Mountain Bike – Vicentine Historical Way 

Reception of the participants in Lisbon and transfer to the hotel in Santiago do Cacém.

Briefing at the hotel.

Santiago do Cacém is a nice little city built within a castle and with ancient ruins on its suburbs. The modern part is located around the market, and the older parts of town spread throughout the castle hills. We advise you to go up the castle so you can enjoy the amazing views.

Accommodation in Santiago do Cacém

Santiago do Cacém > Vale Sêco

In Vale Sêco you will have the opportunity to see the old water channel that provided water to the surrouding towns, back in the day. Now a days the channel is only used seasonaly, as there are other ways to feed water to the population. 

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Medium
DISTANCE: 18 KM
ACCUMULATED CLIMB: 332 M
ACCUMULATED DESCENT: 389 M
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 281 M
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 119 M

Highlights of the Day - Cork trees, the Alentejo’s emblematic species.

Vale Sêco > Cercal

Cercal is a village from the Santiago do Cacém county. Due to its proximity to the coast line, Cercal has a mild climate, that provides it with the most diversified fauna and flora of the whole Alentejo Southwest area.  

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: MEDIUM
DISTANCE: 23 KM
ACCUMULATED CLIMB: 199 M
ACCUMULATED DESCENT: 248 M
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 214 M
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 114 M

Highlights of the Day - Olive groves, beautiful rocky outcrops.

Accommodation in Cercal 

Cercal > São Luís

São Luís is the fourth largest parish in the municipality of Odemira and has always been one of the most populated ones. Marking the landscape of the entire parish is the magnificence of the Serra de S. Domingos, the river Mira and the Ribeira do Torgal.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT
DISTANCE: 21 KM
ACCUMULATED CLIMB: 467 M
ACCUMULATED DESCENT: 465 M
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 329 M
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 62 M

Highlights of the Day - Spectacular scenery, such as Rocha de Água d’Alte, and the breathtaking views of the coastline.

São Luís > Odemira

Odemira is the biggest municipality of Portugal, and as so it encompasses plains, mountains and the sea. 

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT
DISTANCE: 25 KM
ACCUMULATED CLIMB: 274 M
ACCUMULATED DESCENT: 436 M
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 174 M
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 7 M

Highlights of the Day - Water streams and ponds, Ribeira do Torgal - forests of valuable species such as ash, willow and alder trees.

Accommodation in Odemira

Odemira > São Teotónio

In São Teotónio (another one of Odemira's villages), you will have the chance to grab some good photos, either of the really pretty beaches, or of the characteristic houses of the south.  

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: MEDIUM
DISTANCE: 19 KM
ACCUMULATED CLIMB: 343 M
ACCUMULATED DESCENT: 167 M
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 193 M
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 3 M

Highlights of the Day - Ride with rivers Mira and S. Teotónio village, between the hills and the sea.

São Teotónio > Odeceixe

Odeceixe is located on the coastal strip between Burgau (Vila do Bispo) and the mouth of the River Mira, where the Mirense Culture was developed. Mirenses are people of nomadic nature, whose traces date from 8 to 5 thousand years B.C. Here you can learn a little bit of the portuguese history, while enjoying some of the most beautiful beaches in our country. 

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT
DISTANCE: 17 KM
ACCUMULATED CLIMB: 246 M
ACCUMULATED DESCENT: 402 M
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 203 M
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 11 M

Highlights of the Day - Trails covered with well preserved native vegetation, the view over Odeceixe and the ocean.

Accommodation in Odeceixe or Brejão

Odeceixe > Aljezur

Aljezur is a land of remote origins, which antiquity is notible in the various archaeological remains that keep on being found. Aljezur has been habited since pre-history. It has a super rocky coastline that, being sometimes interrupted by sandy areas, creates beaches with the most incredible landscapes.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: MEDIUM
DISTANCE: 18 KM
ACCUMULATED CLIMB: 123 M
ACCUMULATED DESCENT: 108 M
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 112 M
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 0 M

Highlights of the Day - Mira’s watering channel, fed by the waters of Santa Clara’s dam, coastal cliffs, Odeceixe and Amoreira beaches.

Aljezur > Arrifana

Arrifana is the most famous beach of the Aljezur area.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: MEDIUM
DISTANCE: 12 KM
ACCUMULATED CLIMB: 224 M
ACCUMULATED DESCENT: 184 M
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 121 M
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 2 M

Highlights of the Day - Cross scented valleys and small farms.

Accommodation Aljezur

Carrapateira > Vila do Bispo

This day starts with a 20 minutes transfer from Aljezur to Carrapateira.

Carrapateira is a village located on the Algarve coast. Its main attractions are the coastal fort and village church. You can't miss visiting the main beach - Praia da Bordeira - one of the most famous in the Vicentine Coast.  

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: MEDIUM
DISTANCE: 22 KM
ACCUMULATED CLIMB: 299 M
ACCUMULATED DESCENT: 206 M
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 144 M
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 10 M

Highlights of the Day - Views over Bordeira beach, villages of Vilarinha and Pedralva, Vila do Bispo.

Vila do Bispo > Cabo de São Vicente (Sagres)

The first references to Vila do Bispo date back to 1329. Vila do Bispo has the most important concentration of menhirs in the entire Algarve, with a known number of around 300. They are mostly made of white limestone, whose brightness makes them an element that stands out in the landscape -  keep your eyes opened and check how many you can spot. 

Sagres is located at the very western tip of the Algarve, and is like no other destination! The dramatic landscapes are dominated by nature's raw power, from the raging seas to the landscapes created by massif cliffs. It is a location where tourists can challenge themselves by cycling along cliffs or on deserted roads - are you ready for it?
P.S. - Obviously, don't forget to try the Sagres bear, the favorite of the people from the south!

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT
DISTANCE: 14 KM
ACCUMULATED CLIMB: 96 M
ACCUMULATED DESCENT: 103 M
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 152 M

Highlights of the Day - Today you will be riding towards the south western tip of Europe with cliffs and outstanding views over the coastline.

Accommodation in Sagres

Start the day by saying goodbye to your trusted bicycles and hop on the 30 minutes transfer that will take you to Lagos train station. It’s now time to take the train back to Lisbon - this should take around 4 hours - an opportunity to seat down and enjoy the Portuguese landscape, only that now in an effortless way.

In Lisbon you will stay in a central hotel, and the city is now your canvas to do whatever you feel like.

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and the centre of a multifaceted region that appeals to different tastes and senses. In a city that has been receiving many and different cultures from far and wide distances over time, today you can still feel the village breath on every historical neighbourhood. You can walk through the grid of streets in Baixa Pombalina that opens to the Praça do Comércio and, following the river, get to know some of the most beautiful places in the city: the monumental area of Belém with World Heritage monuments, medieval neighbourhoods, and also areas with more recent or contemporary leisure facilities, such as the Parque das Nações and the Docks. 

Places to visit: Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, Padrão do Descobrimentos, São Jorge Castle, Praça do Comércio, Chiado, Parque das Nações

Accommodation in Lisbon