Cycling in Algarve

magoo289

Hi

I'm going out to Faro in a couple of months to meet up with a sister who is travelling round Europe with the family and was thinking of taking my bike.

Does anybody know anything about cycling in Faro? Is it any good?

Thanks.

Mark

priory

Faro I do not know, but it will be similar to Lagos area. I found the little back roads brilliant for cycling. unsurfaced ones tend to be unsigned and a good opportunity to get lost and have an adventure with a compass and a map. I used a road map with no contours on it and was surprised to find myself heading up a 3000ft hill. So get a good map from a newsagent or before you arrive from Stanfords.

Here is a route I put online some years ago. monchique is a very pleasant ride and back, but particularly so if you pick a back road route rather than the A-road and it is VERY hilly. A hybrid or tourer would be best , then you can explore the gravel roads.
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/ma ... marmaliser

PS coming back down from the peaks you have to be very carefull. These are not scottish roads but mediterranean ones. so as you hurtle down the twisty bends be aware that if you twitch/flat and leave the road it could be a couple of hundred feet before you start bouncing on rocks and gorse.