Father and son on the Rota Vicentina by bike

Rota Vicentina by Bike: Our father and son experience

By Paulo Fernandez

I share my experience traveling the Rota Vicentina by bike with my son in 2018. For those who also want to explore it on bicycles, this is our story. With this, anyone who wants to take this route will be able to plan this beautiful route without making some of the mistakes we made.

I would also like to invite everyone to obtain more information about Rota Vicentina in this post.

Preparation for Rota Vicentina by bike

The Rota Vicentina by bike is an adventure that is totally worth it, but due to some of our decisions, we were unable to make the most of the charms and beauties of the Costa Vicentina. The initial itinerary was to travel along the Costa Vicentina through Alentejo to the Algarve, towards the south of Portugal. We wanted to stop by Cabo de São Vicente, the extreme southwest point, before ending the adventure in the city of Lagos in the Algarve.

The steps we planned were as follows:

• Depart from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil towards Lisbon in Portugal;
• From Lisbon to Santiago do Cacém use a bus;
• Receive the bicycles in Santiago do Cacém;
• Cycling from Santiago do Cacém to Odemira;
• Cycling from Odemira to Carrapateira;
• Cycling from Carrapateira to Sagres and finally from Sagres to Lagos;
• Return the bicycles in Sagres or Lagos depending on the time;
• Take the train back from Lagos.

We knew that we could use the bicycle rental company’s transportation to go from Sagres to Lagos if that was the case. Depending on schedule and logistics, the configuration was to return them upon arrival in Lagos. Therefore, we made the decision in 2018 to travel and discover the Rota Vicentina with 29-inch all-terrain bikes (MTB).

We wanted to travel the Rota Vicentina with the bikes in 3 days, to arrive by bike in Lagos and finish. However, due to the setbacks caused by the mistakes we made, we were unable to cycle to Lagos in time and had to return the bikes when we arrived in Sagres. We had another appointment the next day in O Porto, and we had no way of postponing the train trip from Lagos to O Porto, already booked in advance and tickets purchased.

Day zero of Rota Vicentina by bike: From Lisbon to Santiago do Cacém

On October 22, 2018 we left Lisbon towards Santiago do Cacém. Our first setback, which almost became a big problem, was that we only left the center of Lisbon at night to catch the last bus to Santiago do Cacém. The transport left from the Sete Rios bus station in Lisbon, close to the Jardim Zoológico Metro station.

We almost didn’t make it in time to locate the boarding point at the bus station. We quickly bought tickets and finally put our backpacks in the luggage rack and departed. The last available bus time to Santiago do Cacém was around 8:20 pm. Everything was rushed and we finally got on the bus in the last minutes before leaving for Santiago do Cacém.

Leaving Lisbon, the bus crosses the 25 de Abril bridge over the Tagus river, passing through Almada and Setúbal, until finally arriving at Santiago do Cacém, a small town, in Portugal often called Aldeia, which is located south of Portugal. District of Setúbal, in the Alentejo region.

It was quite a stressful experience going out in Lisbon at night. We definitely don’t recommend it. Furthermore, the bus arrives late at night, around 11pm in the small city of Santiago do Cacém. At this time, almost all restaurants are already closed, and we still needed dinner! In addition, of course, finding the hotel and checking in.

Rented bicycles to travel the Rota Vicentina

The company we used to rent the 2 bicycles is located in the city of Grândola. The company is called Passeios & Companhia. Grândola is a slightly larger city and close to Santiago do Cacém. By the way, great service and assistance provided by the company. We recommend renting bikes from them!

The best thing on this first day is to plan to leave Lisbon early, around the end of the morning. This way it is possible to enjoy the landscape from the bus window to the small and friendly village of Santiago do Cacém, check in at the hotel or guesthouse calmly and find a pleasant place to have dinner. There are several restaurant options available, as long as you don’t get there too late.

The following morning, as agreed, the rental company delivered the 2 bicycles to us in front of the hotel in Santiago do Cacém. Regarding rented bikes, we made our second strategic error, as we didn’t order bikes with panniers to carry our belongings. We wore backpacks on our backs the entire time and this proved to be counter-intuitive, as it was very painful and tiring to carry our belongings in the backpacks attached to our backs.

First day of Rota Vicentina by bike: From Santiago do Cacém to Odemira

When starting the cycle in the first stage, we made our third strategic error. We decided to follow the route indicated on the maps along the trails in the woods around Santiago do Cacém, heading towards Odemira.

Instead, we should have gone directly to the coast, as suggested in some blogs we consulted, going from Santiago do Cacém to Sines. It’s less than 20 km to reach Sines, and you’re already on the beautiful Portuguese coast. There are several natural reserves along the beaches and slopes with huge cliffs that follow one another, until reaching the southern tip, at Cabo de São Vicente.

Our route included following trails through oak and eucalyptus forests. Despite the beautiful rural landscapes, this journey cost us a lot of physical effort and time. The trails were too hard to overcome with bicycles and the terrain was too rough. There were many branches and fallen trees blocking the passage, as well as gates dividing rural properties to be opened and closed again.

All this without counting the flooded and floodable areas, where in rainy conditions it would become almost impossible to progress. Fortunately the weather was good, with sun and no rain.

Halfway through the first day, already exhausted and spending many more hours than planned, we decided to follow the N-120 road to Odemira. This is a national road that goes south to Lagos. It was a good decision, as we managed to progress as expected, covering the remaining km until arriving at the hostel in Odemira. As night fell, we cycled under a strong storm that reached us just before entering the N-120.

Traveling along the N-120 wasn’t exactly pleasant either. Vehicle traffic is very intense, with many very large and heavy cargo vehicles. The decision not to continue following the coast, passing along the beaches and slopes from Sines, meant that we failed to see and enjoy the beautiful coastal landscapes in this initial stretch.

Second day of Rota Vicentina by bike: From Odemira to Carrapateira

Leaving Odemira on the second day, we chose to follow a rural road towards the coast. We arrived in the coastal region at the town of Porto das Barcas, with Zambujeira do Mar just beyond. On this second day we remained close to the coast. We also passed through Carvalhal and Odeceixe, to the small town of Carrapateira, our overnight destination at the end of this second day.

The coastal region covered on this second day to Odeceixe is part of the Sudoeste Alentejano Natural Park, a very important fauna and flora preservation area on that coast. On this second day we were able to better understand what we missed on the first day, in terms of beautiful coastal landscapes. Get to know a little more about Odeceixe and the beaches on the coast of Aljezur!

Third day of Rota Vicentina by bike: From Carrapateira to Sagres/Lagos

Leaving Carrapateira on the third day of cycling, we continued heading south over the cliffs.

Before arriving at Amado beach, you can visit beautiful archaeological remains of pre-Middle Age dwellings. Looking at the landscape, it is easy to understand why they chose that place to live. The abundance of food from the sea, just below the cliff, made survival in that place simpler for them.

After Amado beach, we return to another national road, the N-268, which heads south to the city of Sagres. Arriving in Sagres we went to visit the Lighthouse at Cabo de São Vicente. A place of imposing nature, with high cliffs descending into the blue Atlantic.

From Cabo de São Vicente we went to visit the Sagres Fortress.

From there we chose to deliver the bikes in Sagres. After telephone contact, the company traveled there from Lagos to meet us there in Sagres. From Sagres, we took the company vehicle to our hotel in Lagos, where we spent the night on this third and final day along the Rota Vicentina by bike.

The next day we boarded the train to O Porto.

Final observations of the Rota Vicentina by bike

The route taken did not turn out exactly as we initially imagined, and as we included in our planning. But it served to show us that we would have to make adjustments for next time. Among which we recommend:

• Increase the number of days to 4 or 5 to enjoy each place more;
• Always follow the coast unless you already know the route;
• Use bicycles with saddlebags or hire luggage transportation.

We leave these tips on the Nattrip blog for those who intend to travel the Rota Vicentina by bike. It’s very worth it. If you have the opportunity, be sure to try this adventure!