Cycle the coast of Portugal
Pedal Portugal’s wild coast following the legendary Rota Vicentina trail
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with local, expert, English-speaking guides and a bike mechanicAccommodation
6 nights in hotelsMeals
All breakfasts, 7 lunches, 2 dinnersTransfers & Support Vehicle
Airport transfers and everything in between, including a support vehicle to carry your kit or hop into if your legs need a restEquipment
Trek X-Caliber 9 bikeSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 14 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
…
What's it like?
Pedal through laid-back Portuguese villages, peaceful cork forests and along dramatic coastal cliffs
Discover some of the Algarve’s most remote and pristine beaches. Secluded, wild, and perfect for a post-ride dip
Stand at Europe’s wildest point, Cape St. Vincent
Key Information
Day 1
Arrival in Setúbal
Arrive at Lisbon airport and head to your hotel in Setúbal. In the afternoon meet your guide and fellow adventurers for a welcome briefing and bike fitting followed by a warm-up ride around the backroads of the city, finishing at the beach. Tonight, you'll gather again for a welcome dinner to enjoy a taste of Portuguese cuisine.
Day 2
Santo Andre Natural Reserve
Cycling
The adventure begins with a ferry crossing of the Sado River, taking you from Setúbal to the stunning Tróia Peninsula. From here, you’ll cycle along coastal backroads through the village of Comporta, passing rice fields, vineyards, and traditional whitewashed houses. Continue to Melides Beach, a serene stretch of sand bordered by the calm waters of Melides Lagoon. Pedal along the coastline to the Santo André Lagoon, tucked within the Santo Andre Natural Reserve. The ride offers fantastic views of the expansive Costa de Santo Andre Beach, where wild dunes meet the Atlantic Ocean, a surfer's haven.
Day 3
Cork Forests & Cliffs
Cycling
A day to connect with nature as you cycle through peaceful cork oak forests, known locally as ‘Montado’. The route winds down to the dramatic cliffs overlooking the Atlantic, offering stunning views of the Atlantic. Break for lunch in Sines and a refreshing dip at São Torpes beach, one of the best for surfing in the entire extent of the Portuguese coastline. Continue cycling to Vila Nova de Milfontes, known as the "Princess of Alentejo." Spend the evening chilling overlooking the river or taking a sunset stroll along the coast.
Day 4
Rota Vicentina
Cycling
Today you’ll embark on the Historical Way of the Rota Vicentina, a rugged coastal route that stretches over 120km along the Algarve and Alentejo. The ride takes you through peaceful landscapes, past the village of Longueira, and into Almograve, a charming seaside village. From here, head to Cabo Sardão, an untouched coastal area with dramatic cliffs and secluded beaches. The cliffs here are famous for being home to the only stork colony that nests on them. Continue south, crossing Carvalhal Beach, and then head inland toward Odeceixe, where a local strawberry distillery tour and tasting awaits.
Day 5
Inland Hills & Pristine Beaches
Cycling
Today, cycle inland through scenic hills and along the rugged coastline of the Rota Vicentina. Enjoy views of Amoreira Beach and the castle at Aljezur Village, then ride through coastal villages like Monte Clérigo and Arrifana, known for their dramatic cliffs and pristine beaches. The day ends up in Alfambras, where you’ll unwind at a cozy countryside house with a pool.
Day 6
Algarve’s wild coast
Cycling
On the final day, pedal through the wild coastline of the southern Algarve. Head toward Bordeira Beach, a vast stretch of golden sand, then loop through Carrapateira for a coffee break in the village square. Head inland to discover hidden villages like Vilarinha and up into the Algarve’s hills, passing Vila do Bispo to reach the dramatic Ponte d’Aspa Viewpoint. Here the cliffs soar over 100 metres above the ocean, its a popular launch point for paragliders. The last stretch takes you to Cape St. Vincent, the most south-western point of Europe. The ride finishes in Sagres, where you can spend the afternoon unwinding on the beach to cap off your week of coastal cycling.
Day 7
Farewell Portugal!
After a week of scenic cycling, you will be transferred to Faro Airport or the train station. You may choose to head directly to the airport or extend your stay to further explore the enchanting Algarve region.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Airport or City Centre/Hotel
.... on Day 1
Ends
Airport or City Centre
....on Day 9
Transfers
On Day 1 there will be a group transfer provided from Lisbon airport to Sebutal. Usually scheduled to leave in the early afternoon, subject to the group's arrival timings.
For those arriving early, getting to the city from the airport can easily be arranged locally and independently by taxi or shuttle bus.
On Day 7 there will be a group transfer provided to Faro Airport or the train station.
If you are departing outside these days, your host can arrange private airport transfers for an extra cost. See Optional Extras for details.
Travel options
There are regular direct flights to Portugal from major airports across the UK and Europe, as well as from New York and Toronto.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3 – Day 6
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 7
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
The cuisine along the Rota Vicentina is based on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, especially seafood and traditional meat dishes, olive oil and fragrant bread, reflecting the culinary heritage of the Algarve and Alentejo regions.
Breakfasts typically include a selection of bread, cereal, yoghurt, fruit, cheese, and cured meats to fuel your rides. For lunch, your host will arrange light lunches or picnic meals, including sandwiches, local pastries and fruit. There are also plenty of cafes along the way for extra snacks and drinks, should you want them. In Sebutal and Sagres, you’ll find a variety of international and Mediterranean dining options; whilst in the more rural areas you're likely to find cosy traditional eateries. Your guide will help to recommend and can pre-arrange your evening meals if you wish to dine as a group. Of course, no visit to Portugal is complete without trying the famous pastéis de nata custard tarts!
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for although options in some restaurants may be more limited – please just request this on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?
Sebutal
You'll spend the first night of the trip in Sebutal staying at the comfortable and centrally located Hotel Luna Esperanca Centro in a twin-share room. Enjoy breakfast overlooking the Sado River and Troia Peninsula.
Santo Andre
You’ll stay one night at Hotel Vila Park Santo André. Set near Santo André Natural Park, this hotel offers a peaceful environment with spacious rooms, an outdoor saltwater pool, and onsite restaurant.
Vila Nova de Milfontes
In Vila Nova de Milfontes you’ll stay at HS Mil Fontes, located on the main beach avenue with views of the Mira river bay, the Atlantic and Furnas beach. Offering well-equipped rooms, an outdoor pool, a restaurant, and a bar.
Odeceixe
You’ll spend the night at the family-run Monte João Roupeiro Agiotismo, a rustic property with simple, cozy rooms and a tranquil outdoor setting. Be sure to take time over breakfast here; homemade bread, regional honey and even juices and fruits produced on their Organic Farm.
Alfambras, Aljezur
In Alfambras you’ll stay at Barranco da Fonte, a countryside lodging offering a relaxed and comfortable stay. Spread across several buildings, the property features spacious rooms with a blend of rustic and contemporary styles. You can unwind in the outdoor pool and garden, and choose to have dinner in the locally renowned Quarenta & Quatro restaurant. The restaurant serves a variety of dishes inspired by Portugal's rich gastronomic tradition, using fresh, local ingredients.
Sagres
The last night of the trip will be spent in Sagres at Mareta View (or a similar hotel). This modern boutique hotel offers stunning views of Mareta Beach which you can walk to choose or just relax in the tropical palm garden, complete with a sundeck and hot tub. The hotel is a short walk from both the beach and the historic centre of Sagres.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
This trip has been rated as Moderate
This trip is designed for experienced cyclists who enjoy a bit of adventure. You should be comfortable cycling distances of 55km or more each day. The route features a variety of terrains, including gravel paths, sandy coastal trails, and quiet country lanes. Expect rolling, undulating terrain with some longer ascents and descents, as well as occasional short stretches on busier roads as you approach towns.
Route terrain 66% Paved - tarmac or cobblestones 34% Unpaved - Hard-packed gravel paths; could have some sandy parts
What if i need to skip an activity?
A support vehicle accompanies the group to transport luggage daily and assist with bike-related issues. If needed, arrangements can be made for a group member to hop in for a section if you’re struggling with the terrain or become unwell. However, it should not be used simply to skip a day's ride.
What will I need to carry?
All your accommodation is pre-booked, and your luggage is transferred from one point to the next. As everything will be transported by the support vehicle (which there will be access to throughout the day) you can cycle completely unburdened, if you wish to. We do suggest bringing a small bumbag for carrying essential items like money, phone, sun cream and a snack. The van also carries tools and spare bike bits if needed.
The southwest of Portugal has a Mediterranean climate influenced by the Atlantic, ensuring mild temperatures year-round. The trip is planned for spring (late February to early June) and autumn (September to early December) when conditions are ideal for cycling, avoiding the summer heat. In spring, temperatures range from 15°C to 20°C, and although there may be more rain, it’s perhaps the best season for scenery, with stunning wildflowers in bloom and lush greenery. Early June and late September offer warmer days in the mid-20s°C with long, sunny hours and little rain, perfect for cycling. October and November bring cooler temperatures, but they still remain excellent months for cycling and swimming.
We’re still waiting to collect any reviews from other travellers on this trip. However, all our hosts go through an extensive vetting process to ensure that your adventure is awesome.
Itinerary Activities
- Guided warm up ride around Setúbal
- Ferry from Setúbal to Troia
- Guided ride to Santo Andre
- Visit to Monte do Paio, a National Center for Environmental Education and Nature Conservation
- Guided ride along the coast to Vila Nova de Mil Fontes
- Guided ride along the Rota Vicentina to Odeceixe
- Guided tour with a tasting at a local strawberry distillery
- Guided ride to reach Cape St. Vincent
Guides
- Local, expert, English-speaking cycle guides and a bike mechanic
Accommodation
- 6 nights local hotel
Meals
- 6 breakfasts to fuel you up each day
- 5 Local Light Lunches
- Welcome dinner on day 1
- Snacks while cycling
Transfers
- Group Arrival transfer from Lisbon Airport on Day 1
- Group Departure transfer to Faro Airport on Day 7
- All transfers during the trip
Equipment
- Trek X-Caliber 9 cross-country mountain bike
Support Vehicle
- To hop in to if your legs need a rest
Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.
Travel to and from the trip
Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.
Meals
- 7 dinners have not been included, to allow you to sample some local restaurants in the small towns you stay at
We recommend you budget about £20/€25 per meal to cover these.
Tips
Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. Your guide will help with advice, however we suggest the below as a guideline:
- €20 per person
Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality – a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Personal expenses
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional food and drinks, shopping and laundry.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness. Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine, as their insurance offers all of the above.
Visas
Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.
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What do I need to bring?
CYCLE KIT
- Helmet (required)
- Cycling shoes (bring your own pedals if using cleats)
- Saddle, if you would rather use your own
- Bumbag or small handlebar bag for riding (optional)
- Reusable water bottle. It is recommended that you bring a cycling water bottle that fits into standard bottle cages on bikes (500ml, 600ml or 750ml).
CLOTHES
- Padded cycling shorts
- Sports top or cycling jersey
- Waterproof jacket
- Cycling gloves
- Buff or neck scarf
- T-shirts
- Underwear and socks
- Sleepwear
- Sunglasses
- Sunhat
- Sandals
- Fleece jacket or similar for the evenings
- Trousers/leggings for the evenings
- Trainers / Sandals
- Swimwear
OTHER
- Universal travel plug adapter
- Power bank or solar charger
- Passports (and visas)
- Travel insurance documents
- Ear plugs
- Insect repellent
- Suncream
- Personal first-aid kit
- Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
- Toilet kit (toilet paper, biodegradable bags to carry paper out to dispose of)
- Quick-dry towel
- Alcohol hand-gel
- Headtorch or small torch
- Biodegradable wet-wipes
- Energy bars and snacks
Optional Private Room Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade
…
Private arrival airport transfer
Payable Before Departure
Private arrival airport transfer
…
Private transfer to the airport
Payable Before Departure
Private transfer to the airport
…
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 120kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
It's no secret that we love cycling and many of us at HQ think it's the best way to see a country, however, we realise that organising your own trip can be a total faff. On our cycling trips, we’ve found a local guide who has put together a perfect route and will navigate for you all the way. We also send a van that transports your overnight luggage and provide high-quality bikes and delicious snacks to keep you going. Faff eliminated!
All you have to do is turn up, pedal and take in the amazing landscape with your fellow tourers. You will cycle at your own pace, with regular stops to regroup so that no-one gets left behind. These trips are not just open to lycra-clad roadies, although those are welcome too!
You'll be riding Trek X-Caliber 9 cross-country mountain bike , with light aluminum frame, hydraulic disc brakes and front suspension. Your height is required to ensure the correct frame size is supplied.
The bikes are equipped with a water bottle cage and come with standard flat pedals and male/standard saddles. If you would rather pack your own saddle and pedals (including SPD's), please do and these will be fitted for you.
Yes, you will cycle point to point during the trip. Each day, you'll travel from one location to the next, cycling through stunning landscapes, from Alta to the Finnmarksvidda Plateau and beyond.
The cycle guide ratio on the trip is 1-8 customers, this means that for groups of nine or more people, there will be two cycle guides. Throughout you will be accompanied by a support vehicle driven by a bike mechanic.
In the event of poor weather such as heavy rain, strong winds and/or storms, it is possible that conditions may become unsafe to complete the planned rides on this trip. Your guide will assess the conditions and weather forecasts and make a decision with your safety in mind. If it becomes necessary to make a change to the planned itinerary, an alternative route or activity will be offered.
The support vehicle will have large containers of water that you are able to top your water bottles up with. Most hotels will also provide safe drinking water so single-use water bottles should not be needed.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.
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DEPARTURE DATES
Sunday 5th October 2025
to Saturday 11th October 2025
New Trip Offer - Next 2 spots available at 10% off
