Limestone hills and sea views – Costa Blanca by bicycle

The Costa Blanca is one of Spain's major tourist resorts. The Mediterranean coastline of the province of Alicante is well-known for its average annual temperature of 20ºC. In addition, the sun shines on its waters and mountains for more than 300 days a year. Although the main tourist attraction here is sun and beach tourism, the province of Alicante is one of the most mountainous in Spain, which means it offers a very special kind of rural tourism.

Thanks to the climate, the development of tourist infrastructure on the coast, the quality of its inland roads and the convenient connection with the rest of Europe from its airports, the Costa Blanca has become a winter refuge for many top international cycling teams.

It’s common to see professional cyclists riding between the pre-season months of January and March on the roads throughout the province. The coastal roads are ideal for training on rolling roads and against the clock. Likewise, the roads that wind their way up to the inland mountain villages are perfect for training on demanding mountain passes.

Less than 8 kilometres (5 mi) from Benidorm's Poniente beach, Puig Campana rises to 1,406 metres (4,613 ft) above sea level. It’s the highest coastal peak in Spain. But this imposing limestone massif is not alone. Around it rise others of equal size, such as the Aitana and the Maigmó, which give their names to their respective mountain ranges and which, together with endless ridges and gorges, form a landscape that’s ideal for exploring on a bicycle on the warm, sunny days of the Mediterranean winter.

This Collection of seven Tours takes you along the roads and mountain passes most frequented by the professional pelotons. Lose yourself on roads through arid landscapes, impressive limestone formations and welcoming villages. On each route, you can enjoy views of the Mediterranean, whose shores you will return to at the end of each day.

The province of Alicante, especially the Costa Blanca, is very well-connected by road, train, bus and plane. All the routes start and end at train or bus stations or at a nearby car park. In addition, this area offers almost endless accommodation and restaurant options, both at the head of the routes and in the villages you pass through.

And, of course, the best time to ride these Tours is in winter, when you can enjoy not only magnificent temperatures but also incredible sunny days. Despite this, I always recommend taking an extra layer for when you've climbed the passes and are on your way down.