Escapar Cycling - Road, Gravel and MTB Cycling Holidays and Bike hire

A cycling vacation with friends that was simply fun and pleasurable. Cycling with David as our guide was wonderful! He took us on scenic routes, told us about the area and made stops along the way at cafe stops and scenic vistas. After our rides, Emmeline would welcome us back with lunch and cake! Her dinners were fabulous! David & Emmeline are gracious, very very nice and made our stay so delightful. This vacation was so enjoyable that I plan to go back, cycle and stay with them again.

I had a few days of leave in Europe so decided to stay for a short while near Valencia, using Escapar as my base to experience my first ever cycling holiday in Spain. I stayed as a solo traveler with two days of guided riding. One day gravel, the second day road. On Day 1 David carefully set up my rented gravel bike and explained some techniques for me, given my relative limited experience in gravel riding. The tracks were like nothing I’d experienced before, with many routes and paths that open up before you as you go through fertile valleys, fields and farmland, and up mountain passes into the surrounding hills. The impression I took from the first day was that this is a paradise for cycling. For Day 2, I was inspired and keen to do some road cycling, which is my main hobby. The roads were smooth, there were hardly any cars, and those that did pass seemed extremely respectful to cyclists, waiting patiently or giving you a wide berth as they overtook. Different groups of cyclists - be they roadies, gravel riders or mountain bikers, all give you a friendly wave as they pass. We stopped in some beautiful villages like Moixent for a coffee and a sandwich before climbing alongside these rugged and jutting rocks with the Torre Mora to our left. The house/cottage is also worthy of note. It is very tastefully furnished and decorated, and is a very comfortable and homely stay. I was happily eating the delicious foods and dishes that were prepared, which were nutritious, heathy and perfect for cyclists. In terms of practicalities, everything from start to finish was easy and smooth: the arrangements, pick up, the bike rental (there is a massive fleet), the set up, the guided tours, and the return to the airport. Everything was easy. So in wrapping up, the cycling was excellent and I would have loved to stay longer and do more. I only rarely travel to Europe, but I’m really glad that I had this experience, even though it was super short. If I have a similar chance I would very much like to return.

Very nice helpful and professionnal. Gave me a very good gpx (on paved roads) to explore the beautiful surroundings, ans good pieces of advice. The bike worked perfectly and they took the time for necessary adjustments before the ride (seat height, gps mount, pedals...) I can only recommend!

Great trip with loads of beautiful rides and climbs. David and Emmeline are terrific hosts and Emmeline’s cooking is top notch. The villa is a great place to relax after a long day of riding but it’s also close to town so you can experience some of the village of Ontinyent. Highly recommend!

While Escapar Cycling is mainly for cyclists, they also cater very well to non-cyclists, of which into the latter category I fell. On Sunday, March 30, I had joined my friend (also a non-cyclist) and her road-cycling husband for the week and at the end of our stay, we all agreed enthusiastically that we had a fantastic time and look forward to going again next year. From the (private) pickup of our friendly driver, Pete, at the airport to the very warm welcome we received at the villa from David and Emmaline, I knew right away that we were going to have a great stay. We had originally thought that the villa was situated far away from any town and tucked away in the countryside, but we were pleasantly surprised that the large town/city of Ontinyent was a quick 20-minutes walk away with access to all amenities and some excellent restaurants, and Valencia a mere hour by train from the nearby city of Xativa. The spacious, well-appointed villa, with a large outdoor lounge and eating area, is situated in a beautiful and quiet area and has an outdoor pool, which sadly for us didn’t open until May. Our rooms, with individual bathrooms, were spacious and very comfortable with spectacular views from our windows. The breakfasts each morning were copious and fresh (consisting of porridge, yogurt, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, toast and pastries, orange juice and coffee), as was each of the delicious homemade cakes in the afternoons, and the incredible homemade Spanish dinners, served with local wines, made from fresh, local sources. While, as a non-cyclist, I can’t speak personally about the road cycling – although it’s a testament to Escapar that my friend’s widely travelled-cyclist husband was blown away by the riding and our host-guide’s support – my friend and I can attest to the super helpful hosts who would sometimes offer to drop us off and pick us up at designated points after we had done some of their suggested hikes, walks, and tours of some of the surrounding towns and trails. (As a side note, we would have been more self-reliant had we rented a car, which we will do next time and recommend to others as well.) But above all of these factors, the real reason why we are already planning to book again with Escapar Cycling, is the overall excellent service and the warmth and helpfulness of our hosts, David and Emmaline. They were very accommodating of each of our needs and requests and truly went above and beyond what most hosts would do for their guests. If this review sounds too good to be true, for my part, I will only write if I sincerely had a wonderful and memorable experience, of which this firmly counts as one. I highly recommend Escapar Cycling to all readers, cyclists and non-cyclists alike!

Five star rating . David and Emmeline are perfect hosts. Nice house - and trails for everyone from easy Gravel to hard MTB trails . Søren , Denmark

So glad that I came out to Escapar Cycling in this first week of December. You will be assured of a wonderful welcome and experience with David and Emmeline who were such warm hosts. We hugely enjoyed the road cycling in this amazing area which has wonderful quiet roads and superb road surfaces. To mix it up a bit we also had a fantastic gravel ride and the area has great gravel and mtb tracks too. All in all, the area is a wonderful cycling area. David is a brilliant guide who knows the area so well and will get you to see the area so well. You will also get to see the real Spain on this trip as it is not a traditional tourist area. Accommodation is of an excellent standard and the food is so good- perfect for fuelling those rides! I hired a bike and it was in great mechanical condition. I will definitely return - highly recommended!!

A truly exceptional experience. The quality of the road riding far exceeded our expectations. Quiet roads, smooth pavement and patient drivers when you occasionally encountered a car. David is an excellent guide who patiently and skillfully manages the group of riders. Emmeline is a wizard in the kitchen, providing fabulous meals and snacks. David and Emmeline are gracious hosts and we would highly recommend Escapar to anyone looking for a unique, comfortable and highly enjoyable experience. We’ll be back!

I had an amazing week of cycling and as a previous review said - endless routes available. David is indeed a patient and very calm guide. Great cycling experience. Not to mention the absolutely amazing food. Tasty and ideal for hungry cyclists and plenty of it. The property is beautiful and very close to Ontinyent so easy to access. Wonderful host and hostess.

David and Emmeline were superb hosts during our 1week stay. We came for a 6 day gravel ride. David’s touring of the region presented gorgeous scenery, a variety of challenges and terrain, and fun lunch stops at local cafes. We road from the house every day. We certainly would recommend Escapar to anyone considering this region in Spain. We visited in November and therefore did not use the pool. I’m sure it is added enjoyment for summertime guests. Post-ride cocktails were enjoyed on the covered back patio.