On Your Bike

Passing over the Serra Grossa range and linking the comarcas of Vall d'Albaida and la Costera, el Puerto del Portitxol is a relatively easy, regular climb that is popular with local cyclists and which can be slotted into numerous hilly routes in the lesser-known southwest corner of the province of Valencia/northwest corner of the province of Alicante.

For the 2019 edition of La Vuelta a España, the organizers of the Spanish national tour have pulled a real rabbit out of the hat in the form of the previously-unused climb of el Alto de Javalambre - or el Picón del Buitre, as it is more commonly known -, atop of which sits the spectacular Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory.

We know that we are by no means the first to say it, but it nevertheless remains true: while it may not be the hardest, nor the steepest, climb in Alicante, the north side of Coll de Rates is most surely the best-known and most-popular climb in the province, attracting cyclists from all over the world throughout the entire year.

Nestled in the mountains above the village of Tàrbena, La Panavista is a self-contained Spanish villa which serves as an excellent option for relaxing and enjoying this spectacular corner of the Valencia Region.