Portugal Cycling Tour – Wild Algarve
Highlights
- Algarve’s picturesque and lively historical centers
- Portugal cycling tour through incredible and wild scenery on the coast of the Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina NP
- Backwaters and salt mines of Ria Formosa
- Visit to an organic farm and to local pastry factory
- Tasty picnics served at the beach or at local restaurants
- Very nice hotels, including a night in a convent
Description
This medium level cycling tour begins where our Along the Coast tour finishes. You can complement your cycling holiday by doing the two bike tours together. You can also do a walking tour to get to the starting point.
We start cycling in a wild rugged area of the Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina NP, on the west coast. Then, we cycle along the popular south coast, the true Algarve, including very picturesque spots closer to the Spanish border!
Our days have lots of variety with visits to places such as the Fisherman’s museum, the cape of Sagres and several fortresses. The Portuguese Sea Discoveries of the 15th century are always present.
Besides cycling and enjoying the amazing scenery, we invite you also to learn about the local economy. One of the learning highlights is a visit to an organic farm where its fruit is transformed in jams, chutneys, cakes, and chocolates. The salines visit is another one and, to a sweet end, a visit to a pastry factory where you will have the chance to learn to bake some cakes and in the end taste them (cooking on van guided and guided tours only)!
The beaches are beautiful, on the first days with fun waves and impressive steep cliffs on the background while the last days offer us quiet and crystal blue waters. You will find out that even in the more touristy Algarve areas there are still hidden away empty beaches.
Though the Algarve is apparently flat, there are several short ups and downs along the day, so you should be fit enough to handle the hills.
On the 6th day, there is a transfer by train or van to avoid the more busy area of the Algarve.
The hotels are all top quality and have a swimming pool, (except for the first one), though we hope you don’t have much time to spend there! Enjoy your stay at the monumental Pousadas of Portugal and relax at the recovered village, time forgotten, transformed into one of a kind hamlet/hotel tourism project.
The Algarve usually is a bit warmer than the rest of the country in autumn and spring, so you may end up having a swim in late October or early April! You can do the Algarve bike tours all year round!
You can make this trip Portugal cycling tour:
- with us on a guided tour getting all the interpretation and companionship
- with us, having the support car guiding you
- together with your friends on a self guided tour.
Additional information
Tour type | Heritage, Landscape, Ocean views |
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Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
MAP
PROFILES
1st cycling day from Odeceixe to Aljezur
Altitude gain: 361 mt/ 1184 ft
Total Distance: 34.2 km/ 21 mi
Level: easy plus
2nd cycling day from Aljezur to Pedralva
Altitude gain: 825 mt/ 2706 ft
Total Distance: 54,8 km/ 34 mi
Level: medium plus
3rd cycling day from Pedralva to Sagres
Altitude gain: 614 mt/ 2014 ft
Total Distance: 44 km/ 27 mi
Level: medium
4th cycling day from Sagres to Lagos
Altitude gain: 840 mt/ 2755 ft
Total Distance: 46,4 km/ 28 mi
Level: medium plus
5th cycling day from Olhão to Tavira
Altitude gain: 281 mt/ 921 ft
Total Distance: 32,7 km/ 20 mi
Level: easy
6th cycling day from Tavira to Vila Real de Santo António
Altitude gain: 389 mt/ 1276 ft
Total Distance: 38.7 km/ 24 mi
Level: easy plus
Prices per person – 2025
Departures everyday for all types of Tour.
Come on our set dates and Get a Better Price.
For prices 2025 Premium click HERE.
conditions | SELF GUIDED TOUR | VAN-GUIDED TOUR | GUIDED TOUR |
---|---|---|---|
Price per person (group tour dates)* | - | - | 4 000 €* |
Price per person (minimum 4 adults) | 1 250 €* | 2 660 €* | 3 070 €* |
Price per person (minimum 2 adults) | 1 660 €* | 3 900 €* | 4 720 €* |
*plus season supplement if applicable | |||
INCLUDED | |||
Double room with breakfast | |||
Route informations | |||
24h phone support | |||
Personal accident insurance | |||
Luggage transfer | |||
Basic tools | |||
Transfer from Lagos to Olhão | |||
Portugal Best Cycling jersey | |||
Souvenir | |||
VAT tax | |||
Guide on a bike | |||
Support car with assistant guide | |||
Faro airport transfer | |||
Bicycle, helmet, back rack and pannier or similar | |||
Water and fruit | |||
6 lunches | |||
5 Dinners with wine | |||
1 liqueur tasting | |||
Entrance fee at Fortress of Sagres | |||
Entrance fee at Municipal museum of Aljezur | |||
Entrance fee at Fisherman's museum | |||
1st aid assistence | |||
HOTEL SUPPLEMENTS | |||
* Season supplement | |||
April, May, June, October | 250 € | 250 € | 250 € |
July, August, September | 395 € | 395 € | 395 € |
Easter, Christmas, New Year's Eve and national holidays under request | |||
Single supplements | |||
Single accomodation low season** | 370 € | 370 € | 370 € |
Single April, May, June, October** | 845 € | 845 € | 845 € |
Single July, August, September** | 1 125 € | 1 125 € | 1 125 € |
Talk to us if you want a different hotel option to make this cheaper | |||
** Single supplement applys for a 3rd person in a group of 2. Solo traveller price under request | |||
TRANSFERS | |||
Lisbon airport, minimum 2 people | - | - | |
Lisbon airport to Odeceixe | 165 € | - | - |
Vila Real de Santo António to Lisbon airport | 235 € | - | - |
Faro airport, minimum 2 people | - | - | |
Faro airport to Odeceixe | 115 € | - | - |
Vila Real de Santo António to Faro airport | 80 € | - | - |
Lisbon airport, minimum 4 people | - | - | |
Lisbon airport to Odeceixe | 80 € | - | - |
Vila Real de Santo António to Lisbon airport | 120 € | - | - |
Faro airport, minimum 4 people | |||
Faro airport to Odeceixe | 60 € | - | - |
Vila Real de Santo António to Faro airport | 40 € | - | - |
TRANSFERS TO VAN GUIDED AND GUIDED TOURS ONLY - included from Faro airport, extra for Lisbon airport | |||
All transfers from lisbon airport instead of faro- for guided tours only, where transfer is included. Minimum 2 | - | 210 € | 210 € |
Lisbon airport to odeceixe instead of faro - for guided tours only, where transfer is included. Minimum 2 | - | 50 € | 50 € |
Vila real de santo antonio to lisbon airport instead of faro - for guided tours only, where transfer is included - minimum 2 | - | 160 € | 160 € |
All transfers from lisbon airport instead of faro- for guided tours only, where transfer is included. Minimum 4 | - | 100 € | 100 € |
Lisbon airport to odeceixe instead of faro - for guided tours only, where transfer is included. Minimum 4 | - | 25 € | 25 € |
Vila real de santo antonio to lisbon airport instead of faro - for guided tours only, where transfer is included - minimum 4 | - | 80 € | 80 € |
RENTALS | |||
Bicycle rental with helmet, back rack and pannier or similar | 100 € | - | - |
E-bike rental | 225 € | 125 € | 125 € |
Phone rental (plus calls) | 10 € | 10 € | 10 € |
EXTRAS | |||
Departure different then Saturday - depends on date | to be informed | to be informed | to be informed |
Food restrictions | - | 90 € | 90 € |
Recycled plastic water bottle (from ocean plastic) | 10 € | 10 € | 10 € |
Cycling shorts | 65 € | 65 € | 65 € |
Extra cycling jersey | 20 € | 20 € | 20 € |
Cycling apron | 20 € | 20 € | 20 € |
Discount price if you book 2 tours!
Tour extension: Continue Cycling with us to the gorgeous inland of the Alentejo and do the Castles and Wine Tour.
Upgrade: You can upgrade your first night to the hotel Casas do Moinho. Upgrade costs between 25 € and 70 € per person, depending on date.
Notes:
- For a single person tour Contact us.
- For a massage Contact us.
- Extra nights – we strongly recommend that you do one or two breaks along the way. There are great places that deserve an extra night (see the programme). We will charge you only the cost of the hotel and 5 € per day per bike.
Not Included: Bikes insurance, Travel insurance, Tour cancellation insurance, and all items not mentioned above. See Terms & Conditions for more details.
Turaventur uses the REDUNIQ @Payments System. These payments are made in a simple, practical and secure way. The payment link is sent to your email, which will be redirected to a secure UNICRE page. Here the customer places the card details and makes the payment. After the data is validated and authorized by the bank, the transaction is finish. At the end you are notified of payment via email.
Guided group tour dates
Dates | Availability |
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June 7th to June 14th | Not Available |
July 5th to Juy 12th | Available Charm hotels |
September 06th to September 13rd | Available Charm hotels |
Subject to availability, you can do this tour at any date as a private guided tour or as a self guided tour. The fact that a group date is full does not mean you cannot do a private tour on that date. So contact us anyway!
Tour Reviews
This was our first trip to Portugal, and we loved having a guided tour. We did this tour in early June when the weather was unseasonably cool, but great for biking. It was too cold to get into the water, but the scenery was beautiful. We signed up through the website about 5 months before the trip. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the 2 of us were getting an exclusive trip on our own, with 2 great guides, Jorge and Maria-Jose (“Ze”), to keep us in line. They were friendly, courteous, informative. The communication before the trip was no problem, but “relaxed” but everything was very organized in the end. The itinerary is hotel door to hotel door on bike with a single exception. You travel in the van from Lagos to Olhao to skip the busy part of Algarve. We stayed in Faro a couple of days on arrival to acclimatize since that is the pickup point, so that area was familiar. If you do that, the commuter trains run fairly often along the coast and you can visit places like Olhao (wonderful Saturday market) on your own without a car. Each day is about 40-50km of fairly relaxed riding with breaks, starting around 9:30 and arriving at the destination around 4-5 PM. Since dinner is not until 8, there is plenty of time to wash up and explore each area. The hotels were very good, and the pousada at Sagres was more than that. The description on the website very accurately states that about 75% of the route is on unpaved roads. There is some riding on asphalt roads, and drivers are very courteous and careful. The unpaved surfaces ranged from very rocky (walk up and down a path through Barranco), to sandy, to gravel, and cobblestones. Many of the streets in the core areas of the towns are cobblestones. The bikes were hybrid with front shocks and fairly wide treaded tires (37-42 mm I would guess), and well-suited for unpaved. Rear rack with a trunk stored the extra layer, phones, cameras, etc. The food was delicious without attempting to be fancy. The 2 picnic lunches were great. Guides enthusiastically shared much information about historical and present day Portugal, gave us tips on Setubal where we were planning to go. We hope to do another trip with them on a return visit in the future.
I just wish to let you know what a fabulous cycle we have just enjoyed with Mario. He is an inspired leader passionate about Portugal, imparting lots of information, considerate and thoughtful of his cyclists and great company. We also enjoyed wonderful accommodation and superb food. All in all a tour I would highly recommend and we can’t thank you enough. John Larking.
Had an amazing bicycle tour of the wild Algarve. Theresa, Maria, Manuel and Andre were spectacular. They are a top-notch group who does whatever it takes to make your trip fantastic, fun and safe. They are very knowledgeable about the area and provided history as well as scenic beauty. The accommodations were eclectic and fun. We had great meals along the way with two beach picnics prepared by the gang. This tour company is the best combination of professionalism and fun you will find. They were always timely and prepared. We were a large group and Theresa was able to provide us with options to accommodate all our wants and needs. Making us happy was definitely their top priority. If you want to see the wild Algarve, you should definitely do it this way with this company. I left feeling like I made new friends.
Susan P
Wow! What a fantastic week of biking and touring this amazing area! Our tour guides and leader I highly recommend for an incredible way to visit this beautiful country! Thanks again to Teresa,Maria,Andres and Manuel!
I have been on many bicycle tours in Europe and this is top-notch! Teresa, Maria, Manuel and Andre are a wonderful tour guides with great personalities and very accommodating. They go over and above to make the tour special and their first priority is your enjoyment and safety, the accommodations were wonderful, each with a different vibe. Food was regional and delicious, especially the picnics, I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone wanting to visit Portugal close up and personal .
We had a fantastic time on our one week guided tour! Teresa, Maria, Andres and Manuel are the best! Rides on asphalt and dirt. Great info on local history along the way. They took care of everything and accommodations ranged quaint villages to city hotels. All were perfect. Picnic lunches were a wonderful sampling of local dishes on amazing sites. Even include a day of kayaking in Lagos.
We recomand this tour. Good guiding, we learned a lot about Portugal´s history, culture and geographi. Safety was good taken care of. Each stage was good planned , Hotels and meals was very good
We did this trip as a guided week long cycling tour with ever-enthusiastic and fun guide Maria in October 2017. The cycling became secondary to Maria’s cooking and restaurant choices, her passion for her country and its culture and heritage, and her constant smile. We so much enjoyed this trip we cant wait to go back for more and cant recommend this company and Guide Maria highly enough! Many thanks.
Algarve late September a very nice cycling experience
The guides of Portugal best Cycling were really helpful and professional in every way. Good instructions and information about the area made the trip very interesting. Parts of the route were offroad cycling, mostly firm paths but some streches had a bit demanding surface with gravel and sand. The lunches were very good, nothing better than a picnic at a beautiful beach a sunny day !
Palmela to Lagos via Sagres
My wife and adult daughter tried out their “Go Active” van guided ride from Palmela to Sagres, which was often along the coast, but sometimes went in the hills further inland. My wife had broken her wrist 6 weeks prior, which tended to slow us down, so most of each day was spent on a bicycle. Our guide, Jorge, was very conscientious about making sure we were well fed, well informed, not lost, and comfortable. The accommodations ranged from over the top unbelievable (staying in a castle on the first day) to beyond our expectations. The food was great, and the scenery was wonderful. Biking might well be the best way to see this part of Portugal. This company was very fairly priced, and as a local company seemed to be much cheaper than the international biking companies (or American companies). I absolutely would go with them again.
Wild Algarve and Castles and Wine Fully Supported Cycle Tours
My husband and I enjoyed two back to back cycle tours – Wild Algarve and Castles and Wine, in October 2019. We felt spoiled by the exceptional service provided on these fully supported tours. I can’t say enough about our support team, Mario and Jorge in Algarve, Maria and Joanna in Alentejo. Portugal is a beautiful, welcoming country that can stand on its own. It was our guides and van drivers who made the trip extraordinary. They were knowledgeable, fun, easy going yet professional, and truly made our trip awesome. The well maintained hybrid bikes were really appropriate for the variable terrain – we really appreciated having front shocks for the gravel and cobblestones! These tours are not intended for novice cyclists. That being said, one couple on the Castles and Wine Tour were struggling with the (many) hills and with the assistance of Portugal Best Cycling switched to e-Bikes, which made their cycling much more enjoyable. I have no hesitation in recommending Portugal Best Cycling as truly Portugal’s BEST.
October 2019
My husband and I enjoyed two back to back cycle tours – Wild Algarve and Castles and Wine, in October 2019. We felt spoiled by the exceptional service provided on these fully supported tours. I can’t say enough about our support team, Mario and Jorge in Algarve, Maria and Joanna in Alentejo. Portugal is a beautiful, welcoming country that can stand on its own. It was our guides and van drivers who made the trip extraordinary. They were knowledgeable, fun, easy going yet professional, and truly made our trip awesome. The well maintained hybrid bikes were really appropriate for the variable terrain – we really appreciated having front shocks for the gravel and cobblestones! These tours are not intended for novice cyclists. That being said, one couple on the Castles and Wine Tour were struggling with the (many) hills and with the assistance of Portugal Best Cycling switched to e-Bikes, which made their cycling much more enjoyable. I have no hesitation in recommending Portugal Best Cycling as truly Portugal’s BEST.
I don’t know where to start but what an amazing trip. The landscape was great with cliffs, pine nut tree groves, pomegranate trees, salt marches, and of course great ocean views. The small villages were charming with great people to go along with them. The Pousadas we stayed at were also fantastic. The picnics were great. The best thing however were my two guides Jorge and Mario. Jorge made sure I was fed and hydrated the whole time and Mario made sure I wasn’t getting lost especially since I was ahead of the group. We all had good conversations and most of the time we closed down the restaurants. Such a good group. I feel like I made some friends along the way. I highly recommend doing a week trip like this. It was truly unforgettable!!!!
We enjoyed a wonderful self-guided bicycling tour in the Algarve in August. Portugal Best Cycling made all the arrangements for the cycling trip from start to finish and everything was perfect. We were a bit nervous because we were a group of three adults and two kids aged 12 and 14. We’re not avid cyclists but we’re up for an adventure. We reserved the electric-assist bicycles and that was the right choice for us, as it made the trip much more of a vacation for everyone. The bikes are very easy to use and the e-assist turned what could have been a physically demanding bike ride into a fun and easy ride. The route maps PBC provides are very detailed and easy to follow, with clear turn-by-turn directions for each day of the ride. For the most part, the rides were on very quiet rural roads (often dirt roads), with just an occasional few kilometers on a busier paved road. The scenery was varied but always beautiful. Sometimes we were riding along the coast, coming upon beaches or stunning cliffsides, while at other times we were inland and riding through sparsely-populated farmland or park land. The routes pass through towns at just the right time for a snack or lunch. We were impressed with the lodging as well. We stayed in a small inn, a medium hotel, and a very nice pousada. The luggage transfers were flawless, our luggage was always waiting for us when we arrived at the end of each day’s ride. PBC provides the tools and supplies needed in case you get a flat or need to do other maintenance, and they were easy to reach by phone when we needed a little help tuning up one of the bikes during one of our rides. We would happily plan another self-guided cycling trip with PBC!
We had a phenomenal trip. Great weather, gorgeous views! The cycling was reasonable – some long climbs, some steep climbs, lots of downhills too and flats. All very reasonable for a novice a cyclist. Very well organized, great support from the cycling company. We self-guided and at the end of day 1 had a significant bike malfunction. The team had us repaired and ready to go first thing day 2 – great service. Decent maps and great suggestions for stops along the way. An amazing trip! Highly recommend.
Written August 12, 2019
Quite literally, from the minute we met Jorge and Mario our fantastic guides, we were treated like royalty. Everything was about how my wife and I could have the best experience in Portugal. Until our last day we had a ball and easily the best holiday of a lifetime.
We did two back to back tours, Atlantic coast & Wild Algarve and can thoroughly recommend both. We saw the beauty of the Alentejo region and some of the best sights in the Algarve. We ate the best food daily. How the lads managed to provide varying picnics daily and also give us the opportunity to sample such a range of Portuguese food for the length of our tours beats me. The range of beautiful wines selected was spectacular.
The bikes – excellent quality, 27 gears, much of my time spent in the granny gear!
The guides – wonderful guys, interesting, humorous, knowledgeable, friendly.
The scenery – spectacular.
The picnics – unreal.
The accommodation – we did select the upgrade and were delighted with the rooms and hotel facilities.
The cycling – we felt really safe with Mario and Jorge, they prepared us thoroughly each day as to what was ahead for the day, they stopped before any serious hazards to warn us beforehand, we learnt such a lot of cycling tips for the off road sections.
The admin – We found the handling of our booking to be excellent. With the changing government Covid travel requirements, our flights were cancelled twice, but nothing was too much trouble. Our hotels were all rebooked and alternatives sorted for those unavailable. This was all achieved without any hassle by the admin staff. The itinerary provided was detailed and the daily trips and routes well laid out and referred to regularly.
We found no fault at all with this holiday. It was without doubt the best holiday we ever had, thanks in no small way to Jorge and Mario’s efforts.
August 2021
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