Ruta 99 Cycling Routes: The Benillup Loop and Five More Inland Rides
Ruta 99 is a Generalitat Valenciana project linking 24 villages of fewer than 100 inhabitants across the Valencian Community, and it now includes six official circular cycling routes. The one for Costa Blanca riders is “Valles históricos y Sierras del interior alicantino”: a 79.2 km loop from Benillup with 1,611 metres of climbing, passing through Benimassot, Tollos and Famorca in the Vall de Seta. It is a proper day in the mountains, not a coffee spin.
The other five routes are in Castellón and inland Valencia. They range from a gentle 25 km loop in the Alto Mijares to an 84 km, 2,000 m day in the Maestrazgo.
Key Takeaways
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Alicante route | Valles históricos y Sierras del interior alicantino |
| Distance | 79.2 km, circular |
| Climbing | 1,611 m (about 20 m per km) |
| Start and finish | Benillup (El Comtat) |
| Ruta 99 villages on the loop | Benillup, Benimassot, Tollos, Famorca |
| Valleys and ranges | Vall de Travadell, Vall de Seta; Almudaina, Serrella and Alfaro |
| Surfaces | Secondary roads, quiet tracks and mountain passes (official description) |
| Official GPX | None published at the time of writing |
| Other Ruta 99 cycling routes | 5, all in Castellón and Valencia provinces |
What Is Ruta 99?
Ruta 99 is a rural tourism initiative run by the Presidencia de la Generalitat. It picks out the 24 municipalities in the Valencian Community with fewer than 100 residents and gives visitors reasons to go there: walking routes, food, heritage and, since 2026, cycling.
It also has a virtual passport. You register in the Ruta 99 app and log your visit at three set points in each village. Collect all 24 villages and you can claim a Ruta 99 gift. On the Alicante loop that means up to twelve check-ins across four villages, which is worth knowing before you set off, because each stop costs a few minutes.
The point of the project is economic. These villages are losing people, and the Generalitat wants visitors to spend money in them. Cyclists are a good fit: we stop often, we eat a lot, and we tend to come back.
Official site: ruta99.gva.es
The Alicante Loop: Valles Históricos y Sierras del Interior Alicantino
The official description sells it as a ride through some of inland Alicante’s strongest Andalusí (Muslim-era) heritage. All four villages on the loop have Muslim origins, and most were emptied after the expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609 and slowly resettled afterwards.
The terrain is set by two valleys. The Vall de Travadell runs below Benillup, and the Vall de Seta follows the Seta river between the Almudaina, Serrella and Alfaro ranges. The Ruta 99 page describes a mix of hard sections and faster, rolling ones, with passes that need steady pacing.
View the official Alicante cycling itinerary
How Hard Is It?
At 1,611 m over 79.2 km, the loop climbs roughly 20 metres for every kilometre. For comparison, that is a similar ratio to the high-mountain Puebla de San Miguel route and well above the 12.6 m/km of the Alto Mijares loop (full comparison table below).
In practice, if you are comfortable with a day like the Coll de Rates climb and then some, this is within reach. If 1,000 m in a ride still feels big, build up first or plan the loop as a slow day with long stops. Group riders should pace it for the least experienced person, not the fastest.
Road Bike or Gravel?
The official text mentions “pistas tranquilas” (quiet tracks) as well as roads, but it does not say how much of the loop is unpaved. It also does not recommend a bike type, unlike the Sierra de Espadán page, which says road or gravel. Our advice: if you only have 25 mm road tyres, check the line on a mapping app before committing. A gravel bike or wider road tyres take the guesswork out.
The Four Villages on the Loop
Benillup: Start and Finish
Benillup sits at the north-east end of the Vall de Travadell in El Comtat, on a municipal area of just 3.6 km². The name comes from Arabic and Latin and roughly means “son of wolves”. It was conquered by Christian forces in the mid-13th century and remained a Morisco village until 1609.
- Ruta 99 stamp points: Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario (16th century), the Museo Etnológico and the Mirador de Travadell viewpoint
- Where to eat: Restaurante El Balcó, Carrer Trinquet
- Try: sequillos, a traditional Alicante biscuit
Benimassot: The Balcony of the Serrella
Benimassot is known locally as the “balcón de la Serrella” for its views across the range. It only became an independent parish in 1953. Nearby are the Coves Roges and the Abric de l’Esmolaora, rock shelters with prehistoric paintings.
- Stamp points: Iglesia de la Purísima Concepción, Font de Baix, Plaza Mayor
- Where to eat: Restaurante Benimassot Mia, C/ El Raval 12
Tollos: Alicante’s Smallest Municipality
Tollos, in the Seta valley on the southern slope of the Serra d’Alfaro, is officially the smallest municipality in Alicante province. Ruta 99 places it about 25 km north-east of Alcoi. The church bell tower is the last surviving piece of the old Islamic castle.
- Stamp points: Iglesia Sant Antoni de Padua, Font Vella, Parque de Tollos
- Where to eat: Arrabal Bar, C/ Font Vella 1
- Water: the Font Vella is one of the village’s own springs, so it is a natural bottle stop
Famorca: Headwaters of the Gorgos
Famorca sits in the upper basin of the Gorgos, the same river that reaches the sea at Xàbia. After 1609 it was resettled by families from Mallorca. The late 16th-century church of San Cayetano still has a bell-tower clock that someone winds by hand once a week.
- Stamp points: Casa de la Mestra, the old Lavadero (washhouse), Casa de la Cultura
- Where to eat: the Ruta 99 page lists nowhere to eat in Famorca, so do not count on food here
Planning Your Ride
Food and Water
Of the four villages, three have a named place to eat on the official pages (Benillup, Benimassot and Tollos). None of them publish opening hours, and in villages this size a bar can be shut on a weekday without notice. Carry enough food for the whole loop and treat any open bar as a bonus. Fountains such as Tollos’s Font Vella help, but fill up whenever you can.
Navigation
We could not find a downloadable GPX on the Ruta 99 site. Build your own track from the village sequence, or check with a local guide or bike shop. Our guide to the best apps for route navigation covers the options. Signal can drop in the valleys, so download offline maps before you leave.
Season and Weather
Most of our readers ride here between November and April. This loop is inland and higher than the coast, so mornings in winter can be noticeably colder than in Calpe or Dénia. Pack a gilet and arm warmers even on a sunny day, and see our winter cycling training guide for kit ideas. In summer, start early: there is little shade on the climbs, and our hot weather cycling tips apply.
Getting to Benillup
Benillup is in El Comtat, inland from Cocentaina. If you drive to the start, park considerately and keep village entrances and garage access clear. In a village of under 100 people, a row of cyclists’ cars blocking a street gets noticed fast.
Before You Go
- Check brakes, tyres and gearing, and carry a spare tube and pump. There is no bike shop on the loop.
- Read up on Spain’s new 2026 cycling rules, which came into force on 1 October.
- Riding solo? Read our safety tips for touring alone and tell someone your route.
The Other Five Ruta 99 Cycling Routes Compared
All six official routes are circular. Here they are side by side, with figures from each official route page. The “m per km” column is our own calculation: total climbing divided by distance, which gives a rough sense of how hilly each route feels on average.
| Route | Province | Start | Distance | Climbing | m per km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puertos y Murallas del Maestrazgo | Castellón | Herbés | 84 km | 2,000 m | 23.8 |
| Cumbres y Manantiales de la Sierra de Espadán | Castellón | Fuentes de Ayódar | 73 km | 1,600 m | 21.9 |
| Valles históricos y Sierras del interior alicantino | Alicante | Benillup | 79.2 km | 1,611 m | 20.3 |
| Cumbres y Sabinas Milenarias de Puebla de San Miguel | Valencia | Puebla de San Miguel | 77.1 km | 1,533 m | 19.9 |
| Entre Villores y Palanques | Castellón | Villores / Palanques | 56.9 km | 941 m | 16.5 |
| Entre Pueblos y Arte del Alto Mijares | Castellón | Torrechiva | 25 km | 315 m | 12.6 |
What the table shows: the Alicante loop is the third hardest of the six by climbing per kilometre, and only the Maestrazgo route climbs more in total. The others are a long way from the Costa Blanca, so they are best saved for a separate trip or the drive home via Castellón.
Puertos y Murallas del Maestrazgo (Castellón)
The toughest of the six: 84 km and 2,000 m from Herbés through some of the emptiest country in northern Castellón. The route follows the GR 331 for much of the way. Official route
Cumbres y Manantiales de la Sierra de Espadán (Castellón)
73 km and 1,600 m from Fuentes de Ayódar, through pine and cork oak woodland and past natural springs. It is the only route where the official page gives a difficulty (medium to high) and a bike type (road or gravel). Official route
Cumbres y Sabinas Milenarias de Puebla de San Miguel (Valencia)
77.1 km and 1,533 m in the Rincón de Ademuz, the part of Valencia province surrounded by Castilla-La Mancha and Aragón. The official page warns of a cold, dry climate and long climbs through ancient juniper forest. Not one for a January trip. Official route
Entre Villores y Palanques (Castellón)
56.9 km and 941 m in Els Ports, following the River Bergantes for part of the way. Expect short, steep climbs and technical descents. Official route
Entre Pueblos y Arte del Alto Mijares (Castellón)
The easy one: 25 km and 315 m from Torrechiva, linking five villages and partly following stages 9 and 10 of the GR 333. A good family option or a recovery ride. Official route
Other Inland Rides Near the Vall de Seta
If you like the idea of the Ruta 99 loop but want something closer to the coast first, the Vall de Laguar circular route and the Jalon Valley scenic loop give you a taste of the same Marina Alta and El Comtat hill country. For more ideas across the region, see our Costa Blanca cycling routes and our guide to cycling in Alicante.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ruta 99?
Ruta 99 is a Generalitat Valenciana tourism project promoting the 24 villages in the Valencian Community with fewer than 100 inhabitants. It includes walking routes, food and heritage guides, a virtual stamp passport and six official cycling routes.
How long is the Ruta 99 cycling route in Alicante?
The Alicante route, “Valles históricos y Sierras del interior alicantino”, is a 79.2 km circular loop with 1,611 metres of climbing, starting and finishing in Benillup.
Which villages does the Alicante Ruta 99 loop pass through?
It links the four Ruta 99 villages in Alicante province: Benillup, Benimassot, Tollos and Famorca, through the Vall de Travadell and the Vall de Seta.
Is there a GPX file for the Ruta 99 cycling routes?
We could not find an official downloadable GPX on the Ruta 99 website when we checked in October 2026. Build your own track from the village sequence and check it against a mapping app before you ride.
Can I ride the Alicante loop on a road bike?
Probably, but check first. The official description mentions quiet tracks as well as roads and does not say how much is unpaved, so confirm the surface on a mapping app or ride it on a gravel bike or wider road tyres.
How does the Ruta 99 passport work?
Register in the Ruta 99 app, then log your visit at the three set points in each village. Once you have stamps from all 24 villages, you can claim a Ruta 99 gift.
Which Ruta 99 cycling route is the easiest?
Entre Pueblos y Arte del Alto Mijares, starting in Torrechiva in Castellón: 25 km with 315 m of climbing. The hardest is the Maestrazgo route from Herbés, at 84 km and 2,000 m.
Where can I eat on the Alicante loop?
The official village pages list Restaurante El Balcó in Benillup, Restaurante Benimassot Mia in Benimassot and Arrabal Bar in Tollos. No opening hours are published, so carry your own food.
Plan Your Ruta 99 Ride With Bikes Costa Blanca
Need a gravel bike for the tracks, a place to stay near the hills or someone who knows the inland roads? Browse our bike rental directory and cycling accommodation across the Costa Blanca, or contact us on +34 600 601 771 or info@bikescostablanca.com.
Route information checked on 25 October 2026 against the official Ruta 99 website. Routes, surfaces and services can change, so check the official pages before you ride.
Research sources: Ruta 99 official website (ruta99.gva.es), including the six route pages for Valles históricos y Sierras del interior alicantino, Puertos y Murallas del Maestrazgo, Cumbres y Manantiales de la Sierra de Espadán, Cumbres y Sabinas Milenarias de Puebla de San Miguel, Entre Villores y Palanques and Entre Pueblos y Arte del Alto Mijares, and the village pages for Benillup, Benimassot, Tollos and Famorca. Search volume data: DataForSEO (Google Ads), October 2026.