Wild Algarve Cycling Tour

Day 1: Odeceixe (Arrival)
You will arrive in the village of Odeceixe, where a drink in the square and a stroll to the old windmill will welcome you to the wild coast. In the late afternoon your local hosts will run through the route and your bikes, and in the evening you will settle in with dinner at one of the village's restaurants.

Day 2: Odeceixe – Aljezur (34 km; +250 m)
You will set off along quiet secondary roads and dirt tracks toward the beach and river of Odeceixe, stopping at a wild beach with a café before rolling into Aljezur. There you will discover the village's local artist shop, gallery and small museums. One short descent may be easier on foot.

Day 3: Aljezur – Pedralva (40 km; +360 m)
A demanding start with some steep asphalt climbs will give way to mostly flat and downhill dirt tracks. You will pass a coastal fortress and dramatic cliffs, the hamlet of Bordeira with its Manueline-style church, and Carrapateira, home to the Fisherman's Museum, before reaching the restored village of Pedralva.

Day 4: Pedralva – Sagres (38 km; +325 m)
Riding good, mostly flat dirt tracks, you will make your way to the Sanctuary of Guadalupe and on to Cape St. Vincent, the dramatic south-western tip of Europe. The day ends in Sagres, where the imposing sea-facing fortress stands guard over the ocean.

Day 5: Sagres – Lagos (46 km; +550 m)
The rolling road hugs the ocean with short but frequent climbs, as the cliffs shift from black schist to orange sandstone. You will pause at sea arches and crystal-clear beaches before arriving in Lagos, a lively coastal town with a cosmopolitan atmosphere and a charming historic centre.

Day 6: Lagos – Tavira (35 km; +160 m)
A transfer will carry you from Lagos to Olhão, where you will ride mostly flat roads into the Ria Formosa Natural Park. You will visit a pottery village, watch fishermen at work and often spot flamingoes in the lagoon before reaching the elegant historic centre of Tavira.

Day 7: Tavira – Vila Real de Santo António (35 km; +150 m)
You will roll east along flat roads to Cacela Velha and its sweeping lagoon views, past salt lakes where you may try an open-air salt-mud spa. A visit to a local pastry factory and an organic farm of fig and carob trees rounds off the ride into Vila Real de Santo António.

Day 8: Departure
After breakfast, your Portugal cycling adventure comes to an end with a transfer to Faro airport.