Towards the Algarve Self-Guided

Road Bike | Self-Guided | Landscape

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This SW landscape is 300 million years old and it is one of the most preserved landscapes all over Europe; human intervention is less visible throughout the area’s long history. Once submerged (about 2 million years ago), this is a vast area with many different coastal habitats and countless beaches and cliffs.

The overall difficulty level of this tour is 3, Intermediate (more precisely, level 3.3 between 1~5). It is recommended for “bikers” and “cyclists”. It is supposed that you are in good shape.

Starting south of Lisbon, this bicycle tour in Portugal guides you to one of the lushest areas south of Lisbon – the Natural Park of Arrabida. On one side of the park, you’ll admire beautiful Mediterranean landscapes and at the other side, the gorgeous coast with accessible beaches where the fine sand and clear sea waters provide a strong contrast of unusual colors. You will cycle along the coast and after crossing the Sado river you’ll reach Troia, and then the place where the Natural Park of SW Alentejo and Vicentine Coast begins. It extends itself along the Portuguese coast and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.

Daily tours include going to the wonderful beaches of this Natural Park and taking a swim in the limpid and clear sea. Numerous cliffs and isolated islets complete this beautiful and unique scenery. This area boasts a diversity of rare botanical species, with very interesting flora and a variety of maritime birds that nest here. Cape S. Vicente is a passing area for thousands of birds of prey.

This bicycle tour in Portugal also goes to the south-westernmost point in continental Europe, the place from where our brave forefathers sailed on their caravels seeking new peoples and continents. Finally, you have the opportunity to visit some of the beaches of our famous Algarve and the cosmopolitan city of Lagos. This is one of the oldest towns in the Algarve. You can still see evidence of the wall surrounding the town for protection.

From

Euro 1280

Self-Guided

Tour

7

Days

Level 3 (3.2)

Intermediate

Distance

315km/196mi

Average

63km/39mi day

Trails

100% asphalt

Start | End

Sesimbra | Lagos

Dates

Start-End

Availability

Booking

Price

Per Person

October, 2018

Available

Euro 1630

November, 2018

Available

Euro 1300

December, 2018

Available

Euro 1300

February, 2019

Available

Euro 1280

March, 2019

Available

Euro 1420

April, 2019

Available

Euro 1630

May, 2019

Available

Euro 1640

June, 2019

Available

Euro 1800

July, 2019

Available

Euro 1800

September, 2019

Available

Euro 1810

October, 2019

Available

Euro 1630

November, 2019

Available

Euro —-

December, 2019

Available

Euro —-

RESERVE THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME

Ready to book? Select tour date.

(Your booking will be confirmed when our specialist contacts you.)

Available dates:

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Minimum number of people: 2

Location: Algarve, Lisboa Region, Alentejo

Price per person:

Single room supplement:

Price includes:
7-day Road Bike Tour with a GPS device | Superior quality bicycle rental | Transfers from and to Lisbon Airport | Accommodations (6 nights): 5 four-star Hotels (one Hotel & SPA in front of the ocean, one charming Hotel, one Design Hotel in front of the ocean and two cosy Hotels), 1 B&B/Rural Tourism | Double bedroom occupancy | 6 Breakfasts | Luggage transport from Hotel to Hotel | Documentation about PortugalBike Tour | Personal Accident Insurance and Liability Insurance.

Please note:

Self-Guided version: We require a minimum of 2 people to confirm a Self-Guided departure | Longer tour: If you wish a longer tour you can do “The West Coast and The Algarve“, and enjoy a gorgeous road bike tour along the west and south coast of Portugal, in a program of 12 days / 11 nights / 9 days cycling / 1 day rest (minimum of 2 people) | Groups: Discount for Groups of 4 or more people | E-Bike rental: + Euro 100 | On Self-Guided tours we can offer you any date, depending on our availability. If the tour starts and ends in different months the price will be adjusted accordingly, depending on how many days in each month. The price of festivity dates will be adjusted accordingly.

DAY BY DAY

Bike Tours in Portugal, Algarve Bike Tour

Day

1

Arrival

Welcome at Lisbon airport, transfer to Sesimbra and a briefing about the tour. Lodging in a 4* Hotel with sophisticated amenities in an idyllic setting where Nature and Sea come together in true happiness.

Day

2

Riding along the wonderful coast of the Arrábida Natural Park

35km (22mi), 760m total climbing (2490ft), level 3 (2.8).
After breakfast you start riding in the amazing Arrábida Natural Park, where the Mediterranean vegetation mixes with the maritime views. Lodging in a 4* Hotel near the town center.

Day

3

Crossing the river Sado to Troia

61km (38mi), 570m total climbing (1870ft), level 3 (3.0).
After breakfast you cross the river by boat and we ride on towards south. Lodging in a 4* Design Hotel with a great view over the town.

Day

4

The beautiful beaches of the Natural Park

103km (64mi), 940m total climbing (3080ft), level 4 (4.2).
After breakfast you ride into the SW Alentejo Natural Park; this is the most well preserved coast all over Europe. The landscape is amazing! Your cycling day ends in the typical village near the coast. Lodging in a Bed & Breakfast unit with swimming-pool.

Day

5

Riding towards South to Sagres

72km (45mi), 630m total climbing (2070ft), level 3 (3.2).
After breakfast you continue riding along beautiful beaches. And you get to the place where “the land ends and the sea begins”. This is the south-westernmost point in Continental Europe. Lodging in a 4* new hotel with swimming-pool, surrounded by stunning deserted beaches and the wild nature of an unforgettable beauty.

Day

6

The coast of the Algarve

44km (27mi), 610m total climbing (2000ft), level 3 (2.7).
After breakfast you ride along the south coast of the Algarve where you can see the contrast between the Natural Park and the Algarve that is developed in terms of tourism. Lodging in a 4* hotel with swimming-pool, that epitomizes the Algarve culture, with blue and white corridors which link the rooms, patios, restaurants and bar.

Day

7

Departure

After breakfast transfer to Lisbon airport (3-hour drive to the airport).

Total distance 315km (196mi) | Average 63km/day (39mi/day) | 100% asphalt

SEE CLIMBING PROFILE

TESTIMONIALS

“Did a “self guided” tour with Portugal Bike the beginning of February (2017). We have done several “self guided” trips through Europe and this was, without a doubt, the best.
Right from the get go we could tell this was going to be a special trip and we were not disappointed. The bikes, the GPS maps, the lodging, the route… EVERYTHING was top notch. They even picked us up in Lisbon and drove us 3 hrs to the beginning of the Algarve Coast and brought us back after the trip.”

Joyce Pfaff, 74 – Minneapolis, MN, United States

“Great riding in the Algarve! Four fit and enthusiastic friends/cyclists recently completed a self-guided cycling adventure through Portugal Bike of the Algarve. We had a fantastic time. We organized the tour with Cristina but Luis handled everything else, from the pick-up, to the orientation meeting (complete with snacks!), to emergency bike repairs and to the final drop-off. Nothing was too much for him! We appreciated his efforts and enjoyed talking to him during our transfers. We enjoyed the places we stayed in along the Algarve. The food was outstanding everywhere we went and the people we met were friendly, helpful and gracious. We loved riding through national parks and along the coast. The drivers were very considerate and we did not encounter any problems thanks to our trust-worthy GPS! We highly recommend Portugal Bike. We would not hesitate to do another cycling trip through this company, especially with a team that includes Luis!”

Carol Houser, 56 – Toronto, ON – Canada

“We booked a self guided bike tour and from the moment we were met at Lisbon airport to the moment we were dropped off, we cannot fault any aspect of the holiday or service. Louis met us and set up our bikes (these were very well maintained bikes if a higher standard and specifications than we were expecting). He took us to our first hotel and gave us a very comprehensive briefing. The route was amazing (from Sesimbra to Lagos) the overnight hotels were all of a great standard and the recommendations for where to lunch and eat dinner were all spot on. It is obviously a source of great personal pride to the whole team that everything is perfect and they manage to achieve this with ease. We very rarely return to the same country, preferring to explore new places; however, what they do is so perfect in every way we are already looking at their other tours for next year! Thank you Louis and Christina; we’ll
see you next year!”

Julie Richards, 46 – Bath, United Kingdom

“This was our second trip with Portugal Bike. Our first was a guided trip, through the Alentejo five years ago and we vowed then to return for another trip. This time because we had friends traveling with us, we tried the self guided tour. While we missed José and Cristina’s company, the self guided tour was just as enjoyable.
José and Cristina were prompt, organized and professional. From the moment we arrived at the airport to the moment they picked us up at the end of our trip, every detail was arranged and created a relaxing and stress free experience.
The scenery will leave you awe-struck. We couldn’t capture it with our cameras; the vibrant colors of the wildflowers and the sea were something to behold! Each evening’s accommodations were charming and beautiful. The GPS was easy to follow, and we were equipped with an emergency phone that we never needed.
The bicycles are well maintained and reliable, and performed perfectly throughout the trip. Each day was a good mixture of challenging riding with plenty of downhill and gorgeous views. We passed through countless tiny towns, separated by vast fields of green and flowers. Each day we arrived at our accommodations and were greeted warmly by the hotel staff. We had plenty of time to enjoy the towns, and all the dinner recommendations were great!
This tour definitely requires a good level of fitness, but is not overly arduous. Make sure you have good bike chamois to avoid a tender tush!
We will be back again for another trip, hopefully sooner than 5 years! “

Kendra Nunes, 44 – Scotts Valley CA, United States

“The trip ‘Towards the Algarve’ was excellent. The pick up and bike organisation was very efficient with clear instructions, good GPS mapping on our bikes, very nice bikes well maintained. The trip was brilliant down from south of Lisbon to Lagos – excellent hotels, lovely scenery and wildflowers (recommend April for this trip), fab food and the company of 5 lovely people”

Anna Righton, 61 – Knutsford, United Kingdom

“I cannot say enough good things about this trip. Everything went perfectly. Jose and Cristina proved to be the perfect hosts. They managed to pull off every part of this trip without a single hitch. Every detail was well thought out. This was my 4th cycling trip in Europe and by far the best. We were furnished with first rate bikes (carbon) with upgraded components. The scenery was breathtaking. I have biked in the Provence region of France and through the countryside in Puglia, Italy, but this area of Portugal is the most beautiful that I have seen. We stayed in beautiful hotels throughout the trip. Jose biked with us everyday and Cristina would meet us for lunch and then at the hotel, where our bags would be waiting in our rooms. They arranged a wonderful meal each night, which always included fantastic wines. The biking turned out to be just the right amount. The shortest day, 25 miles, was challenging due to the climbs, and the longest, 63 miles, was fairly easy since the terrain was mostly flat. Cycling is a great way to see this beautiful country, so I would encourage you to check out Portugal Bike if you have any interest in seeing Portugal.”

Dedrick Burch, 66 – Georgia Atlanta, United States

“We have had a wonderful week with both José and Cristina, cycling “Towards the Algarve”. It is clear that great thought and planning went into all the details of the trip – the routes, the hotels, the picnics, the restaurants – all of which meant we could experience the scenery, the sights, the sounds and the hospitality of Portugal. We are happiest when on our bicycles, and being on bikes in the sun with the ocean beside us is even better. We appreciate that you were willing to do this early-season trip for just the 2 of us. You have a great partnership and your skills complement each other. We’ve enjoyed getting to know you as we chatted at breaks and over dinner. We will certainly tell our cycling friends about Portugal Bike and also send some possible Canadian contacts to you. We wish you a successful summer season. “

Marg and Art Heidebrecht, 57 and 72 – Ontario, Canada

See detailed reviews

TOUR GEAR

On this tour you can ride with one of these bicycles

CUBE Attain GTC SLT Disc Carbon

GERMAN DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED

With the culmination of carbon frame technology, this bike is all the proof you need that comfort and high performance aren’t mutually exclusive. With a brand new Fulcrum Racing 66 disc wheelset and a complete complement of new Shimano’s superb Ultegra components – with technology borrowed from the range-topping Dura Ace – this is a no-compromise speed machine that’ll flatter any rider’s best efforts.

SCOTT SPORTSTER

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE

Sporster 20 Solution emphasizes comfort and convenience for touring and transportation. Equipped with a lockout fork and Syncros components, the Sportster is set up perfectly for your excursions with a more vertical and comfortable position. On this Road Bike tour you will ride with thinner tires (700×28).

portugal bike tours electric bicycle Bosch

BOSCH SYSTEM

E-BIKE

Now you don’t have any excuse for not participating on a Portugal Bike Tour! Don’t be afraid of not being able to keep up with the group. Now you can ride an e-bike without feeling too exhausted! The system works as if someone is pushing at your back! The more you pedal, the more electric assistance you have.