Paradise in Portugal

Day-To-Day Itinerary

Excuse our mess. This tour is being updated for 2018!

There are many options for your cycling itineraries. You can enjoy short days or longer days, you can reserve transfers so that you can linger longer at the place that interests you the most.

ROUTE 1 - The Famous Carpets
This suggested itinerary is an easy loop ride from the guesthouse to Arraiolos and then back, following the "green lane", or a rails to trails path. This is a peaceful ride on gentle rolling hills, 10 km of which is on dirt roads. You will cycle past small farms, eventually reaching Graça do Divor, a beautiful and well-preserved white and blue village. This is a wonderful place to stop  for a drink and try delicious (and famous) meat pies.  Following your refreshment, you continue to the the village of Arraiolos, famous for its rich historical center, castle, and embroidered wool rugs and carpets which have been made since the middle ages. A local delicacy that you must sample is the delicious Pastéis de Toucinho. There is opportunity to visit a winery (€6), and a cheese farm that also produces local liqueurs. (Sampling here is €11.) From the cheese farm, you can order an optional transfer back to the farmhouse. If you cycle back to the guesthouse, you pass Divor dam and its lovely lake. You can shorten the daily mileage by 12 km if you do not visit the cheese farm.

Distance:
22 mi. (36 km) all visits described and transfer from cheese farm back to hotel
28 - 33 mi. (45 - 53 km) to winery and back
43 mi. (69 km) to winery and cheese farm and return by same route
47 mi. (75 km) to winery and cheese farm and back a different route

Level: easy to moderate, depending option and if you purchase transfers. You will cycle on gentle rolling hills which included approx. 15 kms of dirt roads

ROUTE 2 - The Wine and Cork Route
Leaving the farm, the cycling leads through the country in the direction of Igrejinha, a very  "white village" where all houses have stripes of different colors, like a striking painting. There is a lovely winery here that can be visited. From Igrehinha, you cycle to the cork factory to learn how cork is transformed. This will be a highlight of your day. In the same village, you can visit a knife factory and see the process of making kitchen knives, cork cutting knives and others.  Nearby there is a wonderful sanctuary with murals from floor to ceiling. Next on the agenda is the village of S. Miguel de Machede where you can stop for refreshments.

Level: easy will rolling hills (270  m of climbing with transfer, 430 m without).

Distance:
27 mi. (42km) - with transfer back to farm.
46 mi. (74 km) without transfer

ROUTE 3 - Megalithic Monuments
Cycling from our guesthouse to Évora and to the megalithic area. 

In the morning you cycle to Évora and unravel the amazing history of this old beautiful city, classified by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.
We propose a visit to the surreal Bone chapel and to the impressive cathedral, originally from the 13th century. Finish with a wine tasting in the Évora Wine Tour Shop. After, ride to the country side discovering beautiful holm oak forests and vast meadows. A peaceful landscape of grazing cattle and cheerful birds. Cycle to Zambujeiros' Dolmen – the biggest in Europe, the Almendres' Cromelech - the oldest megalithic monument in Europe with a beautiful view over Évora, the Almendres Menhir and Mitras' Church. A very complete day!

Distance: ​ 
Level: Easy

ROUTE 4 - Conquest of Valongo Castle
The day begins on a road lined with olive groves, with gentle ups and downs until Nossa Senhora de Machede. There is opportunity to visit a traditional leather factory and, if traveling in October or November, an olive oil mill. If traveling off-season, it could still be possible to arrange a tour subject to availability.

Valongo Castle, dating from 1283, is on the agenda as well. Located in the solitary surroundings of Montoito, it stands alone and surreal. Following then a dirt road, through the country at its best, you reach Alcaide Water Mill and continue along the river passing several mills until reaching the main road. If you want to extend your cycling itinerary, you can add an extra 10 km and cycle to the Ervideira winery (supplement of €8). At the end of your cycling day, there is an included transfer back to the farmhouse.

Distance:
25 mi., 31 mi., or 37 mi. (40, 50, or 60 km)

Level: easy with gentle rolling hills. The last 6 km is on dirt road which you can avoid if you request to be transferred early.

ROUTE 5 - Evora and its surroundings
We propose an easier cycling day, perfect to end with our cooking class! From our farm you will cycle to a cheese factory where you may do a visit and tasting. This cheese factory is very different from the one you may have visited in the Famous carpet route. 
Then cycle to our gorgeous city where you may spend the day cycling and visiting several monuments suggested by us. The city is classified by UNESCO as World Heritage Site and there is plenty to do and see. After lunch we suggest you climb to Alto de São Bento, a favorite place for locals to watch the sun set.

Distance, 16 to 22 mi. kms (25 to 35 km) 
Level: easy except for climb to Alto the São Bento, which you may chose not to do.
Terrain: mostly flat and mix of dirt track and asphalt.
                

ROUTE 6 - The Medieval Village
A morning transfer will take you to Reguengos from which you cycle to medieval Monsaraz, perched high on a hill, overlooking the Guadiana River.  The view spreads below for miles. As you enter the village, surrounded by castle walls, it is as though you have stepped back in time. The houses are made of white Schist with blinding white walls. In the area surrounding Monsaraz are several fascinating megalith and dolman monuments. These symbolic remains date back to between 4.000 and 2.000 years BC. Another highlight is the famous pottery village of S. Pedro do Corval. At the end of the day, there is a return transfer to the farm.

Distance:
19, 27, 31 mi. (30, 43, 50 km)

Level: easy with the majority of the itinerary on flat roads, however, there is a moderate 2 km climb to Monsaraz

ROUTE 7: Wine and marble

Cycling from Estremoz to Terena.

The bike tour day starts in Estremoz, an unforgetable city. We highly recomend climbing to the top of the marble donjon tower, from the 14th century, to take in impressive views.From here we ride to the amazing Vila Viçosa, where the marble used commonly instead of brick gives an aristocratic look to the village, and where you can visit the Ducal Palace, built between 1502 and 1700, or the marble museum.

Continue through the marble land, visit a marble quarry and ride to Alandroal, where marble, the white gold, continues to be the king. Here we recommend a stop at a local café. After we ride to Terena, where we cycle through its very flowery centre. Our ride ends in the amazing fortified sanctuary of Srª da Boa Nova. Even if churches are not your thing, you'll enjoy this one!

20 kms, if you cycle from Estremoz to Vila Viçosa.
30 kms, if you cycle until Alandroal
OUR RECOMMENDATION: 43 kms for all the route

4 days/3 nights
1st day: Arrival. Accommodation and dinner at our guesthouse.
2nd and 3rd day: Cycling 2 routes, choice between Route 1, 2, or 5
4th day: Departure.

5 days/4 nights
1st day: Arrival. Accommodation and dinner at our guesthouse.
2nd - 4th day: Cycling 3 routes, choice between Route 1, 2, 3, and 5. One more dinner at the farm on one of the nights.
5th day: Departure.

6 days/5 nights
1st day: Arrival. Accommodation and dinner at our guesthouse.
2nd - 5th day: Cycling route 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. Two more dinners at the farm in two of the nights.
5th day: Departure.

7 days/6 nights
1st day: Arrival. Accommodation and dinner at our guesthouse.
2nd - 6th day: Cycling 5 routes, Routes 1,2,3,4 and 5.

8 days/7 nights
1st day: Arrival. Accommodation and dinner at our guesthouse.
2nd – 7th day: 5 cycling routes - one free day or one extra route at a supplement.
8th day: Departure.

On one of the nights you can enjoy a Cooking Class on Alentejo food. You will be taught to prepare a delicious Alentejo meal, using fresh and readily available ingredients.

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• Paradise in Portugal