Lisbon to Algarve Ride

Cycle one of the most pristine coastlines in southern Europe

Portugal’s southerly Alentejo and Algarve regions are a treasure trove of scenic delights, particularly when explored by bike. Home to the Rota Vicentina, this remarkably quiet network of walking and cycling trails has been nurtured by independent businesses to create a sustainable model for tourism.

This tour starts in Lisbon, the enchanting capital of Portugal, before we ride south and take in lush greenery, dramatic cliffs, hidden beaches and the topaz-blue ocean. Staying in some of the more traditional villages along the coast, we step away from the fast pace of modern life and delve into a culture rich in history and gastronomic delights. After a week of cycling through some of the most pristine landscapes in Portugal, we end in the laid-back village of Sagres, home to rugged coastal scenery and golden-sand beaches.

Responsible Travel

Tourism can be a real help to local communities, providing income, positive cultural exchanges, and a financial incentive to protect their natural environment. Ours is a 'total approach' to responsible tourism, covering everything from the way we plan and operate our trips to the practices of Exodus as a company.

As much as possible, we try to use hotels that are locally owned and employ local staff. When meals are provided, ingredients used are locally sourced wherever possible otherwise, our local guides will recommend and encourage clients to visit local restaurants and cafes to try local specialties.

Cycling tours actively encourages the group to chat with the locals, purchase local produce, gifts, and crafts to discover what life is really like in this part of Portugal. Furthermore, cycling trips have very little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents as it is a quiet, low impact activity requiring comparatively little resources to support. Most rides will be point to point hence, transport is barely needed during the week, further reducing our carbon footprint.

In March 2019, Exodus Travels launched the Exodus Travels Foundation where we support initiatives all around the world. But it cannot exist without travellers who care. Get involved or learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus here…

Visa

Portugal

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Portugal. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/portugal
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/portugal
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/portugal/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Portugal.html

Vaccination

Portugal

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus and rabies. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts and two distillery visits with tastings included.

A typical hotel breakfast consists of toast/bread with jam, or honey, cheese and ham, served with coffee, tea, milk, orange juice, fruit, cake and yoghurt. Eggs are usually available and there are frequently other cooked options; the breakfasts on this trip are always plentiful and perfect to set us up for a day of cycling.

Portuguese people are very proud of their cuisine, and the deliciously fresh seafood is a real highlight. You will find fresh fish on most menus, usually sardines, sea bream, hake, sea bass and sole, cooked in a variety of ways. Bacalhau (cured codfish) is a national dish although it can vary depending on the region – there are up to 365 recipes to cook it.

For meat lovers, the barrosã meat (steak) is often served grilled and roasted just to its naturally delicious flavour. Francesinha originates from Porto and involves layers of different meats (usually beef, ham, grilled pork, linguiça [smoke-cured pork sausage] and sausage), between two slices of bread, covered by melted cheese and immersed in a spicy beer-and-tomato sauce, often topped with a fried egg and surrounded by chips. It is not for the faint-hearted.

To drink, you will find plenty of the local Sagres and Superbock beer. Vinho verde is available from the supermarket and directly from producers. It is a young, medium-strength white wine with an almost carbonated quality. Port needs no introduction and a glass (or two) of the fortified wine will generally follow a hearty Portuguese meal.

There are an incredible number of different desserts available and if you have a sweet tooth it will be possible to try a different one each day. Local favourites include bolo de bolacha (cookie cake), leite creme (cream eggs and sugar), pão de ló (sponge cake made with lots of eggs), arroz doce (traditional rice pudding) and, of course, pastel de nata, which you will find at most cafes on your route.

Weather

Lisbon and the Algarve have a temperate maritime climate with a strong Mediterranean influence. 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, summer and autumn. Heatwaves can push temperatures up between mid-June and September.

Coastal areas of Portugal can be quite windy, but we are fortunate that this tends to be from north to south; which gives us an extra push while cycling.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is classified as Road; average daily distance is 30mi (48km); number of days cycling is six. We use mainly cycle paths and quiet roads where possible. Occasionally we will cross or ride along some busier roads. The first and last rides (Days 2 and 7) are shorter, mainly on flat and easy terrain, while Day 6 is the most challenging, with 2,132ft (650m) of ascent.

A support vehicle (with limited seats) will follow the group for approximately 25 percent of the cycling (at points known to be more challenging). For the rest of the time, the support driver will undertake other tasks to ensure the group’s comfort and safety, for example, delivering luggage to the next hotel prior to the group’s arrival.

The trip will require a good level of fitness as some of the rides are on undulating roads with occasional steep but short ascents (up to 2.5mi/4km). We strongly encourage you to request an electric bike prior to departure (available for a supplement) if you have limited cycling experience. This would improve your experience and ensure the trip is led at a comfortable pace for everyone in the group.

This trip has been rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate). Please see our Activity Level Guidelines for more information on classification and grading. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to call us.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.