Eastern Algarve Cycling Break

Day 1: Loulé
Upon your arrival in Algarve, a private transfer will take you to your first hotel in Loulé, just a few kms up the road from Faro. Loulé is a quaint traditional market town that has escaped mass tourism and retains a traditional and relaxed feel. It’s an explorer’s haven, with narrow cobbled streets leading off the central Avenida, tiny shops and hidden bars and restaurants. You can easily spend an hour or two strolling through the fascinating old town with its quaint old buildings, visiting art galleries, museums, chapels and picking up souvenirs at the indoor market. Later you can dine on fresh local products and finish your evening off with a coffee and liqueur in one of the many street cafés frequented by locals as much as visitors.

Day 2: Loulé to Tavira: (54km/+484m)
Cycling along the main avenue, past the market building and central fountain, it’s easy to find the road out of town. Heading East, you pass through the town of  São Bras de Alportel, a mixture of old and new that used to thrive on the cork industry but now relies more on crafts and tourism. The old part of this town hosts a museum that’s worth a visit. Leaving São Bras, the N2 takes you downhill towards the town of Estoi, famous for its well preserved Roman ruins, the Pousada Palace and a pretty church square. Even quieter roads will lead you to Moncarapacho, an unhurried horticultural town with cobbled streets, traditional houses and a pink, Arabic-style police station! From here you will climb steadily into a stunning area of pine covered hills and valleys abundant with orange trees. You will follow the path along the river as it winds its way through the hills along tree-shaded roads and down into Tavira, one of the prettiest towns on the Algarve coast, built either side of the River Gilão, home to a castle, an old Roman bridge and a wealth of traditional architectural styles. Several cafés and many restaurants make the town an easy place to visit and have a relaxing wander around. The hotel overlooks the river and all that the town has to offer is within walking distance.

Day 3: Tavira – Vile Real de S. António – Tavira (64km/+468m)
Cycling inland from the coast, today’s route follows the Gilão river upstream, and then heads in an easterly direction towards Spain. This is a beautiful countryside ride along quiet, almost deserted roads, through undulating agricultural landscapes. After a coffee break in the small town of Vila Nova de Caçela, you continue towards Castro Marim, almost on the banks of the Guadiana River (natural border with Spain). Dominated by the old castle, Castro Marim is a town with plenty of history. Just down the road you will find the old border town of  Vila Real de Santo António, where you can look across the river to Spain. Largely rebuilt after the great earthquake of 1755, Vila Real was recreated on a grid system, but it still retains a character of its own. The ride back to Tavira is along the coast and will pass through the coastal resorts of Monte Gordo and Altura, as well as the ancient village of Caçela Velha, where you can stop for a drink whilst absorbing the panoramic views across the lagoon. From here you will enjoy a relaxing ride along dirt tracks and quiet roads, through the picturesque fishing village of Cabanas, before passing by the salt flats on the way back into Tavira.

Please note that it is possible to take the train between Tavira and Vila Real, one way or the other, for those wishing to ride less than the suggested 64km.

Day 4: Tavira to Olhão (30km/+182m)
This morning is a fairly gentle ride along the coast in the direction of Faro, passing though the quaint little seaside village of Santa Luzia, famous for octopus fishing. Continuing to Pedras del Rei, you may spot the little train that takes sunbathers to the beach of Barril and the old tuna fishing village. Your next stop is Fuseta, where several fish restaurants with outdoor charcoal grills and excellent views across the water will make this a tempting place to stop for lunch. From here you join the Ecovia Litoral (a dedicated cycling path that spans across the Algarve from East to West). You are now in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, a UNESCO heritage site situated on low lying coastline amidst a maze of lagoons, channels, salt marshes and islands. The views across the salt flats, where salt is still extracted using traditional methods, are simply breathtaking. After a gentle, flat ride along the coast, during which you can enjoy the cooling sea breeze coming from the Atlantic ocean, you will reach Olhão, your final destination. Still the hub of the fishing industry, but with a charming old town, it is renowned for its Moorish architecture. It’s the perfect place to sample local specialities at local prices! If you have enough time, you can take a ferry to one of the small islands, just a short hop, where deserted beaches and great fish restaurants can be found.
Private transfer to the airport and end of services.