Portugal Bike Tour Reviews page 8
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- ★★★★★ Melissa Dubois
Beautiful trip
Portugal's Atlantic Coast
Traveling down the coast was beautiful. The hotels were all great quality. We were all glad that we had e-bikes due to the high mileage and the steep hills on this trip.
Some downsides- several of the roads were quite busy with cars and tour buses and the gps app really drained my phone battery which made it hard to also take photos. Having the option to have an actual gps rather than the app would have been helpful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept/Oct 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Christy Porucznik
Excellent way to see a part of rural Portugal
Castles and Wines of Portugal
It happened that my husband and I were the only ones on this self-guided itinerary. We were able to follow the provided maps and GPS tracks with the occasional assistance of Google maps. The lodgings were excellent, likely nicer than we would have selected on our own, and the provided breakfasts ranged from adequate to amazing. I should not have been surprised about the hills, after all, castles were built on hills, but I have never spent so much time in first gear. I was glad not to have my kids along on this trip because the cycling was sometimes difficult, and we had to ride with traffic sometimes. Other times were on eco-trails and quiet country roads, so it wasn't constant traffic stress, but there was some riding with cars each day. There was also frequent riding on cobblestone and bumpy village streets, could be tough on tender joints. The provided bicycles were not fancy, but they got the job done, and once we got into the rhythm of when people eat in Portugal it wasn't hard to plan for coffee breaks and lunch. It happened to be quite hot the week we rode, and the sun is intense without much shade for breaks. Overall the support and logistics were well done, and I would recommend this itinerary for someone in fairly good shape who is interested in wine, neolithic sites, castles, and spending time in rural Portugal. It was a shock taking the bus back to Lisbon at the end.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Chris Moolman
Fabulous trip!
Camino de Santiago: From Porto to Santiago de Compostela
We really enjoyed the entire trip. Everything was arranged and organized just as it was promised: we were picked up and dropped off at airports - just as we had hoped for, the equipment was in good condition, our luggage was on time every time and in good condition - all in all just a fabulous experience. Some hotels were fabulous (and some nearly). Thank you so much, Biketours, for a fabulous experience - great memories that will remain with us.
- ★★★★★ Cheryl Jaskot
Coastal Dream
Algarve Coastal Route
WE were a group of six with our group ages from 67-43. The local bike company was very communicative and accommodating. We all rode traditional bikes and trained on fairly flat surfaces. The course was fairly flat the first three days along gravel roads and boardwalks. The longest day was 35 miles and a lot of hills. The last two days were also hilly and along gravel roads. We had to walk some of the hills. The accommodations were great and food was easily accessible. Lots of amazing seafood was everywhere. There were also plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. We had a great time and would highly recommend this tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Neil Gordon
A mixture of old and new
Algarve Coastal Route
A very nice mixture of quaint fishing villages and modern tourist towns. The cycling is mostly a mixture of unpaved trails and back roads, but there is some heavily traveled roads to navigate. Hotels are all 4 and 5 star. Bikes are heavy, buy designed for terrain. Excellent support.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Karen Burnham
Self Guided Algarve Tour
Algarve Coastal Route
The connections at the beginning and end of the trip with the bike company went very smoothly and the bikes and GPS were of great quality. Our favorite towns were Vila Real and Tavira, and the paths the first 3 days were delightful. Day 4 was grueling with all busy road traffic. We wish this day could have been avoided via rerouting. All the hotels were fantastic, and the breakfasts were wonderful. We would have liked to spend 2 nights in Lagos so we would have had time to explore. Reaching the lighthouse at the end of the week was such a feeling of accomplishment! Portugal is a great place to visit, so be sure to spend more time after the bike ride to explore.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- Two
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Wendy Walton
Portugal by Bike
Algarve Coastal Route
Our bike trip along the Algarve coast was just what we hoped it would be. Our self guided trip had just the right amount of contact with staff, our pick ups/ drop offs were seamless, there was more interaction at the start of the trip than we have had with others tours which familiarized us with the gos navigation system and got our bikes just right. There was a nice mix of accommodations and it was easy to add extra days to customize our trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Robert Alexander
Great trip, great guides.
Castles and Wines of Portugal
Tons of fun (notwithstanding that we got COVID on the trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2022
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ MEMALgarve
Really Great Holiday Trip on Wheels
Algarve Coastal Route
We had a wonderful 4 day/5 night trip along the Algarve. The GPS was superb, the route was very well thought out, the food amazing and the Algarve everything we had hoped it would be- thank you.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 12/30/19-1/4/20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Timr
Castles, Orange Groves and Sea
Best of the Algarve by Road Bike
Delightful tour through this beautiful and fascinating part of Portugal. Bikes provided were quality, carbon frame road bikes. Accommodations were good to very good. Navigation was clear—the Garmin provided worked just fine. The countryside was lovely. Recommend especially in September to November when temperatures are better.
- What was the date of your tour?
- November 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 11
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ julesmcsa
Great trip
Castles and Wines of Portugal
What a way to see the castles of Portugal! The history of the country is amazing, and seeing it all at eye level, literally, was amazing. Perfect weather. Our tour guides were fantastic. The food was overwhelming, there was just so much of it! Tasted a lot of wine, but expected more. Thank god for our E-bikes; some of the routes were too high for us. Overall, very enjoyable trip. We did not care for some of the accommodations: the farmhouse was too remote for us (we wanted to be in the city).
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 19th
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Lieve v
Amazing experience!
Castles and Wines of Portugal
This trip really was the perfect way to explore the region of Portugal. We saw the true heart of the country! The food and wine stops were amazing, the guide (Maria) was exceptional. Riding the bikes was a bit more challenging than anticipated due to the many undulating roads (stretched out hills and climbs), but it was a rewarding experience to have ultimately been able to accomplish it. The trip offered a wonderful mix of history and architecture, food and nature. Our only disappointment was a last minute change to the itinerary, which had us staying at a company owned farm for two nights, about a 20 minute cab drive from Evora. Part of the group had accommodations downtown Evora, which would have been much preferred for us too since the farm was in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first one!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Tuck
Great trip!
Best of the Algarve by Road Bike
Six of us did an unguided trip using the bike shop's GPS on our Garmin 520 and Iphone "Ride with GPS" app. We would have been miserably lost without it! The route took us thru the back roads of southern Portugal with beautiful orchards of oranges, pomegranates, lemons, vineyards as well as to the southern most tip of Europe and north along the Atlantic ocean coast. We stopped at little cafes for lunch and cappuccino's and stayed in lovely towns at 3 and 4 star hotels. It was simply a fantastic trip. The bike shop provided new carbon fiber road bikes, set us up with the proper adjustments, installed our pedals and left us with plenty of extra parts, tools and tubes to do any repairs. We had one flat tire. They were available anytime and only a phone call away. Addee and BikeTours.com were very helpful on getting us prepped on what to take and made the arrangements for us to be picked up and dropped off at the end of our tour. A few things to note:
* This is a #3 out of 4 difficulty rated bike tour so come prepared and properly trained.
* We went the 2nd week of Oct. with perfect weather, 72°F (22°C) for a high and down to 62°F (16°C) at the start of the day. One ½ hour of rain the entire 6 days but it would be very hot during the summer months.
* There were a lot of hills and a total elevation gain of around 13,000' (over 4000 meters) so be prepared.
* Download the GPS coordinates and routes to your Garmin or Iphone before leaving home as the internet connections are dicey at best.
* There is 6 days in a row of riding with no breaks in between so the last day or two can be a bit tiring.
* Do take a mirror for your helmet or to clamp onto your bike as well as a small bike bag (or day pack) to install on the bike for your cash, passport (needed to check into your hotel), energy bars, sun screen, etc... as there is only one under the saddle small bag that is filled with tools, extra tube, etc...
* The bike shop provided us with a complimentary water bottle but take a 2nd bottle as the bikes had 2 bottle cages on them and you will be glad you have them.- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct. 10-17, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ scbythesea
Highly recommended tour of an interesting part of Portugal.
Castles and Wines of Portugal
Our local guide was wonderful, very knowledgeable, helpful, and fun. The cycling was great in this part of Portugal, and we loved the charming towns and pousadas we stayed in.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 14-21 September 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Petey
Can’t wait to do it again
Camino de Santiago: From Porto to Santiago de Compostela
We did the coastal route self guided. We stayed in the “moderate price” lodging option without dinner plan.
The bike were in very good condition. We went in September when it was dry and did well with hybrid tires. We were outfitted with 2 new Garmin gps’s loaded with the daily routes. They were helpful especially when I got up to speed on using them.
We also had the smart phone app that the tour operator provides. That was super helpful.
I thought the accommodations were terrific. Breakfasts were good and included daily. Our baggage was transferred without any problems.
This is a combination ride of trail and mountain biking. The single track mountain portion is not extensive and detours for them could probably be worked out if you wanted to. We noticed that some of the guided tours do that. We train on road bikes and are in our late 60’s, so it was a great feeling of accomplishment though challenging.
The orientation we got from Pedro was complete and detailed. He kept up with us along the way via email and had some good suggestions.
- ★★★★★ Bamboo
Great trip along the Algarve
Algarve Coastal Route
We loved visiting the Algarve towns and beaches by bike and it was exciting to discover our next guesthouse with our luggage at the door.
Next time, we would have used mountain bikes instead of crossovers, which were heavy and not as smooth on the trails and cobblestones.
The maps were clear and we were able to self-guide without any problem.
Loved the feeling of biking from the spanish border to the westerly tip.- What was the date of your tour?
- March 16th
- How many tours have you completed?
- First tour
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ NoPensionWillTravel
Sunny Cycling in a Very Popular Spot
Algarve Coastal Route
The tour operator provided very responsive and friendly service throughout this trip. The hotels were excellent, being mostly four-star (although we're usually happy with two or three.) We particularly liked the staff at the Hotel Apolo in Vila Real de Santo António. As the description says, this is one of the few places you can cycle warm, sunny weather in Europe in late November! We would caution prospective riders to do their research, though. If, like we, you imagine the Algarve as quaint and quiet - as it may have been in the past - you may be surprised at how built up it has become. We were rarely out of sight of high-rise hotels or flashy marinas. The "fishing villages with Moorish architecture, cobbled lanes, Roman ruins, beaches, lagoons, and inlets" all exist - but there's a lot of development in between, and growing. And this also means traffic and more challenging cycling. When we see a "2" rating, we usually expect we could invite capable non-cyclists, but in this case, the preponderance of busy, sometimes narrow roads, and complex traffic circles made us glad we didn't have newbies with us. So, do your homework - but if you know what to expect, this is a well-run operation with nice bikes and a super GPS route-finder.
- What was the date of your tour?
- November 12, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7 or 8 (plus club-organized in NA)
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Cara
Beautiful way to see this country!
Best of the Algarve by Road Bike
We booked the self-guided tour, and loved it! Bikes, maps, GPS, panniers, and lots of tips were all provided! The routes were beautiful, the hotels were great, and I would go back to Portugal in a heartbeat!
- What was the date of your tour?
- 10/8/18-10/15/18
- How many tours have you completed?
- this was the first
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ senorbogus
Rolling through beautiful Alentejo
Castles and Wines of Portugal
Our self-guided tour was a wonderful experience. We were very happy with all of the rich, multi-sensory stimulation we experienced every day on the trip. Lots of variety and interest, especially for us who are very interested in history and local culture. Highlights were getting to visit up close and in a very informal and uncrowded manner the many historic sites - castles, prehistoric graves and boulder installations, village crafts workshops, medieval churches and cathedrals as well as the pleasant agricultural countryside. We particularly liked it that we experienced zero crowds of other tourists. By the way, the castle that you show in your photo was where we had lunch one day. We were the only persons there. It was our hottest and longest day, so we really needed the rest, refreshment and tranquility. Special highlights were the beautiful, historic inns where we stayed - converted palaces and convents several hundreds of years old. It almost made us feel like royalty, and for a modest price, too.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct. 6-13, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Traveling Jackie
Great Introduction to Bike Touring!
Castles and Wines of Portugal
I'd never done a bike tour before, so this was my first experience, and I LOVED IT! Our guide Jorge was funny and kind, the other people on the trip were lovely and encouraging. At the end of the trip I was trying to figure out what the highlight was, and I realized everything I was coming up with was the actual riding itself. The views were fantastic, I liked the varied roads, ups, downs, back roads, cobblestone villages, paved countryside. I opted for a hybrid touring bike, it was hard work in some places but I was happy with my decision instead of getting an e-bike.
We had a couple days of heavy rain where we couldn't ride at all, but I found it nice to have a little break from the saddle on my first tour ever. On those days we got to see more sites than we would have on bikes, because they took us in a van to explore monuments, wineries, museums, chapels, towns, marble quarries, palaces, castles, and more. We shared a lot of delicious meals together, my favorite being a hole in the wall tiny restaurant that you'd never be able to find on a map, and the owner makes his own wine. These are the types of places you can only find with a guide.
The pace was relaxed, I loved the unique accommodations and the restaurants. Besides the rain, the weather was comfortable and cool for riding. It was April when I went, might be a good idea to go a little later to try to avoid rain. My biggest tip is to bring your appetite and eat ALL the delicious food and wine!
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
Video: A little recap of my first ever multi-day bike tour in the Alentejo wine region of Portugal.
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