In Portugal, in the Algarve province, there is a beautiful bike path inaugurated in 2008 and it’s now part of the Eurovelo 1 project. It’s the Ecovia Litoral do Algarve, a route of about 220 km that begins in Cabo de Sao Vicente, the tip that once it marked the end of the known world, and ends at Vila Real de St. Antonio, bordering on Spain.
The track follows faithfully the contour of the coast, moving away from the sea only for short stretches. You always ride on flat paths and mostly on tracks for bike and pedestrians. To travel across the entire Ecovia Litoral do Algarve, and enjoy the beaches and small towns that the bicycle trail reaches you need at least 4 days.
THE PATH
Starting from Cabo de Sao Vicente you pedal in the direction of Sagres, town beloved by surfers from all over the Europe. Here, in fact, the wind never stops, creating high waves on the sea, also near the coast. Then you continue towards Lagos always along the coast that in this area of Portugal is really very fascinating. There are particularly high cliffs that hide sand coves which are perfect for taking a dip in the Atlantic Ocean.
Ecovia Litoral do Algarve continues through the towns of Ferragudo, Portimao, Albufeira.
In particular the brilliant colors of the coast and the sea, the small sandy coves and rock formations like the Praia dos Caneiros faragles really strike.
The Algarve has a romantic soul that takes its sustenance from the ocean and countryside: an ideal tourist destination for those who want to discover Portugal slowly.
The Saline of Castro Marim, at the locality of Vila Real de St. Antonio, where the Portuguese bicycle trail ends, is definitely not to be missed.