11-Day Portugal Beaches & Castles Coastal Bike Tour

Please meet at Turim Av Liberdade Hotel at 3pm, followed by a guided walk of this magical city of old-world charm and cosmopolitan culture. Welcome dinner is together.
Accommodation: Turim Av Liberdade Hotel Lisbon
Meals: Dinner

There’s time for morning sightseeing in Lisbon. After lunch, we’ll transfer to Evora, tonight’s destination. With our guide, we’ll discover the timeless city of Evora, UNESCO Site, steeped in Roman and medieval heritage. The city’s golden age came in the 1400s when Portugal’s kings chose it for their home, and Evora’s streets still recall that influx of nobility 500 years ago.

We’ll fit and test our bikes this afternoon before dinner. You are on your own for dinner tonight.
Accommodation: Hotel M'Ar de Ar Muralhas
Meals: Breakfast

For your first ride, you cycle a lovely loop from Evora into the countryside to visit a cork factory. Tour the factory and forest to see the magic of cork harvesting — so important for the port and wine industries. Get an insider look at the sustainable tree farming methods used here. Shuttle or pedal back into town. Then, enjoy a second evening strolling and dining among the lovely sights of Evora.
Accommodation: Hotel M'Ar de Ar Muralhas
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

The roads and trails of the Alentejo provide a great atmosphere for bike tours. Today we reach the charming village of Alcacer do Sal. Have a look at the historical boats along the Sado River and the castle above the town. It was a Moorish citadel before the Christians re-conquered the area.

We’ll enjoy the traditional dinner tonight. Don’t miss a passeggiata tonight after dinner!
Accommodation: Companhia Agrícola da Barrosinha
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Biking: 42 miles (67 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier

The 15th-century Castle of Sines area has seen pre-historic residents, pirates and medieval battles. A gentle sea breeze will be your first indicator that you are getting close to the beach. The coast, which is physically rugged (the Sines Cape) is separated into two differentiated areas: a sandy northern section, and a rocky southern area of cliffs.

Sines is the largest and the first constructed of Portugal and the birthplace of Vasco da Gama. Vasco da Gama earned his place in history during his voyage to India between 1497 and 1499, becoming the first European to get to India by sea, expanding the Portuguese Empire, opening up world trade and ushering in the colonial era. The Castle of Sines was built to defend the fleet and town against enemy navies and pirates. The hill it sits on has been settled since the Palaeolithic era, but the castle is "only" from the 15th-century. That’s the reason the building is quite compact, as the streets around it had long been laid out when it was built, and it had to adapt to that shape.
Accommodation: Casa do Medico San Rafael
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Biking: 45 to 50 miles ( 72 to 80 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier to Intermediate

We reach Milfontes today riding roads by the sea. Along the ride, you can enjoy the tiny village of Porto das Barcas, a nice spot for almoço, lunch. Once you go through town, there is the opportunity to relax, swim, have a peaceful beachfront walk or have a drink facing the sea. Your choice! You’ll enjoy learning more about this unique village where the river meets the sea. After visiting Millfontes, our route will take you to Cabo de Sardao and then to our hotel close to Zambujeira do Mar. Dinner tonight is at the hotel restaurant.
Accommodation: Herdade de Touril
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Biking: 23 miles (37 kilometres)
Terrain: Intermediate

We are riding alongside the Rota Vicentina, one of the best walking trails in Europe. A must-do in Aljezur is climbing to the castle to enjoy the surrounding views. From the top of the legendary Castle of Aljezur, one of seven that are represented on the flag of Portugal, enjoy the view of the fertile lowlands, where the famous and incomparable sweet potatoes of Aljezur are grown. The creeks wind along these fields with magnificent galleries of poplars, alders, ash trees, willows, and tamarisks.
Accommodation: Praia do Canal Nature Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Biking: 42 miles (67 kilometres)
Terrain: Advanced

We continue along the coast for a short ride today that allows us to get plenty of time for a walk on the beach. Along the ride don’t miss a stop at Carrapateira village with its rugged limestone cliffs and extensive sand dunes. An extra ride takes you to Farol do Cabo de Sao Vicente - the famous "end of the world," when the world was thought to be flat. This is Europe’s most south-western point. Have a look at the fortress and the lighthouse. From there, it's just a few kilometers to the town of Sagres, today’s destination. Give yourself into poolside relaxation at your historic Pousada hotel, once a 16th-century convent.
Accommodation: Pousada do Sagres
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Biking: 22 or 34 miles (35 or 54 kilometres)
Terrain: Intermediate with Advanced option

After breakfast, start biking to Vila do Bispo and then along the coast until we reach the beautiful Lagos rock formations. Enjoy the scenic view and lunch and then transfer by bus to Faro. The splendid historical center of Faro is surrounded by antique walls, a gothic cathedral, the Bishop's Palace. South of Faro is the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, a series of saltwater lagoons and mudflats, which are a haven for migratory birds and wildlife. Along the seaward side of the Ria Formosa are three sandbar islands, and these are the location of Faro’s pristine beaches.
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Biking: 29 miles (46 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier to Intermediate

Ride along the Algarve, the beautiful southern coastline of Portugal. It is a region with stunning beaches, picturesque fishing towns and a glorious climate -- all of which combine to create the perfect vacation destination. See small villages like Santa Luzia, the "octopus capital" of Algarve. Cycle to Tavira, one of the most beautiful towns in Algarve. It sits on the shore of the river Gilao and is a harmonious mix of Portuguese tradition and Moorish influences. For centuries, Tavira thrived on the Tuna fishing industry, but when the fish stocks declined and tuna fishermen gave up their occupations, the anchors of their boats were left behind on the beach to rust. Keep a lookout on the way to Tavira because lying among sand dunes there is the “Cemitério das Ancoras,” or the Cemetery of Anchors, with hundreds of abandoned rusty anchors lining the beach.
Accommodation: Pousada Convento De Tavira
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Biking: 26 miles (41 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier to Intermediate

After breakfast, we offer one free shuttle to Faro Airport for anyone flying out. Or stay in the area and enjoy the beaches or see more of what Portugal has to offer. Boa viagem!
Accommodation: Not applicable
Meals: Breakfast