Discover huge castles, sandy beaches and the Chapel of Bones – and miles of great motorcycling roads

The Armoreria Aquedut at Elvas. If you think that’s impressive, just wait until you see the town walls…

The south of Portugal can get hot in summer… very hot. You will not need your thermals - but don’t ape the locals and ride in shorts and a vest. The southern coastal strip is busy but inland is a quiet riding paradise dotted with old towns, most boasting a castle or church worth visiting, all linked by smooth and mostly traffic-free roads. There are some long, straight roads but many fiendishly twisty ones. In riding terms, it’s all hot…

WHERE TO STAY

ELVAS

This fortified citadel with its heroic aqueduct could be our favourite place to stay in Portugal. Even in a country crammed with fascinating, friendly, historic towns, Elvas is a gem.Route 95 Hotel tip Hotel São João de Deus

ÉVORA

A magnet for history buffs, Évora’s famed for its Chapel of Bones, but the city centre is crammed with fascinating sights, from the massive cathedral to a Roman temple. Route 94 Hotel tip Évora Hotel

MÉRTOLA

Elvas and Évora are quite well know but the fortified town of Mértola is far quieter. This is a Portugal the tourists haven’t discovered yet. Routes 96 & 97 Hotel tip Hotel Beira Rio, www.beirario.pt LUZ Luz is an unspoiled, welcoming base for exploring inland and also enjoying a beach break. Route 98 Hotel tip Hotel Belavista da Luz

OFF THE BIKE

CABO DA ROCA

If you want land’s end, this is it: the western-most tip of the European mainland. It’s a pleasant ride to the Cabo de Roca lighthouse, or use public transport from Sintra.

CASTLES

Plenty of impressive fortresses in Portugal. Make time to visit huge Marvão (route 95), pocket-sized Monsaraz and Forte de Nossa Senhora da Rocha outside Lagos.

LOULÉ

Just inland from the Algarve coast, Loulé has a nice old town and an amazing church, the Chapel of São Lourenço.

LISBON

We generally avoid big cities, but Lisbon has many of Portugal’s finest sights – especially heading west to Sintra, where you’ll find the Caste of the Moors, the Quinta da Regaleira, Monserrate and Pena Palaces.

MONCHIQUE

There are so many reasons to visit Monchique – though the ride to the top of the mountain is the main one. But once you’re at the top, kick back with an ice cream and enjoy the breathtaking views.

PONTA DA PIEDADE

Spectacular coastal scenery just south of Lagos. Ride down, get yourself an ice-cream and stroll along the headland – or go into Lagos and book a grotto boat trip.

VILA VIÇOSA

Halfway between Elvas and Évora, the lovely town of Vila Vicosa is home to a tidy castle and the enormous ducal palace, with its massive courtyard and fabulous formal gardens. A real must-see.

OUR MOTORCYCLING ROUTES IN SOUTHERN PORTGUAL

Map of motorcycling routes in Portugal's Alentejo and Algave

94 ÉVORA EXCURSION

Start/finish Évora
Distance 200 miles
Riding time 5.5 hours T
his ride from the historic small city of Évora heads north until it meets the River Targus, hugging the southern bank before returning to the start.
Route map, Download the GPX file

95 ELVAS (HAS LEFT GREAT BUILDINGS)

Start/finish Elvas
Distance 205 miles
Riding time 6 hours
A fortifying ride, from the massive defences of the Elvas citadel with stops at the Estremoz and Marvão castles with the option of detouring to Campo Maior and Forte de Nossa Senhora de Graça.
Route map, Download the GPX file

96 MÉRTOLA MAJOR

Start/finish Mértola
Distance 195 miles
Riding time 5 hours
If you’re looking for twisties, you’ve come to the right place… A pun that would be better coming from Elvas (doh!) but the fact is the roads around Mértola are some of the most relentlessly twisty we’ve ever ridden. Awesome.
Route map, Download the GPX file

97 MÉRTOLA MINOR

Start/finish Mértola
Distance 110 miles
Riding time 3 hours
A half-day version of the main route, running in the opposite direction – which makes the roads feel totally different (but no less twisty). Ideal if you want a late start or an afternoon off the bike.
Route map, Download the GPX file

98 ALGARVE & INLAND

Start/finish Luz
Distance 170 miles
Riding time 5 hours
The southern Algarve coast is pleasant but busy. Head inland and you find quiet, epic roads – including the climb to the top of Monchique – before heading to the golden beaches of the western Atlantic shore.
Route map, Download the GPX file

99 SINES… QUA NON

Start/finish Sines Distance 205 miles
Riding time 6 hours
This route has a bit of everything: smooth roads; rough roads; long straights; tight corners; rolling hills; sea views… But it’d be nothing without a great town to serve as a base – and that’s the quaint fishing town of Sines. Must-ride road N-124 São Bartolomeu to Balurcas What’s better than a ride in perfect weather? A ride on a perfect surface, with perfect bends, with no traffic – for 60 miles. It’s perfect!
Route map, Download the GPX file

Please note: This page contains the route files for The RiDE Guide to motorcycle touring in Spain and Portugal which came free with RiDE magazine in July 2018. These website page are not regularly updated, so please check all critical information before you travel. All route files are in .gpx format. Garmin and BMW users can download the main file, which contains all the routes and our recommended hotels as separate waypoints. TomTom users can download the individual routes and use the Tyre software to convert them. For many routes we also have Google Map links. However, as Google Maps will not plot routes over seasonally closed high Alpine passes (such as those in the Pyrenees) when they’re shut, these may not work for every route all year round.