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This self guided bike tour in Algarve will allow you to discover while cycling the millennial history, culture and traditions of one of the most beautiful locations in Portugal.
Discover the amazing history, culture and traditions this wine region has to offer.
To the east of Faro, the proud regional capital, is the Sotavento algarvio, the “leeward” Algarve. Unlike the windy cliffs of the west, this eastern Algarve enjoys a mild subtropical climate with Mediterranean influences, particularly suitable for year-round cycling. Protected by five barrier islands with pristine beaches, the coastline of the Ria Formosa Natural Park is a true refuge for biodiversity. Lagoons, dune systems, islands, sandbanks, salt flats, “sapal” or pine forests are rich ecosystems, especially for birds, of which pink flamingos, spoonbills or avocets are among the most spectacular.
The trip by bike also allows you to discover the agronomic wealth of these regions, initiated by the Moors in medieval times and enriched by the contributions of the great maritime discoveries. The crops of “sequeiro”, almond trees, fig trees and carob trees compete with the irrigated crops of “regadio”, orange trees, lemon trees, persimmon trees and avocado trees. To the east, the great river Guadiana is the natural border between the Algarve and Andalusia, between Portugal and Spain.
For one day, we offer the possibility of crossing the Guadiana by boat and exploring the Andalusian side. A journey within a journey! During your cycling trip, the small, whitewashed towns and villages of the Algarve and the city of Ayamonte in Andalusia are places where you can take a break and enjoy the Iberian hospitality.
Day 1: Bike tour in Algarve (Tavira)
Accommodation: Hotel Sao Paolo Boutique Hotel
We will pick up from Faro´s airport and bring you to the hotel in Tavira (40 mins).
We start the trip with a welcome in your hotel (Sao Paolo Boutique Hotel) in Tavira. Depending on the flight schedule, you may have time to discover this charming Algarve town, known for its decorated facades, traditional doors, windows and roofs, as well as its preserved island beaches. Possibility to take a boat to the island of Tavira and its long beach.
You will enjoy the first night in Tavira. Surrounded by the magnificent atmosphere of a traditional fishing village you can enjoy the beauty and tranquility of one of the most beautiful places in southern Portugal.
Day 2: Bike tour from Tavira: Santo Estevao, Santa Luzia (loop)
Route: 25 km
Elevation: +150 m
Accommodation: Sao Paolo Boutique Hotel
Breakfast in the hotel. Bike fitting and briefing in the bike shop in the city centre of Tavira.
You will cycle along the banks of the Gilão river by a small road which then crosses the orchards of orange trees, lemon trees and carob trees. A break allows you to discover “the well of hell”, a deep basin created by a waterfall, a real sub-tropical paradise. The ride crosses the hinterland passing by the charming villages of Santo Estevão, Santa Luzia and the beach of Barril.
You will stay in the same hotel in Tavira than last night, Sao Paolo Boutique Hotel.
Day 3: Bike tour to Fuzeta: fisherman village
Route: 28 km
Elevation: +150 m
Accommodation: Sao Paolo Boutique Hotel
Breakfast at the hotel. After a stop at the colorful market of Tavira to buy fresh and local products, the ride will start the coastal paths go along the salt flats, the canals of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, through the orchards and the pine forests towards Fuzeta, a small fishing harbor on a sandy bank at the edge of the lagoon with turquoise waters. The return to Tavira is through small inland roads, in the “barrocal” with its farms, gardens and orchards, and the charming village Moncarapacho.
Last night in Tavira.
Day 4: Bike tour in Algarve: The path of the fortresses
Route: 40km
Elevation: +100m
Accommodation: Pousada Vila Real de Santo Antonio
Breakfast at the hotel. A ride along the coastline via the ‘ecovia’, a comfortable and well-equipped cycle path.
Cacela Velha is one of the most beautiful places in the Algarve, a proud bastion on its rocky outcrop overlooking the lagoons and sandbanks of the Ria Formosa; a show that changes with the tides and the light. The paths and small roads of the ecovia lead to Castro Marim, a town protected by two fortresses, one medieval and the other from the XVIII century. You follow the Guadiana River, the border river with Spain, to arrive at Vila Real de Santo Antonio.
Opposite, on the other side of the river, the small Andalusian town of Ayamonte.
You will stay the night in Vila Real de Santo Antonio.
Day 5: Ayamonte and Isla Canela
Route: 26km
Elevation: +100m
Accommodation: Pousada Vila Real de Santo Antonio
Breakfast at the hotel. A small ferry boat (regular crossings – 15 min) allows to cross the river with the bikes to Ayamonte, in Andalusia. So close and so different from its Portuguese neighbor, this incursion into Spain allows us to better understand what links and differentiates these two regions, these two Iberian countries. From the “ramblas” of Ayamonte, a cycle path leads to Isla Christina, a peninsula prized for its long beaches. After returning by boat to Vila Real de Santo Antonio, paths lead through a large pine forest that borders the coast. In this forest refuge of biodiversity, with different animals and plants. It is a magical scenary. Back at your hotel you’ll meet your bike partner to return your bikes (or tomorrow morning), then enjoy your final night in Vila Real de Santo Antonio.
Day 6: Departure day
Departure
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Faro airport (40 min).
Possible extension of 1 or 2 nights in Faro, possibility to keep the bikes (to pedal towards Quarteira to the west or Olhao to the east), to explore the Ria Formosa by Kayak, to enjoy a boat trip on the barrier islands… please consult us.
Hotel Sao Paolo Boutique Hotel
Whoever visits Tavira knows that you will find old, white buildings with perfectly designed doors and windows that tell us a unique and traditional story. It could only be in such a building that the Sao Paulo Boutique Hotel would open.
Between the respect of the traditional architecture of an old manor house of the end of the century and the restoration work designed to fit modern standards and esthetics, the hotel has been designed to provide its visitors with a genuine, inspiring, elegant and sophisticated atmosphere.
The Sao Paulo Boutique Hotel has the advantage of offering only five rooms, all of them unique with personalized decoration details
Pousada Vila Real de Santo Antonio
Located in the historic city centre, Pousada Vila Real de Santo António features two distinct core areas, both overlooking Praça Marquês de Pombal, the main city square.
1.080,00€ – 1.350,00€
This self guided bike tour in Algarve will allow you to discover the south of Portugal, while cycling the millennial history, culture and traditions of one of the most beautiful part of Portugal.
| Dates | January to May, October, November and December (Low season), Christmas and August, June to September (High season) |
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