Looking outside, I see that the sun is disappearing behind the clouds more and more often. It is also dark earlier, light later. Autumn is fast approaching. At such times, I would prefer to travel straight to warmer places. Where you can always cycle. We previously wrote a few tips for a fun autumn trip. Personally, I am always a fan of cycling island Mallorca, but there are so many other beautiful places. How about the Canary Islands? or (southern) Italy? Also nice. But today we choose cycling in Portugal.
Cycling in Portugal
Cycling in Portugal really is 'underrated', if it is up to us. Incidentally, just like Greece, but we'll get to that in another article back on. Portugal has some beautiful cycling areas, which also often feature in the Tour of Portugal. Around the city of Porto (near Galicia and Asturias) is plenty to do, especially if you want to go into the mountains. It is also very green. So that means it rains a relatively lot. That's exactly what you don't want on your autumn tour in the sun. For that, you need to head further south. The Alentejo and Algarve regions are the best known then. With good infrastructure, vistas, routes along the sea and a bit of hills/hills, it's good fun. Here are some great tips!
Algarve
For years, the Algarve has been popular with Dutch tourists who want to avoid the cold in autumn and catch some sun. Even into winter, temperatures here remain in the double digits. Ideal for cycling. And there is plenty of that here. Fly to Faro and then head for the villages around it. Tavira, Monte Gordo, all excellent starting points for the hills and mountains to the north. For example, from Tavira, where you'll encounter stunning panoramas over the hills towards the top of the Tabuas. Stunning views, who wouldn't want that? The highest hill here is a few hundred metres. So enjoy. Nice thing is that on this side of the Algarve you can drive along the river (at least, not quite, but you can see it) and on the other side of the river lies Andalusia. Two-in-one!
Offroad
You also have plenty of opportunities to go off-road here. MTBing has been popular in this region for decades, but with the popularity of Gravel in mind, you can easily find an alternative to the paved road here. North of Santo Estevao, a small hamlet, you'll find beautiful countryside with well-constructed trails, perfect for gravel biking.
You can also opt to stay west of Faro. The part around Portimao and Albufeira is a bit less attractive on sight. High-rise buildings, much geared towards mass tourism in summer. Further west, near Sagres is a beautiful natural park, where you drive through the hills right by the sea. Start at the Sao Vicente lighthouse and drive towards Lagos. and then up and back via the other coast. 100 kilometres of pure enjoyment, with only 1000 metres altitude.
Also in the hinterland, near Monchique, it is nice on both race and gravel bikes. You will encounter climbs with percentages as high as 15%. This is quite different from meandering along the beaches. There is plenty to enjoy in the Algarve. From beach and sea, to hills and more. The best time to cycle in Portgual is from September to May. In the summer months avoid it like the plague! Too busy and way too hot.
Alentejo
North of the Algarve begins a large area known as Alentejo. It is actually an amalgamation of several regions. The southernmost part of the Alentejo (which actually means, across the Tagus) lies just above the Algarve (the actual district of Faro). This is the district of Beja. In addition, the district of Setubal and Evora also belong to this region. It really is a huge area with a diversity of possibilities in terms of cycling. The Alentejo is also known for its wine production (as well as cork).
The wine region of the Alentejo is characterised by rolling hills, occasional flat stretches and a steep climb here and there. In terms of nature, you will find many routes between the vineyards. Gorgeous, of course. This northern part is perfect to ride if you are a novice cyclist or if you already have some kilometres in your legs. An additional advantage: the Alentejo is very sparsely populated. As a result, the roads are often very quiet. Great cycling!
However you plan your route, at least make sure you pass by Marvão. There you will find the Parque National de Serre de Sao Mamede. There you will find really beautiful villages like Castelo de Vide, roads, among olive and cork trees. It can be viciously uphill here, though.
Further south, you will also find Lake Alqueva. This is the largest reservoir in Europe and you could choose to take a monster ride around the lake. Definitely over 100km. and Évora, the region's capital and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
PARQUE NATURAL DO SUDOESTE ALENTEJANO
In the south of the Alentejo, the national park is a place you really can't skip. Superb cliffs, beaches, views. This part is also nice to combine with a trip to the Algarve. From Aljezur, you can nicely follow the coastline without having to drive up and down every time. You can eventually drive the route all the way back up towards Lisbon, with a nice stopover at Sines.
Want to know more about cycling in Portugal? Then check the sites of Visitportugal.pt or check one of the local providers
