Overview

• Self-guided tour by mountain bike or e-mountainbike
• 8 days/ 7 nights/ 6 routes
• The daily tours average 50 km and 1.000 metres of ascent
• Total distance: 300 km
• Extra days can be booked on request
• Travel beginning is possible at any date
• The routes are alternately flat or hilly on well-paved nature trails and MTB trails. In between there are always steep climbs and descents as well as some stream crossings. The area is sparely inhabited, and you literally ride right through the "outback".

Holiday and bike tour description

Tag 1 Arrival

Individuelle Anreise oder vom Flughafen mit Taxi in das Hotel in Faro.

Day 2  Bike tour 1 Faro - Azinhal - Vaqueiros 45km/ 840hm

The next morning, transfer to “Azinhal” on the Spanish border, from there onto the bike and down to the Guadiana river. On a beautiful shore path along the imposing river, then in the "Serra do Caldeirão" the hardly inhabited hilly mountainous hinterland. Through steep alleyways from "Odeleite", the last major town on the tour, up to a deep blue lake. Afterwards you drive through spacious pine plantations, fields with low shrubbery, broom and cistus bushes, in spring a sea of flowers. The air is scented with wild thyme, sage and rosemary. On the way or in the distance small hamlets with whitewashed houses. A lonely area that has remained natural, pure nature. At the end of the small place "Vaqueiros" where you stay overnight.

Day 3  Bike tour 2 Vaqueiros - Barranco do Velho 43km/ 1.400hm

The tour today is characterized by constant uphill and downhill. The landscape has changed. Spruce, almond and eucalyptus trees and many types of bushes, especially medronho bushes, line the path. You reach Cachopo, a quiet village with original character, the village square with a cozy cafe invites you to take a break. Then on through dense, fragrant spruce groves, over hilltops with wonderful views of the coastal area. After "Castelão" deep down to the river "Ribeira de Odeleite", over an adventurous stone bridge and then through the river valley in the shade of lush and species-rich vegetation. Then uphill to the village of "Parizes", there along the "Rota da Cortiça", with many Cork trees to "Barranco do Velho" and to the accommodation "Tia Bia", which offers a well-known dinner, roast wild boar with potatoes

Day 4  Bike tour 3 Barranco do Velho - São Bartolomeu de Messines 39km/ 550hm

A beautiful panoramic path on a ridge with spectacular views of the coastal area leads up to a hilltop. From there in an enjoyable descent through a forest with gnarled holm oaks and along a small river on a mountain path that runs parallel to the coast. Via the small Algarve towns of "Salir" and "Benafim" and through the beautiful river valley of the "Ribeira de Alte", you cycle to the town of Alte, one of the most beautiful places in the Algarve. Passing a spring with a nice picnic area, you walk through the village on narrow cobbled streets. Agricultural areas, with orange groves and varied tree crops, now characterize the area up to São Bartholomeu de Messines, where the accommodation is located in a beautifully renovated 16th century building.

Day 5  Bike tour 4 São Bartolomeu de Messines - Caldas de Monchique 47km/ 1.100hm

Right after the start on a hill with a magnificent view of the deep blue reservoir "Barragem do Funcho" which is embedded in the green hills of the Serra. After a short, relaxing descent through a beautiful valley, you reach a winding path along the shore. You cycle through lush vegetation with broom, cistus and medronho bushes along the lake. At the end over a high dam and in a steep descent to the next equally idyllic lake, the "Barragem do Arade". Here too along the shore and then on a single trail through a wooded, hilly area through the Ribeiro de Odeluca valley and below the second highest mountain in the Algarve to the thermal spa town of Caldas do Monchique, which lies in a shady valley.

Day 6  Bike tour 5 Caldas de Monchique - Aljezur 59km/ 1.280hm

The magical little town of Monchique, which you reach right after the start, is the only town on the whole tour to Aljezur. It lies between the two highest mountains in the Algarve, the Foia at 902 and the Picota at 723 meters above sea level. After this passage, the route leads through the practically uninhabited natural and hilly "Serra de Monchique". The area is characterized by lush vegetation with terraced fields of vegetables or citrus fruits and pastures. Great single trails lead down to the west coast. There you come to the 80 km long and 5 km wide nature reserve "Costa Vicentina". One of the best-preserved stretches of coastline in Europe, home to numerous unique animal and plant species. Shortly before the end of the stage you reach one of the most beautiful beaches on the west coast, the "Praia da Amoreira", framed by high black rocks and a lagoon area of ​​the river "Ribeiro Aljezur" along which you drive to the stage destination Aljezur.

Day 7  Bike tour Etappe 6 Aljezur - Cabo de São Vicente - Sagres 63km/ 860hm

The trip goes through the old town and over a castle hill to the town of Carrapateira, which lies on a hill in an extensive dune area. An incomparably beautiful cycle route along Cliffs, with fantastic views over the deep blue Atlantic and past two sandy bays, "Praia da Bordeira" and "do Amado" awaits you immediately afterwards. Then you cycle through an evergreen Macchia landscape to two other impressive bays. A steep path leads to a mostly deserted bay "Praia da Barriga" and then over a hilltop to "Praia da Cordama". Both framed by high rocks. At low tide you can even cycle from Praia to Praia on the sandy beach, saving you the hassle of crossing the hilltop. Afterwards we continue over a steppe-like plateau to the southwestern point of Europe, the Cabo de São Vicente with a lighthouse high above the Cliffs. On a beautiful coastal road you will then reach Sagres, the legendary place where the seafaring school was located, where the best seafarers in Portugal were trained, who later discovered the oceans.

Day 8 Journey back