WECLOME TO CYCLING IN THE MARINA ALTA
Villa Safari and Moraira are located on the doorstep of the Costa Blanca’s Marina Alta, offering a delightful cycling experience with a variety of routes. Whether you’re an avid cyclist or a leisure rider, there is something for everyone.
The World Health Organisation says the Costa Blanca climate is one of the best in the world. The Moraira region boasts more than 300 days of sunshine per year (or even 325 hours if you read some reports) which makes a cycling trip stay at Villa Safari attractive at any time of year. If you’re looking for stunning mountain scenery, quiet roads, great road surfaces, and near year around sunshine, look no further.
Villa Safari
The region is often featured in the Vuelta a España and the area is the winter cycling destination of choice for many pro teams. Every year more than half of the World Tour teams choose the Marina Alta region for their training camps.
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February to May are the popular riding months, but for those with kids, Moraira’s lovely beaches mean you can probably sneak some cycling into a family summer vacation too...
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It is an all-year-round cycling destination, although summer temperatures mean you’ll need to head out early and plan your route carefully. The most popular time for cyclists to visit the region is between February and May, with peak cycling season being March to the end of April or mid-May. The pro teams are in abundance November through to February.
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Between late January and early March, it’s almond blossom season and many valleys transform into a sea of pink.
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It’s also worth considering timing your visit around one of the festival days. On 19 March it’s the Fallas festival. In many towns and villages, enormous colourful floats made of wood and papier-mâché are paraded through the streets before they’re burned on a bonfire at midnight, accompanied by fireworks, marking the beginning of spring.
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Cycling Moraira and the Costa Blanca is all about the hills and mountains that form its craggy backdrop. Twisty roads weave up rocky mountain passes and offer far-reaching views over the coastal plains and valleys below. There’s little in the way of forest, so for much of every climb, you’re treated to fabulous panoramas.
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This is not the place to come if you’re looking for flat, easy riding. Flatter areas do exist, but the geography means they’re along the coastal plains. The coast is densely populated so don’t expect quiet roads, though cycle paths do exist, and the Spanish motorists are far more courteous with observing the 1.5m rule.
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Cycle Safari
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Villa Safari sits in a perfect location to start and end your cycling adventures, just off the main coast road, 2.5km from the centre of Moraira and 8km from Calpe.
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There is parking for 4-5 vehicles and the Villa can sleep 11 in comfortable single beds or can be arranged as doubles as required.
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There is ample secure storage for bikes, with a selection of tools to deal with any mechanical adjustments.
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Once kitted up and ready to roll among the many destinations to seek out are the wonderful Jalon Valley, the beautiful vistas ascending the Col de Rates and the mighty climb up the Cumbre del sol, that even cracked the likes of Froome! A ride out to Denia will see you ascending the Montgo, known as the sleeping elephant (you’ll get it when you see it) with a diversion to the lighthouse where you get a wonderful panoramic view of the Mediteranean coastline extending beyond Javea to the south and Denia to the North and across the sea to the Balearic Island of Ibiza.
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Once back at Safari from your adventures in the Marina Alta with your bikes racked up and safely locked way, you’ll be refuelling in no time, with a wide range of restaurants just a short walk away.
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Though the off-season days can be warm and sunny, the evenings especially in winter can get quite cold. We have an open fire as well as heating air-con to make the villa cosy while you reminisce the day and plan the next day’s route. Chapeau!
BIKE SHOPS AND RENTALS
We have three fabulous bike shops and rental outlets a mere 5-minute walk away.
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Xabia Cycles (also in Javea and Denia) offer cycle sales, rental and service, a very professional and dedicated team.
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New in town is the high end 53 Eleven where you can enjoy coffee and cake while drooling over spectacular carbon machines and look to increase your cycling wardrobe.
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5 minutes further on is Café Cadence where you can join friendly Group rides on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Lots of kit and bikes to buy and rent including a wide range of electric options with a lovely terrace to sit in the sun, enjoying snacks and drinks with like-minded cycle souls.
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Between all three they can cater for all your cycling needs and are a font of local knowledge for suggesting cycle routes.
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Another great option for cycle hire is Alta Bike, Kurt will deliver direct to Villa Safari with his electric vehicle!