Cycling the Algarve's Rota Vicentina

8 days

from

$2,279 USD

incl. taxes

View Dates & Prices

Cycling

Activity level:

Leisurely / Moderate

Trip code:

C07RV

Way to Travel:

Self-Guided Holidays

Activity:

Self-Guided Cycling

From the Alentejo region to Cabo de Sao Vicente which marks the most south-westerly point of Europe, follow the 'Rota Vicentina Historical Way' by longing rugged coastline with amazing views over cliffs and large sandy beaches. Stop and relax in quaint peaceful fishing villages to taste the rich local cuisine that serves the best the sea has.

This ride leads you through a natural reserve and the 'Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina Natural Park'. Longing the ocean, you can fully enjoy the landscape and appreciate the surprises nature has to offer, such as wild flowers, bird watching. Admire breath-taking view and relax on one of the unspoilt beach or inlet.

End your trip in the Algarve region, along beautiful coastlines enjoying a mix of golden sandy beaches and rugged cliff tops, and pass through pretty villages, some of which seem unaffected by the outside world.

Highlights

Follow the cycling path Rota Vicentina from Setubal to the Cape Sao Vicente
Cycle the most beautiful and well-preserved coast of Europe (Natural Park)
Wonderful peaceful beaches, quaint fishermen's villages and delicious regional cuisine and seafood

What's included

7 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation in a mix of 2 star, 3 star and 4 star hotels
All Breakfast included
Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent
GPS Route directions and maps
High quality bikes
Luggage transfers between hotels

What's not included

Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations

Call for general departures:

1 844 227 9087

Call for private group trips:

1 844 227 9087

Enquire Today

Live Chat

Request a Brochure

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Days of Cycling

Day by day breakdown

Day 265.0km/40.0miles

Day 350.0km/31.0miles

Day 455.0km/34.0miles

Day 530.0km/18.5miles

Day 652.0km/32.0miles

Day 752.0km/32.0miles

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Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…

Itinerary

Expand all

Setubal

Vila do Bispo

Day 1
Arrival in Setubal
Transfer from Lisbon airport to your hotel.

Located on the Sado river bank, explore Setubal and wander in the town centre to the convent and the fort where you can enjoy fantastic views over the city and the river.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 2
Setubal - Santo Andre
Start with a ferry crossing through the Sado Estuary Natural Reserve. Enjoy bird watching during this short journey. This reserve is a protected area for many species such as storks. The most friendly local inhabitants and symbol of the Nature Reserve are the dolphins. It's rare to find them in Europe, freely swimming in their natural habitat, but here is an important colony.

Then, cycle through rice fields and along beaches. Right by Santo Andre Lagoon, and part of a Nature Reserve, the Costa de Santo Andre Beach is a long stretch of sand with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the calm waters of the lagoon on the other. Surrounded by golden dunes, this beach with its challenging waters is very popular among surfers.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3
Santo Andre - Vila Nova de Milfontes
Ride through quaint villages until Sao Torpes Beach very popular for surfing. Continue your ride on the coastline before reaching Porto Covo, a picturesque fishermen's village which is a mix of whitewashed cottages, cobbled streets and pretty squares perched on the low cliff tops of the Alentejo coast. In the village, all roads lead to the little fishing harbour which clings to the side of a deep natural inlet.

Then arrive in Vila Nova de Milfontes located on the Mira river banks and offers large beaches on the coastline and is surrounded by unspoilt rural countryside.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4
Vila Nova de Milfontes - Rogil
Follow the 'Rota Vicentina Historical Way' punctuated with many highlights such as Almograve, a quaint village. Almograve Beach with red cliffs and dunes is one of the most beautiful beaches along this rocky coastline and is part of the Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina Natural Park.

Continue to Sardao Cape a natural and unspoilt site offering stunning views; Then, ride to Zambujeira do Mar, a quaint fishing village. This place offers an excellent view over the beach, and is a small and very peaceful village. The beautiful beaches are one of the main attractions as its natural environment is one of the best preserved of this region.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 5
At Rogil
Today’s ride will lead you through the Natural Park of Costa Vicentina. Follow the rugged coastline to Odeceixe village which is very popular for its beach and surfing spot.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 6
Rogil - Vila do Bispo
Cycle along several beaches that will mesmerize your memory such as the beach of Amoreira and Amado. Enjoy breath-taking views over the cliffs protecting long sandy beaches. You´ll arrive in Vila do Bispo, a peaceful village with its narrow streets and whitewashed houses. Discover virgin beaches, a rich culture and wonderful seafood.
Day 7
Vila do Bispo - Sagres - Vila do Bispo
Ride to Cordoama beach overlooked by cliffs. Surrounded by foaming Atlantic waves, Cabo de Sao Vicente marks the most south-westerly point of Europe. The path to the edge of the continent should prove to be one of the highlights of your week! You are spoilt with amazing coastal scenery on this wild and unpopulated route that follows sandy paths and gorse-strewn meadows to the very edge of the Iberian Peninsula. At the Cape there is a lighthouse, museum and small bar, offering wonderful photo opportunities.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 8
Leave Vila do Bispo
Transfer from your hotel to Faro airport.
Meals included: Breakfast

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Essential Info

Visas

Portugal

No visa required for British passport holders.

For further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers

Vaccinations

Portugal

There are no specific health risks.

Eating and Drinking

Taste the delicious regional cuisine, seafood, fresh fish and the appetising dishes. In the Alentejo, a meal starts with a variety of appetizers. Cured ham, or Presunto de Barrancos, are local delicacies, and goat and sheep cheeses usually accompany thin slices of cured ham. Olives, whether black or green, harvested from olive groves throughout the Alentejo are a staple.

Other Alentejo specialties include roasted peppers, bread stews and octopus salad flavoured with onion and peppers seasoned in olive oil. On the fish side, there is rich fish stew, fresh crab, grilled fish and octopus.

Good quality meat is also on the menu, beef and pork are of a high quality and lamb in season is superb. Vegetables are plentiful and with big harvests of almonds and oranges, fruits are in good supply alongside another local vegetable, the sweet potato.

The Algarve’s other surprise is the quality of cheese; from mild to strong using cow, goat or sheep milk there is a great range of cheeses for all tastes, Queijo de Cabra do Algarve, is a particular favourite.

Weather

Coastal areas of Portugal can be known to be quite windy.However, the climate here is long, warm summers and mild winters, with most rain falling in the winter months, but possible in all other months. Seasons are marked, with pleasant temperatures in the spring, in the summer and in the autumn. Heat waves can push up temperatures between mid June and September.

Is this trip for you?

Classification: Self-Guided
No. of days Cycling: 6
Terrain: Mostly gently undulating with a couple of short but steepish descents/climbs on most days. Rides are on coastal routes and tracks following the Rota Vicentina.

Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to cycle independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodations, provide you with GPS route directions so that you can cycle at your own pace.

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There may be others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The route notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies.

Call for general departures:

1 844 227 9087

Call for private group trips:

1 844 227 9087

Enquire Today

Live Chat

Request a Brochure

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Accommodation