Arrival and transfer by taxi (excl.) to the hotel in Faro. Welcome, travel information, and bike handover.

The first stage of the tour leads to the Atlantic and the Spanish border. After a ride through the old town, the route heads northwards on good side roads with gentle ups and downs. The area is rural, with typical Portuguese villages and many fruit and vegetable plantations alternating with carob, olive, and almond trees. In Tavira you reach the sea and after a few kilometres Cacela Velha, with a fantastic view of the lagoon area of the "Ria Formosa" nature reserve and the Atlantic Ocean. From here, the route heads inland on well-maintained roads with hardly any traffic, winding up into the hilly, sparsely populated area. Passing a reservoir, we then reach the border river "Guadiana" and today's accommodation, situated directly on the banks of the river with a wonderful view.

Today's tour takes us deep into the hinterland, the "Serra". A barely inhabited, unspoiled, hilly area, through pine forests and over scrubland, on very good roads, almost without traffic. First past the deep blue "Odeleite" reservoir and then into the Serra. Long climbs and descents take you towards Cachopo, a small mountain town in the middle of nowhere. The route continues through the beautiful sea of hills of the Serra, crossing several river valleys before reaching Barranco do Velho. From the hills, there are always fantastic panoramic views of the coastal area and the sea of hills. The last part of today's stage is a long, rushing descent through cork oaks and eucalyptus forests down to "civilization". Once at the bottom, we cycle through the rural Barrocal on side roads to today's hotel. Before that, however, there are still 2 "poisonous" ramps of 20% to conquer!

Today, the route leads across the fertile midlands, the "Barrocal", with many citrus plantations, farmland, and vineyards. After a few flat kilometres, a short climb to Corotelo and then on a flat road to the market town of Loulé. Then it is time to cross the "Ribeiro de Algibre" river valley before reaching Salir on the ridge. Once at the top, the route follows the mountain road, a brand new tarmac road with no traffic, gently up and down, past many orange groves and vineyards to Alte. The little town, with its white-painted houses and the little river flowing through the village, is one of the most beautiful in the Algarve. On to Messines and from there a long descent to Silves, the former capital of the Algarve. Finally, a long climb up to the hotel, which is located in a small valley with a thermal spring and thermal bath.

This morning, it's time to tackle the highest mountain in the Algarve and then head to the west coast on the deep blue Atlantic. First we head to the small town of Monchique. The town lies in the center of the chain of hills of the same name, the highest point of which is the Foia at 902 meters above sea level. The 11-kilometre climb to the summit begins here on a beautiful panoramic road. Once at the top, there is a breathtaking panoramic view of the coastal area to the south and west as well as the seemingly endless sea of hills of the Serra! A fantastic descent takes you through densely wooded areas to Marmelete and then westwards along the edge of the Serra, always downhill towards the coast to São Teotónio. Along the banks of the Ribeira de Seixe, the route leads to the beautiful little coastal town of Odeceixe, with one of the most beautiful beaches in the western Algarve. From here, the route is almost dead straight, accompanied by the Atlantic Ocean, down to Aljezur, the end of today's stage.

Today's stage takes you through the "Costa Vicentina" nature reserve, around the most south-westerly point in Europe and along the south coast to Lagos. The tour begins with a flat stretch, with the sea breeze from the nearby Atlantic Ocean in your face, through the unique nature reserve. Once at the bottom, the "Cabo de São Vicente" is reached, with the lighthouse complex situated on 60 meter high cliffs that drop steeply over the sea. The breathtaking view of the deep blue Atlantic invites you to take a break! The journey continues along a beautiful coastal road to Sagres, the legendary place where Henry the Navigator's school was located, where Portugal's best sailors, who later discovered the world's oceans, were trained. Afterward, on a journey along the coast, we head to our hotel in Lagos.

The last stage leads back through the centre of the country and back to Faro. To avoid the heavy traffic near the coast, the route follows secondary roads through the centre of the fertile Barrocal plain. In a steady, but very easy up and down, the route passes through numerous villages with their white-painted or colourfully painted houses and through rural areas with the typical Algarve tree cultures, such as carob, almond and olive trees, back to the capital of the Algarve, Faro. Finish off with a good dinner and reflect on the tour.

Individual departure or extension.