8 days
Duration
293 km
Distance
Medium
Difficulty
Alentejo
Location

Biking in Portugal- Cycling in Paradise 8d

Highlights

  • Accommodation at our own beautiful Country House with caring hosts.
  • No packing and unpacking, just cycling and relaxing.
  • Very flexible biking in Portugal tour – kms can easily be adapted to your level or will.
  • Beautiful rolling landscape with vineyards, olive groves, cork oaks, and grazing land.
  • Very good Alentejo wine and fantastic gastronomy of Portugal.
  • Medieval villages and Évora historical center, classified by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.
  • Very small groups (maximum 8 people).

 

Description

This is the most flexible of our biking in Portugal tours.

It’s a cycling tour combining the convenience of the accommodation at our lovely country house, cycling through Alentejo and great weather for most of the year.

The days are all very different and rides include visits to wineries, artisans and producers of local specialties.

You will feel rewarded with the high knowledge of your local guide and the gorgeous landscape around our country guesthouse. Even if you choose the self-guided option, we will meet you every day to help you organize.

You don’t have to pack and unpack every day. Every morning you will meet your guide after a delicious breakfast and indulge on a beautiful bike ride.

This is a very flexible biking in Portugal tour. Tell us what you like and we will do our best to adapt. As we meet you every day, it is very easy to adapt the tour to your preferences. After all, it’s YOUR holidays!

8 days/7 nights: 3 dinners, 6 cycling routes – Route 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 or 7 (you can only choose one of this two. If you want to do the two of them there is an extra cost). You have 3 transfers included. You may also opt for a free day in the middle.

We have the same package with a different number of nights available. Check here for all the Cycling in Paradise options.

In one of the nights, you can enjoy a Cooking Class on Alentejo cuisine. We will teach how to prepare a delicious Alentejo meal. We use ingredients you will find at home so that when you go back you can invite your friends for a slide show and a great dinner.

You can make this trip:

  1. with us on a guided tour getting all the interpretation and companionship.
  2. having the support car guiding you.
  3. with friends on a self-guided tour.

Additional information

Tour typeChildren, City, Heritage, Inland, Local handscraft, Wine

This is a flexible cycling tour. You may combine the days on different order or even do a kayak or walking tour instead of cycling. All is adjustable. If you tell us your preferences in advance we will more likely be able to change the trip for you.

1

ROUTE 1 - The Famous Carpets

details
Cycling from our guesthouse to Arraiolos and back.

Along the eco-trail, a bike lane built on an old railway, through small farms, you’ll get to Graça do Divor, a very well preserved white and blue village.

A good place to stop for a drink and try the delicious meat pies of Mrs. Ilda!

From here, this bike tour, heads to Arraiolos village, with its rich historical centre, famous carpets, and delicious Pastéis de Toucinho. The views from its castle are unforgettable.

It’s now time for a winery visit with a fantastic private carriage collection.

Distance:

OUR RECOMMENDATION: 26 kms with all visits described and transfer from winery farm back to the hotel.
51 to 63 kms – to winery and back

Level: medium + without a transfer and medium with transfer
Terrain: gentle rolling roads, 15 kms on dirt roads
Extra costs:
Wine tasting and carriage collection – 18 € per person (included on van guided and guided tours).

Transfer back to the farm – 35 € per person (but remember you have at least 2 transfers included)

Even if this is a flexible cycling tour, some organization is requested. To do the suggested visits we HIGHLY recommend that you book them in advance. Last minute they will most likely be fully booked.

2

ROUTE 2 - The Wine and Cork Route

details
  Cycling from our farm to S. Miguel de Machede

The bike tour leaves the farm direction of Igrejinha, a very white village where all houses have stripes with different colors, given a great painting look to the place. Here there is a very beautiful winery you can visit. It includes the visit to an old olive mill.

Continue and discover all about the Prickly Pear plantation, on a very interesting visit with Susana or José, 2 brothers owners of the beautiful project. Tasty the prickly pear juice or the tea made with this flower, depending on season.

From here cycle to the cork factory, which will surely be the highlight of the day. See how cork is transformed and learn about all you can do with it!

From here ride to S. Miguel de Machede, another small country side village where you should stop for a drink at a local café. Here there is another nice winery you can visit, ending your day with a glass of wine!

 Distance:

OUR RECOMMENDATION: 42 kms, with transfer back to the farm, avoiding cycling on the main road.
74 kms if you cycle all the way back to the farm

 Difficulty: medium + without a transfer and easy with transfer
Terrain: mostly flat. A few kms on main road if you cycle back
Extra costs:

Wine tasting – 15 € per person – we recommend wine tasting with olive oil tasting.

Prickly pear farm – visit free of cost. Tasting from 20 € per person. Includes bread, olive oil, prickly pear juice or tea, jam, fruit. Possible to add light lunch.

Transfer from S. Miguel de Machede – 35 € per person (but remember you have at least 2 transfers included)

3

ROUTE 3 - Megalithic Monuments

details
Cycling from our guesthouse to Évora and to the megalithic area.

In the morning we cycle to Évora and unravel the amazing history of this old beautiful city, classified by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.
We propose a visit to the surreal Bone chapel and to the impressive cathedral, originally from the 13th century. Finish with a wine tasting in the Évora Wine Tour Shop. After ride to the country side discovering beautiful holm oak forests and vast meadows. A peaceful landscape of grazing cattle and cheerful birds. Cycle to Zambujeiros’ Dolmen – the biggest in Europe, the Almendres’ Cromelech – the oldest megalithic monument in Europe with a beautiful view over Évora, the Almendres Menhir and Mitras’ Church. A very complete day!

 Distance:

OUR RECOMMENDATION: 35 kms, with transfer at the end of the day back to the farm

45 kms, with transfer back from the roman ruins

70 kms, cycling from the farm and back

 Difficulty: medium + without a transfer and medium with transfer and cromlech. Climb to the cromlech is dirt track (no alternative, continuous climbing for 4 kms).
Terrain: mostly gentle rolling dirt roads
Extra costs:

Wine tasting in wine shop in Évora – 5 € per person

Transfer from Guadalupe – 35 € per person (but remember you have at least 2 transfers included)

 
4

ROUTE 4 - Conquest of Valongo Castle

details
 Cycling from our guesthouse to Valongo.

Leaving Évora toward the rising sun, a more baren landscape will keep us company.
On this bike tour day ride between olive groves to reach the small and traditional village of Nossa Srª de Machede. After a pause for a cold drink or coffee a visit to the mysterious castle of Valongo will provide shade while it unveils its roman past.
From here we invite you to discover the country side at its best, following a dirt road until the gorgeous Moinho do Alcaide (a water mill) and then following along the riverside passing by several mills until we reach the main road.

We can visit a winery at the end of the tour, which makes a very interesting and original wine tasting.

 Distance:

OUR RECOMMENDATION: 60 kms with wine tasting and transfer from there

40 kms without the wine tasting and with transfer from Castelo de Valongo – no dirt roads.

50 kms without the wine tasting and with transfer from the end of the route

 Difficulty: medium
Terrain: gentle rolling roads. The last 6 kms on dirt road. Possible to have an earlier transfer if you don’t want to do the dirt roads.
Extra costs:

Winery – 11 € per person

Transfer from Valongo Castle – 35 € per person (but remember you have at least 2 transfers included). Dangerous to cycle back unless you cycle back the same way. Alternative road has too much traffic.

 
5

ROUTE 5 - Évora and its surroundings

details
Cycling from our farm to Évora and back

We propose an easier cycling day, perfect to end with our cooking class! From our farm you will cycle to a cheese factory where you may do a visit and tasting. This cheese factory is very different from the one you may have visited in the Famous carpet route.
Then cycle to our gorgeous city where you may spend the day cycling and visiting several monuments suggested by us. The city is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and there is plenty to do and see. Try some of our great wines at Ervideira Wine Shop and after lunch we suggest you climb to Alto de São Bento, a favorite place for locals to watch the sun set.

 Distance: from 20 to 35
 Difficulty: easy except for climb to Alto the São Bento, which you may choose not to do.
Terrain: mostly flat and mix of dirt track and asphalt.
 
6

ROUTE 6 - The Medieaval Castle

details
 Cycling from Reguengos to Monsaraz.

Transfer to Reguengos in the morning. Today’s bike tour destination is the fortified village of Monsaraz, an important stronghold in the defense of our nation just by the border with Spain. On the way we will visit the famous pottery village of S. Pedro do Corval, where you can see the men making magic with the clay, transforming it into beautiful pots and plates, and the ladies painting them with flowers in an impressive speed. Try the workshop!

Then with Spain in sight lunch by the biggest artificial lake in Europe, the Alqueva dam reservoir. Then it’s time to conquer the castle, use all your energy to climb up to Monsaraz. Enjoy the peaceful streets and return home with our transfer.

 Distance:

OUR RECOMMENDATION: 43 kms including detour to the lake

30 kms without the lake

50 kms if you cycle to Mourão village and have your transfer from there.

 Difficulty: medium
Terrain: mostly flat. Tough climb in the end.
Extra costs:

Pottery workshop – 8 € per person

 
7

ROUTE 7 - Wine and Marble Route

details
 Cycling from Estremoz to Terena.

The day’s ride will lead to the marble capital of Portugal. The marble triangle will mark the landscape for the bike day. The so called white gold is the main economy driver of the region. Its richness is a constant presence in the wide streets and tall buildings. Enjoy the rare sight over distinct colored lagoons that appear on abandoned quarries. Visit a working one as well and wonder about the men that look like ants down at the bottom of the huge holes.  You may chose to visit the impressive Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa. Finish the day with the visit to the fortified sanctuary of Terena.

 Distance:

30 kms if you only cycle until Vila Viçosa

50 kms if you cycle to Terena

Difficulty: easy
Terrain: undulating, mostly downhill
 
 

MAP

PROFILES

Route 1 from the Farm to Arraiolos

With optional transfer
Altitude gain: 277 mt/908 ft
Total Distance: 26 km/ 16mi
Level: easy plus
Without transfer

Altitude gain:  618 mt/ 2027 ft
Total Distance: 63km/ 39 mi
Level: medium


Route 2 from the Farm to São Miguel de Machede

With optional transfer

Altitude gain: 324 mt/ 1062 ft
Total Distance: 43.4 km/ 26mi
Level: easy

Without transfer

Altitude gain: 480 mt/ 1574 ft
Total Distance: 64.9km/ 40 mi
Level: medium plus


Route 3 from the farm to Megalithic area

With optional transfer

Altitude gain:  520mt/  1706ft
Total Distance:  49km/ 30mi
Level: medium

Without transfer

Altitude gain: 836 mt/ 2742 ft
Total Distance: 75.4 km/ 46 mi
Level: medium plus


Route 4 from the farm to Valongo castle

With transfer

Altitude gain: 676 mt/ 2217 ft
Total Distance: 56,2 km/ 34 mi
Level: medium


Route 5 from the farm to Évora

Altitude gain: 359 mt/  1177 ft
Total Distance: 28,2 km/ 17 mi
Level: easy


Route 6 from Reguengos to Monsaraz

With transfer

Altitude gain: 417 mt/ 1368 ft
Total Distance: 31,6 km/ 19 mi
Level: easy


Route 7 from Estremoz to Terena

With transfer

Altitude gain: 420 mt/ 1377 ft
Total Distance: 50 km/ 31 mi
Level: easy

OUR GUEST HOUSE

Located in a pastoral paradise where you will find everything you need for complete relaxation, our guest house is a genuine Monte, a traditional Alentejan farm, spacious, comfortable and thoroughly welcoming.

The garden is filled with a light that permeates your soul when you awake. It is on an ancestral farm that has an orchard, an organic vegetable garden, the pasture where sheep graze and an ancient olive grove, where huge cork oaks and holm oaks grow among big granite boulders. Along with its pathways, you will find beautiful flowers blossoming among the rocks that make you feel like staying to indulge in conversation, to observe the birds or simply to let your thoughts wander.

In our guest house, we offer packages of accommodation with activities, ideal for foreign visitors who would like to discover the Alentejo in an active way, whether with a guide or by themselves.

See Adventures Holidays (Adventure Escapes IAdventure Escapes II)Cycling in Paradise and Walking in Paradise to discover your favourite package deal! If you just want to book a room and relax, send your reservation form here.

Our rooms

Decorated in a rustic style, all rooms are personalized and each one has its own individual theme. For instance, the Cork room has pictures of men extracting cork, and of the Alentejo’s landscape full of cork trees. The colour scheme of each room has been carefully selected to reflect its theme and mood.

There are 4 rooms in total, each with its own private toilet and bath/shower. All rooms have air conditioning.

Cork room – Room with a small living area, bath and direct door to the garden. Double bed.
Wine room – Room with a small living area, bath and direct door to the garden. Twin beds can be put together.
Olive tree room – Room with shower and direct door to the garden. Double bed.
Wheatfield room – Room with shower. Twin beds can be put together.

TO SEE MORE PICTURES OR SEE THE HOUSE WEB PAGE, CLICK HERE

Prices per person – 2025

Departures everyday for all types of Tour.

Come on our set dates and Get a Better Price. Turn the phone horizontaly to see this table.

For a single person tour Contact us.

Upgrade: In one of the nights you can enjoy a Cooking Class on Alentejo food. We will teach how to prepare a delicious Alentejo meal. We use ingredients you will find at home so that when you go back you can invite your friends for a slide show and a great dinner. If you buy this as an extra dinner, cost will be 50 € per person. If you want to upgrade one of the already included dinners, the cost will be 20 € per person. Wine included.

Not IncludedBikes insurance, Travel insurance, Tour cancellation insurance, lunches (guide will stop at local café), Support van (it’s a semi-independent tour, but with a guide. Pick up can be provided, at extra cost, if you are tired) 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.

NOTES    
4 days/3 nights: 1 dinner, 2 cycling routes – choice between Route 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 with 2 transfers included.
5 days/4 nights: 2 dinners, 3 cycling routes – choice between Route 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 with 3 transfers included.
6 days/5 nights: 3 dinners, 4 cycling routes – choice between Route 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 with 4 transfers included.
7 days/6 nights: 3 dinners, 5 cycling routes – choice between Route 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 with 5 transfers included. (1 of them can be for route 6 or 7).
8 days/7 nights: 3 dinners, 6 cycling routes – choice between Route 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 with 5 transfers included (1 of them can be for route 6 or 7). You may also opt for a free day in the middle.

Guided group tour dates


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!

Late June until early September can be quite hot for this tour. For these dates consider the Along the Coast or the Wild Algarve.

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Tour Reviews

4.83 based on 6 reviews
11/03/2019

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.

19/06/2019

Cycling in Paradise – Yes, it was!
Our tour with Portugal’s Best Cycling included a 7-night stay at the farmhouse outside of Evora. The farm is a welcoming comfortable home-base after a full day of cycling around the countryside! Each of the four rooms has its own full bathroom and outside sitting area; a common living room and dining room give visitors more room to spread out and a chance to meet others. An unheated pool is a relaxing spot just behind the farm house.Inside, there is an honor bar, which includes wine, beer, soft drinks, water and hard liquor, so no need to bring your own. Grab a cool drink and relax outside, enjoying the quiet countryside. Sheep, a donkey and three dogs are all just as friendly and welcoming as the great staff!
Breakfasts were delicious and included a variety of breads, cereals, meats, cheeses, sweet breads, fruit and eggs! Wonderful fuel for a day of riding! Dinners were also varied and always wonderful ~ black pork, cod, veal and chicken were entrees during our stay – and we were often given a choice! Sign up for the cooking class with your fellow visitors ~ its great fun and the meal is wonderful!
Biking – mountain bikes were in decent shape at the end of the season. And when we had a minor problem, it was immediately addressed. Our routes were a bit more ambitious at times than the guide indicated ~ I’d suggest labeling these ‘moderate’ instead of easy. Road surfaces and hard-packed dirt/gravel ecotrail paths were fun to ride on – the loose sand, not so much! This tour included really informative fun stops at monoliths, castles, a cork factory (amazing to learn about!), leather factory, pottery-making, museum about rugs (I know, but it really is very interesting!), and all as you ride along olive groves, through sleepy villages and onto vineyards and wine tastings! We mostly rode with Jorge, but thoroughly enjoyed our last day with Maria!I would highly recommend Portugal Best Cycling!

19/06/2019

Cycling in Paradise is just that!
My wife and I booked the 7 night Cycling in Paradise Tour which has a fixed base at the farmhouse outside of Evora. Booking was easy and all questions pre-tour and pre-booking were answered quickly and thoroughly. The entire staff could not have been nicer or more accommodating. My gluten free diet – no problem. I had GF bread at breakfast and was looked out for the entire trip.

The Alentejo region is very pretty and has an undulating terrain. I would not call any day “easy” but rate the rides “moderate”. Roads were generally well graded and with light traffic. Bikes are what you see on the website; heavy hybrids with front suspensions and suspension seat posts. The gearing is good; the low-low will get you up almost anything.

Jorge, our guide took good care of us, from leading the ride to finding the coffee stops, to getting us a good lunch cafe.

Its nice that goal of the rides is to stop and learn about significant sights of the local culture: cork factory, numerous wineries, leather factory, etc. The optional transfers were really nice so we could take our time at the various stops.

The included dinners were Portuguese comfort food, good and plenty of it. The cooking class was a lot of fun. We came home with recipes that we can’t wait to try.

22/12/2023

We had a great week, perfect weather and loved the farm! The cycling was beautiful, just a little more challenging than we anticipated. The dirt roads were sometimes soft and rutted, making them difficult to navigate. However, these roads were often through some of the most spectacular scenery (almond orchards in full bloom, ancient megalith sites, cork trees etc.). Our guide/driver Daniel was super charming, knowledgeable, accommodated our different needs, spoke perfect English and laughed at our Canadian jokes. Theresa and her team were incredibly warm and welcoming, we felt like old friends at the end of the week. The food was delicious and farm fresh and accommodations were very authentic. I would recommend the cooking class with Dena (FUN!) I would also recommend taking a cab (and getting staff to help arranging) into Evora the evenings when dinners are not provided as there is not much available at the farm. Evora is a beautiful town in the evenings.

April 2023

22/12/2023

We had a lovely cycling week. The eco-trail (old railway trail) was hard dirt with soft spots but we loved the challenge. We also did some road cycling on serene country roads. We had a guided day with Daniel who was amazing: Thoughtful, articulate and engaging, He took us to Mont Serrat castle a good climb on our bikes. We visited the cork factory, pottery places, megalithic monument. The sites were breathtaking. Beautiful flowering almond trees were everywhere.

We loved our stay on the farm, Annabella greeted us each morning with a delicious farm breakfast, always ready with coffee. She was a delight.

Theresa and her team at the farm with professional, kind, generous, and always giving us great tips and helping us out when needed.

We enjoyed the vintage cars and the company of Pedro.

I would highly recommend this cycling trip !! Unique and exciting.

08/04/2024

We traveled with Portugal’s best cycling in October 2021, exploring the beautiful Alentejo region on e-bikes with our guide Mario. When we were planning our trip to Portugal, we wanted to see Lisbon and Porto of course, but we also wanted to be able to spend some time in the countryside and better understand the culture. We got all that and more with our trip.

We had done bike tours before and while we love exploring as much as we can during the day, we are not fans of packing and unpacking every night. The Cycling in Paradise Tour was a perfect fit – the right combination of sightseeing and hanging out at the farmhouse.

We saw and learned so much – from ancient megaliths dating back to to 5000 BC, the remains of the Roman aqueduct just yards from the farmhouse, the medieval bone chapel and cathedral in Evora, to the enduring industries of marble, cork and carpets. We saw the breadth of Alentejo agriculture from olives and prickly pears to cork and wine. We were able to go at our own pace and came back to the farm house every day pleasantly tired, getting just enough exercise from our pedal-assisted e-bikes.

Our tour had the perfect combination of home-cooked meals and dining on the local specialities. Every morning started with an amazing breakfast spread with freshly baked goodies. We took a taxi to Evora several evenings to try the local fare – including our favorite of our trip – Taberna Tipica Quarta Feira. During our rides, Mario took us to a few local-only spots for lunch where we got to try our first (and best) duck rice in Portugal. But by far our favorite evening was our cooking class, where we learned how to make a traditional meal and shared wonderful wine and conversation with our hosts.

If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the culture of Portugal, look no farther than a trip with Portugal’s Best Cycling.

You can read a day-by-day account of our trip with photos on our blog, AppMyHome.

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