Bellús is a small village in the valley of the Albaida river in southern Valencia, just upstream from where the river flows into a reservoir and then joins the Júcar. The old village was partly flooded by the reservoir, and the new one stands on higher ground. The Cova de la Petxina, the cave of the shell, is in the hills near the village, close to Guadasequies and Genovés.
The cave is known for prehistoric remains, part of a wider area rich in archaeological sites. The Cova del Parpalló, near Gandia, about thirty kilometres east, is famous for its thousands of engraved and painted stone plaques from the Upper Palaeolithic, and the Cova Negra near Xàtiva has yielded Neanderthal remains. Petxina adds to this long story of human presence, though it is a small and protected site rather than a tourist destination.
Xàtiva, a few kilometres to the south, is the big attraction nearby. Its castle stretches along a ridge above the town, with walls and towers climbing the hill, and the old town below has fountains, churches and palaces. Xàtiva was the birthplace of two Borgia popes, Callixtus III and Alexander VI, and it was burned by Philip V's troops in 1707 after the War of the Spanish Succession; as a result, the portrait of Philip V in the town museum hangs upside down. It is the kind of grudge that makes history feel personal.
The riding in this area is mixed. The valley floor is busy with roads and orange groves, but the hills on either side offer twisting roads toward the Serra Grossa, Quatretonda and the Valldigna. The road from Xàtiva south toward Bocairent and Ontinyent climbs gradually into the mountains. Watch out for traffic around Xàtiva and for farm vehicles in the groves.
Benigànim, about five kilometres away, is the nearest larger town, with fuel and food, and Xàtiva has everything. Xàtiva is known for its arròs al forn, rice baked in the oven with chickpeas, sausage and pork. Spring, when the orange blossom fills the air, is the best time to ride here.