Algarve Cycling Short Break
- Enjoy a mix of inland and coastal cycling routes
- Pedal past limestone cliffs and wild beaches for refreshing dips
- Explore Ria Formosa Natural Park, a wild paradise
- Indulge in traditional and delicious Portuguese cuisine
- Explore the hidden inland villages of the “real” Algarve
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in TaviraOur guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. If you have some free time on the first day, make sure to have a stroll around the city. Located right on the southern coast of Portugal, Tavira is a very pretty town with hilltop castle ruins, an ancient bridge, and other historic buildings and like most of the cities in the region, Tavira has a mix of Roman, Arabic, and Christian heritage. Depending on your arrival time, use your free time to discover its charming cobblestone streets, beautiful churches, and interesting things to see and do.
Situated in the centre of the historic Algarve town of Tavira, Vila Galé Tavira has Arab-inspired décor and offers spacious rooms and comfortable suites.
Explore the hidden secrets of the Algarve. Today you will cycle along calm and serene roads close to the Algarve hills. You will pass by small villages and ride along the old roads and rural paths, where you'll find a vast area of orange trees. A perfect moment to connect with nature. Ride back to Tavira, where you will be staying for another night.
Why not also enjoy a boat tour today, along the Ria Formosa (not included).
Ascent/Descent: 170m/160m
Situated in the centre of the historic Algarve town of Tavira, Vila Galé Tavira has Arab-inspired décor and offers spacious rooms and comfortable suites.
After a great and filling breakfast, you will start today’s journey in Tavira and ride along the incredible Ria Formosa, one of the most beautiful natural parks in the country. An absolute paradise for birdwatchers and part of the Natura 2000 Network. During this day, the views will be the highlight of the trip and provide some epic sights. You will also pass by Fuzeta, a fishing village full of character, famous for its traditional clay pottery and lively harbour. Admire the spectacle of colourful fishing boats and watch the many local fishermen land their catches or fix their nets in front of their huts. A day being close to the simple and traditional Portuguese life.
Ascent/Descent: 85m/118m
Faro Boutique Hotel is located in the centre of the Algarve capital and has modern rooms equipped with private bathrooms, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and some have seating areas as well as beautiful views of the city.
Today is your last cycling day and after a delicious breakfast, you will emerge into a scenery over the cliffs, where the ocean stretches as far as your eyes can see. This loop provides a mix of coastal beauty, cultural exploration, and countryside landscapes. You will get a chance to swim in Loulé Velho Beach, which is surrounded by a strip of cliffs with pine forest, and where an area of dunes form a barrier with a wetland. A bit further you will pass by a viewpoint called Vale do Lobo (or Wolf ́s Valley in English), offering stunning and unparalleled panoramic views of the ocean.
Ascent/Descent: 190m/190m
Faro Boutique Hotel is located in the centre of the Algarve capital and has modern rooms equipped with private bathrooms, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and some have seating areas as well as beautiful views of the city.
The tour finishes after breakfast. A short transfer will take you to Faro Airport for your onward journey.
This trip has a carbon score of 17kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 17kg is equivalent to 100 cans of coke. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?This short break cycling tour is a wonderful opportunity to explore contrasting landscapes of the Algarve in 3 cycling days. Enjoy a mixture of wonderful inland and coastal scenery and explore the “real” Algarve and its traditional villages. On the coast, enjoy the rugged cliffs, wild beaches and azure waters of the Atlantic. It's the perfect combination of riding through pristine nature, whilst also enjoying the hustle bustle that comes with staying in beautiful historic towns. This trip is suitable for relatively fit regular cyclists seeking an active holiday.
Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.
Leisure Cycling | Leisure Cycling
Solo Travellers, Families with Teens
The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years
This tour is graded easy to moderate and includes daily distances ranging from 38km to 50km. This grade is perfect for occasional riders seeking to discover a region from the saddle. Shorter daily mileages allow time to stop and take in the scenery, visit museums or stop for a long lunch before arriving at your destination. You may be cycling on dedicated cycle paths or quiet country roads with very occasional stretches on busier roads. Terrain will be largely easy-going but may be rolling or include 1 or 2 short steeper ascents/descents. These gains are mostly when you are cycling inland and on the coast it is much flatter, so the elevation gains each day vary significantly, but will be anywhere between 85m and 190m.
On your 5 day self-guided cycling tour in Portugal you will stay in 3 and 4-star hotels. The hotels are well-located in the village or town, and your hotel in Tavira is equipped with a swimming pool.
Single Rooms & Solo Cyclists
If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. Solo cyclists are also welcome for an additional charge.Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure app which has maps, GPS tracks, and daily route info. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you can’t get lost. The majority of the time you will be cycling on small roads or cycle paths, so it will be relatively easy to find your way. 80% of the time you will be cycling on paved roads and 20% of the time on dirt roads (off-road).
- 4 Nights in 3 and 4-star hotels
- All breakfasts
- Baggage transfers
- Airport transfer from Faro Airport to your first hotel
- Transfer from your last hotel to Faro Airport
- Orientation meeting
- GPX tracks and access to our smartphone app
- 24/7 Emergency support for our local partner and our office
- Travel to and from Lisbon / Faro
- Dinners, lunches, snacks & drinks
- Bike rental
- Admissions or entrances
- Personal equipment
- Travel insurance (required)
- Additional nights before or after the tour
- Bike rental
- Return transfers from Lisbon Airport to the start, and from the end points
This cycling tour is available to start any day of the week all year round, except July and August (when it is too hot).
Time of Year
This trip is best enjoyed most of the year apart from July and August. Everyone is different, you may feel a little more comfortable in the cooler months. You can start on any date that suits your travel plans.
By Air: Faro is the closest airport and it is an approximate 30 minute drive from here to Tavira, the location of your first hotel on the tour. Faro is serviced by at least one carrier from almost every regional airport in the UK. Direct flights from outside of London tend to be with the low cost carriers or charter flights. Flight time from London is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes.
This tour is also accessible from Lisbon which is also served by many airlines in the UK. From here to the starting point of the tour in Tavira, it is a 2 hr and 40 minute drive.
All transfers to and from the airport to the first and last hotels are included in the price.
Daily door to door baggage transfers is included in the price of your trip. We ask you to keep your baggage to a maximum weight 20kg.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat and sun screen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking/cycling gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
Bike Hire
Minimum age for
Brand |
Giant/FOCUS / Sensia (e-bikes) |
Bike Type |
Hybrid |
Frame types |
gents, ladies |
Sizes |
S, M, L |
Front suspension |
Yes |
Stand |
No |
Mud guards |
Yes |
Luggage rack Rear/Front |
Yes (optional) |
Paniers |
Yes (optional) |
Handle bar Bag/ map holder |
Yes (optional) |
Bottle holder/Water bottle |
Yes |
Computer meter |
GPS |
Interchangeable pedals |
Yes |
Front gear set |
3 (48,38,28) |
Back gear set |
8 (34,11) |
Brakes |
Hidraulic Disc |
Helmet included |
Yes |
Puncture repair kit |
Yes |
Spare inner tubes/ how many |
Yes/4 |
Pump |
Yes |
Lock |
Yes |
Our pre-departure information pack has detailed advice and a kit list on what to take. This includes cycling gear and lots of other useful bits and bobs.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable Travel Insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.
We suggest you book as far in advance as possible. We will always try and accommodate late bookings but realistically you need to book at least 6 weeks prior to departure.
Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard gear such as good, comfortable cycling, lightweight clothes, waterproofs and a day pack.
All baggage transfers are included. We request that you have only one piece of luggage per person and it should weigh only 20kg.
You will be provided with detailed route notes and maps to help you find your way. You will also be provided with a GPS unit loaded with the GPX tracks and you will be shown how to use it at your orientation meeting. The majority of the time you will be cycling on small roads or cycle paths, so it will be relatively easy to find your way. 80% of the time you will be cycling on paved roads and 20% of the time on dirt roads (off-road).
Please refer to the sections "Grade & Terrain" and "Experience & Fitness" under "Trip Info"
Our pre-departure information pack has detailed advice and a kit list on what to take. This includes cycling gear and lots of other useful bits and bobs.
Bike hire is available as an optional extra. Good quality Giant Hybrid (or similar) 27-gear bikes or Sensia E Bikes may be rented. When you are picked up at the airport the bikes will also be delivered to you at the same time and upon arrival at the hotel, you’ll have an orientation meeting and bike fitting.
Full details about the bike will be in your information pack. All rentals include pedals (flat or SPD), lock, tool-kit, pump, inner tubes, helmet, handle-bar bag and also a rear bag if needed.
Please note that if you do want to rent a bike you need to provide us with your height so that we can make sure that the bike is going to be a good fit.
Public transport and taxis are available, if you are in need of support our local partner will be more than happy to help.
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