Otos is a tiny village in the Vall d'Albaida, in the south of Valencia province, and it has an unusual claim to fame: its walls are decorated with dozens of sundials, designed by artists and scattered through the streets, making the village a kind of open-air museum of time. Nearby, in the hills around Otos, Bèlgida and Ráfol de Salem, prehistoric people left paintings in rock shelters, and the Coveta del Mig is one of the sites included in the World Heritage site of the rock art of the Mediterranean Basin. The art here includes schematic figures, simplified human and animal forms, and the area is part of a rich zone of rock art that extends into the mountains of the Alicante province to the south.
The Vall d'Albaida is a green, fertile valley of vineyards, orchards and small villages, surrounded by mountains, with the Benicadell, a dramatic limestone ridge, rising to the south. The valley has a long history of textile production, and the town of Ontinyent, the regional capital, is known for its blankets and textiles. To the south, the mountains of the Serra de Mariola and the valleys around Alcoy offer more spectacular scenery, with rock art sites such as the Pla de Petracos, known for its unusual macroschematic paintings.
The riding in this area is excellent. The roads wind through the valley and up into the mountains, with tight bends, steep climbs and views over the valleys. The road over the Benicadell toward Muro de Alcoy and Cocentaina is a highlight, as is the route through the Vall de Gallinera, a narrow valley with cherry orchards and Moorish villages, especially beautiful in spring when the trees blossom. Traffic is light, surfaces generally good, and the scenery constantly changing. Summer heat can be intense, and spring and autumn are ideal.
Otos and the neighbouring villages have small bars and shops, and Muro de Alcoy, about six kilometres away, has fuel, cafés and restaurants. Local food includes rice dishes, such as arròs al forn, baked rice with pork and chickpeas, and the olleta, a hearty stew. Walk through Otos to see the sundials, ride the mountain roads, and stop for a coffee in one of the valley's villages. It is a quiet, beautiful corner of Valencia, far from the crowds of the coast.