CONTRASTS OF PORTUGAL CYCLING (FURTHER DETAILS)

General information:
Anyone with a reasonable level of fitness will be able to enjoy this holiday. Most of the cycling is along tarmac surfaces (with very few long hills – the longest is about 250m or so in distance...not height!)

The short hills that are in the routes, 1 on day 3 (short route and long route), 2 on day 6. there is a longer uphill section on day 7 that is about 2km but it is more gentle.

What is the countryside like?
Inland the landscape is one of rolling green fields and scattered cork oak trees. White villages with orange trees, farming hamlets with black pigs under olive trees. The landscape is entirely pastoral – shepherds with flocks of goats and farmers on tractors.

On the coast it is flatter so there is more wheat grown –open green meadows are interspersed with small vineyards and citrus orchards grown on scattered homesteads.

Location:
The Alentejo is the most authentic Portuguese region. Rural and almost untouched, you can see life going on here the way it has for centuries. It lies between Lisbon in the north and the Algarve in the south, and extends inland as far east as the Spanish border.

Who would this holiday appeal to?
Anyone who likes very nice accommodation and easy coastal cycling will enjoy this fabulous holiday!

Similar to which other holidays?
If you enjoyed Bays of Brittany cycling and Emerald Coast cycling this holiday will appeal to you!