Tour of the Algarve starts tomorrow!

pilot_pete

No, not the tour of the Algarve, but me and 8 mates! It's our annual trip down to Faro and a week of riding in the hilly Algarve in perfect cycling conditions, on fantastic roads....and I can't wait! Just packing my Bike Box Alan and waiting for my water bottles to finish in the dishwasher....

So, great cycling, good company, fantastic Portugeuse food and a few bottles of the local brew await....it really is heaven in November for me....

Big thanks to my pal Gash who is letting us all stay in his villa for nowt for the week, beers coming your way mate!!!!

PP

cycladelic

Have a good one!

It sound like you've been before... I plan to tour Portugal next Spring and wonder if there are any specific places you can recommend?

pilot_pete

I plan to tour Portugal next Spring and wonder if there are any specific places you can recommend?

Yeah, we went last year. Only the Algarve (and slightly north), but the roads inland from the coast are fantastic. Just get a road map and off you go! Monchique is a pretty town (touristy, so expect lots of coach parties), but from there you can climb to the highest peak, Foia, which is 3000'.

We will be based in Pechao, just inland from Faro. Once you get away from the British tourist traps along the south coast it is all beautiful scenery and lots of hills! The big plus is that the prices drop once you get inland too; 10 Euros will get you a great traditional meal in a little village cafe/bar/restaurant.

Alcoutim on the Spanish border is lovely too, worth a ride to visit there, especially the road from the south which follows the river.

Really, just pick a place to be based (bear in mind, inland is cheaper) and then just pick out the roads on a map, there aren't too many, so it is pretty easy to just do big loops out and back. For veriety rent a van for a day and drive somewhere further afield to do your loop. We've rented a van for the week and it will be about £20 each plus fuel.

Here are some pictures from last November;








What a descent this was!!!


So there it is, and those photos are representative of the amount of traffic you will see on the roads.....none! We did a 100 miler and were overtaken by 10, yes 10 cars all day. Bliss.

PP

cycladelic

Many thanks for the details and info, Pete.

I will actually be going from the South to North, so will get to see quite a bit... riding from Morocco up to England. I may get the ferry from Santander - haven't decided yet on that.

Cheers