Our 7-day guided tour with Live, Love, Ride was everything we had hoped for and more. Our guides, Ricardo and Andre, were knowledgeable, engaging and very customer-focused. We loved their local knowledge and often asked Ricardo to order meals for the group knowing we would get the best of what was offered in the region. Our equipment, the transportation, the hotels and restaurants we visited were all top notch. The trip was a great value for the money - wrapping the services of travel agent, tour guide, and concierge all in one. The tour itself traveled through Alentejo and Algarve, took us to many beautiful beaches along the Western and Southern coast of Portugal. The riding was a mix of gravel trail and paved surface, and we were grateful for the assist from our e-bikes! Highlights included the fresh fish, the local wines, the beautiful beaches, and the premium hotels in remote locations that combined beautiful views of the countryside with first-class accommodations. The trip will leave us with memories for a lifetime. I highly recommend Live, Love, Ride for your next bike tour.
After we were picked up from the airport and driven to the hotel, the magical adventure began. Riding the Douro Valley was just magnificent. The scenery and landscape could not be compared to anything I've seen before. Riding consisted of 35 to near 50 miles each day with elevations of 3,000-4,500 feet gain at an average 5-8% grade. On the last day of riding, the most difficult of all, we experienced a 16% grade that seemed to go on forever. Every day presented itself with great challenges wonderful pleasures and fantastic downhills that would go for 6-7 miles at speeds of 25+ mph. WOW!!
Our group was small with 7 riders plus 2 guides. The locations we stopped at were local places giving you a sense of real Portugal.
The people running the tour couldn't be better. They address every need from the group. We used carbon bikes from Scott that performed flawlessly even when riding on cobblestone which was in almost every town or village.
I can't speak highly enough about this adventure. However, that said, be sure to come well trained with lots of hill climbing under your seat because it's challenging everyday.
