Ascent and descent in the Marina Alta, with the furthest point: Cova dels Arcs

The Marina Alta is a comarca in the province of Alicante in the Valencian Community.
From Benidorm you pedal via Altea to Benissa (ascent to the Port of Benissa). Then it passes through the Marina Alta towards the coast, to finally descend (by 22%) to a small beach in a secluded bay. This is a very idyllic place because here you can see an underwater cave (more than one arch carved by the water hitting) from the beach, called Cova dels Arcs.

After that, it's steep to move away (so with 22%!) from the sea and will soon continue to climb to the left. The climb is still considerably steep, but you'll be rewarded with beautiful views of the coast. In 3.3 kilometers the 400 altimeters are exceeded (according to some websites the maximum slope here is 24%)!!. At the top of the Cumbre del Sol or also called Puig de la Llorenca (the last few hundred meters of which are dead ends), you have a breathtaking view. There is also a poster showing Tom Dumoulin, who won a stage here at the Vuelta a España in 2015. Then you descend to the coastal town of Moraira. When you reach the coast in Moraira you have a view of Moraira Castle, which is located on the beach. Then go up and down to Calpe.

Instead of going directly to Calpe, you can also pedal through Fanadix. Then you get an extra climb (La Fustera) with beautiful views over the sea. Or you tour a little later and go up to the Tossal Los Bancales. You can then descend to Calpe on the CV-7471. In both cases, the course will only be 2 kilometers longer, but you will get 200 additional altimeters.

If you do not take the detour through La Fustera or Tossal Los Bancales, you will pedal in Calpe along the Salinas, a salt lagoon where special birds are found. If you're lucky, you'll also see flamingos here. Via the busy N332 you go to Altea and back to Benidorm