Cycling in Portugal: Lisbon to the Algarve part 2

For CyclingDestination, Dale Boom and his wife Kirsten went on an adventure in Portugal. They follow the route from Lisbon to the south. They cycled from Lisbon to the Algarve. A large part of the route runs along EuroVelo 1. EuroVelo routes They are perfect for this kind of long-distance adventures! Part 1 is about the first two stages. Those are already very inspiring: now we’re moving on, towards the finish line. Will you keep reading?

Stage 3: The Cape

Today we drive along the coast towards Portimao. The route passes by Cabo de São Vicente. This is the most southwestern point of continental Europe, and that is of course nice to check off the list. But first, let’s try to score some breakfast. Fortunately, it’s only 15 kilometers to the village of Zambojeiro do Mar. We start with a long stretch of gravel, but then a comfortable asphalt road soon follows. The village is beautiful, located on the cliffs, with sandy beaches under it where the first surfers are already lying in the water. We have some breakfast and then continue driving. Here we go along the sea occasionally, which is certainly a good challenge with the luggage. Fortunately, the climbs are short! At kilometer 26, near Odeceixe, we enter the Algarve region. Here we take a stretch inland, over beautiful rolling roads through the greenery. About 40 kilometers later, we make another turn towards the coast, for one of the most beautiful segments so far. We follow a gravel path over the cliffs, with the wild ocean on our right. Breathtaking!

All those stops

After another stretch of asphalt, we stop at Aldi in Vila do Bispo for supplies. After that, we take a dirt road towards Cabo de São Vicente. It’s a nice and deserted road, which gives off a bit of a “end of the world” vibe. As soon as we get back on the asphalt, it quickly becomes clear that we’re not alone. Buses, vans, rental cars and campers in abundance! At the fort, at the tip of the cape, we naturally take a photo. There’s not much else to do here, so we quickly get back on the bike – we still have 40 kilometers to go! We drive back to Vila do Bispo, where we take the N125 towards Lagos. With its wide boulevard and marina, this city really feels like the real world again. We have to pick up the keys from a real estate agency, after which it’s another 6 km to our accommodation in a town further down the road. For the first time, the Airbnb isn’t your typical one; fortunately, it’s located on the outskirts of the village, where there’s a nice local supermarket and a few cafes.

Day 4: Golf Courses and Villas

Today promises to be a completely different day. We’re going straight through the Algarve coastal area, which is more crowded and densely populated compared to the previous days. First we head back to Lagos to take another walk along the promenade, and then we head towards Portimao. This is truly a completely different Portugal. We drive over a kilometer-long wooden bridge along the beach, count the golf courses, observe the discos in Albufeira (‘Albufissa’), and drive through extremely luxurious neighborhoods in Vale do Lobo and Quinta da Lago, where prices over ten million for a small villa are not unusual.

Almost at home

And then, suddenly, we see the Faro airport appearing again. We are almost home! But even on this last stretch, we try to enjoy as much as possible. We take as many pieces of Ecovia as possible, a network of gravel and shell paths along the coast and the Wadden areas of the Ria Formosa nature park. Due to resistance from some landowners, the project has only been partially realized, which means that you sometimes have to cycle over the busy main road. However, the existing sections are certainly worth the effort, and they are also very well-marked. The Ecovia almost leads us all the way home. But first, a SuperBock at a roadside tent to toast to a successful trip. Saúde!

What a wonderful trip

Overall, the trip was definitely worth it and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We saw various aspects of Portugal: from the big city of Lisbon to picturesque villages, and from peaceful, quiet areas to luxurious resorts. Of course, there are some areas for improvement: with a bit less kilometers per day and wider tires, for example, we would have had more time to explore adventurous trails and cycle closer to the coast. The weather was great, and apart from a broken spoke, we didn’t have any problems – not even a flat tire, despite the many gravel sections. Affordable accommodations were also easy to find, with the remark that our trip fell outside the regular holiday periods. This trip has once again shown us how diverse and beautiful Portugal is, and we can recommend it to anyone looking for a unique cycling experience full of adventure, nature, and hospitality.

More about the Algarve? Then also read on the site of Visit Portugal about this region. We have also highlighted a few beautiful spots in this region where you can enjoy cycling. For more information, read this article: Cycling in Portugal: looking for the sun!

Cycling from Lisbon to the Algarve – cycling route