Reviews

  Quite literally, from the minute we met Jorge and Mario our fantastic guides, we were treated like royalty. Everything was about how my wife and I could have the best... read more experience in Portugal. Until our last day we had a ball and easily the best holiday of a lifetime. We did two back to back tours, Atlantic coast & Wild Algarve and can thoroughly recommend both. We saw the beauty of the Alentejo region and some of the best sights in the Algarve. We ate the best food daily. How the lads managed to provide varying picnics daily and also give us the opportunity to sample such a range of Portuguese food for the length of our tours beats me. The range of beautiful wines selected was spectacular. The bikes - excellent quality, 27 gears, much of my time spent in the granny gear! The guides - wonderful guys, interesting, humorous, knowledgeable, friendly. The scenery - spectacular. The picnics - unreal. The accommodation - we did select the upgrade and were delighted with the rooms and hotel facilities. The cycling - we felt really safe with Mario and Jorge, they prepared us thoroughly each day as to what was ahead for the day, they stopped before any serious hazards to warn us beforehand, we learnt such a lot of cycling tips for the off road sections. The admin - We found the handling of our booking to be excellent. With the changing government Covid travel requirements, our flights were cancelled twice, but nothing was too much trouble. Our hotels were all rebooked and alternatives sorted for those unavailable. This was all achieved without any hassle by the admin staff. The itinerary provided was detailed and the daily trips and routes well laid out and referred to regularly. We found no fault at all with this holiday. It was without doubt the best holiday we ever had, thanks in no small way to Jorge and Mario's efforts. …

  October 2019 in a pandemic-free world seems an age away. Reminiscing to keep the spirits up I would like to provide highlights of the self-guided cycle tour of the Alentejo... read more Castles and Wine that we took in those carefree days. Looking back it was bliss. It was an amazing route starting in Arraiolas (bussed there from Lisbon) we met Maria and Joanna at the old convent pousada and tested bikes and received our briefing. This is a fascinating little town which has a history of rug weaving/ embroidery dating back to the Moors presence in the 12th century, with an excellent museum. On to Evora with its Roman ruins and amazing walled city, and surrounding megalithic sites of awe. Tiny historic villages, some almost ghost-like were navigated and picnics eaten in the shade of the parish church in the central square. Obrigada-ing to the friendly locals. We visited a pottery studio in S. Pedro do Corval where the family has a connection to Best Cycling- such a friendly warm welcome. And then the steep climb up to the mythical Monsaraz to spend a precious night in the stars, wandering the narrow streets after the tourists had all left. Rode through marble quarries near Vila Viçosa and Estemoz. And lived like kings and queens in the pousada palaces. An amazing route through history, friendly people and accessible restaurants and cafes. Bikes never let us down, and the taxi delivery of our suitcases between rides faultless. The accomodation arrangements all perfect. All in all I wish we were back there again. Stay well Portugal and see you again soon. Thankyou Portugal Best Cycling. …

  We enjoyed a wonderful self-guided bicycling tour in the Algarve in August. Portugal Best Cycling made all the arrangements for the cycling trip from start to finish and everything was... read more perfect. We were a bit nervous because we were a group of three adults and two kids aged 12 and 14. We're not avid cyclists but we're up for an adventure. We reserved the electric-assist bicycles and that was the right choice for us, as it made the trip much more of a vacation for everyone. The bikes are very easy to use and the e-assist turned what could have been a physically demanding bike ride into a fun and easy ride. The route maps PBC provides are very detailed and easy to follow, with clear turn-by-turn directions for each day of the ride. For the most part, the rides were on very quiet rural roads (often dirt roads), with just an occasional few kilometers on a busier paved road. The scenery was varied but always beautiful. Sometimes we were riding along the coast, coming upon beaches or stunning cliffsides, while at other times we were inland and riding through sparsely-populated farmland or park land. The routes pass through towns at just the right time for a snack or lunch. We were impressed with the lodging as well. We stayed in a small inn, a medium hotel, and a very nice pousada. The luggage transfers were flawless, our luggage was always waiting for us when we arrived at the end of each day's ride. PBC provides the tools and supplies needed in case you get a flat or need to do other maintenance, and they were easy to reach by phone when we needed a little help tuning up one of the bikes during one of our rides. We would happily plan another self-guided cycling trip with PBC! …

  We were very happy with the services from PBC during our week cycling and cooking in Portugal. They were very attentive and always service minded. Easy to reach when we... read more needed assistance. Thanks a lot for making this so personal and nice! The tracks were...More

  We did the self-guided Castles and Wine tour in Portugal and could not have had a better experience. We are very experienced bikers, and have done simillar tours in France,... read more Italy, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, and no tour company to date has matched thier level of professionalism, and attention to detail. The routes and day to day instructions were also the best and most accurate we have encountered. Mario's presentation the day before we started was funny, and professional. It says a lot when the tour company asks you to check in at the end of the day, to ensure you arrived safely. No other company has done this, and it showed an unepected level of caring and concern. In fact I fell and fractured my arm while riding and Teresa helped me every step of the way, from securing a taxi for me to get emergency care to helping me naviagate the Portugese healthcare system. she was fantastic! If you plan to bike in Portugal, Portugal Best Cycling truly is the best! …

  We are a family of four with an 18 year old and a 13 year old. This tour was a comfortable introduction to Portugal with distances ranging from 30km to... read more 50km per day for six days, and a mix of quiet roads and well maintained...More

  After several years doing self-guided bike tours through a Canadian-based company, my five friends and I decided to try booking through a travel agent who recommended Portugal best cycling. ... read more The trip was significantly cheaper than the comparable trip run by the previous company we used;...More

  Portugal Best Cycling was a wonderful way to see and experience Portugal. Cycling allows one to slow down and experience small towns and beautiful countryside. Portugal Best Cycling... read more provided well equipped bicycles and easy to follow trip notes. The route notes included great suggestions for...More

  We did this trip as a guided week long cycling tour with ever-enthusiastic and fun guide Maria in October 2017. The cycling became secondary to Maria's cooking and restaurant choices,... read more her passion for her country and its culture and heritage, and her constant smile. We...More