General

Quinta do Lago – Praia de Faro

Availability: Tuesday am
Bike type: Mountain Bike
Duration: 3 to 4 hours
Activity Level: Easy
Distance: 25 to 35 km
Price: €80 per person

The ideal way to see the hidden beauty of the Algarve is by bike and this is one of our most popular tours.

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Reviews

This is the easiest of the company’s tours and ideal for my wife and I who are active, but who only cycle on holidays. We booked via the company website and everything was simple and efficient from then on. Communication from the company was clear and quick and they picked us up from the hotel at exactly the time they promised. The equipment all appeared to be of a high standard and was all provided. The guide, Marco, spoke perfect English (I thought he was a Mancunian!) and was friendly and helpful. The tour itself took us through a really picturesque natural park of salt pans and wetlands ( we saw flamingos), around the airport perimeter (bizarre), out to Praia de Faro for a well-earned coffee and pastel de nata, and then back along a glorious trail and finally through the multi-million dollar homes of Quinta do Lago. A great way to spend half a day. Final thought, as non-cyclists, we found the saddles very unforgiving!
Mark Glading (October 2019)
Today my fiancé and I completed the coastal tour which was approx 20miles , along roads, dirt tracks, and some fields and a few hills (apparently according to the other half they weren’t hills 😅. Our guide was Marc who was a lovely guy patience of a saint , he managed to fix a bike in 5 minutes !! Along the way we stopped for coffee in a smaller little beach area which was so pretty ! We used mountain bikes and I was rubbish at the gears but this made me and the others laugh 🙂 highly recommend this trip; take 4 hours away from the pool and see the beautiful Algarve . Would do this again without fail ! Thanks Marc , Ciara.
Ciara 2012 (September 2017)
My girlfriend and I did the bike ride coastal tour to Faro which was absolutely incredible! It was just the two of us with Paul, who was a superstar from start to finish. He picked us up on time from outside the shop, and made sure we rode the bikes before he loaded them in the truck to check they fit properly. He also provided water which was gratefully received. For the amount of money, 45 euros each, we had a four hour bike ride including the bike and helmet which fit really nicely. Paul was such a lovely and informative tour guide, down to earth and very honest about what we would expect on the tour. He would stop us before a hill (of which there were only two on our one) and offered tips on how to climb it properly. It was incredible to see a more rural side to the Algarve, and Paul told us to stop him at any point so we could take pictures of the scenery. He was so friendly and would also stop us to offer context on the exact location we were at. We were able to stop right by Faro airport which gave fantastic views. We would recommend this tour wholeheartedly – it was a nice, easy ride and the added cafe stop was welcomed! The experience of Paul as a guide was obvious, but he tailored the tour to our needs and made sure it was our experience that was at the heart of it.
Alice and Sophie (September 2017)

Itinerary

Highlights

From the luxury and glamour that is Quinta do Lago to the salt flats and the local charm of the Praia de Faro. This is a fantastic healthy way to spend a morning. We will cycle at a pace to suit you, mainly along quiet roads and dirt tracks, and we have bikes and helmets available. All you need to do is turn up and pedal.

You and your bikes will be transported to the exclusive residential estate of Quinta do Lago, from where we set off for a morning of gentle cycling. Skirting the edge of the award-winning golf course, with views across the lagoon to the dunes and Atlantic ocean beyond, it is not long before we enter the famous Ria Formosa National Park. This is a UNESCO heritage site situated on low lying coastline amidst a maze of lagoons, channels, salt marshes and islands. It is home to an abundant array of wildlife and over 30,000 birds stop off here on their journey from Europe to East Africa. You can often spot kingfishers, hoopoes, bee-eaters, egrets, blue magpies and many other species.

Cycling through pine woodland, surrounded by freshwater lakes and salt marshes, we come across some fish salting tanks, which date back to Roman times. Then we continue along the salt marshes, admiring the vegetation and hopefully spotting the odd turtle basking in the sun, before reaching the salt pans which are a thriving local industry.

Continuing our journey, we find ourselves at the back of Faro Airport which, surprisingly, opens up to more beautiful scenery, and is home to the University Marine Project. You will enjoy a spectacular view of the hills that provide a backdrop to the Algarve and, if you’re lucky, you will be treated to the sight of flamingos as they land on the freshwater lakes just next to the cycling track. So keep your cameras handy!

From here we cross over to the Praia de Faro (Faro Beach). This is a large strip of land which is joined by a single lane bridge and is host to a plethora of authentic Portuguese cafes and fish restaurants. On the far side is a long sweep of beautiful sand, whilst on the nearside is a more sheltered lagoon. This is where the locals from Faro come to sunbathe and is bustling throughout the summer months. It is also home to many traditional fishermen’s cottages which are accessed by a boardwalk. We stop for a coffee here and you can treat yourself to a homemade Pastel de Nata (local cake) or a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice from locally grown fruit.

Suitably refreshed, we head back along the dyke towards Quinta do Lago. This is a popular walking and jogging route and provides another chance to enjoy the inland and coastal views and spot more wildlife and dune vegetation. We take a slight detour through the immaculate, landscaped residential estate – where the rich and famous holiday – before arriving back at the lake and transportation back to your hotel and a well-earned rest or dip in the pool.

This tour is appropriate for novice/intermediate riders. It is also ideal for families as it is mostly on traffic-calmed roads and dirt tracks. It lasts for approximately 3 to 4 hours.

Prices

Price: €80 per person

INCLUDED:

  • Quality bike and equipment hire
  • Cycling mainly on dirt tracks and traffic -calmed roads
  • Cafe stop in Praia do Faro
  • Insurance.

NOT INCLUDED:

  • Water and sun cream, which we recommend that you do bring along.