Algarve Bike Tours Portugal Vicentine Coast Adventure

The Algarve cycling tour starts in the city of Lisbon, Portugal's capital. This city has been influenced by many different cultures over the course of its history and it still maintains a village feeling in each historic neighbourhood. The wide variety of landscapes and heritage is always close by, whether in the north or south of the capital. Fado, prevalent in Lisbon, is a Portuguese traditional music style and is an expression of what it is to be Portuguese. It has been awarded the World Heritage status. You can hear it at night in a fado house or in a traditional neighbourhood.

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Cycle through some lovely Portuguese cities, like the city of Montijo, strongly marked by the river. Like most of the localities of Ribatejo, Montijo has the tradition of the “brava” celebration, being bulls and bullfights an essential characteristic of the city's parties. Enter Pinhal Novo, which used to be the biggest vineyard in the country and, nowadays, it's an expanding urban centre. It is located near the Arrabida Natural Park. Bike along the pine-brushed coastline of Parque Natural da Arrábida. End this first journey on a ferry to the pristine setting of the Tróia Peninsula, unquestionably one of Portugal's best-kept secrets. The peninsula stands at the tip of a narrow spit of land comprised mostly of white sandy beaches fringed with shifting dunes and emerald pine forests. Much of the territory is set within the confines of a nature reserve, the Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado, a protected wildlife haven with a wealth of bird-watching possibilities.

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Starting the day with some extensive sandy beaches, you will head towards Vila Nova de Santo André. This is a very multicultural city, which received a lot of people from Portuguese former colonies. The extensive forest that protects Santo André is a good example of the harmonious respect between the protection of the environment and the industrial development. Cycle through Comporta, a protected nature reserve and once fisherman village, now famous for its paradisiacal-looking beaches, of great quality, and mild weather during the summer. Finishing the day you will be passing through the village of Melides, which dates back to the XIXth century. This village emerged as a small clump of fishermen and farmers. Its inhabitants are mainly dedicated to farming the land and handcraft activities, such as pottery and the making of cork stoppers.

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You will cycle in the direction of Milfontes. Milfontes

You will cycle in the direction of Milfontes. Milfontes is the perfect combination of History and Nature because it is situated on a beautiful coastline and it has been a region often raided by pirates. You will have the opportunity to discover the city of Sines where Vasco da Gama was born, the Portuguese explorer and first European to reach India by sea, connecting the West and the Orient in the 15th century. Nowadays it's remarkably known for receiving 50% of the countries’ exportations. The village of Porto Covo is one of the most sought-after by locals and tourists. With a spacious and sheltered beach, "Praia Grande", it is one of the busiest during the summer.

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Quieter than Vila Nova de Milfontes, Zambujeira do Mar attracts more backpackers and surfers. Being a small seaside town on the coast of Alentejo, in western Portugal, it has some lovely sandy beaches and picture-perfect traditional architecture, making it a small but loved destination for visitors. The town has some charming traditional buildings. Among the most notable ones are the fountains of Amores and Santa Catarina and the small, whitewashed chapel of Nossa Senhora do Mar. The beach is about 500 meters from the town of Almograve. It is a shallow but extensive beach with low tide, providing authentic natural pools.

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First, you will be passing by Aljezur, an attractive village that straddles a river, its western part is Moorish, with a collection of cottages below a ruined 10th-century hilltop castle. Vestiges of the old harbour can be seen in the narrow alleys that give access to the Ribeira de Aljezur. The 40km of coastline around Aljezur offers some of the most pristine and scenic beaches in Europe, with the whole area of river estuaries, sheer cliffs, and dense marshes rich in bird and animal life. As the Alentejo turns into the Algarve, the last coastal settlement is Odeceixe, an endearing small town with a beach classified as one of the 7 Wonders. The beach presents a high-quality landscape and biodiversity, being able to enjoy a landscape of rare and enormous beauty at the top of the cliffs. It is in fact in this Natural Park, the only place in the world where you can observe the storks that nest on the cliffs.

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Leaving Aljezur to enter the surf-central Carrapateira, a peaceful village with two nearby beaches with strong swells, which commonly attract surfers and visitors from Lisbon. The coast along this area is wild, with copper-coloured and ash-grey cliffs. Its landmarks include an old fort, a church, and its high reddish rock formations, which look deceptively similar to Cape St. Vincent, in the southwest corner of Portugal. Carrapateira was traditionally a dangerous area for sailing ships. The extremely fast southbound current and the jutting headland that made it a dangerous lure for shipwrecks in the past also create the conditions that have made it a popular surfing destination in recent years.

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A region of dramatic natural scenery, comprising of raging seas, towering cliffs, and vast beaches, you are now cycling toward Sagres. There is little historical or architectural interest as the original town bore the full brunt of the 1755 earthquake. Situated within a few kilometres from Europe's most southwestern point, stands Cape St. Vincent. The ferocious waves of the Atlantic Ocean pound the massive cliffs, while high above the immense lighthouse, a light warns ships of the existence of these dangerous cliffs. The narrow streets that surround the main church contain many houses typical of the old Algarve, with whitewashed walls, bands of bright color, and carved stonework around doors and windows.

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Lagos is a historic and lively city that offers visitors glorious beaches, nightlife, and a charming historical centre. Extending to the east of Lagos, you can find the 4km long "Meia Praia" Beach, which is the longest sandy beach on the western side of the Algarve. Located about halfway between Lagos and Sagres there’s a picturesque fishing village, the little village of Salema. It is a paradise for those who are seeking tranquillity and an escape from the crowded areas, where biking opportunities abound. The village is home to a number of fishermen who still cast their nets daily and moor their fishing boats on the shore. Finishing off this ride, the "Luz" beach has a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, as the town has a significant permanent community of retired or emigrated expats. You’ll surely enjoy having the last stop of this fulfilling trip, beautiful beach with lots of sights that provide a lovely and relaxing place to rest.

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Departure from Lagos.

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