Western Europe's best known secret? The Rota Vicentina

​After decades as a secret cycle touring paradise, the west coast of Portugal has finally been placed firmly on the bike tour map.

Written by Catherine Deffense

We first ran our popular Blue Coast bike tour back in 1986, when the Rota Vicentina did not even exist. Now, as all those years ago, this classic tour has you coasting along quiet back roads from Lisbon to Lagos and the brilliant beaches of the Algarve.

​Officially inaugurated only in 2015, the Rota Vicentina offers spectacular seascapes along some of the wildest coastline in Europe, starting in the idyllic Alentejo region and ending at the Cape of Saint Vincent in the Algarve region of southern Portugal.

Our Rota Vicentina bike tour explores the beautiful and rugged Atlantic west coast of Portugal, cycling through white washed villages and cork forests along the way.

There are two official marked routes; Historical Way & Fisherman's Trail, the first of which being ideal for mountain bikes, the second for hiking.

Our tour route is a mix of small roads and optional off road detours. You can take a look at our Rota Vicentina Self Guided bike tour details here and see if it sounds like your kind of cycling holiday!

If you prefer guided road touring, Cycling Centuries Bike Tours, our mother company, offers all the all tarmac, fully supported Blue Coast route tour, with scenic, low traffic cycling through some of the prettiest villages and towns in Portugal.

Rota Vicentina E-bike rentals
We also offer powerful, class leading E-bikes on our Rota Vicentina Bike Tour, as well as all our Portugal bike tours.

If you like cycling but don't like sweat too much on your rides or can't get your heart rate up too high, electric assisted e-bikes are the way to ride. You can find out all about E-bikes for our self guided bike tours here.