On one of my days in the East Algarve, I gave my feet a break from walking and cycled from Olhao to Tavira. Little did I know it’d be the most tiring day yet!
Cycling between Olhao and Tavira is far more scenic than taking the train and it was perfect because I like to incorporate exercise into my travels (to balance out my ice cream intake!)
If you are based in either Tavira or Olhao it’s likely you’ll want to explore both towns and I would highly recommend doing so by bike.
- Duration: 3.5 hours one way (you can take the train back with your bike)
- Difficulty: Moderate/ Challenging (depending on your navigation skills and the weather!)
- Cost: €12 Eur for the bike, €3 for the one-way train.
The Route
This guide is written based on cycling from Olhao to Tavira, but could also be done in reverse.
The first stretch out of town is on main roads, but after that you follow the Ecovia cycle trail through the Ria Formosa National Park. The park has some interesting wildlife but I didn’t find it overly stunning, it’s virtually all gravel tracks and car-free though, which makes for a pleasant ride. I recommend a mountain bike as the path gets rather uneven. Over the whole distance there are not many major hills.
Leave Olhao passing by the fishing port and industrial area.
Turn Right onto the main road out of town after you pass the campsite and cross the railway line.
Cycle the main road for 10-15 minutes (there is an unofficial bike lane at the edge of the road.)
At the white sign turn right and follow the road up and over the hill.
Turn Right under the railway tracks and enter the Ria Formosa National Park. There is a large sign marking the entrance. Follow the gravel track as it winds through the park. You should see yellow posts and arrows from time to time but there’s only one main path.
Arrive in Fuseta after about 1 hour / 15km. There is a busy beach here, a handful of shops and a small harbour. I took the opportunity to grab water, some fruit and took a short break in the shade while watching the boats.
Leave Fuseta and Turn Right at the large brown Ria Formosa sign just before the road crosses the railway tracks ( you won’t cross the tracks).
Turn right at the 3rd opening with the yellow cycle trail sign and you’re back onto the gravel tracks you will now be familiar with (I turned too early onto a dirt/sandy path and cycled an unnecessary lap of the park!)
From here you are pretty much just following the track until you’ve made it from Olhao to Tavira. Though that shouldn’t be underestimated.
I took 2 hours between Fuseta and Tavira with few breaks, though it was 30 degrees.
There are a few points where you will reach a variety of junctions and feel a little perplexed, the route isn’t very well marked in places. My advice is to look for the yellow posts, trust your gut and embrace the adventure!
Arrive in Tavira at the top of the town and near the train station. At this point I was done with being on a bike, so I chose to chain the bike up at the railway and explore Tavira on foot. This is a good opportunity to check for the last trains of the day, unless you have the energy to do it all again in reverse!
Top tips
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If your accommodation has somewhere to store the bike, rent it for 24 hours and return it the morning. This gives more flexibility and the chance to have dinner in Tavira before catching the train back.
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Pack water and sunscreen! There is very little shade on the trail and no real shops after Fuseta.
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I got my bike from Seahorse Rentals who were incredibly helpful for directions and a map- I never would’ve made it without them. Hopefully this guide helps, but it’s very worth talking to your rental shop and carrying a paper map before starting.
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Prepare to get lost. No matter how good the guide, the signs are easily missed in many places. There are little yellow stickers on road sign posts in addition to the larger cycle specific markers. I learnt that if more than 5 minutes had passed since Id seen anything yellow, I should double check my location before proceeding.
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Enjoy!
