Across Algarve

 Across Algarve – July 2017

Our bicycle trip across the Algarve was a part of a larger trip, our last before we left Europe after three years of living and working in Luxembourg.  On this last trip we drove from Luxembourg south to France and then continued on the circumference of the Iberian Peninsula clockwise starting in northeast Spain and ending back in France. 
The Algarve covers the south coast of Portugal on the Mediterranean with quaint towns and scenic views of the sea and beaches. 

 

We drove into Portugal from Spain from its most southeastern corner and left the car in the city of Vila Real de Santo Antonio, next to our hotel Arenilha Guest House with their permission.  On our departure morning we bicycled to the city information center and picked up some maps of the Algarve and the roads ahead. 

Our first stop was at Formosa Guest House, in Tavira.  The ride was 25 km.  In Tavira we took a boat trip to the Ilha De Tavira (Tavira Island) and spent the afternoon on a beautiful warm and sunny beach. 

 

Our next stop was Faro at a distance of 35 km, where we stayed at the Happy House on Rua Batista Lopes.  Faro has a lovely waterfront set against the background of the Mediterranean Sea with amazing sunsets.  We had a lovely seafood dinner on the second floor of a restaurant situated at the edge of the sea as the sun set – we will never forget.

The next day we rode to Albufeira, some 40 km away.  Albufeira was a very busy and bustling hilly sea town overrun by British visitors!  We stayed at Colina do Mar, on Rua Maria Teresa Semedo de Azvedo.  This required bicycling and pushing our bicycles up a very steep hill to get to the hotel. 

Our ride to Portimao followed a bicycle path for the first few miles and then became very hilly through Benagil, up and down steep hills, and then over a long bridge into Portimao in temperatures now above 100 degrees F.   In Portimao we stayed at Hotel Globo, on Rua 5 De Outubro. This was a very hilly 35 km ride.

Our last day ride took us to Lagos 20 km away.  We stayed in Lagos for two nights at Mar Azul, Rua 25 De Abril.  We spent part of the next day at the beach enjoying the warmth of the Mediterranean Sea and the beautiful views and sunset.  Like most of our nights on the road we would go out to dinner early and spent an hour playing cards (Gin) and having a glass of wine before dinner. 

After two days in Lagos we rode our bicycles to the train station and took a train back to Vila Real de Santo Antonio, where we had left our car.  Most European local trains have a luggage compartment where you can load your bicycles without having to box them.  This does not apply to long distance TGV or fast trains. 

What an incredible experience! July was a very hot month to bicycle here but worth all the effort and sweat.