Day 1 Arrival at Vila Real de Santo António

Upon your arrival in the Algarve, we will collect you and take you to Vila Real de Santo António (VRSA), an interesting old town on the banks of the Guadiana River, which forms a natural border between Portugal and Spain.

Largely redeveloped after the great earthquake of 1755, VRSA was recreated on a grid system, yet still retains a character of its own. It has a relaxed atmosphere and the central square, edged with orange trees and host to an array of shops and cafes, is an ideal place to spend your first evening; enjoy a spot of people watching as you tuck into some fresh local food and wine. This should get you in the mood before you set off on your trip across the Algarve.

Day 2  Cycle to Olhão: (60km/389m elevation gain)

Your first day’s cycling takes you through a number of seaside towns, all with their own special characteristics. The first of these is Monte Gordo, a resort that has been popular since the 70s. There’s a wide promenade that’s popular with cyclists of all description, and a vast, flat sandy beach that is the town’s main attraction. It’s a pleasant start to your ride, though in the hotter months you may be relieved to reach the shade of one of the largest forests in the Algarve, the Mata Nacional da Dunas Litorais.  Cycling along sandy trails, with the aromas of pine and other wild flora will give you a real zest for the day ahead.

Next comes a pleasantly sleepy town, Manta Rota. It’s worth a quick stop to look at the unspoilt beach, but if you can hold out a little longer continue to Caçela Velha, a tiny whitewashed village set on a hill overlooking the lagoon with a little church and the remains of an 18^th century fort. You will certainly want to linger here to take in the view. It’s neighbour, Fabrica, is also a worthwhile diversion; sipping coffee by the water’s edge, you can take in the boats dipping in the gently ebbing water and watch locals collecting shellfish.

From here you’ll enjoy a relaxing ride along dirt tracks and quiet roads, through the picturesque fishing village of Cabanas, before passing by the salt flats into Tavira, home to a castle, an old Roman bridge and a wealth of traditional architectural styles. After a fairly gentle route along the coast, through the quaint seaside village of Santa Luzia, famous for octopus fishing, you will continue to Pedras del Rei, where you may spot the little train that takes sunbathers to the beach of Barril and the old tuna fishing village.

Your next stop is Fuseta, where several fish restaurants with outdoor charcoal grills offer excellent views across the water.

The last stretch of today’s ride is in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, amidst a maze of lagoons, channels, salt marshes and islands. Your final destination is Olhão, still the hub of the fishing industry, but with a charming old town, renowned for its Moorish style architecture. It’s the perfect place to sample local specialities at local prices.

Day 3 Cycle to Albufeira: (56km/413m elevation gain)

Your second cycling day on the Algarve Coastal Cycle Route takes you through the regional centre of Faro. Whilst it is the capital city of the Algarve, the central area is really quite compact. An impressive archway leads into the old town, where you will discover cobbled streets, with interesting shops and cafés. An imposing square lined with orange trees is home to a small cathedral; it was built on the site of a mosque and is worth a visit to see the beautiful tiles and gilt carved wood inside. If something a little more macabre takes your fancy, Faro is also home to a ‘Church of Bones’, where a whole wall is decorated with skeletons.

There is a pedestrianised area, with lots of boutique shops and traditional Portuguese restaurants, and you can take a break on the edge of the small marina, where you can sip coffee and watch the world go by in what is an extremely laid back city.

Leaving the centre of Faro you are soon onto some dirt tracks heading towards the airport and Praia de Faro. Despite being at the back of the airport, you are treated to some pretty spectacular scenery and can often see Flamingos along the way. You head along the dykes towards the exclusive golf resort of Quinta do Lago, with its manicured golf courses amidst the pine forest and luxury houses of almost every architectural style imaginable. As you head further west, you come to another similar resort, Vale do Lobo, and a short ride further takes you towards the beach, where you ride through a little pine forest along the cliff tops with views over the sand and surf. Passing along the sea front of Quarteira, one of the original tourist resorts of the Algarve, you continue to Vilamoura, with its marina full of luxury yachts and a good selection of cafes, bars and restaurants.

From Vilamoura you travel along easy dirt tracks beside Falesia (meaning Cliffs in Portuguese) beach towards Olhos de Àgua and then onwards, through mainly quiet roads, towards Albufeira. In the busy summer months of July & August, Albufeira is the busiest resort in the Algarve. However, some of the Old Town still retains the essence of the village it once was, with narrow cobbled streets winding up and around the hillsides and typical single storey houses lining the roadside. Your hotel is conveniently located to explore the town and beach (a perfect place to recover from your day’s cycling).

Day 4 Cycle to Lagos: (68km/537m elevation gain)

There are some hills on the way out of Albufeira and some interesting views of the coast and the candy coloured Marina, before you head on towards the boardwalks of Salgados. These purpose-built walkways (and cycle ways) take you across the lagoon, a protected nature reserve, where there are plenty of opportunities to see the many species of birds, including flamingos and storks, plus maybe even a few turtles who are easy to spot if you have some leftover crumbs to throw to them!

A short ride further on takes you down towards Armação de Pêra (named after a Moorish fishing boat). The pleasant pedestrianised area along the sea front overlooks the lovely beach close to the middle of the town.

From here you will travel inland towards the town of Lagoa, a traditional rural town that is set in an agricultural and wine-producing area, whose centrepiece is a dominating church and pretty town square, home to cafés, cobbled streets and flower-filled lampposts. It is situated above the flatlands, which allegedly housed a lagoon (from which it got its name), so there are some hilly sections today. But, whilst the riding is more challenging, the hills are short and the scenery easily compensates for the extra effort required. It is an ideal stop for a mid morning coffee. Leaving Lagoa there are some quiet tracks leading towards the old fishing village of Ferragudo, a pretty village overlooking the estuary. You cross over the river and cycle along the riverside towards the resort town of Praia da Rocha on the southern tip of Portimão. With one of the largest beaches in the Algarve and some scenic cliffs to the West, it is easy to see why Praia da Rocha has developed into a major holiday resort.

Further along the coast you come to the fishing village of Alvor, one of the quieter resorts, but growing in popularity. Although the earthquake wiped out most of the traditional Moorish village in 1755, you can still see remains of Alvor’s history in places such as the 16th century church. Alvor’s buildings are still mainly low-rise and the charm of the old town still remains, with the narrow cobbled streets leading down to the riverfront, where you can relax for a while and watch the fishing boats. From here you will need to head inland briefly (unless you can find a friendly boatman!) to negotiate around the estuary and back down through country lanes to the 4km long Meia Praia beach and on towards Lagos. It’s a bustling town with lots to offer; from the modern marina and waterfront restaurants, to the lively town square and the maze of cobbled streets within the old city walls, there is plenty to explore.

Day 5 Cycle to Cabo de São Vicente: (47km/616m elevation gain)

This day’s riding has probably some of the most spectacular scenery along the way, but with that almost inevitably comes more hills, as you hug the coastline between Lagos and the rugged cliffs of Sagres. But, as always, there’s a positive! Because along the way you can enjoy the refreshing sea air and you will have opportunities to take a break in some very pretty coastal towns and villages. Luz, for example, is a sprawling seaside town with a long promenade, often host to local market stalls and artists displaying their work. Just a few kms West are the tiny villages of Burgau and Salema, which have few amenities in comparison to Luz, but both exude a specific charm that attracts day visitors throughout the year.

The next stage of your ride today will take you along some quiet back-roads and tracks towards Vila de Bispo, where you will join the final leg that transports you across a dramatic, weather beaten landscape towards Sagres. Sagres is a truly tranquil town with beautiful beaches, a picturesque harbour, a very pretty town square and stunning views. It is very popular in summer with visitors, but all year round with fishermen and surfers because of the western Atlantic waters creating such good waves for surfing. It is mostly known as the place where Henry the Navigator brought together great mariners, astronomers, ship-builders and cartographers to build and navigate great ships in the period of the Age of Discoveries. Sagres is also home to Henry’s fortress, which was originally built in the 15th century. Further along from the fort, is the headland, Cabo de São Vincente (“Cape St. Vincent”). There is a lovely lighthouse (claimed to be one of Europe’s most powerful lighthouses) and the views from the point are simply breathtaking. It is the end of continental Europe and also of your cycling trip!

We will collect you and return you to a quaint boutique hotel, set in a quiet square in the heart of the old market town of Loulé. Loulé is an explorer’s haven, with its narrow cobbled streets leading off the central Avenida, tiny shops and hidden away bars and restaurants.

Day 6 Departure

We will transfer you from your accommodation for your journey home.

• Prices are per person, based upon two people sharing a twin/double bedded room.
• Discounts are available for large groups, please contact us for details.
• We also offer options for daily route extensions.

This tour is designed and priced as a “self guided” holiday as this is how we can provide the best value for money for our clients. We can also provide the services of a guide and/or a support vehicle. Please contact us for further details and prices.