Algarve Grand Atlantic Coast bike tour

Bike tour along two of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe! These two unique sections of coast offer you a quite unforgettable experience. The tour takes you along the south coast of the Algarve with its varied coastline from east to west. You the reach the southwest of Portugal and cycle through the Costa Vicentina nature reserve. Finally the more northerly section takes you along the breathtaking, secluded beaches of the west coast.

TOUR PROFILE: You cycle on asphalt or natural roads with little traffic. In the main season (mid-June to mid-September), traffic can increase slightly. The routes are flat, but also hilly, but never really difficult.

Individual arrival to the hotel and check-in. Welcome-meeting with one of our staff and bike distribution.

By train to Vila Real de Santo António (incl.), then by bike along the Guadiana river to the sea. You ride through pinewoods, citrus groves and vineyards and pass Cacela Velha, a small town, full of history, with white houses and an old fort. It stands high on top of a sea cliff. Here the "Ria Formosa" begins, a beautiful nature reserve with 60 km of sandbanks, islands and water channels, stretching as far as Faro and further west. The dunes provide nesting grounds for countless waterfowl. Large mussel beds alternate with salt flats from which the famous „Flor de Sal“ is extracted. You cycle on smooth paths to Tavira, an old town which has kept its character over many centuries. Its buildings tell the story of its historical and commercial development. You won’t want to rush away!

With the Atlantic breeze in your face and on good paths you ride through the fishing village of Santa Luzia and Pedras del Rei to Fuseta. Take a break by the harbour and watch the fishermen in their brightly coloured boats! Then ride on to the large and very busy fishing port of Olhão. As you cycle in, you can stop and explore the large Visitor’s Centre. You will get to know Olhão as you explore the busy harbour and the old town with many small seafood restaurants. Next stop: Faro, capital of the Algarve. Good, well- signed cycle paths take you into the old walled town, rich in history and with many beautifully renovated buildings from the 16^th and 18^th centuries. You cycle through the town; on past the marina and you will reach your hotel. 

Very soon you will be back in the Rio Formosa nature reserve. You cycle on small paths by the sea- past lagoons with countless wading birds, groups of flamingos and storks, past smart villas, parklands and very attractive golf courses. You reach an idyllic bay… stay a while! Afterwards you circumnavigate the marina of Vilamoura, with over 800 berths one of the largest private marina in Portugal, cycle on the port promenade. A small bridge leads to the broad, long white wand beach of Falesia and a gentle ride along this beach takes you to Olhos de Água, your next bed for the night.

You ride through Albufeira, previously a fishing village, now a busy Algarve tourist resort- and on to Galé, continuing on a long board walk through Salgados, a protected area of dunes, as far as Armação de Pêra. The beautiful chapel of “A Nossa Sr^a da Rocha“, stands on a high sea promontory and is worth a visit. Here the coastal scenery changes: reddish cliffs falling steeply into the sea and small sandy bays make a beautiful picture. The Alfanzina lighthouse marks the beginning of the deeply indented cliff scenery, where the high waves crash and foam. You cycle along the cliffs by a blue Atlantic as far as the wide mouth of the Rio Arade delta. Very good cycle paths take you along the delta to “Praia da Rocha“, a beautiful beach with a backdrop of reddish- brown cliffs.

First you reach the small fishing village of Alvor with its winding streets. Then on to the mouth of the Alvor delta and on down to the sea, to the largest cultivated oyster beds of the Algarve, clearly visible at low tide. You ride along the wide beach of “Meia Praia“ and reach Lagos. Crossing a bridge at the imposing marina, you reach the old town, rich in history. You go along the old town walls, the former slave market and the “Bandeira“ fort and then you reach the “Costa d’Oiro“, the most beautiful stretch of the Algarve coast with its strangely shaped golden-yellow rocks, some rising needle-like out of the sea. Then on to Praia da Luz, a small village on a beautiful sandy beach.

First it’s up to a hilltop, close to the steep cliffs with a marvellous view of the deep blue ocean and the distant coast of Sagres. The route leads further down to a secluded bay and then again a short climb up to another hilltop with a view of the small fisher village Salema, situated by a sandy beach and backed by high cliffs. Afterwards it goes up to the village of Figueiras, and then an undulating route across a steppe-like landscape with a number of megaliths, reminders of settlements here thousands of years ago. You pass a small bay with a nice restaurant and come to Raposeira where Henry the Navigator once lived and built a small chapel. You will continue and reach Sagres.

The place impresses through the wild rocky landscape with high steep cliffs. Discover the beautiful nature and history in this area. Enjoy the resting day before the bicycle tour will continue on the next day along the breathtaking west coast.

You begin by cycling along a beautiful coast road from Sagres to the Cabo de São Vicente, where the lighthouse stands on top of the high cliffs. This is the most southwesterly point of europe. Your route then continues across a steppe-like, high plateau until you reach the small village of Vila do Bispo. From here you cycle steeply down to the Praia da Cordoama beach where there is a restaurant. At low tide you can cycle along the beach to the next bay, the Praia Barriga. If the tide is in you must climb the hill and then cycle down to reach the Praia Barriga, a beautiful beach which you may well have all to yourself. You climb steeply up from here and then ride through attractive evergreen shrubland, known in Portugal as the macchia.

Today you set off from your accommodation and head for an incomparably beautiful route along the beaches. You cycle around the village Carrapateira down to the sea and sandy coves with fantastic views over the deep blue Atlantic. At first you reach the beach “Praia do Amado“ and afterwards the very big area of the “Praia da Bordeira“. Then the route leads towards Aljezur wher eyou cycle over the hill where the ruins of the 9^th century Moorish castle stand and then through the old part of the village. You cross the Rio Aljezur river, after which the area is mostly flat with large fields of sweet potatoes. Today’s route takes you on through this landscape of vast fields. Wild herbs grow here, which, together with the wild flowers, grasses and eucalyptus groves, fill the air with a wonderful fragrance. In the spring this area is just one mass of flowers with swathes of green pastureland, deep red carpets of flowers and almond trees in blossom. Your destination is Odeceixe. This village feautes attractive, whitewashed and red roofed houses. It is situated above one of the most beautiful sandy bays of the whole tour and on the wide estuary of the Seixe river. It’s also here where the change is made from being in the Algarve to the Alentejo.

Today you leave Odeceixe behind and cycle through unspoilt, agricultural countryside with a lot of greenhouses for growing vegetables. You go up to a plateau and reach the next beach the “Praia do Carvalhal“. After then the route leads on to the pretty village of Zambujeira do mar. The village lies right on the cliff edge, has a beautiful circular village square with a small chapel- the “Capela da Nossa Senhora do Mar“ which is a listed building. You will be heading for the “Sentinela do Cabo Sardão“ lighthouse. The lighthouse is on the edge of a spectacular rocky peninsula. The greatest surprise here is that a colony of great white storks has established itself here, nesting on rocks. This section of coastline is recognised as the only place in the world where storks nest on sea stacks and rocky cliffs and in fact have become so established here that they can be observed all the year round. From the lighthouse go in a northerly direction on a narrow path running along the cliffs. The path is the Costa Vicentina hiking trail which can also be used by bikes and was, and still is, the way to work for fishermen and the „Perceveiros“. After then you go towards the village Cavaleiro and continue over the mostly flat landscape to the small village of Almograve, which is blessed with two beautiful beaches. One beach is over a gentle sand dune and the other is surrounded by high slate rocks. The route leads you near along the coast in northerly direction. You cross the river Mira via a high bridge near the estuary, and after then branch to the left, heading for Vila Nova de Milfontes, your destination for today. It is a picturesque place situated on the wide Mira river, just where it flows into the sea.

 Today’s route takes you first through countryside typical of the Alentejo region with its large, flat fields and area of cork oaks and pinewoods. Further on and far out at sea you will see the Ilha do Pessegueiro island on which there is a fortress built as a defence against pirates. You will pass the ruins of another fortress built in the 17^th century to serve the same purpose and then you will reach the small fishing port of Porto Covo. You cylce on through the Costa de Vicentina nature reserve where rocky cliffs and small sandy bays are striking features of the landscape. At the northern edge of the nature reserve you come to the very historical town of Sines. As you leave the outskirts of Sines you will come to a bridge which will take you over the motorway. You continue and will reach your hotel for today in Vila Nova de Santo André.

You begin today by clycling through the Lagoas de Santo Andrè nature reserve, an area of lagoons and dunes with a great number of wading birds, including storks and flamingos. Today’s ride takes you past the rice fields which make this area so beautiful. A small freshwater lake, idyllically situated very close to the sea at melide, is very inviting for a quick swim. As you come to the end of the fields you have the opportunity to visit a small museum dedicated to the cultivation and harvesting of rice. As you leave the fields behind you cycle along a white, sandy beach with crystal- clear water before coming to the ferry boat in Tróia, which will take you across the Sado river estuary to your very comfortable accommodation in Setúbal. 

Individual transfer by train from Setubal to Lisbon. Via bridge "Vasca do Gama" the last meters to the hotel in the city of Lisbon.

Individual departure or an extension of your holiday.

• 14 nights in typical Portuguese guesthouses and hotels (3*** or 4****) with breakfast.
• Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel
• train ride Faro - Vila Real do Santo António
• Ferry ticket Tróia - Setúbal
• train ride from Setúbal to Lisbon-Entrecampos (1x train change)
  
• 11 tours with detailed maps at a scale of 1: 33‘000 with photos and indication of the directions
  
• Rotable map holder
  
• Detailed tour description with useful tips and places to visit
  
• Service hotline, also on weekend and holidays (outside of our opening times for emergencies)
  

• Trekking bike (27 gears) - € 280,-
  
• Mountainbike - € 330,-
• E-Bike - € 380,-
• E-MTB - € 380,-

You will stay in typical Portuguese guesthouses and 3*** and 4**** hotels. Breakfast is included in the price. 

Individual arrival to Faro. The taxi price (around € 25,-) from the airport to your hotel is not included in the tour price.

2 persons

Surcharge for single traveler: € 120,-

Daily arrival possible from 01.01. - 31.12.2024