Live, Love, Ride – Cycling in Portugal

The Algarve

Terrain Profile: Mixed. Flat sections by the sea, but can get mountainous inland.

Type of ride: Great for mid to long rides, 60 to 120kms. Great variety of rides, from flat sections to climbing up to the top of the Fóia.

Best time of the year: February to June, October to November.

The Algarve is rightly known for it’s beaches, so once you’ve finished your ride why not go for a relaxing paddle with the family?

How to arrive and explore: Arrive at Faro airport and establish your base at one of the many great hotels in the region, which is a well-known tourist destination. Herdade dos Salgados or Vale do Lobo are great places to start your rides from, whether to the east or west of the region. It’s easy to plan rides that will start and end at your hotel.

Region description: The Algarve is known for it’s great weather and beaches and rightfully so: you can ride during the winter and enjoy warm, temperate weather during February, March or April. It’s beaches are some of the best in the world and provide great ocean side rides and viewpoints over the cliffs.

On roads close to the sea, you’ll get to ride flatter sections and can even practice your tempo or time trial skills on routes famously ridden by pro riders like Tony Martin in the Volta ao Algarve. Ride all the way to Sagres – the westernmost point of the Algarve – along the cliffs at Ferragudo or go for an easier ride by the Ria Formosa Natural Park, where you’ll get to see some of the region’s amazing natural fauna and flora.

Take your time to explore Portugal, in company or on your own

Routes inland offer a chance to explore an Algarve that’s off the usual tourist routes, where the roads are narrow and cars are few and far between. Here you should tackle the Serra de Monchique, which you can reach by Marmelete, Silves or Portimão and ride up the Fóia, the highest peak of the region at 902 meters. Riding to the Alto do Malhão is also a great climbing stage to tackle, as is the Barranco do Velho.

The Algarve is a great option for cycling in a group or with the family, as you get to balance beautiful morning rides with relaxing afternoons by the Algarve beaches.

Tours and events: You can join more than 1000 other cyclists and ride the Algarve Granfondo, which occurs during February, or book a cycling weekend during the Volta ao Algarve in February. You can also book tours or cycling holidays throughout the year.