Headwater - Self-Guided Cycling in The Real Algarve

7 days
from
£1,049
View Trips
Excl. Flights
Add to wishlist View Dates & Prices
Loading...
Traveller ratings
5 / 5 from 1 review >
Leisurely / Moderate
 Learn more
Trip code: 
C06AV
Way to Travel:
Self-Guided
Activity:
New Cycling Holidays
Min age:
8

Discover a land that time forgot as you explore the unspoilt wild coastlines, pretty white villages and deserted cycling routes of the Algarve. The area is a birdwatchers paradise, with endemic and migratory species passing through from Africa and Northern Europe.

The western Algarve, a land away from the touristy towns of the central coast, is an area of stunning cliff tops, quiet fishermen's villages and lush green interior. It's also a birdwatcher's paradise and whilst autumn and spring bring in the huge migrations, winter sees numerous endemic bird species. Winter is more akin to springtime in the UK, meaning you can enjoy the warm temperatures and beautiful beaches of the Algarve from September right through to May.

Highlights

  • Visit Cabo de Sao Vicente, Europe's most south-westerly point known as the 'Sacred Promontory'
  • Bird-spotter's paradise; endemic and migratory species from Europe and North Africa
  • Superb variety of hotels, all with pools and great regional cuisine
  • Peaceful cycle routes; contrasting coast and the lush green interior
  • Sagres and Lagos - beautiful coastal towns with a rich maritime history

Key information

  • 6 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation
  • 3 Days cycling
  • All continental breakfasts and 5 evening meals
  • Services of your local Headwater Representative
  • GPS route directions and maps 
  • RideWithGPS navigation app
  • High quality hybrid bikes 
  • Luggage transfers between hotels

What's included

  • All accommodation
  • All continental breakfasts and 5 evening meals
  • Services of your local Headwater Representative
  • Route directions and maps 
  • Luggage transfers between hotels

What's not included

  • Visas and vaccinations
  • Travel insurance
  • Single supplements
Call for general departures:
074 340 4587
Call for tailormade trips:
+44 (0)20 8772 3874
Email us >
Request a brochure >
Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes
Add your photos

3

Days of Cycling
Terrain:

Mostly gently undulating with a couple of short but steepish descents/climbs. Routes mainly follow a mix of coastal paths, tracks,woodland trails and country roads.

Day by day breakdown
Day 238.0km/24.0miles
Day 452.0km/33.0miles
Day 630.0km/19.0miles

Responsible Travel

At Exodus we believe in the power of Responsible Travel.

Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…

Itinerary

Expand all
Sagres
to
Sagres

  • Day 1

    Arrive at Sagres

    Arrive at the wonderful coastal town of Sagres in time for dinner at the hotel. (Staying at Hotel Memmo Baleeira, Half Board)

    Meals included: Dinner

  • Day 2

    Sagres to Lagos

    From Sagres head inland, mostly following the Ecovia, a national cycle trail. Pass shepherds tending their flocks before meeting the coast again in time for lunch. The villages of Salema, Burgau and Luz have great sandy beaches and offer rustic restaurants with al fresco dining; grilled fresh fish with zesty lemon is a favourite dish. You end the day at Lagos and your wonderfully atmospheric 4-star hotel. (Staying at Costa d'Oiro, Half Board)

    Meals included: Breakfast Dinner

  • Day 3

    At Lagos

    Lagos is encircled by C14 walls - the stone work and architecture you'll find hidden within these is a delight. Ornate churches date from the C13, and tangled cobbled lanes lead to new discoveries around every corner. Visit the new marina and the lively fish market (held daily), and join the locals for coffee in one of the many bars. Popular coastal walks lead to Ponte da Piedade lighthouse and from Porto de Mos to Luz, both offering outstanding sea views. (Staying at Costa d'Oiro, Half Board)

    Meals included: Breakfast Dinner

  • Day 4

    Lagos to Pedralva

    You have a choice of routes today, with both taking you along the promenade at Lagos, before heading inland to Odiaxere where you can choose a shorter option that has fewer climbs and takes you through lovely villages on winding roads, giving you a real insight into local life. The longer route takes you past the beautiful Bravura reservoir and pretty alpine-like hamlets and meadows, meeting the coast in picturesque Carrapateira. Then it's on to Pedralva, a village where each house has been restored to create individual hotel rooms. (Staying at Aldeia da Pedralva, Half Board)

    Meals included: Breakfast Dinner

  • Day 5

    At Pedralva

    Aldeia da Pedralva is a wonderful rural retreat and you could easily spend the day relaxing in the village. If you fancy doing more you can follow one of our routes taking you out along the cliff tops with great views of the coast, or return to Carrapateira to visit the Land and Sea Museum and have a leisurely lunch. (Staying at Aldeia da Pedralva, Half Board)

    Meals included: Breakfast Dinner

  • Day 6

    Pedralva to Sagres

    There's two options today but both routes are fairly short allowing you time to visit the lighthouse at Cabo de Sao Vicente and Sagres Fortress, built by Henry the Navigator. The longer route is on off-road tracks passing holm oak forests. Both routes give great views of the Serra de Monchique passing through Vila do Bispo, a nice lunch stop with its beautiful C17 church. From Vila do Bispo head out across the Vicente peninsula to Cabo de Sao Vicente and the southwestern tip of Europe before following the coast road back to Sagres. (Staying at Hotel Memmo Baleeira, Breakfast Only)

    Meals included: Breakfast

  • Day 7

    Leave Sagres

    Meals included: Breakfast
Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes
Show map

Essential Info

Visas

Portugal

No visa required for British passport holders.

Vaccinations

Portugal

There are no specific health risks.

Eating and Drinking

All continental breakfasts and 5 evening meals.

The local speciality from the sea is the Barnacle Perceve, this is not taken from the bottom of boats but the bottom of submerged local cliffs, it is harvested by hand using a dangerous and traditional method, which involves one of the two collectors dangling by a rope from the top of the cliffs! They are a bit of a delicacy not too dissimilar to mussels. Away from the sea the dried hams, salamis and chouriço are as good as anything that Spain or Italy can produce. The strange sounding bread sausage Alheira is very good, invented by the Portuguese Jews during the Inquisition to avoid persecution, bread and non-pork products are used. Good quality meat is also on the menu, beef and pork are of a high quality and lamb in season is superb. Vegetables are plentiful and with big harvests of almonds and oranges, fruits are in good supply alongside another local vegetable, the sweet potato.

The Algarve’s other surprise is the quality of cheese; from mild to strong using cow, goat or sheep milk there is a great range of cheeses for all tastes, Queijo de Cabra do Algarve, is a particular favourite.

Weather

Coastal areas of Portugal can be known to be quite windy.However, the climate here is long, warm summers and mild winters, with most rain falling in the winter months, but possible in all other months. Seasons are marked, with pleasant temperatures in the spring, in the summer and in the autumn. Heat waves can push up temperatures between mid June and September.

Is this trip for you?

EXCELLENT CHOICE FOR
Food lovers, wine lovers, flora & fauna, bird spotting opportunities, art & history, swimming opportunities, couples, coastal routes

Classification: Self-Guided
Activity Level: 2 (Leisurely/moderate)
Average daily distance on move on days: 40km (25miles). 
No. of days Cycling: 3
Terrain: Mostly gently undulating with a couple of short but steepish descents/climbs. Routes mainly follow a mix of coastal paths, tracks,woodland trails and country roads.

 Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to cycle independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodations, provide you with a map and route notes so that you can cycle at your own pace.

It is important that you are happy reading maps and following route notes, we make these as accurate as possible and they are regularly checked. 

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There may be others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The route notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the local representative is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.

Call for general departures:
074 340 4587
Call for tailormade trips:
+44 (0)20 8772 3874
Email us >
Request a brochure >
Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Accommodation

Hotels

We have hand-picked three wonderful hotels all with their own charm. These include a modern 4-star design hotel perched on a cliff in Sagres, a 4-star hotel in Lagos full of Portuguese colonial charm and a hotel in Pedralva, where the village houses have been rustically renovated to create individual rooms. All hotels have pools with Sagres and Lagos boasting covered ones. Most evening meals are included so you can dine on the freshest salads, seafood or excellent meat accompanied by tasty cheeses and chouricos, washed down with a selection of Portuguese wines.

Call for general departures:
074 340 4587
Call for tailormade trips:
+44 (0)20 8772 3874
Email us >
Request a brochure >
Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Expert Blog Entries

June 13, 2018
Spain v Portugal
Spain versus Portugal

This week’s big game gets the competition off to a sizzling start, no matter what the British weather forecast

February 6, 2018
Our Top 10 European Bike Rides

Embracing a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge, but if you’re going to keep it up there’s got to be more to it than

Reviews

Add your own review
  • Reviewed October 2018
    Alan and Sheila Rugman
    Trip:
    Headwater - Self-Guided Cycling in The Real Algarve

    A great cycling holiday

    This was our first cycling holiday with Headwater and hopefully not the last. Everything about it was excellent: the route, the hotels, the bikes, the other riders and the Headwater reps, Tony and Ludmilla. We particularly appreciated the 'rest day' in Lagos after the first day's ride, to allow for exploration, and the shorter ride to the Atlantic coast from the second hotel at Pedralva.

    What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

    Seeing the fantastic cliffs and beaches on the Atlantic coast, with huge waves and dozens of surfers. Another great ride.

    What did you think of your group leader?

    Tony and Ludmilla are cut out for the job. They were friendly and helpful, with lots of good advice and always hitting the right note. Top marks.

    Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

    You need to be reasonably fit for this tour, with preferably some experience of cycling off-road, but no need to be a Lycra merchant.

    Is there anything else you would like to add?

    The above says it all
See all reviews

Dates & Prices

An overview of flight options

Exodus is committed to making joining our tours as easy as possible, wherever you live. We generally only block book seats from London, but this certainly does not mean that you need to fly from there. Depending on the route and airlines available, there will usually be various options available for those who want to fly from their local airport.

This page aims to provide a useful overview of the options available to our clients. However, the best flight arrangements should be tailored to your personal requirements, so please contact our Sales team for expert advice.

 

What kind of options do I have ?

1. We can book for you: Flights from anywhere in the world - not via London  

Depending on the route, this may be direct or via an overseas hub like Amsterdam, the Middle East or elsewhere. On short haul routes there may be direct flights with low cost airlines, charter flights or scheduled airlines. Exodus can book most, but not all, of these for you. The most appropriate airline may be different to that which we use for the group flight from London, but many people now travel on different airlines and meet up with their fellow passengers at the destination.

Pros Cons
  • May be the most direct route
  • Often the extra fare compared to the London flight is minimal.
  • As you will be in the hands a single airline for your entire journey, the airline will be responsible for your bags and your connections.
  • You may not be able to join the group transfers. However, we can usually arrange private transfers, or book your flights to try and coincide with the group transfers. See notes on transfer arrangements below.

 

2. We can book for you: Connecting flights from your local airport to London

Exodus can book connecting flights to London so you can join the group flight there. Connecting times will be followed according to airline advice, or as requested by clients. There are two types of fares we can use for this option: a 'through-fare' or a 'published fare'.
 
a) A 'through-fare' is where you will be in the main airline's care throughout. You change planes, but your bags are checked all the way through to your final destination. 

b) A 'published fare' ticket is completely seperate from your onward ticket from London. It is usually cheaper than a through-fare but will need to be paid for and issued as soon as it is booked. This can be a problem if your tour has not yet reached minimum numbers. On 'published fares' neither airline is aware that you have connecting flights, so Exodus is responsible for timing your connection, not the airlines involved. The tickets are also usually non changeable and non refundable.

Pros Cons
  • Depending on the fare type, Exodus or the airline is responsible for flight connections.
  • Through fare tickets can be expensive.
  • On a published fare, tickets must be issued immediately; tickets on published fares can be very difficult to change if onward flight times change; bags are not checked though to your final destination.
  • Published fares are non-refundable.

 

3. Booking some or all of the flights yourself

You can also book connecting air travel yourself, either to London, or all the way to the start point. There may be certain airlines or routes we don't have access to, so this is always an option. However, if you make your own travel arrangements you become liable for any delays, cancellations or missed connections, and Exodus is not required to offer refunds if you have trouble reaching the start of your trip.

Pros Cons
  • You might find cheaper fares, or routes not available to Exodus.
  • You are responsible for any delays or missed connections, and the cost of the tour is not protected should you miss your flight be cancelled.

 

 Notes on transfer arrangements

Sometimes it is possible to travel on a different airline to the group flight from London. Where this is the case, we need to think about ensuring you meet up with the group with minimum extra cost and hassle.

  • On certain trips, it is easy to arrive on a different flight and still meet the group at the hotel with time in hand. We can usually arrange private transfers (at extra cost) or offer advice on taking a taxi to the start hotel.
  • On other trips (especially in Europe), the transfer meets the group flight and then travels some distance to the first night's accommodation. Where this is the case, our Sales team will try to arrange flights that arrive before (and depart after) the group. However, we do have to make it clear in your final documentation that if your flights are delayed, the transfer cannot wait for you. While Exodus or our local operators will do what we can to help you reach the start point of the tour, any additional costs must be paid by the client. 

 

Next steps? 

Call our Sales team on: 0203 733 0698

Email your query: [email protected]

Call us on 074 340 4587
Chat with us online