How long is the Calpe — Guadalest & Vall d'Ebo cycling route?

The Calpe — Guadalest & Vall d'Ebo is 137 kilometres as a loop with 2681 metres of elevation gain.

How difficult is Calpe — Guadalest & Vall d'Ebo?

Calpe — Guadalest & Vall d'Ebo is rated epic. This is a serious undertaking — only attempt it with strong fitness and mountain cycling experience.

When is the best time to ride Calpe — Guadalest & Vall d'Ebo?

The best time to ride Calpe — Guadalest & Vall d'Ebo is Oct – May.

What surface is the Calpe — Guadalest & Vall d'Ebo route?

Calpe — Guadalest & Vall d'Ebo is entirely on paved roads.

Spain

Costa Blanca, Spain

Calpe — Guadalest & Vall d'Ebo

epic

137 km

Distance

2,681 m

Elevation

100% Asphalt

Surface

Calpe, Costa Blanca

Start

Oct – May

Best Season

epic

Difficulty

About this Route

← Costa Blanca Cycling Guide

A 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 relentless. The descent on the far side is the reward: swooping 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 — do not skip this if you are running low.

The inland plateau through Benasau, Gorga and Balones is extraordinary cycling. Narrow roads, fresh tarmac, almost no traffic. We had a headwind that day — not ideal, but it could not ruin the experience. This is the kind of riding that reminds you why you travel with a bike.

We stopped at the small café in Vall d'Ebo before the final climb — a good call. The 3.35km at 4.9% is manageable, but the descent that follows deserves fresh legs. Hairpin after hairpin unwinding above a vast plain of orange groves, the Mediterranean glittering on the horizon. It is the moment the whole route has been building toward, and it delivers completely.

The return through the Jalón valley is a gentle roll home. Velosol in Xaló 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

0–25 km: Calpe to Callosa

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.

25–50 km: Guadalest valley

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.

50–85 km: Puerto de Confrides and the hidden interior

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.

85–95 km: Vall d'Ebo

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.

95–118 km: The descent and Jalón valley return

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

Vall d'Ebo climb, Costa Blanca — iconic Category 3 postcard climb above the limestone peaks