Portugal - Cycling along the Coast of the Algarve, 8 days
As the most southern situated region of Portugal, Algarve has a wonderful warm climate and a stunning coastline running from Sagres in the west, where the Atlantic wash over the cliffs surrounding the majestic lighthouse, to the Vila Real de Santo António in the east, which is located right at the border between Portugal and Spain.
Ecovia do Algarve is a cycling route that takes you 237 km from west to east. This cycling holiday takes you through a different variety of culture and nature than otherwise seen in Portugal. You will pass through small charming coastal villages and the larger and more important cities of Algarve. You will also come past fantastic beaches and unique wetlands where shorebirds, including flamingos, may be seen.
The route leads you along trails of protected natural areas, and takes you along minor roads and dirt roads. The route is relatively flat, with a few lighter hilly stretches.
Highlights on this tour
- Cycling 8 days - from west to east along the scenic Ecovia do Algarve
- Accommodation in very nice hotels
- The beautiful natural park Ria Formosa with its rich birdlife
- Charming little fishing villages and local specialties
- Cycling between saltpans and white piles of extracted sea salt
- Great culture and climate that make Algarve an ideal holiday destination all year round
Great things about this tour
Itinerary See all daysClose all days
Upon arrival at the first hotel a local English-speaking guide, who arranges the included transfer from the airport to the hotel in Sagres, will greet you and provide you with all relevant information about this self-guided tour.
The beautiful village of Sagres is situated in the very southwestern corner of Europe, and is located at the nature parks Sudoeste Alentejo and Costa Vincentina. Sagres is a traditional southern Portuguese village full of historical monuments. Visit the great lighthouse, from where the view of the Atlantic Ocean is eminent. Also the Fortress of Sagres, located at Ponta de Sagres, is a great experience.
It is possible to purchase transfer from Faro airport to Sagres on the booking form.
Hotel (example): Hotel Memmo Baleeira
The day begins with the first stage of the cycling route, taking your first north and then in an eastern direction towards Lagos. You will cycle through the charming municipality of Vila do Bispo, with its dramatic coastline, and the mystique from the town of Sagres providing an experience of wild nature and a rich historical heritage that is left beautiful and untouched. The stage ends in Lagos, which is one of the most southern cities of Portugal and the most historically interesting in the Algarve. It also has some friendly and lovely beaches and a great selection of restaurants and cafes.
Distance: approx. 50km
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Hotel (example): Hotel Tivoli Lagos
This day offers a longer cycling stage from Lagos, along the coast and up to the Ria de Alvor - a traditional Algarviana fishing village. The narrow alleys of the old village hold several charming restaurants with freshly caught fish on the menu. After passing Portimão you will come past the estuary of the river Rio Arade, and through the small village of Ferragudo, with its special atmosphere and whitewashed fishing houses spread out over the small hills the landscape. The cycling route continues along the Atlantic coast to Armacao de Pera and on through the Lagoon of Salgados, where you can experience a rich flora and birdlife, with the opportunity to see the characteristic pink flamingos, among other species, before arriving in the town of Albufeira.
Distance: approx. 31km
+532 / -489
Hotel (example): Turim Presidente
From Albufeira you will follow the coast through the popular tourist area of Vilamoura and Quarteira. Here it is possible to take a dip from the sandy beach before cycling through the beautiful nature park Ria Formosa. The nature park frames the fascinating lagoon landscape, which constantly changes due to currents, weather and water conditions. The impressive landscape is home to a wide variety of birdlife. From here you will cycle the last stretch to Faro, the capital of Algarve, which offers plenty of sightseeing.
Distance: approx. 45km
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Hotel (example): Vila Gale Cerro Alagoa
From Faro you will cycle towards the fishing village of Olhão. The route continues along the Natural Park of Ria Formosa, which is about 60 km long. You will be passing through small charming villages, before coming to Santa Luzia. This town is known as The Octopus Capital, as the fishing history of the town has made it famous for Octopuses. Any restaurant with self-respect has a version of Atlantic squid on their menu, and it tastes absolutely fantastic.
The next nights accommodation takes place just 5 kilometers from Santa Luzia in the town of Tavira.
Distance: approx. 52km
+304 / -337
Hotel (example): AP Eva senses
From Tavira you will cycle towards the coastal town of Cabanas, and on through the pretty park of almond trees surrounding the historic Forte de S. João da Barra - which today serves as a very nice lodge. The cycling route leads you on to the charming and unspoiled fishing village of Cancela Velha. As you continue towards Monte Gordo you will soon arrive at Vila Real de Santo António, situated right by the river Rio Guiardian, which marks the country border between Portugal and Spain. After strolling around this interesting village, it is possible to take the regional train back - where you can bring your bike for free, or you can cycle along the same roads back (about 27 km).
Distance: approx. 45km
+212 / -195
Hotel (example): Ozadi Hotel
Today again the Ria Formosa nature park with its lagoons is your companion. You cycle through pine forest at the beach of Monte Gordo and the dune forest of Vila Real de Santo António until the border between Portugal and Spain. You follow the border river Guadiana for a bit northwards before you proceed over gentle hills, past orange- and olive groves back towards Tavira. Now at the latest we recommend you toast to a successful and very eventful cycle holiday.
You can also spend the day at your own pace int the area in and around Santa Luzia and Tavira. Here there is an exciting mixture of interesting architecture, as the seven-arched Roman bridge that crosses the river Gilhão and no less than 37 churches in the town. In addition, you can cycle between the characteristic saltpans, with their varying colors, or stroll along the fine beaches such as Praia do Barril in Santa Luzia.
Distance: approx. 60km
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Hotel (example): Ozadi Hotel
Here you can get an overview of the entire route and the elevation profile for each day. The data shows the data from the GPX-files related to the tour. Notice that the routes are sometimes updated, which means that there might be small variations.
Colors
Blue routes: The route as normal
Red routes: Variations/options (such as shortened or extended routes)
After breakfast you will be checking out of the hotel for individual departure.
It is possible to purchase transfer to the airport - select this on the booking form.
Price includes
- 7 nights in 4-star hotels
- Breakfast every day
- Detailed travel information (route maps or overview maps, route description, tourist attractions, important telephone numbers)
- Luggage transfers between hotels
- Bike rental (see more below)
- 24-hour local and international service hotline for the duration of the tour
- This is a packaged holiday and is therefore covered by The Travel Guarantee Fund - See which benefits this means for you - click here
- Transportation to/from Faro
- Local turist tax (if due)
- Transfer from/to the airport
- optional: Half board (7x dinner)
Practical info
The price is based upon two people sharing. It is also possible travel alone in a single room. Simply choose "1 person" in the booking form and it will automatically add the single room surcharge.
On this tour you will be on your own supplied with maps, route descriptions and luggage transfers. That means that your time is your own and you have plenty of time to enjoy the stages in your own pace.
Check the price quickly
You can quickly check the price of your desired trip without having to fill in anything. Here's how:
- Choose your desired start date
- Click on the green button "See price and reserve your holiday" and go to the booking form
- Select number of people, add any optional extras and see the price at the bottom of the page (you don't have to fill in anything on the form).
Get a quote
For example, if you want a flight included or changes to the trip, you can order a quote for this using the "Get a quote" button. Remember to describe in detail what, if anything, you want changed.
The process of your booking
When you book, we will start booking hotels and arranging all the practical details of the trip. This process typically takes 2-5 working days, but some bookings may take longer. If you are arranging your own transport, we recommend that you wait until we have confirmed your booking before arranging this.
Dates
If you can select the date in the tour calendar at the top of this page, this is a possible start date. We continually update the tours with sold-out dates, after which those dates will turn red and cannot be selected.
On all our cycling holidays it is possible bring your own bike but it also possible to rent a bike for the tour. The bikes you can rent are all perfectly suited for the tour and the local terrain and all bikes are perfectly maintained. If you want to rent a bike on your holiday, then you select this on the booking form where you can also see the price. Remember to write your height in the message field when you book so that we know which size bike you need.
PHOTOS OF THE BIKES ARE BELOW THIS TEXT
On this tour it is possible to rent the following bikes:
- Unisex 21-gear bike – with free wheel (included in the price)
- Gents bike 21 gear – with free wheel (included in the price)
- PLUS gents bike 27 gear – with free wheel (we can upgrade to this at additional costs - see bookingpage)
- Unisex ebike – with backpedal breaks (we can upgrade to this at additional costs - see bookingpage)
Equipment included in the bike rental:
- Saddle bag (water repellent)
- Handlebar bag (water repellent)
- Service-set with tools and extra bicycle tube
- Combination lock
Roadside assistance
All bikes are equipped with puncture resistant tyres which means that it is virtually impossible to puncture. No rule without exceptions, so should you experience a punctured tyre then you can quickly fix it by using the tools in the service-set. If the damage is greater than a simply puncture then you simply call us and we make sure that your bike is fixed or you will be supplied with a new bike as quickly as possible.
Insurance is included
Insurance against theft and damages are included in the bike rental. Should you have any problems of this nature then all you have to do is to let us know and we will supply a new bike as quickly as possible. Naturally, careless or mischievous behavior is exempt from this.
Unisex 21-gear bike – with free wheel
Gents bike 21 gear – with free wheel
PLUS gents bike 27 gear – with free wheel
Unisex ebike – with backpedal breaks
The flights to/from Faro are not included in the price. You can easily find a suitable flight via a flight booking engine such as Momondo or Skyscanner.
Notice: we recommend that you book with us and wait for the confirmation before you book your flights.
It works like this:
- You book your chosen holiday with us
- We confirm your holiday (usually within 2-5 working days)
- You arrange your transportation
Book a quote
If you prefer that we handle your flight, then we would be happy to arrange this for you. You simply book a quote below the map on this page and we will return with a quote as soon as possible (usually within 48 working hours). Please note that we add a handling fee of 45 euro to each flight and this means that the flight will be cheaper if you book it yourself.
Local transportation
Transfer from Faro Airport to the hotel in Sagres (120 km) can be selected on the booking form.
It is possible to purchase your transfer from the hotel in Tavira to Faro airport on day 8. This is also selected on the booking form.
On this tour you will be accommodated in nice hotels of 3-4 star level with breakfast included. All the hotels have swimmingpools.
In the itinerary you can see some examples of the hotels we use on this tour. Notice that the hotels are examples and you may end up staying in different hotels. It depends on availability when you book the tour.
On this tour breakfast is included every day.
There will be restaurants and cafés along the route, where it will be easy to find lunch and coffee breaks, as well as dinner.
This tour has difficulty grade 1-2. Which means that most days are grade 1 and some days are grade 2.
Grade 1
Suitable for cyclists who enjoy shorter distances in flat or gently rolling terrain. Ideal if you just want to explore the area by bicycle at a leisurely pace. On most itineraries it will be possible to shorten the trip distance, or skip a cycling day.
Grade 2
For cyclists who like hilly terrain and a bit longer distances. You cycle on good roads, which usually don’t have much traffic. The distance is between 35 – 60 km or 20 – 38 miles. If you are capable of riding a bike and you have a normal good health, you should not worry about going on these tours.
Read more about our Grading System
Luggage transfer is included on this tour. Upon arrival at the first hotel you will be given luggage tags along with the rest of the welcome package. You fill out the luggage tags and put them on your bags where they will remain for the duration of the tour.
Your luggage is picked up from the hotel lobby around 9am every morning and will arrive at your next hotel at 6pm at the latest (often long before that). If there are any special exceptions to the luggage transfer you will be notified upon arrival.
Luggage transfer includes one bag per guest and the bags can weigh 20kg each.
You will recieve the following documentation
Upon booking
You recieve practical information about the tour in a digital format
One month before arrival
You recieve your hotel list and your voucher (hotel list is often supplied upon booking)
Upon arrival
You recieve the welcome package which contains the printed version of the road book, luggage tags, local specific vouchers and if you have rented bikes then they will also be delivered and fitted at the first hotel.
It can be hard to plan your trip according to the weather, but to give an idea of the local climate, you can see the data below:
The statistics are from yr.no.
We are members of the Travel Guarantee Fund (nr. 2529) and have all available insurances. This covers you regardless of your nationality. Read more about that here.
Call our experts on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Phone: +44 20 3936 1208
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Phone: +44 20 3936 1208
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