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Cycling in The Real Algarve

0044 1606 720199

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  • Holiday code
    C06AV
  • Holiday type
    Self-guided cycling
  • Duration
    6 nights
  • Accommodation
    hotel-to-hotel
    and
  • Activity level
  • From $2300per person, tour only
  • Departure months
    JFMAMJJASOND
  • What your holiday price includes
  • 6 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation in a mix of and hotels
  • All continental breakfasts and 5 evening meals
  • Bike fitting and briefing at the start of your holiday
  • Headwater navigation app
  • Bike hire included
  • Standard transfers at the start/end of the trip (if booking inclusive flights)
  • Luggage transfers between hotels
  • Optional Upgrades
  • Electric bikes available
  • Room upgrades and extra nights at selected hotels
  • City break add-ons in Lisbon
  • Suitable for
  • Couples
  • Excellent choice for
  • Food lovers, wine lovers, flora & fauna, bird spotting opportunities, art & history, swimming opportunities, coastal routes
      from 55 reviews

Timothy Stocker says...
Already mentioned by the previous answers other than the route on day one, whilst generally very good could do with being looked at carefully for safety ...
Read reviews »

Portugal: The Algarve

Cycling in The Real Algarve

  • Visit Cabo de Sao Vicente, Europe's most south-westerly point known as the 'Sacred Promontory'
  • Bird-spotter's paradise; endemic and migratory species from Europe and North Africa
  • Superb variety of hotels, all with pools and great regional cuisine
  • Peaceful cycle routes; contrasting coast and the lush green interior
  • Sagres and Lagos - beautiful coastal towns with a rich maritime history

The western Algarve, a land away from the touristy towns of the central coast, is an area of stunning cliff tops, quiet fishermen's villages and lush green interior. It's also a birdwatcher's paradise and whilst autumn and spring bring in the huge migrations, winter sees numerous endemic bird species. Winter is more akin to springtime in the UK, meaning you can enjoy the warm temperatures and beautiful beaches of the Algarve from October right through to May.

Our six night holiday takes you along quiet roads and sun-kissed cycle tracks. You'll cycle along beautiful coastlines enjoying a mix of golden sandy beaches and rugged cliff tops, and pass through pretty villages, some of which seem unaffected by the outside world. Country lanes take you into the lush green interior passing large reservoirs, alpine-like meadows and rich holm oak forests. Visit the historic maritime towns of Sagres and Lagos; Henry the Navigator lived here, and built his own fortress at Sagres, near to where you'll find Cabo de Sao Vicente, Europe's south-western cape, with its iconic lighthouse and fascinating museum.

We have hand-picked three wonderful hotels all with their own charm. These include a modern 4-star design hotel perched on a cliff in Sagres, a 4-star hotel in Lagos full of Portuguese colonial charm and a hotel in Pedralva, where the village houses have been rustically renovated to create individual rooms. All hotels have pools with Sagres and Lagos boasting covered ones. Most evening meals are included so you can dine on the freshest salads, seafood or excellent meat accompanied by tasty cheeses and chouricos, washed down with a selection of Portuguese wines.



We're here to help

If you have any questions about this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199, use our live webchat or email sales@headwater.com

Cycling information




We're here to help

If you've any questions about this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 , or email sales@headwater.com

Day 1: Arrive at Sagres

Arrive at the wonderful coastal town of Sagres in time for dinner at the hotel.
You stay at the Hotel Memmo Baleeira (breakfast and evening meal)

Day 2: Sagres to Lagos 38km/24mi

From Sagres head inland, mostly following the Ecovia, a national cycle trail. Pass shepherds tending their flocks before meeting the coast again in time for lunch. The villages of Salema, Burgau and Luz have great sandy beaches and offer rustic restaurants with al fresco dining; grilled fresh fish with zesty lemon is a favourite dish. You end the day at Lagos and your wonderfully atmospheric 4 star hotel.
You stay at the Costa d'Oiro (breakfast and evening meal)

Day 3: At Lagos

Lagos is encircled by 14th century walls - the stone work and architecture you'll find hidden within these is a delight. Ornate churches date from the 13th century, and tangled cobbled lanes lead to new discoveries around every corner. Visit the new marina and the lively fish market (held daily), and join the locals for coffee in one of the many bars. Popular coastal walks lead to Ponte da Piedade lighthouse and from Porto de Mos to Luz, both offering outstanding sea views.
You stay at the Costa d'Oiro (breakfast and evening meal)

Day 4: Lagos to Pedralva 42km/26.5mi or 52km/32.5mi

You have a choice of routes today, with both taking you along the promenade at Lagos, before heading inland to Odiaxere where you can choose a shorter option that has fewer climbs and takes you through lovely villages on winding roads, giving you a real insight into local life. The longer route takes you past the beautiful Bravura reservoir and pretty alpine-like hamlets and meadows, meeting the coast in picturesque Carrapateira. Then it's on to Pedralva, a village where each house has been restored to create individual hotel rooms.
You stay at the Aldeia da Pedralva (breakfast and evening meal)

Day 5: At Pedralva

Aldeia da Pedralva is a wonderful rural retreat and you could easily spend the day relaxing in the village. If you fancy doing more you can follow one of our routes taking you out along the cliff tops with great views of the coast, or return to Carrapateira to visit the Land and Sea Museum and have a leisurely lunch.
You stay at the Aldeia da Pedralva (breakfast and evening meal)

Day 6: Pedralva to Sagres 29km/18.5mi or 30km/19mi

There's two options today but both routes are fairly short allowing you time to visit the lighthouse at Cabo de Sao Vicente and Sagres Fortress, built by Henry the Navigator. The longer route is on off-road tracks passing holm oak forests. Both routes give great views of the Serra de Monchique passing through Vila do Bispo, a nice lunch stop with its beautiful 17th century church. From Vila do Bispo head out across the Vicente peninsula to Cabo de Sao Vicente and the southwestern tip of Europe before following the coast road back to Sagres.
You stay at the Hotel Memmo Baleeira (breakfast included)

Day 7: Leave Sagres


Where you stay

During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.

To find out more call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199, use our live webchat or email sales@headwater.com


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Hotel Memmo Baleeira, Sagres

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This designer hotel is perfectly situated overlooking the stunning bay on the edge of Sagres. The rooms are minimalistic in design and feature all amenities. The restaurant here prides itself on serving the best of the local seafood, whilst the hotel offers free use of the Turkish bath, sauna and indoor pool, the perfect tonic after a day exploring this stunning area.


Room upgrades: Double Frontal Sea View, 1 Bed Suite Land View, 1 Bed Suite Garden View or 1 Bed Suite Frontal Sea View.
The Superior room is a larger room. All suites have separate living areas and come with dvd players and bathrobes.

Extra nights: Please contact us for details.


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Costa D’Oiro, Lagos

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Tucked away just a kilometre from Lagos old town this lovely hotel offers a relaxing tranquil stay. The rooms are different depending on which villa you stay in mixing a multitude of Portuguese and colonial designs.

Food here is a real Portuguese affair including a complete breakfast section of Portuguese specialities. It is easy to walk to Lagos old town, the Dona Ana beach, one of Portugal's best and the famous light house at Ponta da Piedade.


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Aldeia da Pedralva , Pedralva

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This is a magical place, a real find. In 2006 the village of Pedralva was a ruin with houses just left to rot by owners who no longer wanted to live in the countryside. However, Antonio Ferreira, after initially deciding to buy a couple of houses, eventually renovated 24 which have been beautifully restored to create 24 rooms. The village itself is surrounded by verdant nature parks and offers great walking and cycling possibilities. Food here is rustic Portuguese, simple in terms of ingredients but mouth watering in terms of quality, flavour and freshness.

Extending your stay

If you'd like to extend your trip with extra nights at the start or end, or if you'd like to arrange a stop off point en-route, then we recommend the following hotels.


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Hotel Lisboa Plaza, Lisbon

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Owned by the same family since 1953, the 4 star Hotel Lisboa Plaza is an imaginatively designed hotel, just off the famous Avenida da Liberdade. All rooms have en-suite marble floored bathrooms, air conditioning, satellite television, direct dial telephones, hairdryers and mini-bar. The public rooms are elegantly furnished and there is a pleasant bar and dining room.


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Pousada de Sagres Infante, Sagres

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The Pousada de Sagres, Infante, is a lovely hotel with 270 degree views of the Atlantic sea below. On the west side there are great views of Sagres Fortress and Cabo de Sao Vicente in the distance.

The hotel has a lovely outdoor pool with views of the fortress, there are also massage rooms and a large lounge. The rooms all have balcony or terrace and sea views.


Room upgrades: Superior Room, Superior Sea View or Special Suite.
Superior rooms are larger and have balcony with partial sea view and garden view; Superior sea views are larger and have balcony with frontal sea view; Special suites have living room, front sea view and balcony.


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Pousada Palacio de Estoi, Faro

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The Pousada de Estoi is situated in the small village of Estoi, just a 25-minute bus journey or 15-minute taxi ride from Faro. Set in the hills overlooking Faro and the coast, this wonderful hotel was born from the ruins of the Palacio de Estoi. A 18th century Rococo palace once owned by the viscount of Estoi, it has been painstakingly restored to its former glory and provides a relaxing haven complete with beautiful pool just above bustling Faro and just a 20-minute walk to the Roman excavated village of Milreu.

Whilst keeping an eye to the past, the rooms have a modern fresh feel, they are all a good size, with views down to the coast. The hotel boasts a large spa complete with sauna and Turkish bath. There is a nice restaurant offering set menus and a la carte.


Room upgrades: Suite.
Suites are slightly bigger and offer a south facing balcony.

Extra nights: Please contact us for details.

Travel

Call now to speak to our specialist team at 0044 1606 720199 or email us at sales@headwater.com for enquiries or to book your trip.

Reviews

Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.

Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.


Timothy Stocker, 24/02/2024

Already mentioned by the previous answers other than the route on day one, whilst generally very good could do with being looked at carefully for safety purposes. There is a stretch of gravelled cycle route detour which would have been dangerous to ride all the way on e bikes . On the last day there is the option of making a detour to one of the bays before the ride to C ape St Vincent - I don't have the route in front of me - the bay was something like 'Taheira,,,there is a fork in the detour toad - it is a left fork, we guesed correctly. It would be useful to add this to the route instructions


Christina Halsey, 14/10/2023


HOLWAY, 16/05/2023

We were so glad we opted for e-bikes. The cycling varies in enjoyment; some days were enjoyable, others only in parts. There are plenty of uphill sections, some sections involving slopes with loose stones, quite a bit of dust - and plenty of fairly stiff breezes. Ensuring the security of e-bikes at hotels involved effort in some cases though - two of the three do not have appropriate facilities readily available yet.

Overall there were some parts of this trip that were wonderful - sublime views, great food, lots of things to do - and others that were harder to find total enjoyment in.


WARMAN, 16/05/2023

We enjoyed this holiday in the southern Algarve on our first visit to Portugal & our 10th cycle trip with Headwater.

Very glad indeed that we opted (also a first) for E-bikes. Despite being moderately fit there were some long uphills, occasional stretches of busy roads, in a headwind or on dusty tracks which we would have found challenging. Excellent quality bikes but hotels in Lagos & Pedralva not yet set up for suitable overnight storage.

The recommended routes were generally quiet & took in some nice inland scenery & lovely sections of coast. Cabo San Vicente diversion was spectacular but also spectacularly busy: buses, buskers & bratwurst stalls!

Memmo Baleira at Sagres was delightful; we’d recommend two nights there at the beginning to really make the most of this lovely hotel, the helpful staff & the facilities. The food at the renovated village in Pedralva was a bit disappointing. They pride themselves on local sourcing but breakfast was almost entirely packaged & plastic.

The Portuguese people were the highlight for us. Hospitable, helpful, courteous & very welcoming to visitors throughout our journey.


BROWNSCOMBE, 16/05/2023

Overall a reasonable itinerary though it does involve a lot of cycling on unmade tracks. The hotels were of contrasting styles the staff were pleasant, friendly and helpful and the meals good.


HANUS, 13/05/2023

Very smooth reliable service.


BARNES, 09/05/2023

The hotels both accommodation wise and food were excellent. All three were very different in their own way. The breakfast and the service at the Hotel Memmo Baleeira in Sagres was fantastic. The cycling was tough going in places, off road and some long climbs. We had an issue with the e bikes at handover in that they were nothing like the ones we had been promised but the local agent managed to source suitable bikes at short notice. The scenery and coastline were stunning.


Mr Wilkinson, 28/03/2023

Excellent activity holiday 9


Mrs Smith, 09/03/2023

Great cycling experience in Algarve. We have been able to discover the coast and the countryside. Lovely hotels and great food.


Mrs Akers, 22/11/2022

This was a lovely holiday with interesting, quiet cycling routes through fabulous coastal scenery. Our only slight disappointment was the hotel in Lagos. While the food was good and the room itself comfortable, in the winter sunshine, it was very dark in our room. This may be great in the summer but a hotel more like the one in Sagres, which has lots of natural light and lovely views, would me much better in the winter. Also my husband had an electric bike. While that was great, we were a bit concerned that the battery might run out on some of the longer routes. It didn’t but got very low. This might be a problem for someone who relies heavily on the battery. So perhaps just something to highlight to future clients who decide to use electric bikes.


Mrs Anderson, 11/10/2022

This was a nice tour with lovely scenery and good opportunities for exploring the local area especially on the rest days. The first day is a tough one with a lot of hills and it was hotter than we expected for October. But we enjoyed our day off in Lagos with a boat trip and strolling through the old town. The route options from Lagos to Pedralva give a choice of hilly or less hilly , both were enjoyed by members of our group although the hilly option made for tired legs at the end of the day. Pedralva was a fun place to stay with a nice restaurant and friendly staff. The optional off road cliff top tour was a super ride with great scenery and we spent time on one of the beaches swimming and watching the surfers. The ride back to Sarges was less strenuous and we had plenty of time to see Cabo de Sao Vincente ( most south westerly point in Europe) although it was disappointing that the lighthouse was all in scaffolding with no visits possible. Overall a very good trip.


Mrs Perkins, 24/09/2022

THE ALGAVE IS A BEAUTIFUL AREA OF PORTUGAL TO VISIT AND THE ITINERY WAS PERFECT AND ACCOMODATION WAS LOVELY. SOME OF THE HILLS WERE QUITE CHALLENGING BUT WORTH IT FOR THE VIEWS AND THE BEACHES WERE STUNNING. BIKES AND GPS MAPS WE WERE GIVEN WERE GREAT.


Mrs Kilpatrick, 12/06/2022

Enjoyed trip. Tough enough cycling for a non cyclist as I am. Fine for my husband. First day especially tough. Lagos 2 night stay was a waste. Too tired after 1,St day to cycle and did not enjoy the experience of town of Lagos. Much too commercial and touristy. Be warned too the staff in hotel in Lagos try to ' upsell' drinks. 27 euro for a g and t. 27 euro for a bottle of very poor wine ....totally opposite of what was asked for.

On the contrary the staff in village were very knowledgeable about their products and we drank delicious wine.


Mr Hanna, 30/04/2022

A very well organised self guided cycle holiday. Great hotels & excellent cycle routes. The Headwater navigation app excellent. Alex the point of contact always available.


Mr WEEKS, 26/04/2022

Cycle routes were good and easy to follow, one bike needed new rear brake pads after first day, this should have been identified before bike was issued. Repair was promptly addressed. Also had a puncture on first day , front tyre had very little tread in the centre, so puncture could have been avoided. All accommodation was very good and food excellent with great advice from restaurant staff.


Ms Turner, 12/11/2021

This is a fantastic cycle route - every day interesting. Super scenery, lovely cycling, lots of places to visit, people everywhere wonderful. We enjoyed it SO much. Highly recommend.


Mrs SMITH, 18/10/2021

Well organised tour with efficient moving of luggage and good standard of accommodation. Wonderful scenery particularly around the coastal areas on the west side of the peninsula. The wind and steep hills on the first day in particular made it pretty tiring. Bikes were really good particularly on off road stretches. The luggage rack and Paniers did make the bikes quite heavy on the hilly areas. The app was excellent for guiding and very quickly indicated if you took a wrong turning. It is good to study the description as the app doesn’t always tell you where the optional stops are. We rode right past one of our planned lunch stops without realising.

Overall a really lovely and varied tour of the south west corner of the Algarve.


Mr BRADISH, 14/10/2021

Helen Hodson at Headwater was very helpful. The bike handover in Sagres was very poor with no arrangements having been made (we just happened to be in our room

when he arrived), no panniers provided, phone holder for one of us only. Trip notes said a mobile would be provided for duration holiday but this did not exist. Similarly on returning bikes no arrangements made.

Trip notes mention

cafes but not that they were closed on Sundays, opening times would be very helpful, particularly cycling to Petralva.

GPS worked well. Busy road section on route to Petralva and better if this could be avoided.

Accommodation and food good on the whole.

Luggage transfer worked well.

Overall we enjoyed the holiday.

Headwater response:
Thank you for your invaluable feedback, we are pleased to learn that overall you enjoyed your self guided cycling experience with us. Your holiday feedback is invaluable to us and we recognise that there are improvements to be made, we will work closely with our locally appointed agent to ensure they fully understand the importance of providing a high level of service and the correct equipment to accompany the bicycles. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to rectify this whilst you were on holiday with us.
Thank you for choosing Headwater.
Headwater Customer Service Team


Mrs Quick, 12/04/2019

Lovely way to visit the real Portugal and experience the incredible friendliness of the local people.


Mr Rose, 17/03/2019

Excellent service from Headwater throughout, representatives Tony and Ludmilla most helpful and ensure that everything is organised and correct for a great experience and a holiday with no worries. Ideal hotels, lovely countryside and coast with options for routes to suit the individual, and with the GPS app you can't go wrong. Highly recommend.


Ms Campbell, 17/02/2019

Wonderful area to cycle in - varied terrain and scenery. Made harder by winds but did anticipate this. Very relaxing few days. Was great to know we had support from Tony and Ludmilla if needed. A lovely way to discover this area of Portugal


Mr Cronin, 23/12/2018

The holidays and accommodation are very good


Mr Murray, 23/11/2018

Having a "winter' cycling holiday is a great idea, and going through the Algarve during off peak season was a wonderful way to see the region. We really enjoyed going off the beaten track, through lanes and villages, and staying in interesting places like Pedralva (but a note of warning - its colder there than anywhere else in the trip so bring warm clothes!). The bikes were excellent! In spite of the sometimes quite rough terrain there was not a single puncture nor any issues! As usual, the trip was well organised, the accommodation and food very good, as we now expect from Headwater. The Ride with GPS is also brilliant and makes navigating a loss less stressful. Thank you for yet another great holiday!


Mr Rugman, 16/10/2018

This was our first Headwater cycling holiday and it was excellent in every way: choice of routes, route guidance (especially Ride with GPS), type and quality of bikes, location and quality of hotels, and transfers to/from the airport and luggage between hotels. Special mention of the local reps, Tony and Ludmilla, who were always friendly, helpful and efficient, with the right amount of advice at the right time. We are both over 70 but had no difficulty with this grade 2 holiday in the 'real' Algarve. We were lucky with the weather in mid October: 20C and sunny during the day but heavy rain at night. Waterproofs essential at that time of year. All in all, a memorable holiday.


Mrs Stevens, 17/05/2018

We loved cycling this part of Portugal. At this time of year wild flowers were everywhere, enhancing our coastal and country rides The 2 headwater reps were really helpful and considerate in ensuring that we 2 technophobe senior citizens were able to fully enjoy the benefits of the Ride with GPS system. ( We had been provided with paper route guidance as back up but thanks to the reps this was not really needed) The rides were slightly challenging for us but we loved the coastal views and villages as well as the countryside - staying in the reclaimed village at Pedralva was a great experience, including the local bread stew We have enjoyed several Headwater cycling holidays in the past and we feel the standard has just continued to improve.


Mrs Payne, 03/05/2018

Fabulous cycling amongst Spring meadows. Fabulous flowers, rugged coastline and interesting villages.


Mrs Smith, 27/03/2018

An excellent introduction to a cycling holiday abroad. Everything was made simple and the bikes provided were superb. Easy to follow notes and fantastic accommodation at the end of each day. Would definitely recommend to others.


Mr Nichols, 08/01/2018

The routes were excellent; a mix of terrain and stunning scenery. We enjoyed the off-road sections particularly the optional coast and river valley route on our free day at Pedralva. We went in January and whilst the roads were very quiet it did mean that many cafes and restaurants were closed and the hotels were quiet. The weather is changeable at this time of year. We had one day of wind and steady rain but we went prepared for variable weather so this didn't spoil an enjoyable day cycling. We would like to do this route again in the Spring when the flora is in bloom and the birds are migrating.


Mrs Chowienczyk, 03/01/2018

Thoroughly enjoyable relaxing holiday . Ideal for taking away the winter blues. Comfortable, well organised stress free booking travelling holiday. Thanks


Mr Wahl, 20/10/2017

An excellent cycling holiday which brings you the delights of the western Algarve coast and hills behind Lagos. Fantastic scenery, super hotels with the delights of local food. The sardines in Salema were wonderful. Pedralva is a real find. All well delivered by the Headwater team.


Mr Nicol, 10/10/2017

from the time we landed we were looked after until we got back to the airport.all went very well.welldone headwater


Mr Merryweather, 28/04/2017

'Wonderful holiday! Delightful (and very) varied accommodation, excellent food and terrific sights and smells in some wonderful countryside. But this can be a physically demanding cycle tour, so do ensure you are prepared to cycle - or push - your bike up some stiff hills.



Thanks to all at Headwater and, in particular, to Ludmilla.'


Mr Burrell, 04/04/2017

Quite simply the best holiday we have had in several years. Great food, great scenery, helpful staff, activity and brilliant weather. Just what we needed. Thank you


Ms Bernard, 17/03/2017

A challenging cycle experience in variable weather, with far reaching views at the end of Europe.


Mr Turner, 17/03/2017

The toughest Headwater cycling holiday I have been on, due to the preponderance of off road some of which was quite rough and steep, plus the fact that for two and a half days of the three days cycling there was a strong cold headwind, therefore I think the grading should be changed.


Mr Corlett, 23/12/2016

I was fortunate to have absolutely perfect weather and low wind levels for my cycling trip to southern portugal.. a very enjoyable experience and would definitely do a repeat.


Mr Morgan, 14/10/2016

Cycling is a great way to experience a country


Mr Warren, 05/10/2016

quite challenging cycling on day one for the over70s - entirely our choice made enjoyable by rescue and advice from Tony and Ludmilla - absolute gems throughout - electric bikes would be a good option on this holiday - easy enough to avoid the offroad stuff if that is a worry with them - overall an excellent holiday with spectacular beaches and coastal views


Mrs Harraway, 04/10/2016

Excellent hotels, and food .

Extremely well organised .

Reps very helpful.

Cycling tough !


Mr Daniel, 25/05/2016

First visit to the Algarve and first cycling holiday. Hard work for a couple of days but the rewards matched the effort. Lovely locations and hotels had top quality staff. Our two reps were lovely and incredibly helpful. We have used Headwater only a few times over 20 or so years, but every time the holiday has been special. That is why we have always looked them up when considering a trip overseas.


Mr Milward, 13/05/2016

Extremely well organised , with excellent local representative (Tony) who provided additional information and support without hesitation. Also provided local maps and timetables for my time in Faro which allowed me to enjoy that day, he also informed me about the industrial action at the airport which allowed me to make appropriate arrangements.


Mrs Gibson, 15/04/2016

It was excellent from start to finish. Our reps Tony & Ludmila Lewis made our holiday experience special with their friendliness, humour and knowledge. Please pass on our thanks.I am hoping to book a walking holiday with Headwater next year with my friend please send me a brochure


Mrs Roper, 03/04/2016

This was a lovely holiday.The wild flowers were magnificent and the scents of orange blossom and fresh herbs will long remain with us.We enjoyed the variety of different tracks and the headland loop at Amado beach was stunning.The bikes were excellent with especially low gears for those hills,and the tour notes were pretty good. The welcome at all three hotels was genuinely warm and the accommodation very comfortable, except at Pedralva,where the bed felt like a marble slab, and gave us a restless 2 nights. The food and wine was fresh, wholesome and very well prepared.We thoroughly enjoyed this break and came back feeling refreshed and invigorated. We will definitely consider Headwater when choosing our next holiday.


Dr Davies, 24/03/2016

A very nice holiday. The cycling was generally very good. It is a little hilly so is certainly a grade 2. There was a little bit more off road than we expected and one part of this was a particularly bad track which was slow going. Everything else was fine. The accommodation was good.


Ms Bronger, 12/03/2016

Fun. We enjoyed our visit to Portugal.


Mrs Maclehose, 11/03/2015

Excellent cycling on wonderful bikes. Tony and Ludmilla were fantastically helpful and we were especially grateful that Tony picked us up from not the usual collection point. The notes were perfect and we were very lucky with the weather. The suggestions for rest days were also very good. Hotels all fine, especially Memmo. Pedralva rooms could do with better heating and much better lighting but the bar and restaurant areas were very good . Food at Pedralva was excellent. Would definitely recommend the holiday and commend highly Tony and Ludmilla who definitely had a 'nothing is too much trouble' attitude and who clearly enjoy their roles. Thank you very much.


Mr Tweed, 28/02/2015

Seamless from start to finish with excellent opportunities to explore and relax in equal measure.


Mr Shrubsole, 25/10/2014

An absolutely fantastic holiday - you see things on a bike that you wouldn't normally see - birds, flora and fauna and of course local villages with delightful local Portuguese people


Ms MacEachern, 15/03/2014

Surprisingly quiet routes, wonderful scenery and sunshine, excellent food. Pacing suited us with a day's cycling followed by hiking on our rest days. Pedralva was a highlight in all respects from accommodation and surroundings to food.


Mrs Stratford, 03/03/2014

Excellent Holiday and very knowledgeable and helpful Representative.


Mrs Pogson, 15/02/2014

Cycling through fantastic scenery in mimosa eucalyptus pine scented warm air within a day of leaving flood & storm ravaged UK - wonderful. Tony & Ludmilla are great hosts. Their warm welcome quickly overcame the effects of a long laborious day long journey via Lisbon - Faro & taxi halves the travel time at little if any overall extra cost. The 2 hotels we stayed in are 2 of the best we've had in 20yrs of Headwater holidays. However Pedralva - it no doubt has it's charms but is basically self catering units more suited to summer use. Compared to our 2 previous stops the welcome here was 'grumpy' & our room was cold gloomy & oppressive - more like a cell with 2 v small windows looking straight out at other houses across narrow streets at eye level so no privacy in the bedroom or sitting area without closing little shutters making it even gloomier. The shower room was unheated & there was no hair dryer. A Youth Hostel style kitchen dominated our sitting area - a dirty hot plate, a dustpan & brush in full view as also a slop bucket (ugh) & the upmarket 'coffee making facilities' were of no practical use as no pods - a simple kettle would be much better & more welcoming. The swimming pool is outdoors & was not available so no 'relaxing by the pool' & given the cold location of Pedralva I doubt would be for many of the Headwater months. I was unable to access wifi on my iPad at the designated spot in Reception - I did on the 2nd night with some perseverance find a tiny area in the Bar where I could get a signal. Ah - the Bar! & it's tender & the food he serves in the evenings are the outstanding highlight of Pedralva - make the most of it - the breakfasts are fairly meagre. We felt Pedralva fell short on many of the facilities promised in the Headwater description.


Mr Rudd, 15/02/2014

A great place for a cycling holiday. The routes were good and varied.


Mr Edwards, 23/11/2013

We were pleasantly surprised by the professional way everything was handled by office staff. The reps who were new to the area were so helpful and were even working on new tracks as alternatives the night before we would use them. It was a lovely relaxing holiday with just the right amount of activity,also the pleasant weather for time of the year helped.


Mis Polkey, 09/11/2013

Lovely holiday. Headwater made all it very easy. Leisurely cycling - nice mixture of exercise and relaxation. Excellent food and accommodation.


Mr Beaven, 01/11/2013

Excellent organisation and welcome / support from local Headwater reps. Interesting terrain and wildlife.



Dates and prices

You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.

This 6 night self-guided cycling holiday includes:

Hotel-to-hotel accommodation in a mix of and hotels

All continental breakfasts and 5 evening meals

Bike fitting and briefing at the start of your holiday

Headwater navigation app for your smartphone

Bike hire

Standard transfers at the start/end of the trip (if booking inclusive flights)

Luggage transfers between hotels


How to book:

To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' or 'check availability' button below.

To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'check availability' button below.

  • Mar 2024
  • Apr 2024
  • May 2024
  • Jun 2024
  • Sep 2024
  • Oct 2024
  • Nov 2024
  • Dec 2024
DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
23rd Mar 2024 US$2300 US$441 Tour only: US$2300
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
26th Mar 2024 US$2300 US$441 Tour only: US$2300
Single supp: US$441
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30th Mar 2024 US$2300 US$441 Tour only: US$2300
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
2nd Apr 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
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5th Apr 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
6th Apr 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
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9th Apr 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
13th Apr 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
15th Apr 2024 US$2480 US$441 Tour only: US$2480
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
16th Apr 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
20th Apr 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
23rd Apr 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
27th Apr 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
30th Apr 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
4th May 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
7th May 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
11th May 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
14th May 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
18th May 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
21st May 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
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25th May 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
28th May 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
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Check availability
DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
1st Jun 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
4th Jun 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
8th Jun 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
11th Jun 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
15th Jun 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
18th Jun 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
22nd Jun 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
17th Sep 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
21st Sep 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
24th Sep 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
28th Sep 2024 US$2405 US$441 Tour only: US$2405
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
1st Oct 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
5th Oct 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
8th Oct 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
12th Oct 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
15th Oct 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
19th Oct 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
22nd Oct 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
26th Oct 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
29th Oct 2024 US$2375 US$441 Tour only: US$2375
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
2nd Nov 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
5th Nov 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
9th Nov 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
12th Nov 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
16th Nov 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
19th Nov 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
23rd Nov 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
26th Nov 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
30th Nov 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
3rd Dec 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
7th Dec 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
10th Dec 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
14th Dec 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
17th Dec 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
21st Dec 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
24th Dec 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability
28th Dec 2024 US$2360 US$441 Tour only: US$2360
Single supp: US$441
Check availability
Check availability

The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.

Holiday details

Solo travellers
Please call for details and prices

Children
Please contact us for child prices.

Holiday type
Self-guided cycling Managed by Headwater rep.

Departures
Selected Tuesdays and Saturdays from 23rd Mar 2024 to 28th Dec 2024, for 6 nights. All dates are subject to availability, please contact us to check.

Meals
All continental breakfasts and 5 evening meals

Electric bikes
It is possible to hire electric bikes for this holiday at a supplement of £164 per person. As these are available on a first come first served basis, we recommend early booking to avoid disappointment.

Tailor-made travel

Tour only

How to book

To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' button above.

If you need further information before you book simply complete our Holiday Enquiry Form and a member of our sales team will get back to you.

To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'Check availability' button below.

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