Wild Algarve

We just completed two weeks of late March biking in Southern Portugal. The weather was springlike, perfect for biking with some cloud and sprinkles . We combined two trips, the aptly named Castles and Wine! and Wild Algarve. Working with Teresa and her crew was very easy and they couldn’t have been more responsive and helpful. We were surprised by how much of the biking was off road, dirt trails and roads or totally empty, beautiful paved roads. Often it was just us listening to the birds and making friends with the sheep and cattle , very pleasant. The accommodation was lovely , ranging from full on castles to charming country houses to a little guest house with the most welcoming host who managed to be totally hilarious even though we barely had two words in common. It was a wonderful break from our Canadian winter and the rugged cliffs along the coast, the endless cork and olive forests , and the vast green fields filled our days with joy . We are recent converts to. e-bikes and were very happy with the choice, Portugal is not a flat country, and the e-bikes give you the confidence to explore and enjoy the journey without worrying about running out of energy. All in all I highly recommend Portugal and Portugal Best Cycling for a lovely experience. Teresa and her crew seem to really enjoy their job and were so ready to help us with any issues or questions. I spend a lot of time trying to find biking companies that model responsible tourism and work towards ensuring local companies benefit from their trips and this certainly fulfilled those goals. Thank you all.

My wife and I completed an interesting and challenging bicycling trip of 6 days organized by Turaventur. Our experience was superb and we saw some awesome beaches, some cute little villages, great sights (ancient churches, forts, salt pans) and most importantly met lots of lovely people who were friendly and helpful.

The planning of the trip was excellent; staff of Turaventur were very patient and supportive to assist me with difficulties I faced with the payment. We were well briefed and trained on the app by our “guru” to whom we are much indebted. The bikes we rented were super, withstood the dirt tracks; fortunately, we didn’t require the use of the extra tubes, repair kit or pumps during our trip. I did face some teething problems with the app (mostly my problem due to lack of tech expertise) on the first day; happy to note that I received immediate support from Turaventur team, and did not have any further issues with the app. In fact, I mastered the app rather quickly (to my surprise) and enjoyed the recommended restaurants as well as a few alternate routes provided in the maps. One of the stages (Sagres round trip) was challenging but adventurous as the description stated; by the end of the day, we were glad that we ventured in this option! There was a healthy mix of asphalt, gravel and dirt roads; we were initially wary of the traffic in some areas, but in general we found them respectful of cyclists.

The accommodation was wonderful and all the places were bike-friendly. Pousada Sagres is worthy of mention - a historic place with spectacular views of the Atlantic from our room. Luggage transfers were executed perfectly. Weather was hot, windy most of the time, and quite humid especially from Olhão to Vila Real de Santo Antonio. Interestingly we did get sunburned despite copious applications of sun lotion! Lesson learned: avoid summer in the future; we would choose spring or fall for our next trip. Another lesson: siesta time is important and should be taken into consideration if you wish to visit some unusual sights. We missed visits to an old windmill in Odeceixe (dating back to 1898 and in working order) and an interesting museum in an old church in Moncarapacho.

In sum, cycling the wild Algarve was memorable and will be an unforgettable trip reminding us of Portugal; and beckoning us to visit the country again! Turaventur is a great company that I recommend for those seeking cycling trips in Portugal. Additional bonus: we were given a welcome gift on day 1 during our briefing and a “surprise” waiting at our hotel when we completed the tour! I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the efforts of Teresa, the CEO of Turaventur and her remarkable team who made sure that my wife and I had “one of a kind” experience in cycling the Algarve!

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.

We just completed two weeks of late March biking in Southern Portugal. The weather was springlike, perfect for biking with some cloud and sprinkles . We combined two trips, the aptly named Castles and Wine! and Wild Algarve. Working with Teresa and her crew was very easy and they couldn’t have been more responsive and helpful. We were surprised by how much of the biking was off road, dirt trails and roads or totally empty, beautiful paved roads. Often it was just us listening to the birds and making friends with the sheep and cattle , very pleasant. The accommodation was lovely , ranging from full on castles to charming country houses to a little guest house with the most welcoming host who managed to be totally hilarious even though we barely had two words in common. It was a wonderful break from our Canadian winter and the rugged cliffs along the coast, the endless cork and olive forests , and the vast green fields filled our days with joy . We are recent converts to. e-bikes and were very happy with the choice, Portugal is not a flat country, and the e-bikes give you the confidence to explore and enjoy the journey without worrying about running out of energy. All in all I highly recommend Portugal and Portugal Best Cycling for a lovely experience. Teresa and her crew seem to really enjoy their job and were so ready to help us with any issues or questions. I spend a lot of time trying to find biking companies that model responsible tourism and work towards ensuring local companies benefit from their trips and this certainly fulfilled those goals. Thank you all.

My wife and I completed an interesting and challenging bicycling trip of 6 days organized by Turaventur. Our experience was superb and we saw some awesome beaches, some cute little villages, great sights (ancient churches, forts, salt pans) and most importantly met lots of lovely people who were friendly and helpful.

The planning of the trip was excellent; staff of Turaventur were very patient and supportive to assist me with difficulties I faced with the payment. We were well briefed and trained on the app by our “guru” to whom we are much indebted. The bikes we rented were super, withstood the dirt tracks; fortunately, we didn’t require the use of the extra tubes, repair kit or pumps during our trip. I did face some teething problems with the app (mostly my problem due to lack of tech expertise) on the first day; happy to note that I received immediate support from Turaventur team, and did not have any further issues with the app. In fact, I mastered the app rather quickly (to my surprise) and enjoyed the recommended restaurants as well as a few alternate routes provided in the maps. One of the stages (Sagres round trip) was challenging but adventurous as the description stated; by the end of the day, we were glad that we ventured in this option! There was a healthy mix of asphalt, gravel and dirt roads; we were initially wary of the traffic in some areas, but in general we found them respectful of cyclists.

The accommodation was wonderful and all the places were bike-friendly. Pousada Sagres is worthy of mention - a historic place with spectacular views of the Atlantic from our room. Luggage transfers were executed perfectly. Weather was hot, windy most of the time, and quite humid especially from Olhão to Vila Real de Santo Antonio. Interestingly we did get sunburned despite copious applications of sun lotion! Lesson learned: avoid summer in the future; we would choose spring or fall for our next trip. Another lesson: siesta time is important and should be taken into consideration if you wish to visit some unusual sights. We missed visits to an old windmill in Odeceixe (dating back to 1898 and in working order) and an interesting museum in an old church in Moncarapacho.

In sum, cycling the wild Algarve was memorable and will be an unforgettable trip reminding us of Portugal; and beckoning us to visit the country again! Turaventur is a great company that I recommend for those seeking cycling trips in Portugal. Additional bonus: we were given a welcome gift on day 1 during our briefing and a “surprise” waiting at our hotel when we completed the tour! I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the efforts of Teresa, the CEO of Turaventur and her remarkable team who made sure that my wife and I had “one of a kind” experience in cycling the Algarve!

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.