The Ebro is near its end here. South of Tortosa the river spreads into a flat delta of rice fields, lagoons and sand spits, and the coast of the Baix Ebre curves out into the sea. The Cova de les Calobres, the Cave of the Snakes, is a shelter inland from El Perelló, in the dry limestone hills of the Serra de Cardó. The rock paintings of this area belong to the Mediterranean-arc group that UNESCO listed in 1998, and the nearby shelters have given their names to the ride titles.
This is easy and gentle riding. The roads around El Perelló run between olive groves, carob trees and low hills, with the sea sparkling in the distance. The coast road is busy in summer, and the old N-340 has a lot of trucks, but small roads inland are quiet. If you want a longer loop, the Via Verde, an old railway line turned into a path, runs through the area, and the Ports de Tortosa-Beseit mountains to the west offer real hairpins and rock scenery. A strong wind from the north-west called the mestral blows down the valley often and can push a bike around on exposed stretches.
El Perelló has nearly three thousand people, and L'Ampolla has a similar number, so fuel and food are easy to find, though the larger town of Tortosa, fifteen kilometres away, has a better choice. Tortosa has a cathedral, a castle above the river, and a long history as a frontier city. On the coast, the delta is famous for rice, eels and the pink flamingos that gather in its lagoons, and a plate of rice with seafood is the obvious order.
Go in spring or autumn, when the air is mild and the delta is busy with migrating birds. In summer the coast is crowded and hot, and in winter the north wind is cold. Take a few moments at a viewpoint over the water and let the wind blow over you.