The Algarve's tourist coast gets the crowds; the riding happens inland. From Loulé and Tavira the routes head north into the Serra do Caldeirão, east along the coast toward Spain, and west through cork oak forests. The tarmac is smooth and quiet, the villages are whitewashed, and the square café has usually been serving espresso for decades. Because this isn't yet a classic cycling circuit, you won't be sharing the road with hundreds of other riders.

The structure is what separates this from a point-to-point tour. Each of the two bases gets several nights, and every morning builds a new loop from the same front door. Same room, same team, a different Algarve each time you clip in. On guided trips the support vehicle moves your bags between the two hotels so you ride light.

Jérôme Cousin founded Baroudeur Cycling and leads the guided weeks himself. He handles navigation, sets the pace, keeps the group together, and adjusts the route on the fly. He describes his job as understanding the group and finding its roads rather than imposing a week of training. Daily briefings cover the route, the elevation and the key points, fine-tuned to the weather.

Distances flex to the group: 50km on an easy day, 110km when people want more, with 600 to 1,400m of climbing. The support vehicle is always within reach, though most riders never need it. Mechanical help is on hand, bottles get refilled from the van, and snacks are available before departure.

Food is treated as part of the week rather than an afterthought. Lunch is included daily — a local restaurant or a picnic depending on the day — and dinner is at a restaurant hand-picked and booked by the team, mixing fresh Atlantic fish, traditional Portuguese cooking and something more contemporary across the week. The mid-morning café stop is included too.

Accommodation is deliberately not chain hotels. Properties are chosen for good beds, secure bike storage and a breakfast timed for a proper start — some boutique hotels, some family-run guesthouses. Bike rental is available: carbon road, gravel or e-bike, serviced and fitted to your measurements before the first morning.

What's included

- 6 nights' accommodation across two fixed bases (Loulé and Tavira) - Breakfast each morning, served early - Daily lunch at a local restaurant or as a prepared picnic - Dinner each evening at a restaurant hand-picked and booked by the team - Mid-morning café stop with espresso and a pastel de nata - Daily route briefing with Jérôme Cousin - Local guide leading each ride (guided format) - Support vehicle with tools, snacks, water and gear - Mechanical help on hand - GPS routes / GPX tracks provided - Snacks before departure and refills from the support vehicle - Baroudeur jersey at the start of the trip - Kit laundry (access depends on accommodation) - Luggage transfer between hotels on guided trips

What's not included

- Travel to and from the Algarve - Bike rental (carbon road, gravel or e-bike available at extra cost) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Luggage transfer on self-guided trips (available as an add-on) - Anything not listed as included