Beyond the summit, rolling roads thread through Benasau, Gorga and Balones — some of the finest and quietest cycling roads in the entire Costa Blanca interior.
The village of Vall d'Ebo sits at the foot of the final climb. Bar La Fuente is the essential stop — a cola or espresso before the 3.35km at 4.9%. Category 3 on paper, but the legs are tired and the views are distracting. The summit opens onto one of the finest panoramas on the route.
The descent from Vall d'Ebo to Pego is the highlight of the entire route — hairpin after hairpin unwinding above orange groves with the Mediterranean on the horizon. This is what the day has been building toward. After Pego, flat roads carry you through the Jalón valley through Xaló — stop at Velosol for the best coffee of the day — before the final coastal kilometres back to Calpe.
Gallery
Route map & elevation profile
Key Climbs
Puerto de Confrides
Cat 1Highlights
- •Puerto de Confrides — 20 km at 3.5% average, but the final 4 km push above 7%. The longest climb in the Costa Blanca portfolio and one of the most scenic.
- •The Guadalest reservoir from above: the turquoise water against the dry mountain landscape is one of those views that forces you to stop mid-climb.
- •Port de Tollos — short, sharp, and tucked into a limestone gorge. A complete contrast to the long grind of Confrides before it.
- •Velosol Cycling Bar in Vall d'Ebo: a proper cycling café at the base of the valley, built for road cyclists. The kind of place you ride back to.
- •The descent from Vall d'Ebo to Pego: a fast, technical drop through tight bends with almost no traffic. One of the best descents on the Costa Blanca.
Must know
- ⚠Puerto de Confrides starts immediately after Guadalest. Don't burn your matches on the reservoir climb getting there — you've got 20 km of sustained effort ahead.
- ⚠The final 4 km of Confrides steepen considerably. Save something for them. Most riders who blow up on this route do it here.
- ⚠Velosol in Vall d'Ebo is the only reliable food and coffee stop on the back half of the route. It's a cycling café — the staff know what you need after Confrides and Tollos.
- ⚠Port de Tollos is short but hits 10%+ on the upper ramps. After 100 km and Confrides in the legs, it's sharper than the numbers suggest.
- ⚠The descent from Port de Tollos to Vall d'Ebo is fast and the road surface deteriorates in places. Back off on the blind corners.
- ⚠This is a quieter route than the Finestrat or Tudons loops — less cycling traffic, fewer support vehicles. Carry extra spares and an extra tube.
Café & Water
- km 87Restaurante Foc i Brasa
Last stop before the Vall d'Ebo climb, at km 87 just before the climb starts. Simple village restaurant in the valley itself — espresso, bocadillo, refill the bottles. After this it's 30 km to the next reliable stop at Velosol in Xaló.
- km 118Velosol Cycling Bar
Classic stop on the return leg, km 118 with around 19 km left to Calpe. Run by local cyclists, a proper cycling café with good coffee and food. In season you meet most of the riders who cycle in the area there.
Frequently asked questions
- How does this route compare to the other Costa Blanca epics?
- It's the most sustained of the three — fewer climbs, but Puerto de Confrides at 20 km means you're grinding for a long time in the middle of the day. The Finestrat loop has more variety; this one demands more patience.
- Is Puerto de Confrides difficult?
- It's long rather than steep — 20 km at 3.5% average. The first 16 km are manageable if you pace them correctly. The last 4 km push above 7% and catch a lot of riders off guard. Treat it like a long Alpine climb: eat early, ride your own tempo.
- Where are the food and water stops?
- Guadalest at km 45 has several cafés — good place to fill up before Confrides. Velosol in Vall d'Ebo is the key stop on the back half, around km 100. After Velosol, it's a fast run home to Calpe with no further stops.
- What's the road quality like?
- Excellent on the main roads. The climb to Confrides is smooth throughout. Port de Tollos and the descent to Vall d'Ebo have some rougher patches — nothing that needs a gravel bike, but you'll feel it if you're running 25mm tyres at high pressure.
- When is the best time of year for this route?
- March to May or October to November. The Confrides climb faces south and bakes in summer — starting before 7 am is not optional in July and August. Spring and autumn give you the best light and the most comfortable temperatures for a 7-hour day.
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Route Details
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Costa Blanca
Elite level. Extreme elevation, altitude and distance. Serious preparation required.