The best months to plan a bike tour in Portugal

By José Neves

Once I heard someone saying that “Spring time in Portugal starts in January!” Wow… In fact, we were cycling under a deep blue sky and the temperature was pretty nice for January!

In March, everybody rides a bicycle enjoying the sunny days. Snow is not common but you can only see snow in the northern mountainous regions. Portugal is an excellent place for cycling.

Portugal is one of two countries in the Iberian Peninsula. This is one of the south regions in Europe, therefore it is a hot and dry region.

 

Some say September and October!

September and into October are good times to plan a bike tour in Portugal. The temperature is not so hot and it is warm enough to feel good outside. In Autumn you can cycle in Portugal taking in the gorgeous scenery with the yellow and brown fields along the way.

 

Cycling Portugal’s Alentejo region. Photo Portugal Bike.

 

The Quiet Villages in North bike tour. Photo Portugal Bike

 

The beautiful cliff-lined coasts of the Algarve during The Rota Vicentina and the Algarve bike tour. Photo Portugal Bike

 

I prefer the Spring time!

In my personal opinion, the best time to go cycling in Portugal it’s Spring time! Definitely! As of the second half of March until the first half of June the flowers are blooming and the fields are covered with wild flowers of different colors.

 

Spring time in the Alentejo region. The Medieval Villages in Alentejo bike tour. Photo Portugal Bike

 

Alentejo’s cork tree forests in the Spring. Photo Portugal Bike

 

Cycling Portugal North to South, from Porto to Lisbon, along bike paths running parallel to the Atlantic Coast. Photo Portugal Bike.

 

Jewels of Portugal bike tour in Spring time. Photo Portugal Bike

 

So, what is the best time to plan a bike tour in Portugal

From early March to late June, the energy in the air invites us to cycle and the sun feels nice and not too warm, temperatures during the day are around 18ºC and 26ºC (64ºF and 80ºF), depending on the region of Portugal and the month.

Also, from September until the first half of November it is a good time of the year to plan a bike tour in Portugal. The heat is not so intense as in the end of June until August (35ºC/95ºF), and the rain usually starts in the second half of November. And there is also beauty in the landscape in the Fall, although as I said I prefer the green and the flowers in the Spring.

December and January are usually colder months, the temperature during the day is usually around 10ºC (50ºF). But when you cycle you generate heat, so we can say that Portugal is an excellent place to ride a bicycle almost all year round.

The southern regions of Portugal, Alentejo and Algarve, are warmer and drier than the northern areas, which are a bit more cool and rainy.

The best advice as to the best time to go cycling in Portugal is to head south, to the Alentejo and Algarve regions during the winter, spring and autumn months. Porto and the North of Portugal are best cycled during the summer months.

Historical weather for Portugal can be searched at wunderground, a Weather Channel and IBM company. Daily and weekly weather forecasts for Portugal can be searched at the Portuguese Weather Institute.

 

 

Looking for more depth?

We’ve divided up our catalog according to our recommendations for the best months to join each of our bike tours in Portugal. Please see all tours below.

Why Portugal should be your next cycling vacation in Europe

By José Neves

Portugal beat off strong competition to be named “Europe’s Leading Destination” in 2024, 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017 by World Travel Awards, whilst Turismo de Portugal was voted “Europe’s Leading Tourist Board”.

Our country was also named “Europe’s Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction” (Passadiços do Paiva), “Europe’s Leading City Destination” (Lisbon). In total, in 2018, Portugal received 36 awards at the annual World Travel Awards (WTA) Europe Gala Ceremony. Here’s why it should be your next cycling vacation in Europe.

 

 

Our roads and cities are safe!

Is there anyone that doesn’t like to feel safe? Everybody likes to feel safe where they live, to be able to walk or ride freely in his/her home town and to feel peace.

 

Photo Portugal Bike – Rota Vicentina and the Algarve bike tour

 

Photo Portugal Bike – Towards the Algarve and The West Coast and the Algarve bike tours

 

Portugal is one of the safest countries in the world. Portugal is in Top 10 in the Global Peace Index 2024. Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the GPI (Global Peace Index) classifies 163 countries and is the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness.

This report presents the most comprehensive data-driven analysis to-date on trends in peace, its economic value, and how to develop peaceful societies. Europe is the safest region of the World and the European countries are classified in the Top 30.

 

Photo Portugal Bike – The Charming Pousadas in Alentejo bike tour

 

Photo Portugal Bike – The Medieval Villages in Alentejo bike tour

 

Photo Portugal Bike – Jewels of Portugal bike tour

 

 

Friendly people

Portugal is a country of friendly, warmth and gracious people.

According to Forbes Magazine, Portugal has claimed the title of the most welcoming country for expats in the World!

Forbes article is based on a 2018 survey from Inter-Nations, the largest global network and information site for people who live and work abroad. The survey looked at data and comments supplied by almost 13,000 expats from 188 countries and territories to reveal which are the friendliest countries in the world to live. And Portugal was number 1!

 

Photo Portugal Bike – The Rota Vicentina and the Algarve bike tour

 

 

Gastronomy

Portugal’s cuisine is rich and varied.

One of the most distinctive feature of Portuguese cuisine comes from the sea. In Europe, only Icelanders eat more fish than the Portuguese. As you enjoy a simple grilled fish, always fresh like the seafood that abounds from end to end along the coast.

 

Photo Portugal Bike – The Charming Pousadas in the North bike tour

 

Portugal’s cuisine has strong regional influences: meaty and robust in the North, Mediterranean in the South. Olive oil is the basis of Portuguese cooking and it is used in several salads, meat and fish dishes. Ride the back-roads of the Alentejo you’ll weave through endless olive groves.

Last but not least: the wine. The wines of Portugal just go on getting better and better, and there are many varieties to discover: summery vinho verdes from the northwest, full-bodied reds and fruity whites from Douro, Dao and Alentejo.

We carefully select authentic local restaurants in each of our tours.

 

 

You can sleep in Palaces

Portugal is one of the oldest countries in Europe. Portugal has not changed its borders since 1249 AD. As a result, many medieval forts, castles, palaces, monasteries and convents can be found on our landscapes and cities.

 

Photo Portugal Bike – The West Coast and the Algarve bike tour

 

Photo Portugal Bike – The Charming Pousadas in Alentejo bike tour

 

Photo Pousadas of Portugal – The Charming Pousadas in the North bike tour

 

These magnificent places were once inhabited by the Clergy or by the Kings and Queens of Portugal and are now converted into exquisite lodges, which we call Pousadas.

Portugal Bike offers tours which take guest to several Manor Houses, Palaces and Monasteries. Just check the Charming Pousadas in Alentejo tour, the Medieval Villages in Alentejo tour or the Jewels of Portugal tour.

 

Photo Portugal Bike – Jewels of Portugal bike tour

 

Portugal is my country, …and I am very proud of it!

…And this is the reason I decided to organize bicycle tours in Portugal. Moreover, in Portugal you can ride a bicycle and you feel safe. Car drivers are patient and nice with cyclists; and at the end of the day you relax in a cozy and relaxing Portuguese hotel experiencing good Portuguese food and wines.

Cycling in Portugal not only takes you to some hidden places of an ancient country (900 years of History), but riding a bicycle is also a fun and healthy activity.

We have been organizing bicycle tours since 1995, almost 30 years, and more than 16000 have already cycled with us; Portuguese people and people from all over the world have participated in our road bike tours, hybrid bike tours and mountain bike tours. …And the fact is that if so many people come back to Portugal to participate on another Portugal Bike Tour, it must be because we touched their hearts! They sure have a special place in our heart!

Choose Portugal as your next cycling vacation in Europe!

Cycling with Portugal Bike Tours jerseys all around the World

By José Neves

Cycling Portugal with Christine Dell’Amore for The Washington Post

By José Neves

Christine Dell’Amore is the online natural history editor for the award-winning National Geographic News, she has worked at United Press International and Smithsonian magazine and has written for a variety of publications, including the Washington Post. Christine enjoys riding long-distance bike trails. One day she joined us for an historical cycling trip through the Alentejo.

 

Published by The Washington Post | By Christine Dell’Amore

 

Cycling across southern Portugal in search of history — and a workout

 

“So, on a clear October day, I’m muscling my bike up the teeth-rattling cobblestones of Castelo de Vide, a whitewashed village topped with a 14th-century castle. It’s Day 2 on a six-day historical cycling trip through the Alentejo, a fertile southern region of Portugal studded with well-fortified settlements, some dating from as long ago as the 1st century B.C. I’m a history fan and exercise fanatic, so the intermediate cycling tour — led by Lisbon-based outfitter PortugalBike — seemed ideal for exploring a country I’d long wanted to visit. (And I’ll admit, 175 miles of cycling also meant that I could gorge on Portugal’s famous custard tarts all week long.)

That morning we’d set out from the town of Marvao, which, at 2,828 feet, boasts the region’s highest hilltop fortress. In addition to our enthusiastic guide, Jose Neves, I was riding with two other cyclists — John Reed of England and Werner Peeters of Belgium. With no experience on a road bike, I opted for the more stable hybrid bike, which made me much slower than the men.”

 

Town of Marvão. The Medieval Villages in Alentejo bike tour – Photo Portugal Bike

 

“[…] I could see why Neves said that cycling in a new country gives you “time to appreciate, to view, to notice the details, to smell, to listen.” What’s more, biking Portugal gets you more bang for your stride — unlike other cycling-friendly countries such as France and Italy, much of Portugal’s history, and even nature, is concentrated. “You only need to ride a kilometer to see many different things,” Neves told me.

When we arrived in Castelo (30 miles down!), I freshened up and headed for the castle’s stone tower. A winding staircase led me to a room with picture-frame views of the red-roofed village, which has been a revolving door for conquerors since the Romans took it in the 1st century B.C. The Moors invaded in the 7th century, and the Portuguese monarchy took over in the 12th.

But perhaps most interesting, Jewish refugees from Catholic-ruled Spain took refuge in Castelo in the 15th and 16th centuries. Today, the town has the oldest synagogue in Portugal, part of a small museum (regrettably, curated only in Portuguese). I wandered the steep paths of the Jewish quarter, admiring the arched Gothic doors and the marble-columned fountain with its purportedly healing waters. That night we dined at a local restaurant — specialty du jour, deer with chestnuts — and I took a liking to ginjinha, a sweet liqueur made from a type of sour cherry.”

 

Town of Castelo de Vide. The Medieval Villages in Alentejo bike tour – photo Portugal Bike

 

“On Day 3, the landscape shifted from rocky lowlands to rolling vineyards and orchards, including olive, chestnut, pomegranate and orange trees. I often popped out of my bike clips to pick up a porcupine-prickly chestnut or taste a bitter olive plucked straight from the tree. Neves would also occasionally stop and give us mini-lectures on Portugal’s trees. Olive trees, for instance, live up to 260 years — “Older than your country,” he said to me with the equivalent of a wink in his voice. My favorite was a cork relative called azinheira, which reminded me of the African acacia and grows on hilly plains resembling the savanna.

Eventually an imposing, 102-foot-high aqueduct popped onto the horizon, announcing our arrival in the next medieval village: Elvas. Surprisingly, the 4.5-mile-long structure — which still brings water to the city — is not a Roman remnant, but was built by royalty in the 1400s. We checked into our lodging — a cavernous 17th-century military hospital — and made it to the well-preserved castle just before closing.”

 

Olive Trees. The Medieval Villages in Alentejo bike tour – photo Portugal Bike

 

Christine at the town of Elvas. The Medieval Villages in Alentejo bike tour – photo Portugal Bike

 

“[…] The next day we entered marble country, stopping for lunch in Vila Vicosa — a marble-producing town that was a hub for the Dukes of Braganza, one of the most esteemed houses of Portuguese nobility in the 15th century. Cristina Henriques, co-owner of PortugalBike and Neves’s wife, prepared us another scrumptious picnic — a daily lunch is included with the guided tour — with delicacies such as local sheep cheese and homemade hazelnut cake.

Touring the city afterward, it seemed to me that pretty much everything in Vila is made of marble, from lampposts to the slate-blue 16th-century Ducal Palace. I was disappointed that we didn’t tour it, instead visiting a marble museum. But the day’s highlight was walking our bikes right into a working marble quarry, our skintight shorts attracting a few curious looks. We peered over the edge of the 250-foot chasm as the machines broke apart slabs that will later be shipped all over the world.

As the day wore on, the grade got more vertical, our surroundings more wild, and — just when I thought I couldn’t take any more self-flagellation — a convent-turned-hotel finally came into view. Perched on a secluded mountainside, the four-star Convento de Sao Paulo isn’t so ascetic these days (Exhibit A: several paintings of naked women), yet it has somehow preserved the feeling of a 12th-century hermetic retreat. I explored every inch of the hushed grounds, creaking open heavy wooden doors, scrambling up wide marble staircases and padding long halls bedecked with some 50,000 decorative tiles.

I almost had to duck to enter my room — two monks’ cells joined together — and as I read by candlelight that night, I pictured a monk doing the same 800 years ago. Before we took off the next morning, I visited the convent’s main chapel, which had been looted after the monarchy took over the Catholic Church, banning religious orders in the 1830s. It looked as if the looters had just left, with holes pockmarking the altar and the nooks for religious statues still bare.”

 

Convento de Sao Paulo. The Medieval Villages in Alentejo bike tour – photo Portugal Bike

 

“[…] On our fifth day, we rode through tiny, sun-bleached villages where elderly men on benches yelled “Tarde!” (“Afternoon!”) as we flew by like exotic birds. Neves explained that Alentejo’s historic villages — the buildings whitewashed to ward off heat — are usually trimmed in blue and yellow, symbolic colors for the heavens and sunrise, and thus hope. With our string of unflinchingly brilliant days, I could see plenty of reason for optimism.

After 41 miles we arrived at our hotel in Arraiolos, another renovated convent but with a more modern take (the cloister was enclosed in glass, for instance). I hiked up to the castle, which is covered with graffiti in places and overall in the worst shape of any historic site I’d seen so far in Portugal.

A little depressed, I went into the heart of Arraiolos, weaving among locals conversing on the tiny streets. Women hanging laundry from their windows yelled at passersby, and men stood gesturing in tight circles. I ran into fellow cyclist Peeters, and on our walk back to the hotel, I asked him why he’d chosen to go on this trip, his second with PortugalBike. He told me that what drew him were the kind people, the delicious food, the country’s authenticity — and the chance to, in his word, unstress. “In my work I am under high pressure,” he added. “I need to experience nature and exercise, to have another rhythm to life.” Amen, I thought, as we passed a pasture where lambs played, the town’s church bells chiming at our backs.

Our last day was a breezy 16 miles, and we arrived in Evora, Alentejo’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in early afternoon. After a bittersweet (okay, fine — gleeful) parting with my bike, I climbed to the heart of the city to see the Corinthian-columned Roman temple and the 13th-century Gothic cathedral. I stopped by a few more sights — including the spooky Chapel of Bones in the Church of St. Francis — and then plopped myself in the main square and reflected on the week’s bounty.”

 

The Roman Temple of Évora. The Medieval Villages in Alentejo bike tour – photo Portugal Bike

 

“I’d bicycled at least 175 miles, climbing 3,000 feet of elevation in a single day. I could say “my butt hurts” almost like a local. And, better yet, I’d ridden through time and many a dominion, taking in Portugal’s gorgeous scenery along the way.

I’d come, I’d cycled — and yes, I’d conquered.”

 

 

See the full story in The Washington Post.

Cycling the Camino de Santiago, one of the World’s oldest pilgrimage routes

By José Neves

The Camino de Santiago de Compostela is one of the World’s oldest pilgrimage routes. Also known as ‘The Way of St James’, there are many Camino de Santiago: there is the Portuguese Way, the English Way, the French Way, the Finisterra Way, the North Way, the Sanabria Way, the Silver Way and the Primitive Way. Cycling The Camino de Santiago is something that should be in everyone’s curriculum!

 

Why are there so many Caminos de Santiago?

According to legend, the apostle Saint James the Great brought Christianity to the Iberian Peninsula. In 44 AD, he was beheaded in Jerusalem. His remains were later brought back to Galicia (Spain). Following Roman persecutions of Spanish Christians, his tomb was abandoned in the 3^rd century.

Saint James tomb was rediscovered in 814AD by the hermit Pelagius, after he witnessed strange lights in the night sky. The king ordered the construction of a chapel on the site. Legend has it that the king was the first pilgrim to this shrine.

Construction of the present Santiago de Compostela cathedral began in 1075; it was expanded and embellished with additions in the 16^th, 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Since its discovery (9^th century) and over the years there was a gradual development of this major place of pilgrimage. People started off from different places depending on their origin.

Over the centuries different ways were covered and followed by all kinds of people whose aim was to get to the place where the remains of the saint were buried. These people were moved by their faith and belief and they always tried to follow the shortest way to the city of Santiago de Compostela.

With the passage of time the ways were naturally defined as the result of several pilgrimages. As we get closer to the destination, the different ways converge into the shortest way to Santiago de Compostela.

 

Photo Portugal Bike

 

Nowadays thousands of people go to Santiago de Compostela every year. Some go moved by Faith, but many more go just because they want to do it; these people are moved by tourism and cultural reasons, therefore they want to experience the different Ways and this gives them inner pleasure and personal satisfaction.

At Portugal Bike Tours we follow the Portuguese Way. This also has some variations, such as: the Coastal Way, the Medieval Way, the Central Way and the Royal Way; each of these are different in terms of difficulty and length. We follow the Coastal Way with the Medieval Way, because being the shortest way it is the less difficult and also the most scenic and beautiful.

Our bike tour Cycling the Camino de Santiago is a 7-day stunning tour from Porto through seaside Atlantic villages until we get to the Spanish border. Then we continue along the Medieval Way, through ancient Roman roads, dense woods and centuries old trails en route to Santiago de Compostela.

 

Photo Portugal Bike

 

Photo Portugal Bike

 

Photo Portugal Bike

 

What is The Camino?

No matter where you start, The Way of Saint James is a magical way, full of Positive Energy, Hope and Humanity. When you finish such an adventure, you see the world differently, you feel admiration and respect. It is something that you keep in your heart and often it transforms your inner self.

I have already done the Portuguese Camino de Santiago more than 15 times and I don’t get tired of it; moreover, I am always willing to do it again! Why? …I don’t know, …but it is magical to me and it gives me Power and Inner Strength, …it is something transcendental that I cannot explain. …Call me …and I will always go! …But this is a very personal feeling and I understand that other people may feel it differently …or not.

The Camino de Santiago is usually well marked along the way. Sometimes it is hard to follow when you have to cross a busy city. However, it doesn’t matter if you follow all the arrows; the main purpose is to get to Santiago following the fastest and shortest way.

 

Photo Portugal Bike

 

The only purpose of the yellow arrows that we meet along the way is to help us and direct our way, so that we don’t get lost. You don’t have to follow ALL the arrows to do the Way. When you say “the Way”, you don’t refer to the road or the trail that is marked; you refer to the actual action of going to Santiago de Compostela. This is the real Camino. The Camino is not physical, The Camino is a way to our inner self. And not everybody can do it and for all sorts of reasons.

 

And when I get to Santiago de Compostela? The Pilgrim’s Credential for cycling The Camino!

To complete this adventure (for religious reasons or not) you should previously get the Pilgrim’s Credential (Portugal Bike Tours will get this for you). A pilgrim must get at least two stamps per day; you collect the stamps along the way at the hotels, restaurants, churches, etc. And when you get to Santiago de Compostela you go to the Pilgrim’s Office and show your Credential with all the stamps to prove that you did cycle The Camino (minimum of 200km biking). Consequently, they give you the Compostela, this is a document with your name written in Latin that certifies that you completed the Camino.

 

Photo Portugal Bike

 

Photo Portugal Bike

 

Cycling the Camino de Santiago? Use a hybrid bicycle with wider tires or use a mountain bike!

If you wish to cycle The Camino de Santiago, you should always use a bicycle with wider tires! Thicker tires have better grip that will help you to get the necessary comfort and balance when you have to cross Roman bridges that are more than 2000 years old, old trails and medieval paths, and all kinds of rough and irregular trails that make the connections to avoid the busy roads and that are made by all pilgrims.

 

The Weather: best months for cycling The Camino

The northern areas of Portugal and Spain are a bit colder and rainier, hence the best season for cycling the Camino de Santiago is the end of Spring, Summer and the beginning of Autumn. Daily and weekly weather forecasts for Portugal can be searched at the Portuguese Weather Institute.

 

Photo Portugal Bike

 

There is a well-known sentence that helps us to understand what really is The Camino de Santiago and it says something like this: “It is the Way itself that changes our lives, not the goal”, i.e. it is by doing The Camino (walking or cycling) and overcoming all the daily difficulties that our inner self is changed, and not the fact that you get to the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. …Doing The Camino is giving a bit of yourself …it is to surpass yourself! …It is something different, …it is really an experience!

Portugal Bike Tours in Financial Times Best Active Beach Breaks

By José Neves

Portugal bike tour portrayed by an amazing client

By José Neves and Dan Kitsmer

People are different, no doubt!

We have this Portugal bike tour in the north: The Charming Pousadas in the North. This is a special Portugal bike tour that takes you to some of the most beautiful places in the region and you stay in some unique and charming hotels. It really makes you feel special.

One day we had a special client doing this tour; he was an artist! He enjoyed cycling, but he also felt the need of expressing his feelings using his watercolors. Yes, he booked a bike tour and he brought his watercolors! Every morning, before cycling, he sat somewhere painting and registering his feelings and what he was experiencing using his watercolors.

Here is the Charming Pousadas in the North portrait, day-by-day!

 

June 26th

“Pousada de Valença do Minho, São Teotónio, a 17th century fortress (…). We sat on a stone wall overlooking double moats and the Spanish border. We had dinner at “Fortaleza” with our guide José, founder of Portugal Bike Tours. Afterwards sat at the charming hotel café (…) with coffee and port as assistance”

 

June 27th, in the morning

“We woke to a glorious morning and had a breakfast overlooking the fortress and river. We got our bikes ready and with church bells ringing and Alicia jumping made an 11:00 am departure from Valença. We found ourselves on winding country roads, cobble stone streets and trying to decipher street signs.”

 

June 27th, in the afternoon

“At 3:30 pm we departed for 30 km more riding along the river Minho and meeting the Atlantic at 4:30 pm. We stopped at a bench on the boardwalk and teenagers took our picture. Many cobblestones later we arrived at the Pousada – A breathing ride and setting. We have “Super Books” [beer – ed.] on the deck, took a dip in the pool, ate the best food so far and played a round of terrible pool [billiards – ed.] while listening to Dr. John on the ipad”

 

June 28th

“After a hot, tropical ride along the river Lima we reached “Ponte de Lima” – A medieval bridge spans the river as rowers paddle thru. We book massages with “Dulcinea” at our modern spa hotel – a white cube – and the small handed Spaniard [masseuse – ed.] puts us to sleep in consecutive sessions …”

“That eve we stroll thru the historic town with José and have hanging skewered meat. Followed by a stroll thru the fair. The cows had exceptionally large items!”

 

June 29th

“11:00 am – The magical ascension. After a late start bike and stomach trouble, the bikes magically appear at the summit…”

“12:00 pm – The beautiful and guilty descent. …And a steep downhill ride through roman roads and vino verde vines (…)”

“2:00 pm – The first of the café breaks. Followed by a hefty home cooked lunch at Casa do Mosteiro – They were closed but fed us huge quantities of ribs and chicken…”

“Departed lunch at 3:30 pm and rode through cobblestones and more long vines.”

 

June 30th

“Santa Maria do Bouro to Peneda Geres National Park”

 

 

People are different and express themselves differently. Some people post pictures, some paint, some write poetry …whatever, but everybody communicates. Human being is really amazing!

The satisfaction of conquering

By José Neves

Among the many experiences you can generally live on a bike tour is the will of getting further, of overcoming the challenges and knowing the limits of our physical and psychological resistance, in short to be better than ourselves.

 

Photo Portugal Bike – The Quiet Villages on the Mountains bike tour

 

How often are we concentrated and focused on a very long climb or a short but very steep climb? And very often in the silence of our concentration, we ask ourselves: “what am I doing here?”, “why am I not resting at the beach?”, “why have I decided to do this?” …The answer is very simple: because I decided to do it! And there is no other answer for this: “I decided to do this tour and that is it, …here I am!”

 

Photo Portugal Bike – The Rota Vicentina and the Algarve bike tour

 

Photo Portugal Bike – Towards the Algarve bike tour

 

The simple things in life are the ones that give us more pleasure: when we are able to overcome the challenges, when we are able to get to the top of that climb or overcome any other obstacle or difficulty, that we already knew that it was difficult, …we feel good with ourselves! We feel fulfilled! We feel ALIVE! …And this satisfaction is reflected in our big smile, in the twinkle in our eyes that shows our happiness and we feel proud of ourselves. And we share “our victory” with those that are with us and that we love. …This is priceless!