Ride Coordinator Comments

Ride Description

With its 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, vast semi-arid agricultural hinterland networked with quiet roads and stunning rugged shoreline, southern Portugal is perfect for fall cycling through a landscape stamped with a rich legacy of archaeological remains, including megalithic monuments, Roman temples, and the typical Moorish architecture of towns as Silves and Tavira. 

This tour is a modified version of the twice previously run Southern Portugal tour but slighly flatter with more coast and waterfront and two night stops and a new name.

Our first "A" is the Alentejo region covering 1/3 of Portugal, a sparsely populated interior heartland  producing  much of the country’s’ cork, grains, meats and cheeses and fruits. It’s a landscape of quiet roads and vast fenced, often communally owned, managed oak forests with cleared grassy understory. Holm oaks produce acorns for pigs raised for Ibérico ham and cork oaks produce cork, of which Portugal is a major world producer. Common architectural features of the Alentejo are hilltop Moorish castles and white marble villages, landscape dotted with marble quarries with Roman ruins throughout. Artisanal specialties include rug and tile making, and the production of  fine wines and charcuterie.

We’ll meet in UNESCO World Heritage City Evora, a 1.5 hour bus or train ride east of Lisbon and spend the next 3 days riding a loop route easterly to near the Spanish border. There are overnights at the fortified marble town of Estremoz with time to visit a tile history museum, Vila Vicosa with its tree lined avenues and Ducal Palace, and then we’ll ride back to Evora passing through tiny cobbled Portuguese towns with narrow streets and always a café. On Day 5 we can sightsee in Evora for the day or do an optional ride to Arriolos to see demonstrations of the important traditional embroidered wool rug weaving and see one of the few circular castles in the world. Leaving Evora on Day 6, we have a pretty ride west through rolling cork and pine forests, river bottom rice paddy fields and scattered citrus groves and wineries to our peaceful haven near Grandola, winner of the  2025 Conde Nast Johansen Excellence award for best countryside hotel in Europe. On our 6th day in the Alentejo, we’ll notice the hilly landscape turning sandier with more Pine and Eucalyptus trees as we approach the coast.

Our next “A” is the Atlantic Coast where we’ll spend 3 nights and 2 days riding down Portugal’s wild coast- the Costa Vicentina- through a large coastal park .Think rugged rock headlands, pristine beaches and protected turquoise coves .Our first overnight will be in small beachfront hamlet of Porto Covo where you can walk  the famed Fisherman’s Trail or just watch waves rolling into the rock headlands.This is followed by an overnight at a nature resort slightly inland in Seo Teotino, followed by a ride through vineyards and farmland past Aljezur, the last town to be reclaimed from the Moors. We’ll picnic with ocean views at the Carrapateira headlands, then cycle down the coast to Sagres, where Prince Henry founded his 15th-century navigational school. Bring your binoculars as the Sagres peninsula, Europe’s southwestern most point, is an exceptional spot in the fall to watch raptors gathering for their fall crossing to Africa .

The last half of the tour will be spent exploring the beautiful southern coastline of Portugal, the sunny Algarve with it’s extensive sandy beaches, golden cliffs and sea caves, picturesque fishing villages, and endless piri piri chicken restaurants. We’ll spend two nights in Lagos, historic center of the Portuguese Age of Discovery and, at one time, center of the European slave trade. You’ll have time to walk the scenic clifftop boardwalk, get out on the water on a sea caves boat tour, visit the two-story market or Slave Museum, or relax on one Lago’s beautiful beaches. From Lagos we’ll ride to the pretty town of Silves where we will have plenty of time to explore Silves castle, occupied by the Moors between the 8th and 13th centuries and one of the best preserved Arab fortifications in Portugal. Leaving Silves, we’ll ride through orange and avocado groves and forests of chestnut and pine before we descend to our oceanfront hotel at Quarteira where we’ll have two nights to relax by the water with a network of local cycle paths to explore. Well rested, we’ll enjoy our ride out of Quarteria with a gradual climb up to a stunning vista lookout before we descend to the flat, hard packed but unpaved waterfront cycle path Ecovia 1, which will take us along the waterfront past salt farms and small fishing villages. At our last stop, the charming, Moorish town of Tavira, we will enjoy our final group dinner and spend two nights in a beautiful converted convent ( pousada).

RIDE RATING.  Based on the average over 11 days of required riding , this ride is rated as a 2B with a daily average of 42 miles and 2,410’.    We will have 3days that exceed the ride rating: a low 3B at 50 miles( B) but  2750’ (3)  max 5.2% grade;  another low 3B at 48 mi (B) but 2640’ (3) max 6.1%, and our longest a 3C at  61 mi (C) and 2635’ (3 ) max 9% on day 6.  In total we will ride 426 miles over 11 days with the possibility of an additional 70 plus miles if you wish to ride on two of our rest days. While this is a hilly ride, none of our climbs exceed 10% and most will be between 6 – 9%.

LODGING AND MEALS This  tour includes 16 nights lodging  with breakfast at 3- 4 star hotels and at a converted convent (a pousada), 3 provided roadside lunches,  5 dinners and 12 happy hours with a beverage and where possible snacks.   The van will be carrying water and energy bars and will have planned van water stops en route often adjacent to  grocery stores where riders will be able to purchase food. There will be café’s bakeries, and restaurants along the way.

LOGISTICS  The tour starts at a 5:30 pm orientation meeting / happy hour on Wednesday  September 30, 2026 at  Hotel Albergaria do Calvario in Evora, Portugal. Most riders will likely be arriving via Lisbon (LIS) airport. From LIS take 4 subway stops or Uber to Lisbon Oriente station where you can catch  a  1.5 hour Flick bus or Camboios de Portugal  train to Evora or overnight on one of several hotels within 5 minutes of the Oriente train / bus station.

Alternatively, Faro (FAO) airport in the Algarve is another major airport and a hub for budget airlines Ryanair and EasyJet, and there are frequent train connections between FAO and Lisbon Oriente train station (3-4 hrs).   S. Portugal Trains.  Lisbon Oriente stn. – Evora train tickets can be purchased 2 months prior to travel.

BIKES:  Adorable Portugese country villages so brightly painted have murderous chunky square cobbles in their tiny town centres.  28 mm tires will be fine, but don’t go narrower and consider a second pair of gloves if you have tender hands or a stiff riding bike. 

Rental bikes including e-bikes are available through GALACIO BIKES of Evora.  Galicio will deliver rental bikes to our starting hotel  and pick them up in Tavira on the day we ride into Tavira. Note that we have one full day in Tavira after rental bike pick up. Contact Galicio at : galacio-bike@hotmail.com   (+351) 266 785 672 landline or  (+351) 967 335 734 cell. Web:  Galacio Bike

Please note that Galicio are reportedly slow to reply so be patient. They have been used numerous times on this tour by Sitnica  and on my 2 previous tours I heard no complaints at all other than poor communications.  Ride coordinator does not get involved in any bike rental arrangements.

Tandems and e-bikes are welcome however all e-bikes must have removeable batteries for in-room charging.  Bike boxes will be stored and then delivered to our final destination- Pousada Tavira hotel. They will arrive the same afternoon we arrive giving riders the option to pack their bikes that day or the next rest day in Tavira.

VAN SUPPORT  Van support is not SAG support and rider pick-up is restricted to emergencies only.  Emergencies are defined as major mechanical breakdowns (not flat tires), medical problems, and weather deemed to be too dangerous for riding.  You must be able to carry supplies for and fix a flat. The van will stay generally with the group and stop at  various points along the way each day

LUGGAGE  If you can, please use a soft sided suitcase as it is easier to fit into the luggage van. Due to limited space and handling requirements everyone is limited  to one large bag weighing a maximum of 35 pounds and one smaller bag weighing no more than 15 pounds.

RWGPS FILES:  The ride leader will send an email containing a link to the RWGPS Event file approximately 1 month prior to the start of the tour. These BAC routes come with all the bells & whistles including turn by turn audio navigation , custom cues, etc. Participants will need to have downloaded (at the minimum) the free Starter version of the RWGPS app to receive the voice turn by turn directions.   Participants wanting cue sheets will need to print their own from the file provided.  To best make use of the audio cues, bone conduction bluetooth hearing devices are suggested as a safer option as they allow riders to easily hear both audio cues and traffic and ambient.

WEATHER    You can expect very pleasant temperatures during the day in October. The average maximum daytime temperature in Evora is 72°F. The average minimum temperature goes down to around 56.°F at night. Tavira is slightly warmer with an average high of 76 °F. However fall rains , so badly needed in the Alentejo, do start in October which has typically 10 - 12 days of rain totalling around 3 inches for the month. So while temperatures will likely be mild to warm, we are likely to have  a few wet days.

ETIAS PRE-SCREENING. The long announced program is reportedly ready to be in effect in  fourth quarter of 2026 so when we are on tour.  Non-European Union (EU) tourists planning to visit Europe’s Schengen Zone will need to apply for the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). The following data will be required for each ETIAS application: personal biometric data (e.g. name, gender, data of birth, etc. ) passport or travel document information, EU member state of entry, background questions on an applicant's health and criminal record. 

Usually, 95% of applications will receive a decision within minutes of submission. If an ETIAS application is approved, it will be issued for a period of three years or the date of the applicant's passport expiry, whichever date is sooner. Processing times can take up to 96 hours if additional checks are required. However, if additional documentation is required from the applicant, processing times can potentially take up to four weeks.

The cost of an ETIAS is €7 (apx $9) , however individuals over 70 will not need to pay the fee.

COST AND ADMINISTRATION.  The tour’s estimated cost is $4,400, plus the $150 BAC fee.  The cost is based on an exchange rate of $1.24 = €1. The final payment may be adjusted depending on whether the exchange rate is more or less favorable to the dollar.  

The deposit of $ 1,200 plus the $100.00 BAC fee, is due when signing up for the tour. The second payment of $ 2,800 is due on May 1st, 2026. The third payment of  $400 is due on September 1st, 2026 payments are made on-line on the BAC web site by credit card. Depending on future currency exchange rates, there may be an adjustment in the amount of the final payment (i.e. up or down). After the tour there will be a report of all expenses and all unused funds will be refunded to participants.

The price includes 16 nights of lodging (double occupancy) with full breakfast each day; 3 lunches, 5 group dinners  and 12 BAC social hours with wine, beer, soft drinks and where possible snacks ; luggage transport & emergency sag support; bike box storage; maps, cue sheets and GPS files; a tip for the guide; ride coordinator's tour cost, and a contingency in the event of unanticipated expenses or emergencies. It does not include: lunches or meals other than as stated above, admissions, bike rental, airfare, or transport to the starting hotel or from the final hotel..

SINGLES & SOLOS POLICY   Singles should try to find their own roommate prior to signing up. However we will assist you in  your search to find  a roommate.  After payment of the tour deposit, a single without a roommate will be drawn into the ride and given a limited timeframe to find a roommate.   If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a refund of the tour deposit (minus the non-refundable  $150 BAC ride fee and payment processing fee) or pay the $ 1150 Solo Supplement  and stay on the tour as a Solo.  If the single finds a roommate, the solo supplement will be returned

Solo supplement payments for this tour are due June 1st, 2026 and may be made in one of two ways:

1.     By check made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check. Checks should be mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.

2.     By Zelle. This is how to use Zelle for a solo supplement payment:

·       In your online bank account, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org

·       Initiate a payment

·       In the Message block enter the name of your ride

If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett (nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org ) 

NOTE: Only solo supplement payments may be paid via Zelle. All other tour payments must be made by credit card through the BAC website.

HEALTH & SAFETY.   Up to date boosters for COVID are strongly encouraged. We will invite participants to a Zoom meeting about 6 weeks prior to the tour start date to discuss health and safety on tour.  Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY  Riders ride at their own pace, not as a stay-together group, and must be able to navigate from a navigation device (e.g., Garmin, Wahoo, smartphone with RWGPS, etc.), or plan to navigate by cue sheet and map. Excellent GPS routes, cue sheets, and maps will be provided. Riders must be able to handle minor mechanical mishaps (e.g., flat tires, minor bike mechanical adjustments) and carry anything they’ll need during the day such as sufficient water, tool kit, spare tube, pump, lunch/snacks, rain jacket, etc.

Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Coordinator. While on the ride, support your Ride Coordinator with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please keep the Ride Coordinator informed of any special request you might have and respect their decisions.

INSURANCE: Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, and repatriation. This coverage applies when touring outside the US and your home country, regardless of your nationality. It will cover you door-to-door for a maximum of 90 days but will expire if you make a side trip not related to the BAC tour for more than 7 days before or after. There is limited coverage for a family member to join a covered person in an emergency. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible.

CANCELLATION POLICY The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fee is not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled due to participation below stated minimum requirements. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. 

If the cancelling participant can't be replaced, the unreplaced rider will be responsible for their share of the tour per person fixed cost. In addition, for any cancellations made less than  60 days after tour start ( i.e.: after August 02, 2026), Sitnica’s cancellation penalty as set out below will also apply:  

           60 – 46 days before departure 10%               ( 02/08 – 16/08 )
           45 – 29 days before departure 30%               ( 17/08 – 02/09 )
           28 – 15 days before departure 60%               ( 03/09 – 16/09 )
           less than 15 days before departure 100%      (17/09 – arrival)

 If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

SIGN UP  To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the Pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the  $1200 Tour Deposit and $100  BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with any questions may contact the Ride Coordinator by clicking the name at the top of this Ride Description or by emailing Sue Bunten at sue@bunten.ca.