why the algarve for sports?
Why the Algarve for sports holidays?
The Algarve is one of the best sports destionations, up there with tenerife and Mallorca for cycling, triathlon and running because:
- Good Facilities.
- Good Roads.
- Little Traffic.
- Good Hotels.
- Good Food.
- Picturesque Landscape.
- Challenging Routes.
- Excellent weather most of the year.
The Algarve is quite simply a magnificent place for sport. It has a very amenable climate and even in the depth of winter the weather is fine for cycling and other sports. The following table shows average temperatures for Vila Real, from which we base a lot of our holidays and training camps:
The brown line represents the highest maximum temperature recorded, the dark blue lowest minimum temperature recorded, the light blue lowest average temperature and orange highest average temperature.
The scenery is very rich and surprisingly varied. Although a small region it can be divided into many smaller sub-regions. Generally the Algarve is divided just one way: The Baralavento or windward side and Sotavento, the leeward side.
The Sotavento is sheltered from the prevailing westerly wind by the belt of mountains to the north formed by the Monchique and Caldeirão mountain rages. These mountains also protect the whole region from the more extreme variations in climate caused by continental influences of the main bulk of the Iberian Peninsula. The Sotavento tends to be very warm year round and cooler than the rest of the peninsula in summer.
The Barlavento tends to have a more Atlantic climate and is noticeably windier and wetter in winter. And more dramatic than the eastern half of the province. This area is dominated by the Serra de Monchique, a prominent 902m high granite basolith which can be seen from any point in this part of the region. As the highest peak in the region, it is an attraction for cyclists!
The Algarve displays a variety of terrain for all tastes. And hence we try to provide routes to suit these tastes, with varying levels of difficulty. But any route you take or place you might stay is likely to take you past something of natural or historic significance. And will definitely take you by beautiful views and scenic landscape.
The Algarve has fantastic hotels, the people are very accommodating and the roads are very good. Which is why Tour de France champions choose to start their seasons with the Volta ao Algarve every February and world champions choose it as their winter training base across a range of sports.