This self-guided cycling tour through the Alentejo region of Portugal was pure delight for us. From the tour operators to the route and unique accommodations we couldn’t have been more pleased. Anyone looking for a cycling tour in Portugal would do well to consider Portugal Best Cycling and the many benefits of touring in Portugal!

We are a family of four with an 18 year old and a 13 year old. This tour was a comfortable introduction to Portugal with distances ranging from 30km to 50km per day for six days, and a mix of quiet roads and well maintained dirt tracks through undulating countryside. It is was easily doable on the hybrid (mountain) bikes provided, but e-bikes are also offered. Portugal Best Cycling provides rear panniers, kitted with spare inner tube and tool kit. Baggage is transferred daily between the hotels. Every day offered historic towns and castles, Baroque churches and vineyards. There was an interesting visit to a cork factory on the itinerary. Some of the side trips could be skipped if you choose. The accommodation was a mix of three and four stars, with the pousadas being a real highlight – beautiful converted historic buildings. The directions and maps provided are sufficient and it is pretty hard to get lost. The briefing was probably unnecessarily detailed given that we had all done similar trips before. But would be reassuring for first timers.

Portugal Best Cycling was a wonderful way to see and experience Portugal. Cycling allows one to slow down and experience small towns and beautiful countryside. Portugal Best Cycling provided well equipped bicycles and easy to follow trip notes. The route notes included great suggestions for site seeing and restaurants.

The Wine and Castles tour was perfectly planned and beautiful. We enjoyed pedaling past vineyards, cork tree groves and olive groves. We saw a new castle every day!

This trip is described as moderate, however, some of the hills are quite steep and challenging even for veteran cyclists. Two in our group were pleased with the electric bikes which allowed them to keep up and enjoy the trip.

Portugal Best Cycling arranged wonderful accommodations in Pousadas and a castle! The prices were reasonable for some really grand accommodations.

We had a wonderful week with our guide Jorge touring some of the best highlights of central Portugal. Great scenery, wonderful food and drink and fantastic people. Jorge cared for us so well. We had outstanding picnics that he prepared for us. I would highly recommend Jorge and Portugal best cycling as one of the best ways to see and experience Portugal.

This self-guided cycling tour through the Alentejo region of Portugal was pure delight for us. From the tour operators to the route and unique accommodations we couldn’t have been more pleased. Anyone looking for a cycling tour in Portugal would do well to consider Portugal Best Cycling and the many benefits of touring in Portugal!

George H
Suíça
369215
Avaliado 18 de outubro de 2018
Self guided Alentejo tour is excellent for families
We are a family of four with an 18 year old and a 13 year old. This tour was a comfortable introduction to Portugal with distances ranging from 30km to 50km per day for six days, and a mix of quiet roads and well maintained dirt tracks through undulating countryside. It is was easily doable on the hybrid (mountain) bikes provided, but e-bikes are also offered. Portugal Best Cycling provides rear panniers, kitted with spare inner tube and tool kit. Baggage is transferred daily between the hotels. Every day offered historic towns and castles, Baroque churches and vineyards. There was an interesting visit to a cork factory on the itinerary. Some of the side trips could be skipped if you choose.

The accommodation was a mix of three and four stars, with the pousadas being a real highlight – beautiful converted historic buildings. The directions and maps provided are sufficient and it is pretty hard to get lost. The briefing was probably unnecessarily detailed given that we had all done similar trips before. But would be reassuring for first timers.

My wife and I had researched self-guided bike trips in Portugal for several months. We were so happy we found Portugal Best Cycling. They communicated so well via email with us as they customized a 4-night 3-day self-guided bike tour for the two of us in the wine and castles region of the Alentejo. George provided a detailed briefing for us at the wonderful hotel in Evora with directions that made deciphering the countryside a breeze. Joana was very responsive once we started and even drove out to where we started outside Evora on her day off to replace a bike that had an unexpected issue with the chain. We especially loved all the sights such as wineries, ceramic manufacturers, and old churches and ruins, that were outlined on our daily itenary. Capping each day at a lovely small town by a refreshing pool made this an unforgettable adventure vacation. We would definitely recommend Portugal Best Cycling and would love to do another trip with them.

An unforgettable adventure at an extremely affordable price!
Tradução do Google
Castle and Wine Self-guided Tour May 2018.
This was my husband and my fifth self-guided bike adventure and though I have very few complaints about any of the companies we have used, Portugal Best Cycling truly had the best customer service over all of the others. Joana went over each days ride with great detail and actually requested that we check in with a text every night to know that we made it to each night’s destination. We have never had that request before. Although I had requested a men’s bike, a women’s bike was delivered to our starting point. Joana was quick to have a men’s bike waiting for me at the next destination even though, in the end, I had to keep the women’s bike because the design of the men’s small frame was too large for my height. The hotels, restaurant recommendations, and maps/directions were excellent. The bikes were in excellent condition and perfect for the terrain we encountered.
Self-guided tours are for the adventurous and that is what we had, an unforgettable adventure. There are bicycle tour companies out there that charge 2 to 3 times the price that Portugal Best Cycling charges and given that we were staying in some of the same hotels that the other companies use, I do not know what would make someone pay the extra amount. Portugal Best Cycling is the way to explore Portugal.

After several years doing self-guided bike tours through a Canadian-based company, my five friends and I decided to try booking through a travel agent who recommended Portugal best cycling. The trip was significantly cheaper than the comparable trip run by the previous company we used; I was a bit apprehensive as I had pushed for the change. Fortunately, the PBC trip was very well done.

The biking was great, from quiet country roads to cobblestone streets to some dirt roads, although I didn’t like the eco piste on the first day because it was muddy. It was hillier than I’d expected (one description of the biking was ‘easy’; another said ‘easy to moderate’. I’d say the latter is more accurate), but for the most part, the grades were reasonable. The scenery was beautiful, including lots of vineyards, olive trees, cork trees and even sheep! The instructions were very clear and included recommendations for food and drink, as well as interesting sights and shops. We ate lunch at Antonio Gatto’s (pic of resto attached)which felt amazingly authentic. I thought the accommodations were excellent 5 out of 6 nights, with the pousadas a highlight. All in all, a great way to see an untouched part of south Portugal.

Our group of six Canadian women completed this tour on April 28th after a week of wonderful riding on quiet country roads, including a stretch on the somewhat muddy eco piste, which added a bit of variety to the riding. We were self-guided and found the route instructions clear and easy to follow (although based on reviews I think we missed out on Maria!). The three pousadas we stayed at were a particular highlight but in general the Alentejo is an beautiful part of Portugal and a great place for a cycling holiday. Portugal Best Cycling provided excellent service and for a reasonable price.

Four couples from Canada and USA went on this 7 day trip led by Teresa. We all loved the trip including all the rides, hotels and meals. The weather in Portugal in mid October was perfect for cycling. Teresa is very knowledgeable about the local history and we made several stops to visit local merchants. Highly recommend.

The route and scenery for the 7 days was fabulous; all the food was of high quality and so tasty; the choice of picnic spots superb; the information provided on the history of various sites, the towns, exhibitions etc was not only interesting but showed the depth of knowledge of the area and of Portugal in general; the choice of accommodation was out of this world; attention to detail was evident; and both Teresa and Joana (our guides)responded sensitively and professionally to any personal concerns. I highly recommend this cycling tour.

Portugal Best Cycling is a wonderful company that is flexible and well organized. During our cycle tour, the weather was expected to be quite hot. As a result of the weather my husband asked if we could start riding at 7:30 in the morning. This is quite early but a great time to enjoy the crisp morning air. We expected that by leaving so early we would have to forgo breakfast. We were wrong, the company/farm house had their hostess arrive by 7:00 so she could prepare breakfast for us prior to our bicycle tour. Very much appreciated.

The bikes were in decent shape and always set up and ready to go the night before. We had a briefing the night before our first ride to discuss any concerns as well as a fitting of the bikes. The bikes are hybrid/mountain bikes and are sturdy and comfortable. The rides themselves were enjoyable. The guides we had were very professional. One of our guides had a degree in archeology which was a wonderful bonus as he discussed the very early history of Portugal. Mario was very knowledgeable about all stages of history and cleared up some of the questions we had regarding the country’s kings. He is also a passionate ornithologist ( birder ) pointing out many species of birds as we road throughout the day. On our last day of riding we had a different guide , George, who was also very good. He had an extensive background in the banking sector and was able to engage in conversations regarding the current state of Portugal’s economy.

There is nothing more refreshing than a swim in the pool after a long day of riding. The farmhouse, Monte do Serrado de Baixo, was quite pleasant. The internet seemed to be limited to the living room but this was an added bonus since it forced us to meet the other guests who we thoroughly enjoyed. There is an outdoor seating area that we used to chat with the other guests and view the sunset before dinner( the outdoor furniture may need some upgrading in the near future ). There is a communal refrigerator which is very handy for keeping your wine and beverages cool.

During our tour, we had two dinners at Monte do Serrado de Baixo. These two dinners were by far the best dinners we had during our two week stay in Portugal. The food was incredible. Each night started with appetizers and bread followed by a beautiful salad, main dish, side dishes and ending with dessert and coffee. We brought our own wine (chilled in the refrigerator) and enjoyed the variety brought by our fellow guests. It was fun getting to know other travellers. The food was excellent !!!!

I can’t stress how flexible the company was in meeting our needs. We modified our itinerary so we could visit the cheese factory. We left early every morning. Lunch was flexible depending on when we were hungry. Our rides were slightly modified depending on how tired we were and how hot it was getting. We can’t thank Portugal Best Cycling enough for the wonderful experiences and for being so accommodating to ensure a perfect bike tour.

The people at Portugal Best Cycling are helpful, thoughtful and happy to accommodate client requests. Their self-guided tours have suited us well, and the combination of spectacular scenery and (in the case of the pousadas) luxury accommodation has been great.

7 of us were planning to ride in the Alentejo region of Portugal. Our cycling abilities ranged from novice to bike racers. PBC accommodated everyone tailoring each day to each individual rider. They did everything they could, going way beyond the call of duty, to make this a great experience for all of us.

This was such a fun trip, full of unexpected treats – the delicious almond cake served at the top of a long hill, happy smiling farmers waving to us, riding through the gorgeous, serene countryside, storks flying about and the most interesting accommodations and restaurants. Our guide, Jorge, was the best, so accommodating and pleasant and great at putting on a delicious picnic. I think about sitting on a park bench after the day’s ride in a little village eating an ice cream bar before dinner, taking it all in, listening to the church bells, so many great memories. A very nice company to work with and a very reasonably priced trip.

Castles and Wine – Van Guided Tour May 2017
My wife and I, and a small group of new and old friends did a “Castles and Wine” bike tour with Portugal Best Cycling (aka Turaventur?). We cycled from village to village, had terrific food in both restaurants and picnics. I think we stayed at different place nearly every night. The riding was low key with plenty of interesting stops including, of course, several castles. Stops also included a working cheese farm a bone chapel, a university, a place where pottery was made, an area full of ancient megaliths, a large lake (reservoir, actually), a marble quarry and a marble museum, a small leather processing shop. I’m sure I’m forgetting several stops – they all were quite interesting. I think every day must have had a different castle!

I was especially impressed with our guide, Jorge (I hope I am spelling that correctly), who was friendly, kind, and helpful. Our trip was a van guided tour – a single guide (Jorge) would brief us as to the day’s route, haul the gear, provide bike support, meet us at turns, and serve as a guide for all the stops along the way. I found Jorge to be exceptionally helpful as I became ill during the middle of the trip, unable to ride a few days, and he was very kind, letting me ride in the rig with him. Jorge ended up being an all day tour guide and conversation partner – I felt we had a genuine friendship.

Portugal is a perfectly lovely place with medieval villages, narrow cobblestone streets, castles and plenty of tradition – traditional food, buildings, etc. I don’t drink so I would not be able to comment on the wine aspect – but the rest of the travelers appeared to enjoy the wine at the lunches and dinners. I think the tour is as vinous as you’d like it to be! I’d give this trip my highest recommendation.

This was such a great holiday……..extremely well organised with helpful staff and super bikes. All the routes were well planned and varied and we stayed in the most amazing hotels, we could not have asked for anything better! Some hilly bits but the views always made it worthwhile! Hoping to do the coastal route next year.

Fantastic !! Our marvelous guides Maria and Joana took us to places and experiences we would never have found by ourselves. Excellent food, wine and accommodations all the way. Highly recommended !

Exceptional in every way!! 11 out of 10
We have done many, many bike trips in Europe over the last 30 plus years ( guided and unguided) with a variety of companies that we have throughly enjoyed, but none can beat Portugal’s Best Cycling! The guides, Teresa, Luis, Joana, Maria and Jorge were all exceptionally friendly, helpful, knowledgable and flexible. Most of all, however, they were just plain fun to be with over the course of our 7 day Castles & Wine Tour. To say we found some enchanting “off the beaten path” experiences doesn’t give justice to how unique each day was. Try to spend a night at their farm which is a different kind of experience. Recommend the “charm hotel ” upgrade!! The pousadas’ we stayed at were amazing. Food was fantastic. We’ll be back!

Beautiful Alentejo!
We cycled Alentejo with our cousins from England in April. As it was there first introduction to a cycling vacation we wanted a more moderate trip. This trip was fantastic! We upgraded our accommodations and stayed in Monasteries. Fabulous choice – highly recommended. Our accomodations were amazing. Daily cycling was not long, but every day we had side tours, some for fabulous cheeses, some for wine tastings – we even visited a leather factory. Food and wine provided on tour was unbelievable. We have done many cycling vacations and this was truly the first “all inclusive”. The tour company operates a truly first rate tour, has exceptional knowledgeable guides and truly shows you a beautiful part of Alentejo. Highly recommend this tour to anyone. The Spring was a fabulous time to go for flowers and scenery. My husband and I also did their Coastal Tour with Luis which was incredible. Every day Luis provided great picnics with the help of hotel staff and great selection of Portugese wines. Another five star tour run by this Company.

Fantastic cycling tour that immersed us in the culture of the Alentejo region of Portugal
We went on the castles and wine tour the last week of April and the weather was perfect. The countryside was in full bloom. The tour company’s choice of daily routes, activities, restaurants and hotels was amazing…couldn’t have hoped for better. Some of the highlights were a picnic in a vineyard, dining with the locals in small towns, great wines and our two guides; Joana and George. They were friendly, accommodating, professional, fun-loving and very knowledgeable. The bicycles were top-notch. This tour exceeded our expectations in every way.

Portugal Best Cycling is the best bike tour company we have ever dealt with!

We did the self-guided Castles and Wine tour in Portugal and could not have had a better experience. We are very experienced bikers, and have done simillar tours in France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, and no tour company to date has matched thier level of professionalism, and attention to detail. The routes and day to day instructions were also the best and most accurate we have encountered. Mario’s presentation the day before we started was funny, and professional.

It says a lot when the tour company asks you to check in at the end of the day, to ensure you arrived safely. No other company has done this, and it showed an unepected level of caring and concern. In fact I fell and fractured my arm while riding and Teresa helped me every step of the way, from securing a taxi for me to get emergency care to helping me naviagate the Portugese healthcare system. she was fantastic! If you plan to bike in Portugal, Portugal Best Cycling truly is the best!

October 2019 in a pandemic-free world seems an age away. Reminiscing to keep the spirits up I would like to provide highlights of the self-guided cycle tour of the Alentejo Castles and Wine that we took in those carefree days. Looking back it was bliss. It was an amazing route starting in Arraiolas (bussed there from Lisbon) we met Maria and Joanna at the old convent pousada and tested bikes and received our briefing. This is a fascinating little town which has a history of rug weaving/ embroidery dating back to the Moors presence in the 12th century, with an excellent museum. On to Evora with its Roman ruins and amazing walled city, and surrounding megalithic sites of awe. Tiny historic villages, some almost ghost-like were navigated and picnics eaten in the shade of the parish church in the central square. Obrigada-ing to the friendly locals. We visited a pottery studio in S. Pedro do Corval where the family has a connection to Best Cycling- such a friendly warm welcome. And then the steep climb up to the mythical Monsaraz to spend a precious night in the stars, wandering the narrow streets after the tourists had all left. Rode through marble quarries near Vila Viçosa and Estemoz. And lived like kings and queens in the pousada palaces. An amazing route through history, friendly people and accessible restaurants and cafes. Bikes never let us down, and the taxi delivery of our suitcases between rides faultless. The accomodation arrangements all perfect. All in all I wish we were back there again. Stay well Portugal and see you again soon. Thankyou Portugal Best Cycling.
November 2020

We weren’t experienced bikers but a 2 day tour was the perfect mix of activity and decadence. Day 1 was the more intensive biking day with visits to a farm and classic cars, winery, prickly pear farm and a cork factory. We had a van for support when our legs were too tired. Day two was in the city to explore the Medieval streets, eat some great Portuguese food, get a great history lesson and sample some more wines and liquors.

Whether you are often on a bike or looking to get into biking this is one of the best ways to explore Evora and the region.

October 2021

We had an amazing time exploring the beautiful Alentejo region with Mario on our Cycling in Paradise Tour.

We stayed seven nights at the farmhouse and did five different routes over the week, each with a different theme. We saw and learned so much about the region and about Portugal. It was so relaxing not to have to pack and un-pack in between stops.

We used e-bikes which made the trip so much more relaxing and Mario tailored our days to our interests and our energy levels. We had a couple of really hot days for October so it was nice to not have to pedal so hard going up the hills! We still felt happily tired at the end of the day.

Alentejo has amazing food and wine and we had plenty of both. Some of our most memorable meals were in little local places along the way that we probably never would have found on our own.

We especially enjoyed visiting the historic University in Evora, the cork factory, the prickly pear farm, and the Fitapreta winery.

Mario was an amazing guide and Dina, Joana and the rest of the Turaventur staff made our trip extra special.

November 2021

We thoroughly enjoyed our week long holiday cycling around the Evora area. This guided cycle tour included riding in lovely scenery, learning about the culture and history of the Alentejo area and visiting historic monuments, churches and cathedrals. Our guides Teresa and Paulo were knowledgeable and personable. The bikes although not high specification hybrids withstood the non-technical off road conditions and cobble stone roads. We recommend that you bring pedal cages if you have/are used to them. We did this tour in July and knew conditions were going to be hot. Our guides were responsive and made lots of water stops. We recommend that any heat sensitive travellers book in cooler months or take the self guided option and start each day at 0700hrs aiming to finish by 1230hrs. Overall the company is focused on the client and although not cheap the price for the tour is fair for the quality of the accommodation, time invested to address client needs and logistics. The owner and the office staff provided other assistance such as transfer bookings which was very helpful. Overall a memorable and thoroughly enjoyable holiday. Thank you Teresa and team.

July 2022

A wonderful trip from start to finish. Our guides, Mario and Joanna, were fabulous. The countryside is lovely and the Portuguese are incredibly friendly. We especially enjoyed the accommodations at the pousadas.

May 2023

We did the 7 day Castles and wine tour with Paulo as our trusty bike guide. We could not have asked for a better trip. The entire team go out of their way to ensure your tour runs smoothly and will tailor the trip based on your preferences. Our expectations were exceeded with the quality of restaurants and attention to detail. You will feel genuinely welcomed to Portugal by the staff who provide an authentic experience visiting off-the-beaten-path sites and chatting with the locals. We did the fully guided trip and Manuel welcomed us each day with lunch in interesting spots, by a lake, in an Olive grove or sourced out the best little cafes for lunch. We arrived at our hotels with our bags already in the room and all we had to do was jump in the pool to cool off. We felt spoiled and would go again in a heart beat.

Manuel, top!!!

Please do an individual evaluation to each guide.
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We cannot say enough good words about Manuel to adequately convey our true pleasure in having him as our guide. His upbeat personality, kindness, passion for Portugal, knowledge of the area and history, ease in communicating with all people, his interest in each of us, and his encouragement and joking manner were all so recognized, appreciated, and valued. We looked forward each day to being with Manuel and learned so much about Portugal, biking, and life. He is a top rate staff member who exquisitely represents and personifies PortgualBestCycling.com. Although we feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit Portugal once, we are already considering a return trip if that includes being on a tour with Manuel. What a wonderful man, leader, cyclist, and friend. Two thumbs way, way, way up!!!

Being with Joana was always a bright spot in our day. Her kindness is so evident and her hospitality skills are way up there. We really appreciated the care she took in preparing our lunches and they were oh so yummy. She was always early to pick-up our luggage and they always arrived just where they should. We never worried a bit about that. As someone who only knows the English language fluently, I cannot even imagine how hard it would be for a non-native speaker to learn English. I admire how far Joana has come. I know that she is interested in being a guide and although she possesses so many skills that would be important in that role, I would kindly suggest that she likely needs to continue to improve in her English language acquisition. As an example, during our tour one of the self-guided cyclists received a text in Portuguese advising her how many minutes/data she had remaining on the phone chip that she purchased for the trip. She asked Joana if she could translate the text and unfortunately Joana couldn’t. Manuel was next consulted and quickly conveyed the text message to the cyclist. It’s a small example but if Joana is the guide it’s likely that a client would expect that she would be able to handle that task. Joana is very. bright and I know with some effort and time she can make great strides with learning English.

Although we only had Teresa as a guide for one day, that was a very special day because of Teresa’s leadership and joyful spirit. Her knowledge of the area is deep and impressive and it was great to have her guide our small group. We admire the company that she has continued to build and expand. It’s clear that her staff members admire her and are glad to be working for such a good company.

The combination of nice bikes, stunning scenery through vineyards and cork trees orchards, along with great accommodations, made for a very memorable trip. The self-guided route added flexibility and ease of navigation, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the experience. Overall, I would highly recommended a biking tour with Portugal’s Best Cycling company for those looking to explore Portugal’s beauty on two wheels.

April 2024

We loved this tour – honestly hard to drop off our bikes to end – we wanted to keep going! Great sites, amazing quaint country side. You have to work hard but you get to end every day at a historic village with wonderful food and great wine!

Everyone in the company was fantastic and extremely helpful! They were responsive immediately with any issues – highly recommend!

April 2024