Climbing Profile

11 days

total: 478km (297mi)

100% asphalt

level 3 (3.0)

daily average: 60km (37mi)

Welcome at Lisbon airport. Transfer to Sesimbra followed by a briefing about your cycling tour in Portugal.

The first day of this road bike tour starts in Sesimbra, a small fisherman village on the coast, protected by the slope of a hill. So, we start right there, near the sea level. But once you leave the hotel you immediately start to climb up the hill, during 3km with about 6% of grade average. The second climb of the day will only start when you have to cross the Arrábida Hill Natural Park, and 6km more of climbing are waiting for you, with 4% of grade average. When you reach the top of your track you will start a steep and winding decent to finish with a gradual and pleasant decent until the end of the route. 🙂

43km (27mi)

level 3 (3.0)

830m (2720ft)

The bike ride of today is not difficult, but it is a long day on the bicycle (86km/53mi). The bike day is very rolling in general and it is almost flat until the end. The roads are very quiet and calm, within a pine tree and cork tree environment. The day ends at the front of the sea.

86km (53mi)

level 3 (3.4)

610m (2000ft)

Another long day. Today you have 84km (52mi) to ride and to enjoy your bicycle. However, as you can see on the Climbing Profile, the day is very rolling until kilometer 56, more and less. After this point the ride tend to be on a climbing way, kilometer after kilometer. But it is only kilometer 59 that we really notice the climbs that are coming up! 🙂

85km (52mi)

level 4 (3.6)

700m (2300ft)

You start the bike day with a long and pleasant decent until the next small town :). From here you will ride a few kilometers on a national road, to enter again in the National Park roads. You will see that the landscape of today is very different from yesterday: more people, more “civilization” ;). After this small town you start a small climb with 3km but very smooth (1.5% grade). You are again in the Natural Park of Vicentine Coast and the Southwest of Alentejo. A fast and winding descent is waiting for you (control your speed), and at km 34 the last climb of the day will appear, with 5km distance and about 2% of grade, …”piece of cake”! 😀

70km (43mi)

level 3 (3.2)

600m (1670ft)

This is a short day on a bicycle because you need time to visit Lagos, a beautiful town to visit. It seems that this day is easy but it is not. In other words, it is not a “difficult day” but you have many ups and downs along the way, with short but steep climbs. For example, at km 23 you will find a very steep climb with less than 1km long, but the sign on the side of that road tells you that the climb is 16% of grade!!. …I know, that only happens during 15 or 20 meters, …but the grade is there!! Don’t forget that you are in the south coast of Portugal, so short ups and downs will continue until the end of the day. Just before the end of your cycling day don’t forget to go behind the Lighthouse and visit the famous rock formations (take the bicycle with you!). 😉

44km (27mi)

level 3 (2.7)

600m (1670ft)

Another short cycling day. You left the Natural Park yesterday and today you see much more traffic, here and there. The day is very rolling, sometimes on a country environment, other times in the small towns. Be careful with the traffic. 😉

46km (29mi)

level 2 (2.4)

460m (1510ft)

The first half of the cycling day is very rolling, and after km 12 you start to ride more inland and with less traffic :D. After km 37 the climbs start. The first climb is short, only 1 mile long (1.6km) but 4% of grade. The second is longer, 3km long and 3% of grade. So, until the hotel there are always some climbs, here and there. 😉

73km (45mi)

level 4 (3.8)

980m (3220ft)

Today is your last day and the shortest day of the whole bicycle tour, because you need time to visit Tavira. You start the day with a long but smooth climb, you continue to ride in a countryside environment with some short and smooth ups and downs. After km 10 you will start gently to go down here and there, until you get to the hotel that is near the sea level. 🙂

31km (19mi)

level 2 (2.1)

440m (1440ft)

Departure – After breakfast we leave to Lisbon airport – 3.5-hour drive