Alentejo cycling tour (Portugal)

We will be available to collect you all from Lisbon/Lisbon Airport from 10:00am onwards. There will be a 2.5-hour drive east towards Altar do Chao. Following time for some lunch and a bike fitting the afternoon is free to test the bikes. It will be an easy bike loop to get you ready for the days to come. Enjoy a tour welcome dinner with the Sierra team. 

Distance: 50km / Meals: Dinner Included / Sleep: Alto do Chao (Portugal)

After breakfast you will jump on the bikes and enjoy a route which winds its way through the cork trees of the Alentejo region. Along the way you will cross the 100 metre long Roman bridge that has well and truly stood the test of time (2000 years of time in fact)!

Distance: 90km / Meals: Breakfast Included / Sleep: Alto do Chao (Portugal)

Today you will spend some time cycling through the rolling hills before finishing at the impressive fortified village of Marvão. Be sure to visit the 9^th Century castle and cistern. This will be your new base for the next 2 nights so you will have plenty of time to explore this lovely town and its narrow streets and cosy plazas. The final section includes the 6km climb to Marvao with an average grade of 5.5%.

Distance: 80km / Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Included / Sleep: Marvao (Portugal)

Following breakfast you will set-off for a ride through the Serra de Sao Mamede National Park. The ride will continue towards the medieval city and stronghold of Castelo de Vide where all the way you will admire the beautiful Sao Mamede mountain range. To complete your loop the ride finishes back in Marvao.   

Distance: 70km / Meals: Breakfast Included / Sleep: Marvao (Portugal)

The medieval theme continues today as you ride from one hilltop village to another. While it is more of a transition day on the bikes there are still a number of climbs but they never get too taxing. In fact, there are five short climbs ranging from 1 – 2.5km in length and 4-7% grade. Estremoz you will now call home for the next two nights on tour.

Distance: 105km / Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Included / Sleep: Estremoz (Portugal)

The gentle rolling terrain continues again today as you head for an easterly loop from Estremoz. Very similar ride statistics from yesterday with the same number of climbs but grades around the 3-4% range. On the ride home you will pass by the town Borba which is well known for its wine and marble stone which is extracted in more than 160 local quarries. In recent times though, it is wine that is putting the Alentejo region on the map and more specifically its red wines. There will be time for some sampling! This afternoon/evening we can take an excursion to Vila Viçosa to visit Bragança’s Ducal Palace. If you would like some time to visit the palace you will find that it is home to a rich art and jewellery collection.

Distance: 100km / Meals: Breakfast Included / Sleep: Estremoz (Portugal)

Today’s ride first heads south past Redondo and then later west through to Evora. Before reaching Redondo there is a 6km climb (4% ave. grade) which is the only challenge for the day. Redondo is a quaint village in the heart of the Alentejo region and is famous for its pottery. The arrival to Evora and the grand plaza ‘Praca do Giraldo’ will be deserving of a celebratory beer or wine! The streets of Evora resemble an open-air museum with the Roman temple and baths, medieval walls and ornate plazas. It is no wonder the Portuguese kings from the 15th Century selected Evora as their place of residence.

Distance: 80km / Meals: Breakfast Included / Sleep: Evora (Portugal)

Following breakfast the cycling from Evora heads towards Monsaraz. The sensation of grand battles and impenetrable fortresses will be on your mind. The ride first heads down to the never-ending waters of Lago Alqueva which is the biggest reservoir in Western Europe. From the lake’s edge you will then find your way into medieval Monsaraz. The narrow streets and white washed buildings mean Monsaraz is considered by many to be the most beautiful town in the Alentejo region. We will make sure you have plenty of time to enjoy lunch while visiting this jewel! The afternoon cycling route heads west from Monsaraz and follows peaceful countryside all the way through to Evora. With more than 2000 years of history we will take a final stroll through town before dinner. We will drop into the ‘Capilla de los Huesos’ (Bones Chapels) which is decorated from floor to ceiling with bones and skulls taken from 43 local cemeteries dating back to the 13^th Century!

Distance: 80km / Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Included / Sleep: Evora (Portugal)

We will check-out of the hotel after breakfast and make the 2hr van transfer to Lisbon. If you are interested, along the way we can make a 20min detour to visit the ‘Almendres Cromlech’ which is the largest group of standing stones in the Iberian Peninsula. It is a remarkable site, dating back to 6000 BC, and which consists of over 90 granite standing stones which are arranged in two ‘twin’ circles.

Meals: Breakfast included