Portugal Go Active!

Go Active! is an 8-day endurance tour for fit, experienced riders who thrive on long days, challenging climbs and constantly changing terrain. It covers more than 400 km of southwest Portugal, from Palmela near Lisbon to Lagos in the Algarve, with around 4,000 m of climbing over six cycling days.

The route crosses the Arrábida Natural Park, takes the ferry across the Sado River, where dolphins live, to the Tróia Peninsula, then follows rice fields, lagoons, cork forests and schist cliffs down the Alentejo and Vicentina coasts. It finishes past Cape St Vincent, the southwest tip of Europe, and along the sandstone cliffs of the Algarve.

Expect beach picnics, fresh seafood and Portuguese wines, with nights in handpicked hotels, including a historic convent in Palmela. Daily options let you shorten or extend most stages, choosing asphalt or scenic coastal dirt tracks.

Highlights

• Climbs and coastal views through Arrábida Natural Park, with a swim at Portinho da Arrábida
• Ferry across the Sado estuary and 50 km of dunes, beaches and rice fields
• Porto Covo, Vila Nova de Milfontes and the wild Vicentina coast
• Odeceixe beach and the Moorish village of Aljezur
• Cape St Vincent and the Fortress of Sagres
• The Algarve's sandstone cliffs and coves on the way to Lagos

Surface and terrain
Quiet secondary roads with optional dirt tracks through forests, along water channels and clifftop paths. Long, hilly stages with steep climbs in Arrábida and along the coast, averaging around 680 m of ascent per day. Most days offer an all-asphalt alternative.

Weather
The southwest coast has a mild Atlantic climate with frequent sea breezes and northerly winds. Summers are warm on the coast and hotter in the Algarve. Spring and autumn are ideal for long rides. Winters are mild but wetter.

Suitable for
Fit, experienced cyclists comfortable with 65 to 80 km days and over 1,000 m of climbing on the hardest stages. Best for riders wanting a physical challenge with good food and coastal scenery. E-bikes are available for those wanting assistance.