Transfer from airport to the guesthouse.

After breakfast briefing. The rural tracks of Odemira – 24 miles - We start the work with a ride with a medium level of physical ang technical difficulty. The ride starts at the quay in the country town of Odemira the river Mira was the main factor in the evolution of this small town. From the quay we pass through the historic centre of the town and on to the riverbank until we pass though the eucalyptus wood. We cross a tarmac road towards a typical “monte” or Portuguese adobe walled farmhouse cost in a rolling countryside where time appears to have stood still. Pedalling on though a leafy glade we splash though a cooling stream to find to single tracks sections winding up the highest point of the ride with stunning views over to the Monchique hills in the Algarve. Na excoriating downhill section follows back towards the Mira River and along it’s banks to return to Odemira town quay.

Odemira- Pego das Pias- Odemira – 29 miles - The day ride starts on the quay at Odemira the county town made up of white houses leaning over the riverbanks of the river Mira. This is without doubt one of the hardest trails with clay, schist and some granite single tracks. We start the ride through the centre of town taking in the local architecture the labyrinth of streets and the slow pace of life that has remained unaltered through history. Leaving Odemira we head out towards a eucalyptus wood along a track following the Turgal stream. Tracks that were once used by the locals but are now predominantly kept open by walkers and cyclists. Technical ascents follow on single tracks until we drop down to a natural lake surrounded by rocks and trees where a relaxing lunch will be taken in the shade at the waters edge. We finish the morning ride with a barbecue in a pinewood close to the sea. After lunch we will continue the ride through rolling cork and eucalyptus plantations interspaced with single tracks that drop down to the banks of the river Mira (the least polluted river in Europe) which we follow back into the quaint town of Odemira.

S. Teotónio - Zambujeira - Cavaleiro – 29 miles - From inland to the sea. This is the day of the coastal road. A routed noted for its diversity and vibrant landscapes. The terrain is mainly made up of clay/schist trails with some sandy tracks, some single, to test your technique. We start of in the direction of the Atlantic Ocean first passing through eucalyptus and the pinewoods until we reach a watercourse. With the sea on the horizon we will trial different terrain until we reach the spectacular beach of Alteirinhos. Riding on to the lunch spot, chosen for its stunning cliffs, the village of Zambujeira do Mar awaits. In the afternoon the rhythm is maintained and after a small climb on tarmac we return to rolling cliff paths with the Atlantic waves crashing onto the rocks bellow. The Tonel beach and Cabo Sardão Lighthouse provide great photo spots with the cliff-nesting storks as a backdrop. The trail ends in the village of Cavaleiro where the population is made up of fisher folk. A transfer of 1 hour will be made to the hilltop hotel in the town of Monchique, which will be our base for the next 2 days. The town is on the borders of Alentejo and Algarve regions and has stunning views down onto Algarve coast. It is also renewing for producing the best “medronho”, the local Portuguese “whisky” distilled from the wild strawberry tree – Arbutus

Picota - Monchique Mountain – 21 miles - Today we will tackle a more technically challenging route through the hills of the Serra de Monchique. Firstly, we’ll make an ascent of Picota (773m/2536ft.), the second largest of all the peaks in the surrounding hills. The route includes plenty of fantastic single-track with rocky paths and stream crossings thrown in for good measure. Despite the shorter distance covered, this is the toughest of the rides we’ll do on this adventure. It’s definitely a rewarding day though, both in terms of the excellent biking and for the spectacular views of the Algarve coast.

Foia - Odeceixe – 31 miles - After breakfast we leave the Serra de Monchique, but not before tackling Foia (885m/2905ft.), the highest summit in the Sierra de Monchique. From this great viewpoint, we will enjoy an exhilarating, monster descent, charging down forest-lined dirt tracks to the village of Selão and on to the Rio Ceixe. We follow the course of this river until it reaches the sea at Odeceixe.

Odemira - São Luis - Milfontes - 26 miles - The last days ride of the holiday takes us back to the quay at Odemira but this time we leave to the north for a route of medium physical and technical difficulty. For 10 Km we follow the river along the margins of old rice beds and then climb up steeply to the amlet of Troviscais for a well-earned drink stop. Climbing again on a dual track we head into hills of S. Luis and drop down into the town for lunch. In the afternoon we head out cut of the hills of S. Luis and onto the coast to the famous surfing beach of Malhão. From here we pedal back to our base at the Casa da Eira in Vila Nova de Milfontes.