Top 10 cycling tours in Portugal

This top 10 cycling holidays in Portugal guide is all you need to pack in your panniers if you want to discover an authentic side to the Algarve, Alentejo and wild Atlantic coast and islands. We reveal our best cycling tours in Portugal – including pilgrimage paths, a ride from Porto to Lisbon, and trails around the Azores.

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Top 10 cycling tours in Portugal

Our best cycling holidays in Portugal take you away from the crowded beaches and into some of the wildest rides on Europe’s Atlantic coast. This is where you’ll discover shaded pine forests, huge expanses of sand, and some of the best melted cheese sandwiches you’ll ever taste. Self guided cycling holidays in Portugal are the perfect bridge between joining a group and doing everything yourself. Locally owned accommodation is ready and waiting for you each afternoon – and so is your luggage, so you don’t need to worry about overdoing it on the Lycra.

Keep reading to find out our top 10 Portugal cycling holidays…

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1. Porto to Lisbon

There’s a cracking self guided cycle ride from Porto to Lisbon that allows you to pedal 40-60km a day along Portugal’s untamed Atlantic coastline. This is a super sensory route, with salty sea air combining with pine-infused forests and wild rosemary. High Atlantic rollers aside, this cycling holiday in Portugal also includes overnight stopovers at some of the west coast’s lesser-known seaside towns and villages – places like Ovar and Sao Pedro de Moel.

Our top selling trip: Porto to Lisbon cycling holiday – self guided
All our trips: Portugal cycling holidays
Read more: Portugal cycling travel guide

2. The Algarve

The great thing about cycling in the Algarve is that you’re not restricted to staying at a resort. Cycling in this region of southern Portugal gives you the freedom to explore and seek out those tiny inland villages away from busy beaches. If you’re cycling daily distances of 30km, you can take advantage of secluded stretches of sand – so don’t forget to pack a towel and swimmers in your panniers.

Our top selling trips: Cycling holiday in Portugal – self guided and Algarve self guided cycling tour
All our trips: Portugal cycling holidays
Read more: Cycling in the Algarve travel guide

3. The Alentejo

Cycling in southern Portugal is a joy for fans of wide open spaces, vineyards and cellar doors. A cycling holiday in the Alentejo region is all about discovering the sun-kissed culture of the countryside as you cycle via almond, fig and orange orchards en route to traditional hilltop villages. Closer to the coast, you’ll pedal past sand dunes and the crashing waves of the Atlantic. Costa Vicentina Natural Park in south-west Alentejo is practically untouched and a treat for anyone riding a bike with a pair of bird watching binoculars in their saddle bag.

Our top selling trips: Alentejo self guided cycling holiday and Portugal cycling holiday – self guided
All our trips: Alentejo holidays
Read more: Alentejo travel guide

4. The Azores

Although the Azores aren’t established territory for bike enthusiasts, they’re starting to become something of a cycling holiday hotspot. Take the island of Terceira, for example. This is where you can cycle through green fields and shaded woodlands on your way to smoking volcanic fumaroles and wild swimming in tidal pools. Elsewhere in the Azores, you can pedal up to 45km a day, as well as taking time out of the saddle to go whale watching, sea kayaking and wine tasting.

Our top selling trip: Terceira cycling holiday in the Azores
All our trips: Azores holidays
Read more: Cycling in the Azores travel guide

5. Peneda-Geres National Park

Quiet and green, grazed by wild ponies and roe deer, and laced with rivers, the Peneda-Geres National Park – Portugal’s only national park – makes for quiet cycling country. Here in the extreme northeast of Portugal, on the Spanish border, the routes are nearly empty and the towns are ancient, with Roman roads crossing Roman bridges, and milestones that are millennia old. Your family can enjoy a gentle centre-based cycling holiday in the heart of it all.

Our top selling trip: Family cycling holiday in Portugal
All our trips: Portugal cycling holidays
Read more: Cycling in Peneda-Geres National Park guide

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6. Portugal north to south

Ambitious road cyclist? Why not cycle the length of Portugal? The N2 (National Road 2) is Portugal’s famous north to south road route, running from Chaves to Faro in the Algarve. It’s 739 kilometres long, but your cycle won’t spend all its time on busy roads. Instead, you’ll follow ecopistas, whizzing through the wine regions of Douro and Montemor O Novo, and enjoy rolling countryside on your way to the Algarve’s beautiful Mediterranean views.

Our top selling trip: Portugal north to south cycling tour
All our trips: Portugal cycling holidays
Read more: Portugal cycling travel guide

7. The Guadiana River

The best way to find a great cycling route? Follow a river. Not only do you minimise steep climbs, but you get great valley views along the way. The Guadiana River forms the border between Spain and Portugal, and you can follow it up from the Algarve into Alentejo, before crossing into Spain and heading back south again to the coast. National parks and natural beauty abound, but so do interesting industries: olive oil and cheese producers, farms, and old mines.

Our top selling trip: Guadiana River cycling holiday
All our trips: Algarve holidays
Read more: Cycling routes in Portugal

8. Portuguese Way

While most people walk this historic pilgrimage trail, cycling the Portuguese Way allows you explore rural northern Portugal and a little of north-west Spain at a faster pace. Starting in the city of Porto, you’ll follow the Camino north through glorious countryside. On reaching Redondela, you’ll enter the gloriously green Spanish region of Galicia, from where you’ll continue before reaching Santiago de Compostela. You’ll cover around 40-50km each day, on a mix of paved roads and dirt tracks, making this a fairly moderate cycling holiday for pilgrims who love to pedal.

Our top selling trip: Camino de Santiago cycling holiday from Porto
All our trips: Portuguese Way holidays
Read more: Portuguese Way travel guide

9. Costa Vicentina

Experiencing south-west Portugal by bike is the best way to immerse yourself in the wild ambience of the Alentejo and Algarve regions. Costa Vicentina Natural Park covers a rich variety of natural habitats and terrain, from rocky headlands and secluded coves to rolling green hills and peaceful seaside communities. Average daily distances of 40-45km allow you to cycle from Santiago do Cacém to Sagres over the course of a week, and overnight accommodation at locally owned hotels makes this a really relaxing holiday ride rather than an uphill slog.

Our top selling trip: Alentejo and Algarve self guided cycling holiday
All our trips: Portugal cycling holidays
Read more: Portugal cycling travel guide

10. Douro River

Following the course of the Douro River as it winds its way down from Porto is the chance for cyclists to experience Portugal from a rural perspective. Roads through the valley are practically car-free and feature several climbs, as well as lots of opportunities to visit wineries and olive farms. Lesser-known riverside villages such as Peso da Regua, Pinhao, Marialva and Barca d’Alva are great places to pause from pedalling and enjoy a well-earned francesinha (a chunky meat and melted cheese sandwich).

Our top selling trip: Douro Valley cycling holiday
All our trips: Portugal cycling holidays
Read more: Portugal cycling travel guide