The Marina Alta is the region of Alicante where the coast gives way to a jumble of limestone mountains and deep ravines, and a little inland from the beach resorts is a country that feels like a different world. Castell de Castells, Vall d'Ebo and Benimantell are all small villages, with a few hundred inhabitants each, scattered among terraces of almonds, olives and carob. The Racó de Gorgorí is a ravine in this country, and the shelter named Abric I is one of the Levantine rock art sites that UNESCO listed in 1998 as part of the Mediterranean-arc group. A short distance away is Pla de Petracos, one of the best-known sites in the area, with painted figures that have been studied for decades.
The ride here is outstanding for anyone who likes bends. The road from Callosa d'en Sarrià to the Guadalest valley and then over to Castell de Castells winds along steep slopes with hairpins, rock walls and little room for error, and the surface, though patched, is generally good. Views stretch over the Guadalest reservoir, which is a startling turquoise in good light, and the mass of Aitana, the highest peak in the province, towers above. Cyclists love these roads, so ride with care.
Fuel is the thing to plan. Pego, thirteen kilometres away, is the nearest town of any size, and Callosa d'en Sarrià and Benidorm have more services but are further away. Fill the tank before you climb. In summer the heat in the ravines is intense, and the sea breeze does not reach here. April, May, October and November are the best months.
The villages are quiet and have a few bars where you can get a coffee, a plate of local sausage, or a bowl of rice cooked in the traditional way. The Marina Alta has its own dialect of Valencian and its own dried-fruit traditions, especially almonds and figs. The sound in the evening is of goat bells and cicadas, and the smell of thyme after sun.