FARO TO LISBON GRAVEL BIKEPACKING TOUR

A 5 day / 6 night gravel bikepacking trip from Faro to Lisbon

Ready for a gravel bikepacking adventure in southern Portugal?

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Recommended times of year:

Winter, Spring and Autumn


Bike Type: Gravel, MTB

Number of riding days: 5

Tour Type: Guided or Self Guided

Airport Faro (start) and Lisbon (finish)

Km / day: 70-110km

Elevation gain / day: 800-2100m

Overall Difficulty: Medium - Advanced

Accommodation: Rural Hotels

An 6 night Portuguese Gravel Bikepacking Tour from Faro to Lisbon

Are you ready for a next level cycling experience? Perhaps you have just purchased a new gravel bike and want to get out on adventure on it. This Portugal gravel bikepacking tour could be just the escape for you!
The bike holiday is the perfect mix of road and gravel. Technically it is not too difficult (most tracks are for 4×4 vehicles) but the off-road sections give the riders a chance to reach villages and other hidden gems inaccessible with a road bike.
You will carry your own luggage with you (self supported), staying at small hotels / BnB’s en route. You can choose whether you would like a guided or self-guided trip.

Difficulty Level

This gravel bikepacking tour is for medium – advanced level riders. You don’t need to have prior experience in bike packing, but experience in having done around 100km on back to back days will make the tour more enjoyable for you! You will encounter challenges, both physically and mentally – but that’s the aim 😉

Don’t forget! There are no support vehicles on this trip, however if you choose a guided trip you will have the company of our lovely guides who will be there to assist you if needed!

Bikepacking Tour Itinerary

This trip consists of 2 travel days, 5 cycling days and 6 nights. The final night you will stay in Lisbon, which gives you a chance to stay in this wonderful city one or two more days at the end of your trip should you wish. Scroll down look below at the itinerary below for a more detailed overview of the route and number of km each day!

Accommodation

You will be staying in different local rural hotels each night. We hand pick the accommodation to suit our cyclists, both in terms of comfort and location, as well as having an authentic Portuguese feel. There will be no hotel chains, as we love to support Portuguese business owners.

Cuisine

We pledge to support local restaurants, so you will eat in different nearby restaurants each night, all within walking distance of your hotels. By the end of the week you will have had a taste of the many traditional dishes of Portugal and in particular the Algarve and Alentejo. All meals plus house wine, beer or soft drinks are all included in the price of your holiday. Allergies or dietary requirements? No problem, we can take care of everything.

Heritage and Culture

This adventure is not just about the bike… as you ride, you will also experience the culture and heritage of the Algarve and the Alentejo – the local cuisine, music, wine and liquor making, the agriculture, historic monuments and the ancient creative traditions.

Gravel – what bike do I need?

This tour is designed specifically for gravel riding. We would highly recommend a gravel bike, or a road bike with gravel tyres. This Portugal gravel bikepacking tour is predominantly on small roads, but will dive off onto gravel paths (usually 4×4 tracks) so having tyres that can stand up to that is paramount! We can hire gravel bikes for you – just get in touch.

What’s Included?

5 spectacular days of cycling
6 Nights Hotel accommodation (based on 2 people sharing a room, a single room is available for an extra fee)
Airport transfers from Faro Airport at the start and to Lisbon airport at the end
Buffet breakfast
GPX files of all stages
Personal assistance throughout the booking process
Detailed tour information pack prior to departure
Detailed daily itinerary (km, elevation, points of interest)
Liability and Personal Accident Insurance
5* service – our promise!

Not Included

Flights
Lunches
Dinner (although we can make recommendations and make bookings should you wish!)
Extras, e.g. Bike Hire, Cycling Jersey, Single Room Supplement

Did you know?

We can run this tour in the opposite direction too, from Lisbon to Faro, as well as bespoke variations to suit you – just get in touch.

Bikepacking Tour Portugal

Faro to Lisbon Bikepacking Tour

Please note this is only an indication as external factors such as available hotels might impact which exact routes are followed. You will receive a detailed itinerary once you have booked.

 

Arrival into Faro Airport, transfer to your hotel in Faro

 

We will arrange for you to be taken (with any bikes and luggage you have of course!) from Faro Airport to Faro centre.
Should you be arriving into a different airport, we can also arrange transport for you for an extra charge – just get in touch.
In Faro you will be staying in a lovely hotel close to the old town and the marina, the start of your journey.

 

 

Faro – Alte

 

The first day will take you along the beautiful Algarve coast and Ria Formosa for a small distance along very easy off road trails. Look out for flamingos and other birdlife as you cycle through this natural park.

After lunch you will bear left and head inland, through the old town of Sao Bras de Alportel, Querenca, Salir, past Rocha da Pena a magnificent rocky mountain close to Benafim and down into Alte.

Alte is a charming Portuguese village, with many hidden must-see gems, such as the waterfall, pools and of course, Balthazar – the famous donkey of Alte. 

 

 

 

Alte – Monchique

 

Today you will make your way west, through the endless orange groves and avocado fields that this region cultivates. Lunch will be in Silves, a fabulous fortified town once the capital of the Algarve.

After this, things get a little more serious – its time to climb up towards Monchique! The route we plot for bike packers is a mix of road and gravel tracks – the steeper sections being on small roads to keep the route as achievable as possible for all riders. 

You will be rewarded at the end of the day with fabulous views across the Serra de Monchique in all directions.

Monchique, with it’s stone houses, forested slopes and terraced hillsides is like stepping into another world from the Algarve you left this morning. Green and lush – with many springs (even some hot springs exist in Monchique).

You will enjoy a traditional dinner in the evening before sleeping in a cosy hotel in the centre of the town.

 

 

 

Monchique to Vila Nova de Milefontes

 

The good news is that you have an easy start to the day, as you are already at one of the highest points in the Algarve! You will make your way down a gorgeous winding road to start off with as you leave Monchique.

After that, you will be heading towards the west coast, where you will ride along some truly spectacular trails along the cliffs. 

The end of the day you will ride along some tranquil small roads and tracks until Vila Nova de Milefontes, which is a beautiful seaside town right on the estuary of the Rio Mira.

 

 

 

Vila Nova de Milefontes to Sétubal

 

This day is a wonderful flat day north along the west coast. A highlight will be cycling through the rice fields of Comporta (yes, Portugal produces rice) and also up the coastline to Troia. From here you will take a little boat trip across the bay to Sétubal – a great opportunity to relax and enjoy the view of the “Parque Natural da Arrábida” from the sea.

 

 

Sétubal – Lisbon

This last day is a fun one. You will leave Sétubal and climb up to some incredible view spots over the stunning bays of the Parque Natural da Arrábida. As you head towards Lisbon we will pass a few vineyards of the Sétubal region.

The last part of your jouney is another boat trip over the River Tejo with famous views of Lisbon’s Ponte 25 Avril, Torre de Belem and others. It’s an ideal way to enter the city avoiding all traffic.

 

 

 

Depart from Lisbon Airport

We will arrange a transfer to the airport to catch your flight home! We will be sorry to see you leave.

Of course, there is the opportunity to stay another night in Lisbon should you wish – just contact us and we can arrange that, or let you arrange yourselves. This wouldn’t affect the transfer to the airport, we can move that a day or two if you wanted to allow for some time to see the sights.

 

 

 

More than 12 people?

We are highly experienced at organising large group challenges and events. We can offer unbeatable pricing for the group trip you have in mind.

FARO – LISBON GRAVEL BIKEPACKING TOUR RESERVATION or QUOTE REQUEST

 

Send us a reservation request below for the Faro to Lisbon Gravel Bikepacking Tour and one of our friendly team will get back to you within 1 working day to help finalise and plan your trip.

Don’t forget! We create bespoke trips too – anything you would like to add, please don’t hesitate to ask us and we will do our best to make your ideas a reality.

 

 

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Did you like the sound of our Faro to Lisbon Gravel Bikepacking Trip? You might also be interested in our other cycling holidays in Portugal…

Authentic Algarve Gravel Cycling Holiday

For the gravel riders. Enjoy an off road / gravel cycling holiday in the Algarve! Let us introduce you to the best tracks and trails in the beautiful Algarve, both along the coast and inland.

925,001.275,00

Alentejo Self-Guided Gravel Bikepacking Tour

For the bikepackers. An adventure is on the horizon! Escape your normal routine and join us for a truly new and exciting gravel bikepacking experience into the Alentejo.

Faro to Lisbon Self-Guided Gravel Tour

Road Cycling Holiday Portugal

For the gravel tourers. This is a fantastic gravel trip for anyone wanting to experience a wide range of landscapes – west coast, rolling Alentejo plains and the beautiful Algarve backroads.

795,001.295,00

Authentic Algarve Road Cycling Holiday

Road Cycling Holiday Portugal

For the roadies. An unforgettable week of road riding in the Algarve. Not just bikes – this cycling holiday is also about enjoying the Portuguese culture, gastronomy and incredible landscapes too!

875,001.275,00

738km North to South N2 Cycling Tour

Road Cycling Holiday Portugal

For the challenge-seekers. A stunning road cycling holiday with a goal to achieve! Put your cycling legs to the test during this 6-day Challenge. A total of 738km, along Europes longest road.

1.450,001.800,00

FAQ’s

Is it possible to do this gravel bikepacking tour over fewer or more days?

We can adapt any trip to suit your needs – simply drop us a message and we will adjust the itinerary and provide a new quote.

What is your cancellation policy?
You can book in confidence with a very flexible cancellation policy which can be read in detail here.

We strongly recommend that you travel with adequate travel insurance to cover the cost of flight cancellation and holiday cancellation.

 

Am I too slow?

Definitely not! We pride ourselves on providing holidays for all abilities, and we have guides for different fitness levels. Often groups will be divided into three different groups so suit everyone!

Having said that, there is one trip that does – the N2 North to South Challenge. This trip has a minimum number of kilometres to complete each day.

Can I hire a gravel bike?

Yes. Just get in touch to let us know exactly what you would like and we will give you a quotation.

I would like to create my own bespoke holiday - can you help?

Of course! We would love to help you put together the perfect cycling holiday for you and your group.

We can assist with:

  • Booking hotels, villas or BnB’s
  • Hiring bikes
  • Plotting cycling routes (road or off-road)
  • Hiring guides
  • Car Hire
  • Booking restaurants
  • Recommending cafes
  • Airport transfers

We charge really reasonable prices for all of the above, making your life as the organiser really easy. Let us know what you have planned and we will help you plan an unforgettable week of cycling in Portugal for you!

Get in touch!

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