Blossom on the almond trees
There are many reasons to love being in the Algarve in the winter – the lack of tourists, cheap wine, Portuguese cakes, almond blossom, being able to buy two large tuna steaks from the supermarket for less than €4.
And that’s before I even get on to the cycling.
One of the biggest draws has to be the weather – being able to ride in shorts and a short-sleeved top in the middle of January (while needing wraparound sunglasses) is a definite improvement on conditions back home in the UK.
Blue skies, green fields and not a lot of traffic
By the way, my apologies if this is making you green with envy. That’s not the intention.
Many people think of the Algarve as a summer holiday destination. To me, though, it’s the winter cycling that’s a huge draw. It’s way too hot and busy here in the summer to even contemplate getting on a bike but just now it’s glorious. There’s a cool edge to the breeze but as long as you don’t sit still, or find somewhere sheltered, that’s not a problem.
Today’s ride was a reasonably gentle one. A loop of about 48km (30 miles) out to the west of Lagos in aid of ‘bagging’ some of the beaches in the area – all stops on the last day of the Algarve East-West guided cycle tour, which sets off on Sunday 13th March.
First up was a quick halt at Praia da Luz, after which came Boca do Rio (one of my favourites), Burgau and Salema – see photos below. There were a few hills along the way but none of them particularly long.
After a picnic on the beach, we turned inland for a loop through some of the nearby villages and home for a cup of tea!
The promenade at Praia da Luz
On the way from Burgau towards Boca do Rio
Looking back down at Boca do Rio – popular with over-wintering camper van owners
The beach at Salema, one of the low-key resorts west of Lagos
