On day 2 morning, meet your local team to collect your high-quality bikes and dial in a comfortable fit. Your representative will walk you through the GPS routes and the Headwater navigation app, sharing safety notes, suggested café stops, and scenic viewpoints for the week ahead.

After a short test spin, you’ll feel fully prepared to ride Valencia’s bike lanes and quiet country roads. The briefing places the landscapes in context—from coastal dunes and rice paddies to mountain greenways—so you can enjoy a free afternoon later with confidence, knowing how each day’s terrain and timing unfold.

Pedal south on day 2, using dedicated lanes to leave the city behind and enter the mosaic of wetlands, rice fields, and dunes that form the Albufera Natural Park. Skirt the mirror-still lagoon, pause at hides to spot herons and egrets, and roll beside the wild beaches of El Saler where the Mediterranean breeze carries the scent of pines.

This is where rice first flourished in Europe, the cradle of paella. As you trace the lagoon’s edge, learn how traditional irrigation shaped local life and how seasonal migrations bring over 300 bird species. With sea and sky shimmering, it’s a serene introduction to Valencia’s coastal ecosystems and their enduring foodways.

On day 3 a comfortable shuttle moves you and your bikes inland to Barracas to maximize time on the best tarmac. Set off along the Vía Verde de Ojos Negros, a former railway with gentle gradients, stone cuttings, and the occasional short tunnel. The route flows through open landscapes and quiet lanes to medieval Mora de Rubielos.

Wander the handsome town where many monuments date to the 14th century, including its castle and Gothic church. The ride links Valencia’s coastal plains with the cooler Teruel highlands, revealing how trade, rail, and rural life once intersected across this plateau.

Day 4 follows winding country lanes along a river’s course into the spa town of Montanejos. The terrain is friendly and scenic, with cliffs and pines giving way to turquoise pools. On arrival, swap cleats for swimwear and bathe in the thermal waters of the famed Fuente de los Baños, known for clarity and skin-soothing minerals.

Local lore credits the 13th-century Moorish ruler Zayd Abu Zayd with protecting these springs, a reminder of the region’s Andalusi past. As steam rises and sunlight dapples the canyon walls, the ride blends gentle exercise with a restorative soak—an elemental pause amid limestone and flowing water.

On day 5, follow the River Millars on an easy-rolling, mostly downhill ride through orange groves and mountain shadows toward the lowlands. Glimpse the castle-crowned town of Onda before a short included transfer whisks you to the coast at El Grao de Castellón.

With the Mediterranean now at your handlebars’ reach, enjoy a free afternoon on the sandy beach or the port promenade. The day shifts from river-valley solitude to sea-air leisure, revealing how the waterway feeds both agriculture and the bustling life of a provincial capital’s harbor.

Day 6 traces the Costa del Azahar (Orange Blossom Coast) along small coastal roads and paths. Pedal past dunes, coves, and watchtowers such as the evocative Torre de la Sal, taking unhurried breaks to swim or photograph azure Mediterranean horizons.

The scent of citrus drifts from inland groves while seabirds wheel over rock pools. This relaxed coastal stage is all about light and line—the silver of the sea against chalky stone—and the quiet communities that dot the shoreline between working ports and sheltered beaches.

On day 7, criss-cross the tracks of the Sierra de Irta Natural Park, a protected sweep of limestone ridges and coastal scrub overlooking the sea. Roll and occasionally walk where you prefer, pausing at lonely coves and cliff-top viewpoints where the water shifts from cobalt to jade.

Descending toward the headland, the whitewashed houses of Peñíscola, the “city in the sea,” appear above the surf. The park preserves a rare stretch of undeveloped coast, offering a vivid contrast to resort towns and a glimpse of the Mediterranean as it once was—wind-polished, aromatic with thyme and pine, and open to the horizon.

Arrive on day 7 and wander the steep, cobbled streets that spiral up to the citadel. Fishing boats bob below while white facades glow gold at dusk. Follow alleys to small lookouts to pause for photos and reflection as waves curl around the fortified rock.

Peñíscola is crowned by a Templar fortress later home to Benedict XIII, the “Papa Luna.” Even without entering the castle, the surrounding quarter tells its own story—stone ramparts, shuttered balconies, and the scent of salt and grilled fish drifting from tavern doorways.

Enhance your time in Valencia with tickets to the City of Arts and Sciences. Step into the interactive Príncipe Felipe Science Museum, catch a show under the Hemisfèric’s IMAX dome, and explore Oceanogràfic, one of Europe’s most extensive aquariums with Mediterranean, Arctic, and tropical habitats.

Visit on day 1 or late on day 2 to pair architecture with discovery. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour, ideal for travelers who love hands-on exhibits and striking design set within pools, palms, and the green corridor of the Turia Gardens.

While exploring the wetlands on day 2, board a traditional boat to glide across the Albufera lagoon with a local boatman. Learn how irrigation channels feed the rice fields and watch for marsh harriers and glossy ibis as reeds whisper around the hull.

Disembark in the village of El Palmar to sample authentic paella, where the dish was born from local rice, saffron, and seasonal ingredients. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour, and a flavorful way to connect the landscape’s ecology with Valencia’s signature cuisine.

After reaching the coast on day 5, settle into the harbor rhythm with a table along the promenade to enjoy the day’s catch—grilled cuttlefish, prawns, or a fisherman’s rice—paired with a cool Valencian white wine.

As the sun drops behind the masts, soak in the lakeside atmosphere of a working port turning to evening. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour, perfect for celebrating the journey from mountain rivers to the Mediterranean shore.

Cap day 7 with a visit inside the Peñíscola Castle, the Templar stronghold later occupied by Pope Benedict XIII (Papa Luna). Step onto the ramparts to scan the sea on three sides and the orange-dotted plain inland, then wander austere halls and courtyards where medieval power once played out.

The fortress anchors the town’s identity and its commanding views explain centuries of strategic importance. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour, and a memorable finale to your coastal crossing.

Arrive in Valencia and set out on a self-guided amble through the historic core. Trace the lively plazas around the cathedral and Plaza de la Virgen, admire the late-Gothic grandeur of the Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange), and follow the green ribbon of the Turia Gardens along the former riverbed. This easy warm-up lets you enjoy a free afternoon soaking in the city’s rhythm on day 1.

Glide toward the futuristic profile of the City of Arts and Sciences, the Calatrava-and-Candela complex whose gleaming white curves rise above pools and palms. Valencia’s past and present sit side by side, from medieval merchants’ halls to bold contemporary design—an inspiring preview of the contrasts you’ll explore on two wheels.