The best traffic-free bike rides around Rafelcofer

IF… you are going here, I recommend having something like 50/34 11-34 and disc brakes, there are steep angles up and down. The gravel part is short and on 28 mm road tyres is manageable. And one more, ride only from Lorcha towards Villalonga, otherwise you’ll hate your life.

The Church of Santa María la Mayor in Gandia stands on the site of an earlier 13th-century temple, of which a Gothic chapel and a Mudéjar pointed arch still remain. In the 17th century, the Communion Chapel was added, and an initial remodeling project began, but remained unfinished. The bell tower was completed in 1695. Construction of the current church began in 1705 but was interrupted during the War of the Spanish Succession. In 1754, a large part of the roof, dome, and nave collapsed, necessitating further remodeling. Following the completion of this work, the church was consecrated in 1787. Today, Santa María la Mayor combines Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque elements and represents both a spiritual center and an important testimony to the architecture and history of Gandia.

Numerous small fishing and pleasure boats are anchored in the Barranco de Sant Nicolau. The seawater extends far into the urban area of Gandia, shaping the landscape. The bridge offers a particularly beautiful view of the boats and the houses situated directly on the water.

The climb from Gandia to Drova i Barx has some sections with cycle paths, like this one.

Here the smaller fishing and sports boats are moored in the Barranco de Sant Nicolau. The sea water reaches far into the urban area of Gandia. From the bridge you have a beautiful view of the boats and the houses on the water.

This is not really the end of the road. From here you can continue the road to L’Orxa, where you have to drive about 50m over gravel (no problem with a road bike) to then continue on tarmac. The road is VERY steep, a bit less so if you come from L’Orxa. But it is beautiful and there is a nice mirador up in the hills looking out over the river. With a 34 front and a 30 cog on the cassette it is doable but tough.

Very picturesque and demanding stretch. With a good surface, riding here is very entertaining, but you will have to overcome slopes over 20%, both up and down, so make sure your brakes are in optimal condition.

On the land now occupied by the church of Santa Maria la Major there was a previous temple from the 13th century, from which a Gothic chapel and a pointed Gothic-Mudejar arch of a door are preserved. In the 17th century, the Chapel of Communion was attached to it. In those years, an unfinished remodeling process began. In 1695 the bell tower was finished. The new church was built from 1705. The War of Succession interrupted the work. When they were resumed, in 1754 much of the roof, and the dome and the main drum, sank. The incident forced a new remodeling of the works that had already been done during the first half of the century. Finally, it was inaugurated in 1787.