Biking the Rota Vicentina

The tour is suitable for relatively fit regular cyclists seeking an active holiday, spending much of the day in the saddle and experiencing a region and discovering its variety over longer daily distances. You'll explore both the Alentejo and Algarve regions of Portugal. This is a varied ride on both coastal and inland trails through Portugal's magnificent wild Natural Park, rewarding you with exceptional coastal views and delicious Portuguese food and wine. Stay in boutique casa-style guesthouses and hotels, all of which offer a warm Portuguese hospitality.

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Leisure Cycling | Leisure Cycling

Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 16 Years

This cycling tour is graded as moderate. The grade is determined on the basis of the entire trip. Individual days may vary in terms of difficulty, i.e. some rides may be slightly more difficult or easier than the overall grade. The terrain is rolling, with some longer ascents and descents on quiet country roads, forest tracks and coastal trails, with the occasional short stretch on busier roads as you approach towns. The terrain on this tour is mainly off-road on gravel tracks, with small sections of rugged path as you go inland, or sandy tracks by the coast, though the hired Trek bikes are robust with fabulous suspension, providing a comfortable ride. Please note that during wet weather, the tracks can become muddy with puddles in places, and extra care must be taken here. If you're uncomfortable with wet off-road terrain, we recommend cycling this route in the drier months of the year. 

It's suitable for relatively fit and regular cyclists, seeking an active holiday. You'll spend much of the day in the saddle, experiencing two regions of Portugal. You'll cycle a total of 282.5km (excluding the optional 32km loop ride at Odeceixe, where we have built in a rest day), with a daily distance ranging from 32km-70km. The daily total elevation ranges from 200m to 403m. E-bikes are available on this tour should you decide to have battery powered assistance on this tour, allowing more time to relax at the accommodation and cool down by the pool after your day's ride. 

Stay in boutique hotels and casa-style guesthouses, all of which are a 3 or 4-star level. All are either equipped with a swimming pool or located near a beach, allowing you the opportunity to cool down after a days ride. These accommodations are subject to availability and therefore alternatives of an equal standard may be offered.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. We also welcome solo riders on this tour, again a supplement is payable.

Meals

Breakfasts are included each day. Lunch (or a packed lunch) can be bought locally from markets or cafes. Dinners can either be purchased at your accommodation, or in towns/nearby villages, with many restaurants serving delicious local cuisine.

Please note that turn-by-turn directions or a roadbook are not available on this route, and navigation is done via the GPX tracks on the Macs Adventure App. You'll be following the official Rota Vicentina waymarking for a lot of the way. With both the App and waymarking, navigation and finding your way will be relatively easy. You will also have the support of our local partner nearby should you need this.

We offer this tour year-round, though the nicest months of the year are March to June, and then from September to November. July and August can experience extremely high temperatures, making it very hot to cycle. If you cycle in the springtime you can expect to see the inland areas covered with wildflowers and enjoy pleasant temperatures. The autumn months of September to November are also very mild. For keen birdwatchers, the autumn migration period from late August to mid-November brings lots of seabirds. For nesting birds such as the Alpine Swift visit during the spring. The winter months can be a bit more wet, making the terrain more difficult due to muddy sections with puddles, and extra care must be taken during this time. If you're uncomfortable with wet off-road terrain, we recommend cycling this route in the drier months. Most accommodations either have swimming pools or are located close to the beach, so there are plenty of opportunities to unwind and cool down at the end of your ride. Or why not cool down in the sea at one of the spectacular beaches along your way on the ride.

By Air: Setubal is easily reached from Lisbon Airport, which is 7km from the city centre. From Lisbon Airport, take the Aerobus into the city centre (approx. 5 Euros), and then another bus to Setubal (journey time approx. 45 min). This second bus is operated by www.rede-expressos.pt and costs approx. 6 Euros. Lisbon's Metro rail service also also links you up to and from the city centre and the airport. Taxis from the airport to the city centre cost approx. 25 Euros.

Train: There is also a train station in Setubal, with a direct train leaving from Lisbon, taking approx. 1 hour.

Taxi: An Uber from Lisbon to Setubal costs approximately 30-40 Euros.

By Air: The closest airport to Sagres is Faro Airport. To get to the airport from Sagres, we have included a transfer for ease. We can also include a transfer to Faro train station or to a hotel in Faro should you wish to spend the night there (please let us know in advance if you wish to do so). From the centre of Faro, shuttle buses operate to the airport for you to make your own way to the airport if you spend an extra night in Faro (15 min). 

For those travelling further afield and who need to return to Lisbon Airport, you would first need to make your way from Sagres to Lagos by bus (journey time approx. 1 hour), from where you can catch another bus to Lisbon (journey time approx. 4 hours, operated by www.rede-expressos.pt). 

Private Transfers: We can also arrange a private transfer to take you from your hotel in Sagres back to Lisbon Airport, at an additional cost (journey time approx. 3 hours).

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 15kg per person.