Behind the Costa Blanca, between the beaches and the hills, lies a country of steep limestone valleys, almond terraces and tiny villages that few tourists reach. Coves Roges, the Red Caves, are shelters in the rock near Castell de Castells and Tàrbena, in the Marina Alta, where the Serra d'Aitana rises to over fifteen hundred metres and the Guadalest valley cuts deep into the mountains. Rock shelters here were painted and used in prehistory, and this part of Alicante has some of the best-known Levantine art, such as the shelters at Pla de Petracos not far away.
The valleys are beautiful in a rugged way. Cherry and almond trees are planted on stone-walled terraces that climb the slopes, and in February the almond blossom turns the hillsides white and pink. The village of Guadalest, with its castle perched on a pinnacle of rock above a turquoise reservoir, is a popular stop, and Benimantell and Castell de Castells keep a quieter, farming character. The mountain air smells of pine and rosemary, and the nights are cool even in summer.
For a motorcyclist, this is excellent country. The road over the Coll de Rates, between Tàrbena and Callosa d'en Sarrià, is a famous run with many bends, long views of the coast and valley, and a steady stream of cyclists and riders in good weather. The mountain roads around Castell de Castells are narrower, with sharp turns and variable surfaces, and rockfall and gravel can be a hazard after rain. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times, and the weekends bring heavy traffic, so choose a weekday if you can.
The villages here have small shops and bars but very little fuel, so fill up at Pego, about sixteen kilometres away, which has stations and supermarkets, or on the coast. The wetlands near Pego produce rice, and the local dish, arròs al forn, is hearty and good. Go with water and a charged phone, since signal fades in the valleys, and keep to marked paths if you walk to a painted shelter. Treat the paint with respect, never touching or wetting it.