Cycling The Algarve Coast

I flew into Faro which is well served by flights from many of the UK’s major and regional airports. Transfers are included with this tour, so I was met in arrivals and driven to my first hotel. The Algarve cycle tour starts in Vilareal de Santo Antonio on the eastern end of the Algarve coast, 1 hour’s drive from the airport. My bike and information pack were waiting for me and I had a quick welcome briefing from our local representative, giving me the chance to ask a few questions and test out the bike. After settling in, I went out to explore Vilareal’s central square and riverside promenade. Seafood is naturally the speciality of the region and the hotel recommended a popular local restaurant where I had grilled tuna for dinner before an early night ready to start cycling in the morning.

Vilareal sits on the Guadiana River which marks the border with Spain. It felt apt to start the ride at the Eastern end of the Algarve with a photo looking across the border. From there, I would be pedalling west all the way to Cape St Vincent which juts out into the Atlantic and is commonly regarded as the south-westernmost point of mainland Europe. 

The tour starts with two gentle days of 31km each, riding on flat coastal terrain which closely follows the Ecovia Litoral cycle route. Cycling solo, I sometimes fall into the trap of riding too quickly, without looking around and enjoying the views. Here, I took it easy, meandering through the pine forests and sand dunes with plenty of stops on wide sandy beaches, rarely more than a few hundred metres to my left. The tiny hamlet of Cacela Velha with its church and fortress overlooking the lagoon was a particularly enjoyable ice cream break before reaching Tavira, the overnight stop. 

My route took me on through the Rio Formosa natural park, an area of sand bars, wetlands and lagoons between Tavira and Olhao. It’s home to migratory flamingos in the winter months and a centre for shellfish and, in particular, clam fishing. In Olhao, I found a great restaurant opposite the fish market and tried the local speciality ‘cataplana’ – clams cooked in a round copper pan. I’d thoroughly recommend looking around the market, the largest in the area. I returned the next morning to check out the fresh catch and for the essential cyclist’s meal of ‘second breakfast’. A strong coffee and a couple of Pasteis da Nata, perfect fuel for the day ahead.

West of Olhao is Faro where I detoured slightly from the route to visit the Igreja do Carmo church in the heart of the old town. It’s known for its ‘bone chapel’ where the walls are lined with the bones of over 1,000 monks making for a fascinating, if slightly macabre attraction. 

Beyond Faro, the terrain started to undulate as I passed the manicured golf courses and luxury villas of Quinta do Lago and Vale de Lobo. The next couple of days took me through popular resort towns but also countless quieter beaches, bordered by cliffs which grew larger the further west I cycled. 

A real highlight of my trip was on the ride between Vilamoura and Praia da Rocha. I took a detour from the route to ride down to the beach at Praia de Benagil. I’d heard about a tiny beach inside a cave, which is only accessible from the sea. There are boat tours which can take you there, but I’d also heard you could swim. Being April, the water was still very cold and it was a fair distance to swim, but it was incredible having the cave to myself. I’d really recommend it, if you’re comfortable with the very steep ride down and back up from the beach and the extra 10km or so that it added to the day’s ride.

The final two cycling days from Praia da Rocha via Praia da Luz to Cape St Vincent are where the coast becomes more wild and rugged. The tour is rated as ‘Easy to Moderate’ and the ‘Moderate’ part comes at the end when your legs are nicely warmed up! The views are always the payoff and the sea cliffs to my left and rolling hills inland were worth the hard work.

Praia da Luz with its sandy beach and cliffs was a welcome stop off before the last leg to the Cape. Nearing the end of the tour I passed the town of Sagres where a 16th-century fortress overlooks the old town and surf beaches below.

I didn’t need the map for the next bit – I could see the lighthouse at the cape in the distance, perched 75 metres up on the cliffs. Cabo de Sao Vicente really is an iconic spot to finish cycling –the end of the road, next stop America. (You can even have a hot dog at the slightly tacky, but probably correct ‘Last Bratwurst before America’ food truck!) It was a great feeling to know that I’d cycled the length of the Algarve coast.

After a quick look around the lighthouse, I persuaded a tourist to take a picture of me and my bike and then was picked up by my transfer driver. The last night of the tour is spent in Loule, a 90-minute drive from the Cape and just 20km from Faro. Not only does this make the airport transfer the next morning very simple, it’s also a lovely town with its market and cobbled backstreets. A night in the boutique hotel in Loule’s central square is a perfect way to finish the trip.

Bikes

My bike was a hybrid touring bike, comfortable and sturdy, perfect for the mix of sealed roads and cycle paths. You might note that in the photos I’m carrying two panniers as I decided that I wanted to carry everything with me, however please be assured that the tour does include luggage transfer, so your baggage will be transported between hotels for you. You’ll receive one pannier and you only carry what you need for the day.  E-bikes are also available to rent.

Route information

I had maps, route notes and a GPS device with the route files pre-loaded. We will also email you the route files in advance for you to upload to your own smartphone. For much of the ride, I followed the Ecovia Littoral cycle route which is marked with signposts and, in some areas, markings on the road. Using a combination of the above, navigation was easy.

Hotels

This tour uses 3, 4 and 5 star hotels. I really liked the mix of accommodation, from a luxury beachfront hotel to a traditional family run guesthouse. 

Food

Breakfast is included and was normally a hearty continental style buffet. I like to fill up first thing, but also really enjoy my ‘second breakfast’ at a café or bakery mid-morning. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants along the route for lunch, or supermarkets if you fancy packing a picnic. In the evenings, the hotels are all located close to numerous restaurants offering local and international food – I particularly enjoyed the local fish and seafood.

Transfers

Airport transfers are included from and to Faro airport.

Fancy a shorter holiday?

The first half of the tour is available as the Eastern Algarve short break tour, covering the more leisurely stages of the tour over 3 days and 4 nights.

• Head to the riverside at Vilareal to start the ride. You’ll get the satisfaction of cycling the whole Algarve coast from east to west.
• The route isn’t always right on the coast. But don’t forget that you’re rarely far from a beach if you want a picnic spot for lunch!
• Olhao’s morning market is well worth checking out before you set off cycling on day four.
• The diversion to Praia de Benagil and the beach cave requires a detour on a very steep road. For strong cyclists, or E-bikers with a sense of adventure, I’d recommend it!
• The last few kilometres of the final day is quite remote so make sure you’ve eaten and filled up your water bottles. Sagres is the last opportunity to do this. There isn’t much at the cape itself, unless you fancy an overpriced hotdog! 
• It goes without saying that Southern Portugal can get very hot, especially in the summer months. Water bottles are supplied with your rental bike, so drink lots of water and take every opportunity you see to top up your bottles.
• The tour is rated as Easy to Moderate. If possible, I’d recommend doing a few consecutive days of cycling in preparation for your trip. The ride gets hillier in the last couple of days when your legs might be starting to feel a bit heavy! A bit of extra training in advance will go a long way.
• Once you arrive in Loule, the temptation might be to relax for the evening in your hotel. I’d highly recommend wandering around to explore the backstreets and old town of Loule. There are galleries, workshops, a castle and loads of great restaurants. You can relax on the flight home!