Driving Towards the Sun Even in WinterSpecials

Driving Towards the Sun Even in Winter 03.05S

You start in the east of the Algarve in Olhão - city of fishermen and legends.

Your hotel for the first 4 nights and 3 bike tours daily starting point, is the Real Marina Hotel & Spa. With a gorgeous view of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, one of Portugal's 7 natural wonders, and only 15 km from the city of Faro, this is the ideal hotel to get to know the east side of the Algarve.

Your last 3 nights will be spent at the Hotel Vila Galé Lagos. The port city has a lot to offer. You can discover the historic old town streets, which invite you to stroll, or visit the most beautiful rock formations of the Algarve, as well as the miles of sandy beaches and small rocky coves with our tours.

Enjoy your active vacation without sacrificing comfort!

Overview

Self-guided bike tour by touring bike or trekking bike. E-bikes are available in both ranges
8 days/ 7 nights/ 6 days cycling
Start of the daily routes from the hotel
The daily tours average 40 km with 480 metres of ascent
IIt is possible to book one or more additional nights
Travel beginning is possible at any date
The routes are predominantly flat or slightly hilly. There are also some short steep climbs and descents. The routes follow mostly on surfaced side roads or on good unsurfaced tracks

Holiday and bike tour description

Day 1 Arrival

You arrive at Faro airport and take a taxi to the hotel in Pechão. You will be welcomed by a representative of LisaBikes in the reception area of the hotel at the agreed time. Then the tour information will be given to you and we will answer any questions you may have. Your bicycles will be handed over to you and any necessary adjustments made.

Day 2/ Bike tour 1 black - 36 km/ 250 m of ascent

This tour takes you through the rural area of the Barrocal. You reach the coast at the seaside resort of Fuseta. The Barrocal region is renowned for its fruit bearing trees. Fuseta is a busy little fishing port with lots of small, colourful boats and a promenade with a number of cafes and restaurants. On leaving Fuseta you cycle through the Ria Formosa nature reserve. You continue on a very pleasant cycle path which takes you right through the nature reserve between the lagoons and the railway line. Here you can watch a great variety of aquatic birds, flamingos, storks and in the winter months even cormorants and cranes. The sea salt (Salt Production) from this region is highly prized and is extracted from the numerous salt flats in this area. After then, the tour leads you under the railway line and after a short ride you come to the main road which you have to stay on until you reach Olhão. It is possible to use the hard shoulder. As you come to Olhão you will see the Quinta da Marina Visitor Centre. It’s very interesting and informative and well worth a visit. Then you cycle through the town, along the marina, passing the two big market halls which are very striking buildings. Nearby is the interesting old town where you will find a large number of restaurants offering delicious fish and seafood dishes.

Day 3/ Bike tour 2 green - 44km/ 400 m of ascent

The tour leads you to Torre where you cycle through the plain of the Ribeiro de Lourenço, an unspoilt river valley with lots of orange groves. You pass a beautifully laid out golf course and an area of thick bamboo before reaching the entrance of the holiday resort of “Quinta do Lago”, a luxury holiday resort with very attractive villas and surrounding gardens. You then cycle on good roads down towards the sea, into the middle of the river delta of the “Ria Formosa” nature reserve. The delta is an extensive area of branching lagoons and water channels and many salt flats. Storks, flamingos and a great variety of water birds nest here. After cycling through the lagoon area, you will come to the edge of the airport, after which you skirt Montenegro and go through the university town of Gambelas. When you reach the railway line the path ends. Finally, you reach the busy main road and cycle along it for a short distance and then you continue on your way back to your hotel via Patacão and Conceição.

Day 4/ Bike tour 3 red – 38km/ 310 m of ascent

Today you visit Faro, the capital of the Algarve. The route takes you on minor roads through the rural region of the Barrocal, passing many typical villages towards Faro. You reach the outskirts of the town and you then continue on a very good cycle path which takes you directly into the historical part of Faro. The old town, surrounded by an old city wall, where there are many places of interest to explore. Renovated buildings from the heyday of the 16th and 18th centuries, such as a cathedral with the bishopric, a monastery and many museums. Then it leads through the city gate "Arco da Vila", on which one of the many stork nests of Faro is enthroned, you come to the beautifully landscaped city park "Manuel Bivar" and then to the marina. Here are several small cafes and restaurants where you can take a break and enjoy a snack or leisurely lunch. The route then follows out of the city passing a newly created recreation park and then you return to your hotel along quiet country roads.

Day 5/ Bike tour 4 blue - 43km/ 590hm

Today it starts with a transfer from your hotel to the beautiful small town of Alte. The bike tour begins at the entrance to the town in a beautiful park. You cross the town first, that is considered one of the most beautiful towns in the Algarve. The route begins with a ride north to the reservoirs of Funcho and Arade. At first the route follows alongside the Rio Arade and then takes you through the hilly landscape of the Serra, on a constantly undulating gradient to the small village of Pereiras. After this point a steep road leads up to a summit from which you can see the Funcho reservoir. After a short descent through a beautiful valley, you will reach the reservoir and cycle alongside it on unsurfaced, winding paths lined with broom, wild roses and medronho bushes and trees. When you reach the end of the path you will cross the wall of the dam and after a short but very steep descent (you may have to get off your bike), you will reach another reservoir, the Barragem do Arade. Once again, ride alongside the reservoir back to the dam wall. From there you go downhill, through a fertile plain resplendent with large orange groves, back to your hotel.

Day 6/ Bike tour 5 purple – 36km/ 310hm

You leave today from directly behind your hotel with a short climb on a narrow unsurfaced path, which leads through an area of dense bushes and woodland. The route then continues through the fertile area of Barrocal where a variety of crops grow. There are also many vineyards. You ride on quiet country roads through small hamlets and pinewoods towards the coast and will come to the Alfanzina lighthouse, which stands right on the edge of the Cliffs. Right next to the lighthouse you will have a marvellous view of the Cliffs and rocky stacks surrounded by the sea. The route then continues along the coast, to the small village of Vale do Covo and Benagil bay. One option here is to park your bike at the "Pescador" restaurant and go for a short cliff walk. We recommend that you wear sturdy shoes for this and walk in an easterly direction as far as Marina. After the walk you cycle back in the direction of Silves. The route takes you through the small town of Porches and the varied landscape of the Barrocal. Before reaching Silves, you will return to the Rio Arade river and follow the riverbank all the way to your hotel.

Day 7/ Bike tour 6 brown – 42km/ 290hm

Today, you begin by riding through the rural area of Barrocal to the coast. You will come to the lively tourist resort of Armacão da Pêra, which was originally a small fishing village, but today is one of the largest tourist resorts in the Algarve. You cycle through the resort on the busy beach promenade and come to the small, picturesque "A Nossa Srª da Rocha" Chapel, built on a rocky promontory which projects far into the sea. After this you cycle around the lagoon and the dunes of the protected wetlands of the "Lagoa dos Salgados" and reach the wonderful sandy beaches, which stretch eastwards. The route takes you on board walks along the beach to Guia and continues past Alcantarilha, towards Silves and back to your hotel.

Day 8 Journey back

You will be transferred from your hotel to Faro airport or to a different destination in the Algarve which we will have agreed with you.

Details

Prices per Person

From 01.11.22 to 31.03.23

Double ???€
Single ???€

THE INDICATED PRICES ABOVE ARE BASE PRICES PER PERSON AND INCLUDE:

7 nights, in a 4-star family-run hotel in the east and in a 3-star hotel in the west, double room with continental breakfast
Transfer from Pechão to the start of the route in Alte on day 5
Luggage transfer between hotels
6 carefully planned routes
Bike map per route with directions and elevation profile as well as useful information
Travel documents with a detailed tour description, information on sights and interesting facts on the routes
Personal welcome with briefing / meeting, bike handover and fitting
Phone/GPS holder
Service hotline Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:00, weekends and bank holidays only in emergencies

EXTRA PER PERSON/ BICYCLE RENTAL

Touring Bike, 28“ wheels, 24 gears, seat and front fork suspension, rack, 110€
Trekking bike, 20 or 27 gears, front fork suspension, disc brakes, 29“ wheels, rack, 140€
MTB bike, 29“ wheels, 20 or 27 gears, front fork suspension, disc brakes, rack on request, 140€
MTB Premium bike, 29" wheels, fork suspension, disc brakes, 165€
E-Touring bike, 3 el. levels, 9 gears, 28“ wheels, seat and front fork suspension, disc brakes, rack, 170€
E-Trekking bike, 29" wheels, 11 gears, 3 el. levels, central fork suspension, 7 gears, disc brakes, rack, 190€
E-MTB bike, 29" wheels, 11 gears, 3 el. levels, fork suspension, disc brakes, optional rack, 190€
Standard equipment per bike: Pannier (on request for MTB and E-MTB), bottle holder, lock, frame pump, repair kit, tire lever, spare inner tube, tools and reduction valve for petrol station pump; in addition for e-bikes: battery and charger

ADDITIONAL CHARGES FOR:

Single traveller supplement 85€
Transfer from airport to the Hotel in Pechão approx. 48€
Half board on request
In some tows visitor's tax/municipal taxes are due. These range between from 1.50€ and 2.50€ p.p. and have to be paid locally.
Guide 150€/ day
Taylor-made options on request
Upgrades, transfers, excursions, additional nights, alterations to the tours, etc... Please contact us and we will be pleased to advise you!

SIGHTSEEING: