Leisure Eastern Algarve in 5* Spa Hotel Real Marina 3.01b
Real Marina Spa Hotel: 5* Leisure Cycling Haven in Eastern Algarve
Itinerary
You arrive at Faro airport and take a taxi to the hotel in Olhão. You will be welcomed by a representative of Algarve Cycling in the reception area of the hotel at the agreed time. Then the tour information will be given to you and we will answer any questions you may have. Your bicycles will be handed over to you and any necessary adjustments made.
This tour takes you through the rural area of the Barrocal. You reach the coast at the seaside resort of Fuseta. The Barrocal region is renowned for its fruit-bearing trees. Fuseta is a busy little fishing port with lots of small, colorful boats and a promenade with several cafes and restaurants. On leaving Fuseta you cycle through the Ria Formosa nature reserve. You continue on a very pleasant cycle path which takes you right through the nature reserve between the lagoons and the railway line. Here you can watch a great variety of aquatic birds. The sea salt (Salt Production) from this region is highly prized and is extracted from the numerous salt flats in this area.
This ride takes you on minor roads through orange groves and other orchards to the lovely village of Sta Barbara de Nexe. On the way, you pass the football stadium. Around late January or early February the almond trees are in flower and the whole area is covered in white blossom. The quiet village of Sta Barbara stands on a hill and affords you a beautiful view down to Faro and the Atlantic Ocean. The jewel of this village is the Gothic church “Igreja Matriz” which was built in the 15th century and contains beautiful ‘azulejos’ – blue and white hand-painted tiles. Nearby there is a modern vineyard where you can enjoy some wine-tasting. The route then leads further uphill through the sleepy, unspoiled villages of Charneca, Palhagueira and Corotelo. From here you enjoy a great downhill ride through little hamlets with lush vegetation and return to your hotel via Estoi.
This tour takes you eastwards on minor roads and some unsurfaced tracks to Moncarapacho. You cycle through small villages and hamlets. Sometimes you will pass impressive Quintas with huge orchards of oranges and other fruit. You cycle through the unspoilt countryside with a variety of plants and wildflowers and many evergreen carob trees. The route is quite hilly with occasional glimpses of the sea in the distance. Many parts of the route are on unsurfaced tracks which can be quite rough in places. Some of the tracks are bordered by stone walls which were built by farmers and replace the fences around gardens. Now and then you will notice a Moorish well; some of these are still working. On the way back to your hotel you pass through Quelfes, the only village with newer buildings.
Today you visit Faro, the capital of the Algarve. First, you cycle through the centre of Estoi, passing the village square with its impressive church, the “Igreja de Sao Martinho”. You continue past the football stadium. You then cycle in the direction of Gambelas and Montenegro. The route takes you through a beautiful pine forest, and you then continue on a very good cycle path which takes you into Faro. Inside and around the walls of the old town there are lots of places of interest to explore, and several small cafes and restaurants where you can take a break and enjoy a snack or leisurely lunch. The route then follows the old city walls and then you return to your hotel along quiet country roads.
Today you begin by cycling through Estoi and then you head uphill – an opportunity for quite a workout! At the top, you will be able to catch a glimpse of São Bras, the town to which you are heading. Beyond that, you will be able to see the hilly Serra region and also have a view of the valley which you must cross to reach Sao Bras. This area is again typical of the whole Barrocal region with orange groves and in addition a good deal of uncultivated land where many fruit trees grow and also the widespread “medronho” shrub. This is the beginning of the area where the Cork oaks grow, and this stretches on up into the Serra region. From São Bras you enjoy a great downhill ride to Bengado and then continue on a mostly level road to Sta Catarina, where you can visit an olive oil cooperative with a small museum. You then cycle on a straight downhill stretch to Moncarapacho and from there back to your hotel.
Today you begin your tour as in route 4 but after passing through Torre the road divides and you cycle through the plain of the Ribeiro de Lourenço, an unspoilt river valley with lots of orange groves. You pass a beautifully laid out golf course and an area of thick bamboo before reaching the entrance of the holiday resort of Quinta do Lago. You then cycle into the middle of the river delta of the Ria Formosa nature reserve. The delta is an extensive area of branching lagoons and water channels and many salt flats. After cycling through the lagoon area, you will come to the edge of the airport, after which you skirt Montenegro and go through the small university town of Gambelas. When you reach the railway line the path ends. Finally, you reach the busy main road and cycle along it for a short distance and then you continue on your way back to your hotel via Patacão and Conceição.
Individual back journey or holiday extension.
Availability
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DatesPrice per person
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2024/04/01 - 2024/05/31Single: 1475 € Double: 900 €
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2024/06/01 - 2024/07/18Single: 1720 € Double: 1050 €
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2024/07/19 - 2024/08/31Single: 1850 € Double: 1150 €
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2024/09/01 - 2024/09/30Single: 1720 € Double: 1050 €
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2024/10/01 - 2024/12/31Single: 1475 € Double: 900 €
Details
Services included in the Price
- 7 nights with breakfast in a 5* hotel
- Welcome, info talk, bike handover, and adjustment
- Detailed route description, with references to places of interest and interesting facts on the routes
- 6 carefully designed routes to download to your mobile phone or tablet
- Mobile phone holder
- Map with daily km and elevation profile
- Service hotline Mon-Fri 09:00 to 18:00, weekends and public holidays in case of emergency
Optional against surcharge
- Transfers Faro Airport <-> Hotel on request
- GPS device with all daily tours
- Room with Sea View upgrade
- Half-board (on Portuguese public holidays and bridge days, there may be a surcharge that may apply)
Accommodation
The hotel is located directly at the marina and Ria Formosa Nature Park, approx. 15 km from Faro Airport. The rooms are furnished to a high standard and have views of the Ria Formosa. After a visit to the fitness room, you can relax in the wellness area with a whirlpool, sauna, and Turkish bath. The indoor and outdoor pools offer fantastic panoramic views of the sea. Two restaurants at the Real Marina Hotel serve regional and international gourmet dishes as well as fresh seafood. Two bars offer a wide selection of drinks and light snacks.
Extra / Person Bikerental
- Touring bike: 110€
- Trekking bike: 140€
- MTB: 140€
- MTB+: 165€
- eTouring bike: 170€
- eTrekking bike: 190€
- eMTB: 190€
- eJunior: 190€
- Helmet: 10€
- Rack: possible on MTBs except MTB+
- Pannier: included (except MTBs)
- Included: Water bottle, Phone Holder, Air Pump, Lock, Repair kit, Spare tube
Bikes
eMTB 29"
MTB plus 29"
MTB 29"
eTrekking 29"
Trekking 29"
eTouring 28"
Touring 29"
Gravel S
eJunior 26"
eJunior 24"
Kid's 24"
Kid's 20"
Leisure Eastern Algarve in 5* Spa Hotel Real Marina 3.01b
Real Marina Spa Hotel: 5* Leisure Cycling Haven in Eastern Algarve
