"Ik wist niet, dat het zuiden van Portugal zo mooi en zo afwisselend is! Het was toch een beetje alsof we een persoonlijke gids hadden, omdat je ons precies kon vertellen, wat de leukste restaurants waren, en wat de specialiteiten waren."
Agnes de Bie
"We willen je nogmaals vertellen, dat we het fantastisch hebben gehad. Het was een verassing, dat het landschap zo gevarieerd is. We kregen het idee, dat je er allemaal erg goed over nagedacht had. Al meteen toen we onze eerste hotelkamer zagen, wisten we dat we in goede handen waren".
Han en Linda
"Een heerlijke vakantie hebben we gehad. En dat in oktober. Terwijl het rustig doorregende bij ons in Nederland, hadden wij prachtig weer in Portugal. Aan de routes konden we zien, dat overal goed over nagedacht was. Rustige wegen, gevarieerd landschap en duidelijke routebeschrijvingen. En sommige hotels waren natuurlijk juweeltjes! Betere fietsen konden we ons trouwens niet voorstellen".
Nathalie en Ronald
Onze website www.cyclingholidaysportugal.com trekt veelal Canadezen, Amerikanen, Engelsen en fietsers uit Australië. Hieronder enkele commentaren, gevolgd door verslagen van mensen die ons vonden via Responsible Travel, een Engelse organisatie waar Fietsvakanties Portugal al sinds 2005 lid van is. Het zijn de verslagen van 2019 en 2020. Ze kregen allemaal het maximale aantal sterren.
"The holiday was great - the organization of the biking was impeccable, and the lodging was well chosen and very pleasant. The best part was travelling beautiful scenic roads with essentially no traffic."
Michael Libman & Susan Kahn
"The most memorable part of our cycling trip was definitely discovering the seaside town of Carrapateira. Staying with such friendly hosts and sleeping at night with the sound of crashing waves was just beautiful. The quiet, remote location was very special."
Susan White
Maeve Higgins review 15 Mar 2020
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?The routes through the quiet country side, especially the West coast. The hotels were lovely.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Get some cycle training done before you go, the routes are a nice mix of up and down and flat.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We stayed in local hotels and ate out in small cafes and restaurants
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
There is nice variety in the holiday. We were a group of thirteen, a couple choose electric bikes and some did the extended version of the daily cycle. We also spent 2 days in 2 different places, do that offered people a rest day or a change of activity. Bert was very quick to reply to any emails and organized with great attention to detail.
Robbie Syme review 12 Nov 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?Bert gave us a most varied route which gave wonderful views and varied terrain. His route instructions were spot on. We were on the Terra de Caldas tour.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this holiday?
Go for it! The bikes we had were fully capable of the route.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
As we ate locally each evening (restaurant recommendations were very good) we did benefit the local community. As we used no fossil fuel, we must have benefitted the environment just a little
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent - and a lovely insight into the Algarve region. Berts route kept us away from the concrete jungles of the resorts which we were grateful for.
Alvin Wasserman review 30 Oct 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?Approaching picturesque towns from a distance after several hours of winding our way through small roads and alongside orchards.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take your time to explore the little towns markets etc, you will have enough time to cycle between destinations so don’t hurry.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely. We pedaled, eat and shopped local and left very little environmental footprint.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Wonderful, although you have to have a little stamina to cycle for most of a week straight even with e-bike option.
Graham McKibbin review 14 Oct 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?We chose the Terra de Caldas tour for our cycling holiday. The peace and tranquility of cycling through the countryside and stopping off in small village cafes for a coffee and snack was one of the most pleasurable aspects of our trip, but there were so many other highlights too - walking though the historic streets of Silves at night, relaxing in the Spa in Caldas de Monchique, an exhilarating downhill section of the Caldas de Monchique to Aljezur route (that seemed to last forever !!), the view from the Muslim fortification in Aljezur which was breath taking and the sound of the crashing waves at Bordeira Beach in Carrapateira - fantastic ! The accommodation that Bert arranged for us differed from location to location, with each place having its own unique charm and character. The Portuguese people were so friendly.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Setting off early (around 8am) each day is advisable, especially if the forecast is for high temperatures as you can get a good few kilometers under your belt before it gets too warm - It also allows you to reach your destination hotel in good time each day allowing time to unwind and have dinner without being too rushed. Be sure to carry plenty of water and snacks in your backpack as we found some cafes in the smaller towns / villages did not open before 11 am on one of the days. We decided to break the trip up by spending 3 nights in Carrapateria rather than an extra night at the start and finish of the trip - We found that this gave the trip a nice balance as it allowed us time to walk the cliff trails and enjoy the beaches, which were stunning. Sampling the Piri Piri chicken at the Café Imperio in Caldas de Monchique is a must!!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, by visiting small rural cafes we felt we were helping contribute to small communities. By cycling through the villages, it felt less intrusive than if we were to do so by car - we also felt that we could appreciate the villages more by cycling through them.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Cannot rate this holiday highly enough. Berts organization was fantastic – the instructions for each route were detailed and clear, the bikes provided were excellent, our luggage was transferred from point to point without a hitch and the recommendations for cafes / restaurants did not disappoint. A wonderful trip from start to finish - thanks Bert!
Peter Mcleod review 8 Jul 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?At the end of a day riding, arriving at accommodation which far exceeded our expectations, both in terms of the standard of accommodation and its location.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We were a group of 60/70 yr olds but were bike fit. We decided to hire e-bikes and were glad we did as stages of this tour are quite hilly and would be challenging for unfit riders not on E-bikes. Bert, who runs the tour was very helpful and responsive during both the booking process and the ride itself. We had absolutely no problems at any stage of our ride.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Hard to tell but we guess that our trip would have certainly benefitted economically some of the small poorer rural areas we rode through. We were environmentally conscious of not leaving a footprint during our travels.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very Good! Was well organised with a good variety of terrain from orange and olive groves, up through foothills forests and back down to beautiful beaches. Generally on quite country roads and optional short rides available after reaching our destination each day. Great value for money.
Jim Allman review 31 May 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?The electric bikes were an incredible luxury and good quality. They allowed us to enjoy the mountains. The roads were quiet and the distances each day were just right for us. The smells of eucalyptus and orange groves were memorable. The accommodations were very good too. The walk at Carrapateira was something we will never forget. The accommodation at Lagos was the icing on the cake.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take good walking shoes for the hikes along the cliff tops. It might be worthwhile to take your own bicycle seat for your comfort.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The walk at Carrapateira was spectacular and showed how the local people are preserving that environment.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent.
John Boyce review 10 Mar 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?The overall relaxed feeling I got each day. Bert's superb organization, great routes, superb overnight stops, cafe suggestions meant the rider only had to cycle through orange groves and seemingly natural countryside between delightful white villages. Being out of season the roads were empty and the hotels quiet.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book it, even at this time February March the weather was warm enough for cycling even during the rain it was a cooling shower.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Cycling is environmentally friendly and I carried all my own luggage, I used local cafes for my breaks and obviously local restaurants along with local hotels and B&Bs at night. Going so early in the year can only have helped the local economy.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Cycling alone I was completely my own master; the distances were within my capabilities even with some of the longer options. So I found it one of the most relaxing holidays I have had.
Hazell Penn review 11 Jun 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?The fun of biking in Portugal. How beautiful and unspoilt the countryside was...the wildflowers everywhere. Clear blue skies every day in early May. The organisation of our trip was first class. Bert had thought about everything - he anticipated our needs and had the bases covered. Our bikes were dependable and we didn't have any trouble at all. We had decided on electric bikes and they were new to us...fantastic and easy to manage! We still peddled all day (40-50 km) but we weren't exhausted at the end of the day.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go with a company such as Bert's. He booked excellent accommodations for us that exceeded our expectations - there was always a lovely pool and very generous breakfasts. We always found good places for lunch and dinner.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, all of the above - because it was local people looking after all the accommodations - except perhaps one but the couple who ran the B&B were very much part of the community. We found the staff to be gracious and helpful everywhere we stayed.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Unreserved 5 stars.
Susan Tinevez review 4 Jun 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?In our experience these are the most important criteria for a successful bike tour (in this order): Easy to book, with informative, prompt, and reliable booking agent/tour operator; reasonable cost for the product. Bikes in good repair - including bike seats, handle grips, gears, panniers. Good route & route directions. Luggage transfer to next accommodation. Comfortable accommodation - with hosts that are welcoming, knowledgeable about the local area, and provide good coffee and breakfasts. This tour was successful on all levels. The written route directions we used could have been written a bit more concisely (in point form in a table format, rather than paragraphs), so that we could more easily read information while riding - but all directions were very accurate.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
May was an incredible month to travel through this area of Portugal - everything was in bloom, the temperatures were reasonable, there was not a lot of tourist traffic, and the local people were helpful and very friendly.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Traveling by bike is environmentally friendly. The tour operator used locally owned hotels or homes for accommodation.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
This holiday met and surpassed our expectations. Thank you!
Keith Mahony review 25 Apr 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?Met all of our expectations which were high based on the previous excellent reviews we read. The trip allowed us to travel through a variety of landscapes and stay in places that were each very different from the others. The trip allowed us to get away from the more touristic areas and experience 'real' Portugal. This included coming across a village celebration in a large picnic area by the road we were travelling on where there was music, dancing and food. We enjoyed watching and absorbing the atmosphere and were given a piece of the special bread/cake being handed out to those attending.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure you are able to tackle some of the steep gradients on this trip and if you have any doubts about your fitness level consider an E-bike. That said, lowest gear and a good level of fitness is all that is needed. Dogs were an issue in many places especially in the more rural areas where their role seemed to be chasing off anybody on a bike riding past! Rather than relying on eating out at lunch time, better option is to take a picnic snack to see you through until a main meal at the end of the day.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Cycling is environmentally friendly compared to travelling around in a vehicle and allows you to cover much greater distance compared to walking. Stopping at cafes and buying from shops along the way contributed directly to the local economy. The accommodation was either run by or staffed by local people which again helped the local economy. We were urged by Bert to re-fill our water bottle(s) with drinkable water from taps at our accommodation - we took this advice to reduce waste plastic bottles.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Well organised and managed by Bert Smeman of the tour operator. All went to plan from collection from the airport to returning there. The routes and stops chosen by Bert were varied and interesting. All accommodation was of a high standard and in every case the hosts (B & B) and staff (hotels) were welcoming and very helpful.