Guided Group Dates
22 - 29 March 2018 - Available
14 -21 April 2018 - Available
12 - 19 May 2018 - Available
26 May - 02 June 2018 - Available
09 -16 June 2018 - Available
07 - 14 July 2018 - Available
04 - 11 August 2018 - Available
01 - 08 September 2018 - Available
15 - 22 September 2018 - Available
06 - 13 October 2018 - Available
Daily Programme
1st Day - Arrival
Arrival at Lisbon Airport and transfer to Sesimbra
2nd Day - The Arrábida Natural Park
Cycling from Sesimbra to Setúbal.
3rd Day - The Wine and Rice Fields Tour
Cycling from Setúbal to Carvalhal.
4th Day - The Lagoons Tour
Cycling from Santo André to Santiago do Cacém.
5th Day - From the Castle to the Beach
Cycling from Santiago do Cacém to Porto Covo.
6th Day - The Fishing Coves Route
Cycling from Porto Covo to Vila Nova de Milfontes.
7th Day - The Cliffs Route
Cycling from Vila Nova de Milfontes to Odeceixe.
8th Day - Departure
Transfer to Lisbon Airport (3 hours)
This cycling tour on the SW Atlantic coast of Portugal take you through pristine natural parks with swimming in the cool blue waters of the Atlantic every day.
Taste the fresh fish with awarded Alentejo wines and enjoy our famous picnics, the true definition of a gourmet luxury light meal in the white sands of secluded beaches…there is nothing quite like it!
Easy level safe routes with a challenge here and there will make for a relaxing and fun ridewhile you live the present, learn about the past and discover the future of the oldest andsunniest country in Europe.
There are 3 ways of taking this tour:
- Fully-Guided (the guide acompanying you)
- Van-Guided (having the support car guiding you)
- Self-Guided (with friends in a self-guided tour)
Highlights
- Bike Tour along the protected SW coast of Portugal.
- Cycling and Beaches as many as you want, high cliffs and hidden coves to explore.
- A gastronomical experience of wine, food, pastry and the unforgetable picnics at the beach.
- Fun and relaxing days at your own pace.
1st Day - Arrival
Arrival at Lisbon Airport and transfer to Sesimbra, a picturesque fisherman’s village 40 minutes away from Lisbon.
6 p.m. – Welcome drink and first briefing, followed by a superb freshly caught fish dinner at a local restaurant (welcome drink and dinner included in van guided and guided tours only)
ACCOMMODATION
Sana Park Hotel Sesimbra 4* with swimming pool.
2nd Day - The Arrábida Natural Park
Cycling from Sesimbra to Setúbal.
Today’s bike tour will start with a visit to Sesimbra and a picturesque fisherman’s market followed by a climb to the castle built in the 12th century to watch over the port. Then the wonderful Arrábida Natural Park will keep you company until the picnic by the sea. You will be impressed…After an unforgettable lunch and swim having the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other you will cycle to Setubal, the day’s destination, a vibrant and prosperous city.
Distances: 40kms
Total ascent: 780 mts (see optional levels below - easier and challenging)
Level: Medium
Terrain: Hilly but gorgeous route, well worth the effort! Four longer climbs, three if you start from the castle.
Other Options: You can cut the first 4 kms and 250 mts of climbing taking the car transfer up to the castle. This will make your day much easier! You will then cycle 36 kms and 530 mts of climbing.
Optional challenging level: If you feel super fit you can cycle more on mountain route: 19 kms with extra ascent of 250 mts.
Picnic and dinner included in van guided and guided tours only
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel do Sado Setubal 4*
3rd Day - The Wine and Rice Fields Tour
Cycling from Setúbal to Carvalhal.
The day’s bike tour ride will start with a visit to Setubal downtown followed by the ferry crossing over the Sado river, home to a healthy resident dolphin population. Riding in the peninsula of Troia, surrounded by sand dunes of this once island, you will get to our wine tasting. After we ride to the beach for a swim and another wonderful picnic on the 50km long white sandy beach, the biggest in Portugal. After lunch the wild egrets and storks will keep you company through the rice fields, a prosperous Moorish heritage, until the transfer stop. Or, if you are feeling strong, you can carry on and reach Santo André cycling.
Distances: 35 Kms
Total ascent: 440mts
Level: Easy
Terrain: Flat, 6 kms of dirt roads.
Other Options: Optional extra kms cycling to Santo Andre: 36kms
Optional extra ascent: 100 mts - in this case you cycle to the hotel
Transfer: At the end of the day to Santo Andre
Wine tasting, picnic and dinner included in van-guided and guided tours only
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel Vila Park 3* with swimming pool
4th Day - The Lagoons Tour
Cycling from Santo André to Santiago do Cacém. After the initial warm up, explore a couple of ecosystems of fresh water lagoons, a wild life heaven. After a drink by the sea, we ride to a unique outdoor library made of marble, followed by a picnic under a cork oak forest. Then we pay a visit to a small, family run, olive mill, several generations old. The ride ends in Santiago, a very interesting and old small town with great aristocratic architecture and a castle with unforgettable views.
Distances: 36kms
Total ascent: 450 mts
Level: Medium
Terrain: Gentle rolling roads with final climb, 3 kms of dirt roads Picnic included in van-guided and guided tours only. Dinner not included.
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel Dom Nuno 3* with swimming pool.
5th Day - From the Castle to the Beach
Cycling from Santiago do Cacém to Porto Covo. You cannot leave Santiago without exploring its rich history filled with knights and damsels in distress. The view from the top of the castle is well worth the small climb. From there you can see into the past and the future. Santiago is also the land of wind, so with the visit to the last operating windmill we say farewell to this town and head towards the coastline through a lush green oak forest. The aqua blue ocean and warmer waters by the schist cliffs will frame the beach picnic and the last kilometers to the hotel in the enchanting fisherman’s village of Porto Covo. The beach coves are impressive and 5 minutes away from the hotel you can go for a swim.
Distances:35kms
Total ascent: 440 mts
Level: Easy
Terrain: Gradual climb at the beginning and then downhill and flat. Some dirt roads. Picnic included in van-guided and guided tours only. Dinner not included.
ACCOMMODATION
Pensão Zé Inácio in Porto Covo - equivalent to 2* hotel.
6th Day - The Fishing Coves Route
Cycling from Porto Covo to Vila Nova de Milfontes.
The fortification that used to protect the natural harbour against pirate attacks is the first stop of this bike tour day. The peach island poses for our pictures. Soon after there is the opportunity of walking in to the ocean, a really defying experience in this fishing harbour where the unloading of the fish and the Lamprey drying in the sun is a fascinating site. The lunch in a restaurant overvlooking the beach will close the morning. The afternoon can be spent at the beach or wandering the small streets and shops of Vila Nova de Mil Fontes. Later enjoy the ride to Monte do Zambujeiro (farm/hotel) with stunning views and the perfect end to the day.
Distances: 24kms
Total ascent: 350 mts
Level: Easy
Terrain: Flat roads and some dirt roads
Lunch and dinner included in guided tours only. Dinner tonight will be at the farm/hotel.
ACCOMMODATION
Monte do Zambujeiro
7th Day - The Cliffs Route
Cycling from Vila Nova de Milfontes to Odeceixe.
On the last bike tour day set the camera to landscape mode and cycle through roads only used only by the locals, mostly easy dirt roads with some a little more challenging. Photograph the rocks sticking out of the ocean ornamented by storks nests, the unexplored hidden coves and small beaches, the views over cliffs and ocean with an impressive array of colors and contrasts.
Capture all these moments and share them… it’s defintley selfie time!!
The setting for the last picnic is a beach, walled by tilted cliffs inviting you to a lazy afternoon basking in the sun. Then when the time is right Odeceixe waits at the journey’s end with a rewarding dinner celebration with a few surprises in a traditional atmosphere. But not before visiting the natural Portuguese wonder that is Odeceixe beach as the sun waves you goodbye.
Distances: 54kms
Total ascent: 320 mts
Level: Easy
Terrain: Flat roads and many dirt roads – alternative asphalt options available
Other Options:
Optional extra 7 kms
Optional extra ascent: 50 mts – to beautiful beach surrounded by black schist rocks
Picnic and dinner included in guided tours only.
ACCOMMODATION
Pensão Celeste or Pensão Dona Maria - equivalent to 2* hotel
Possible to up grade to Casas do Moinho
8th Day - Departure
Transfer to Lisbon Airport (3 hours)
Additional Information
On self-guided tours you are expected to know how to fix small problems in your bike. You should be an independent traveller, used to reading maps, route instructions and manage your own time. You will bike at your rhythm and do "as you please". From us you will get 24 hours support by phone, maps, route instructions and history notes. We will also give you suggestions of places to eat. The down sides will be not to have the support car to pick you up if you get tired and not to have the company and expertise of our guides, which are like family to us and will be like family to you!
On Van-guided tours the guide will be the driver. He/she will guide you from a distance. The car will be near enough so that you can see it on the junctions. The guide will stop at important or interesting places to give history explanations or tell a story. Some people call this a supported tour, though in our case it is more than that because you are actually being guided. Lunches are picnic type with traditional foods from the area where we are cycling. Some times we also use local restaurants. Though price, most of the times, includes meals, we can give you a price with no meals if you prefer to have a more independent trip.
On Guided tours groups are accompanied by one or two cycling guides, besides a guide who takes the support car, prepares the picnics and transports your luggage. Lunches are picnic type with traditional foods from the area where we are cycling. Some times we also use local restaurants. With dinners arranged by us, you can be sure you will try the best gastronomy as we choose the restaurants well known to us for their excellent traditional food. No «touristy» places included!
Our guides are all Portuguese and know our region very well. They are very service minded and most of them have been working with us for many years. They are bikers themselves and love to go cycling on their holidays, so they know what you expect from them! On van guided or guided cycling tours you can expect full service from our guides. They will do their best to make your holiday an unforgettable one.
Prices
7 Day Tour - Self-Guided
From £1280 per person
7 Day Tour - Van-Guided
From £2205 per person
7 Day Tour - Guided
From £2105 per person
Holiday Prices
2017 Guideline Prices are per person based on 2 persons sharing a room and include:
Self-Guided Tour
- Return flights to Lisbon (other UK airports available)
- Transfers to and from Lisbon Airport
- 7 nights based on a double room at hotels (as specified in itinerary) including breakfast
- Bicycle with helmet, front bag, back rack, tool kit and pannier or similar
- Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel
- Detailed maps, route descriptions and history notes
- 24 hour phone support
- Personal accident and third party insurance for the tour days
Van-Guided Tour
Includes all of the above for the Self Guided Tour plus:
- Support car during the 6 cycling days
- Guide who drives van and meets cyclists enroute giving advice and information
- Water and Fruit each day
- 6 Lunches (including 5 catered picnics)
- 5 Dinners with wine or soft drinks
- 1 Wine Tasting
- Ferry crossing
- Free Portugal Best Cycling Jersey
Guided Tour
Includes all the above for the Van Guided Tour plus:
- Guide to ride with each group (one or two guides depending on group size.
