Top three bike routes to keep fit in the New Year - Part two
The Huerta del Norte
BikeAlao's next featured bike ride in and around Valencia leads us to the northern farmlands (huerta del norte) in search of the city's most famous soft drink, horchata. Many of our customers who come and rent a bike in Valencia ask us about this route or to join our guided horchata bike tour.
The Huerta del Norte is the home of horchata and contains a vía verde or green route through the fields as far as Puzol. It is possible to ride the bike lane all the way to Puzol and cut to the seafront at many different points. For a shorter ride of about 22km, we recommend a route that goes through the fields and visits the village of Almássera.
From our chosen starting point of Estación del Norte, ride along Calle Ruzafa to Gran Vía Germanías. From here, follow the new bike lane on Reino de Valencia as far as Paris y Valero. Turn left at Peris y Valero and cross the bridge over the Turia park. Take a left on the Alameda bike lane and then right onto Avenida de Aragón. This bike lane takes you past the Mestalla football stadium and to a large roundabout on the edge of town. The bike lane naturally crosses the road at two sets of traffic lights and goes north west by the road for a short while before cutting into the fields towards Alboraya. The bike lane runs along the side of Alboraya, past the splendid Lumiere cinema before reaching the bridge which takes you over the Barranc de Carraixet, a man-made river. If you are looking for a tasty horchata made of the locally produced tiger nut, it is recommendable to enter Alboraya as there are many horchaterías, some of which are open all year round. Others close in winter.
Upon crossing the bridge, the bike path takes you through the farmlands of the huerta where artichokes, onions, sweet potatoes, oranges and watermelons are grown, amongst many other vegetables. At the first crossroads, take a left and ride into Almássera. This is a typical Valencian village which has a big main square by the church, the community centre and an interesting Valencian art nouveau building called Casa Llopis, adorned with ceramics.
The end of Patacona signals the beginning of Malvarrosa and a bike lane runs the full length until Paseo Neptuno, where it goes around the back and leads you to the port of Valencia. From the port, take the bike track on Joan Verdeguer as far as the petrol station. The new bike track by the railway track takes you to the Turia park. Here you can either go into the park or ride along the bike track out of the park, crossing the bridge at Reino de Valencia and riding back to finish the ride at Estación del Norte.
This is a lovely ride and is mainly flat so you can go as quickly or as slowly as you like. BikeAlao offers a guided horchata bike tour which includes a free horchata as well as a lot more information about the sights on the route.
From our chosen starting point of Estación del Norte, ride along Calle Ruzafa to Gran Vía Germanías. From here, follow the new bike lane on Reino de Valencia as far as Paris y Valero. Turn left at Peris y Valero and cross the bridge over the Turia park. Take a left on the Alameda bike lane and then right onto Avenida de Aragón. This bike lane takes you past the Mestalla football stadium and to a large roundabout on the edge of town. The bike lane naturally crosses the road at two sets of traffic lights and goes north west by the road for a short while before cutting into the fields towards Alboraya. The bike lane runs along the side of Alboraya, past the splendid Lumiere cinema before reaching the bridge which takes you over the Barranc de Carraixet, a man-made river. If you are looking for a tasty horchata made of the locally produced tiger nut, it is recommendable to enter Alboraya as there are many horchaterías, some of which are open all year round. Others close in winter.
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| The Northern farmlands with fields of tiger nut |
Upon crossing the bridge, the bike path takes you through the farmlands of the huerta where artichokes, onions, sweet potatoes, oranges and watermelons are grown, amongst many other vegetables. At the first crossroads, take a left and ride into Almássera. This is a typical Valencian village which has a big main square by the church, the community centre and an interesting Valencian art nouveau building called Casa Llopis, adorned with ceramics.
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| Adorned facade of Casa Llopis |
Leave the square via the police station and take the second left to get back on the road towards the vía verde. Return the way you came on the green route and upon crossing the bridge over the barranca, cross the road at the zebra crossing and ride down by the river. There is an abundance of birdlife in this man-made river and it is likely you will see kingfishers, ducks, cormorants and if you are lucky, calamons or purple swamphen. There is a signpost with pictures and the names of the birds that live by the river.
Halfway down the track there is another signpost which is a viewpoint and explanation of a typical Valencian farmhouse, a barraca. From this point follow the track to the end of the river where the beautiful Ermita dels peixets stands, by the sea. Take a right here and follow the bike lane towards Patacona. At Patacona you ride along the promenade, smelling the fresh sea air from the Med. Stay either right or left on the promenade because there are steps in the middle. The maximum speed here is 10kph so respect pedestrians at all times.
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| Stop for an horchata in the huerta or the seafront |
The end of Patacona signals the beginning of Malvarrosa and a bike lane runs the full length until Paseo Neptuno, where it goes around the back and leads you to the port of Valencia. From the port, take the bike track on Joan Verdeguer as far as the petrol station. The new bike track by the railway track takes you to the Turia park. Here you can either go into the park or ride along the bike track out of the park, crossing the bridge at Reino de Valencia and riding back to finish the ride at Estación del Norte.
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| Enjoy your ride on the horchata tour! |
This is a lovely ride and is mainly flat so you can go as quickly or as slowly as you like. BikeAlao offers a guided horchata bike tour which includes a free horchata as well as a lot more information about the sights on the route.
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