Portugal Bike Tour Reviews
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★★★★★ Spencer Gold 10 hours agoIncredible variety and breathtaking views
· Camino de Santiago: From Porto to Santiago de Compostela
This trip follows the Camino trail from Porto to Santiago de Compostella which is a heavily trafficked by pilgrims, most of whom are walking. It was delightful to share the trail with them in May since it wasn't very busy or crowded yet. The trail itself is incredibly varied; it changes every 5 minutes and covers just about every terrain type you can think of including pavement, cobblestones of every size, gravel, packed dirt, single-track dirt, unridable rocks/boulders and tree-stumps (you have to walk your bike on those parts), mud, sand, boardwalks and sidewalks. It's very well marked and almost impossible to get lost, especially with the GPS device they give you (which is fantastic). There is quite a bit of climbing, so be prepared for that. Don't even think about using anything but a mountain bike on this trip. The cities and towns you go through are so beautiful, and the food was fantastic. The trail follows the coast for much of the distance, which is lovely. We got the 5-star hotel package. Only one of the hotels was a true 5-star hotel, but the others were 4-stars, and they were all pretty good. Not every town has a 5-star hotel nearby, of course. We're in our low- to mid-50s and found the trail manageable and fun the entire time, even when it rained.
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★★★★★ Katherine (Kate) Karlson 4 days agoMemorable and recommended!
· Portugal's Atlantic Coast
Fantastic trip! 197 miles on the hybrid route with e-bikes. Hotels were all top notch and included buffet breakfast was a treat. Recommend wet weather gear if going early season. Skip the gps but bring an external battery pack. Bike tour staff were fantastic and extremely helpful. If you stay in Sintra I recommend you leave as early as possible o avoid the tour buses and other traffic.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Robert Anderson 5 days agoThe Algarve didn’t disappoint.
· Algarve Coastal Route
The bike tour was a fantastic experience with great views and fantastic food. Cycling through the small fishing towns and visiting with the locals is a great way to explore the cultural. On our first day we experienced some minor issues with one of our bikes. We were able to continue riding and within a short time had a replacement bicycle delivered to us. The local bike tour company was very helpful. The trails and path’s took us by so many amazing sights it was hard to take it all in. The hotels, with the exception of one, were fantastic and had in great locations. The dining options are plentiful and prices were very reasonable. We used GPS navigation which makes the ride much more enjoyable as you don’t have to constantly be stopping to read instructions. We used the Garmin device from the tour company and they also provided the daily route information for us to load in the Ride With GPS app. The last two days we did experience some hills. My wife appreciated the e-bike.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- Five
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Sue Collins 6 days ago
Private tour with Fernando
· Algarve Coastal Route
Such a fantastic day touring around Lagos area. Rose about 40km on mountain bikes through beautiful gravel trails and some roads. Stopped for lunch in Luz. Such a wonderful day!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Kat McDonald 1 week ago
Great scenery, great towns, very steep hills
· Portugal's Atlantic Coast
Overall, an excellent vacation. Of the four bike tours I've done, it's #1 for scenery, #1 for food, tied for hotel quality, #1 for quality of bikes, #1 for travel partner service (documents, pickup/drop off, timeliness), and #4 for route finding. There are some times on busy roads but the drivers were exceptionally courteous. Travelers should note how hilly it is -- very difficult on a road bike and still quite challenging on an electric bike. Route finding is a problem. I understand the local partner is adding step by step navigation, but I believe additional steps (such as stickers on signs) will also be necessary.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Michael Coulson 1 week ago
Terrific time, on and off the bikes!
· Portugal's Atlantic Coast
Great way to see the country, and the people, food, hotels, was all fantastic.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Catherine Buckley 3 weeks agoHoneymoon biking
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
This was such a a great way to see Portugal. Because of the bike trip we stayed in some towns much less travelled - full of culture, wonderful people and astounding views/ old castles.
Would highly recommend- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- First bike tour ever
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Joanne Nordeen 3 weeks ago
Variety and views
· Portugal's Atlantic Coast
Wonerful way to experience a vaiety of towns, scenery, coastlines, hills, lodging, food and Portuguese hospitality. Local operator set us with high quality road bikes and all the info and support we needed for a smooth self guided trip. Some steep hills.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Patrick Fenton 4 weeks ago
Portugal bike trip
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
It was a great trip. We loved learning about castles, marble, cork, wine and Portuguese food.
- What was the date of your tour?
- February 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Terry Higgins 1 month ago
First class all the way!
· Algarve Coastal Route
Loved everything about this trip. We did a self guided which was a bit challenging at times but just added to our memories. We were fortunate to have good weather and our accommodations never disappointed us. All of the transportations set up for us were on time. Would highly recommend it to friends.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Margaret Penner 1 month ago
Beyond Expectations
· Algarve Coastal Route
Everything was efficient and effortless. We just had to focus on biking and route. Hotels were all lovely with wonderful breakfasts and welcoming hosts. We had no bike issues and all staff were on time and informative.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Patrick Fenton 2 months ago
Portugal bike trip
· Castles and Wines of Portugal
It was a great trip. We loved learning about castles, marble, cork, wine and Portuguese food.
- What was the date of your tour?
- February 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ John Matthew Schley 3 months ago
Both really great and just OK
· Algarve Coastal Route
The weather in February was perfection. We saw many beautiful sights. Each days biking was varied. We stayed in very large hotels/spas. They were objectively good hotels. We hated them. Really felt separated from environment. Felt I could have been anywhere. Restaurants we visited along the way were all excellent. My wife had a problem with her bike. The team handled it wonderfully. Every person who we interacted with on their team were gracious and helpful. While there are many examples of natural beauty in the Algarve , the amount of development, both miles of very expensive holiday homes, and strips of pizza joints and t-shirt stores made the trip not completely what we hoped for.
- What was the date of your tour?
- February 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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BikeTours.com staff reply from bozena_kusovac February 27, 2024
Hi John, thank you for providing your feedback! While we were surprised by the 3-star rating, we genuinely appreciate your detailed description of your experience. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the scenic views and diverse biking routes. We look forward to helping you organize another trip again in the future.
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★★★★★ Mark Eisenberg 3 months agoFabulous bike trip
· Best of the Algarve by Road Bike
This was our 4th self-guided European bike trip and was our favorite. We’ve never used e bikes before but we’re glad we did as there were lots of hills and 80 kilometer days. We were mostly on back roads with gorgeous vistas of hills, orange orchards, white villages and the sea. There was some traffic but we never felt unsafe. The hotels were nice and the food and wine was fabulous. My wife and I would highly recommend it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- February, 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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BikeTours.com staff reply from bozena_kusovac February 14, 2024
Hi Mark! Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! We're thrilled to hear that your 4th European bike trip was your favorite yet. It's fantastic that the e-bikes made tackling those hills and long distances more enjoyable. The scenic back roads, stunning vistas, and delicious food and wine sound like the perfect recipe for an unforgettable adventure. Those photos look amazing! We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another amazing journey soon!
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★★★★★ Regan Wilder 6 months ago
A wonderful adventure!
· Portugal's Atlantic Coast
Bike Tours was incredibly helpful and their support staff was amazing. We had a few rough days, but they swooped in and assisted us. The local knowledge and recommendations on the tour guide were perfect choices for us. I can't recommend this tour enough for adventure seekers. Even with rain and wind it was still a great adventure! I do recommend getting hybrid bikes if you want to sight see vs a work out for this ride. The hybrid routes were fun and challenging. You see a side of the country few others will. It was difficult to not spend the whole day stopping at all the landmarks and each cafe you pass. Hotels and food everywhere were the best.
- What was the date of your tour?
- November 2nd
- How many tours have you completed?
- My first one and likely hard to beat! I would recommend hybrid bikes for anyone who does not regularly cycle longer distances.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Angela Henderson 6 months ago
Portugal is SPECTACULAR
· Algarve Coastal Route
Portugal is beautiful, the people even more so! We will definitely be back!
The bike tour needs some work. The GPS system is too small, half the size of my cell phone, and the written instructions not detailed enough, or accurate to what is happening on the ground around you. Because there are no consistent street signs, or bike tour signs through the entire route, the written directions that go along with the GPS are critical to guiding you on this tour. The number of u-turns, poorly written directions, etc., made what should have been a straightforward three hour bike ride into a 5 to 7 hour bike ride, not allowing us time to really enjoy the areas we rode through.
The company also didn’t fit us to the bikes and one of our friends suffered with some pretty serious neck and shoulder pain as a result.
I think the company is good, I just think they need to do some refining of their program.- What was the date of your tour?
- October, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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BikeTours.com staff reply from bozena_kusovac November 9, 2023
Hello Angela, thank you for sharing your experience in Portugal! We're glad to hear you enjoyed the beauty and warmth of the country.
We appreciate your valuable feedback regarding the bike tour challenges and will certainly use it to refine and improve our program. Your insights into the challenges with the GPS system, written instructions, and bike fitting are invaluable. We take your comments to heart and will be working diligently to refine our program in time to come. We hope to welcome you back for a smoother and more enjoyable experience in the future.
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★★★★★ Ann English 6 months ago
Prefer not to be riding on hwys and in big cities
· Algarve Coastal Route
The friendly people in Portugal, the delicious and nutritious food, and most of the hotels were wonderful! The e-bikes were fine and when needed I quickly got a replacement. However, the bikes should be fitted to each person as well as the replacement bike. That was not done so the inappropriate fit gave me much shoulder and back pain. The route had way too many hwy and larger cities round abouts for us. We prefer small towns and rural/ocean scenery.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- We have been on 4 bike tours
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
