Name: The Azores by E-Bike
Brand: SpiceRoads
SKU: PRT-AZO

Trip Profile

We ride a total of 208 km over 5 cycling days, following a loop around São Miguel. The riding takes place entirely on paved roads and combines rolling terrain with several sustained climbs, particularly along the island’s eastern and northern coasts. Daily distances range from shorter introductory rides to a longer, more demanding stage, with the majority of elevation gain concentrated on one day.

The route links volcanic interiors, coastal viewpoints, forested valleys, and rural villages. Climbs are generally steady rather than abrupt, and descents open broad views across the Atlantic. The structure of the route allows the journey to unfold continuously around the island without vehicle transfers between riding stages. Your guide’s expert knowledge of the area and terrain ensures you always know what is coming up in terms of distance and difficulty. This makes a tremendous difference, as does the constant supply of water and refreshments along the way.

Suitability: This tour is best suited to experienced road cyclists who are comfortable riding hilly terrain over consecutive days. Daily distances range from approximately 13 to 56 km, with elevation gain varying from moderate to significant. One riding day includes up to around 1,300 m of climbing, while the remaining days feature shorter distances and more moderate elevation gain. The riding takes place entirely on paved roads and includes rolling terrain, longer steady climbs, and extended descents. Cyclists should be confident spending several hours in the saddle and managing sustained ascents across back-to-back days. This tour is designed for riders seeking a physically engaging road cycling experience rather than a relaxed or flat touring itinerary.

Biking Conditions: The cycling takes place on 100% paved roads throughout São Miguel. Routes follow a mix of quiet countryside roads, coastal roads, and rural connectors linking villages and viewpoints. Road surfaces are generally in good condition, though some sections may be narrower or more worn, particularly in rural and coastal areas. Traffic levels are typically light to moderate, but riders should expect to share the road with other vehicles, including cars, motorbikes, and local buses, especially when passing through towns and along coastal stretches. The terrain is predominantly hilly, with steady climbs and descents rather than technical riding. We generally ride rain or shine, but based on the guide’s discretion and your level of comfort, modifications to the planned route can be made. It’s all part of the adventure.

Accommodations: We have carefully selected a range of high-quality hotels that reflect the character of São Miguel and offer a welcoming place to relax after each day’s ride. We choose accommodation for its location, comfort, and suitability for a road cycling tour, with convenient access to both the cycling routes and time off the bike. Stays include Ponta Delgada, São Miguel’s capital, as well as smaller towns such as Povoação, Nordeste, and Ribeira Grande, allowing you to experience different sides of the island, from coastal settings to greener, more rural areas.

Nuts & Bolts

Bikes

We include high‑quality e-bikes on this tour so you can enjoy the Azores’ scenery with a comfortable level of support. We provide modern hardtail e‑mountain bikes such as Ghost Teru models with Bosch motors or similar, offering smooth electric assistance and reliable components. If you prefer to bring your own bike, an e‑mountain bike is ideal, but a regular mountain bike or a road bike with appropriate gearing will also get the job done for riders who are used to varied terrain. Whichever bike you choose, please ensure it is in excellent mechanical order before arrival.

Bike Repairs

Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.

Safety

Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.

Guides

You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.

The Nitty Gritty

Passports and Visas

Visa requirements for Portugal vary depending on the traveler's nationality and the purpose of their visit. Citizens of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) do not need a visa and can freely enter and stay in Portugal. Additionally, citizens from certain countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand can enter Portugal for tourism or business purposes for up to 90 days within a 180-day period without a visa. For many other nationalities a visa is generally required to enter Portugal. Visitors need to apply for a Schengen Visa, which allows travel within the Schengen Area, including Portugal. See here for more information.

Health

See here for recommendations and detailed information.

Weather

Portugal has a Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The country enjoys plenty of sunshine throughout the year, with temperatures averaging around 15°C (59°F) in winter and 25°C (77°F) in summer. The northern region experiences more rainfall and cooler temperatures, while the south has a drier and warmer climate. Coastal areas benefit from refreshing sea breezes, while inland regions can be hotter. Overall, Portugal's climate is generally pleasant, making it an attractive destination for sunseekers and outdoor enthusiasts.

Food

Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner.

Portuguese food combines fresh ingredients, bold flavors, and a delightful blend of Mediterranean and Atlantic influences. Seafood plays a prominent role, with dishes like bacalhau (salted cod) and sardines being popular. Meat lovers can savor dishes such as grilled meats and cozido à portuguesa (a hearty meat stew). Portuguese cuisine also features delicious pastries like pastéis de nata (custard tarts) and regional desserts like arroz doce (rice pudding). Don't miss out on trying local specialties like caldo verde (kale soup), feijoada (bean stew), and the famous port wine.

Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.

Drink

Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Water and a regular supply of refreshments are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. But you may also want to bring electrolyte in powder or tablet form. Alcoholic drinks are available everywhere, but are NOT included in the price.

Solo Travelers

SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for travelling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveller of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.

Extra Expenses

We recommend that you tuck away a few extra Euros for possible incidentals that might arise. It is always wise to have some paper currency in case of ATM absence or credit card problems. This will save you a lot of unnecessary worries. It is also customary to tip local tour guides and drivers; however, the amount you give should be dependent on the level of service you receive. As a general guide we suggest that €5-10 per person per day is appropriate.

Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted throughout the country, but that is not a guarantee, especially in mom & pop shops in rural areas.

A Note on Portugal's Tourist Tax: The tourist tax in Portugal varies depending on the region and the type of accommodation. The fee is between 1 - 5 Euros per person/per night. This amount needs to be paid directly and in cash - hence why we do not include it in the tour price and you will be expected to pay this where necessary. See here for more information.

Money

The currency used in Portugal is the Euro (€).

General booking info

If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place:

FLEXIBLE BOOKING CONDITIONS

Booking a SpiceRoads cycling adventure is easy and we try to do everything possible to make sure you have full flexibility and peace of mind. We do not require a deposit to hold your place on a tour and once full payment has been made your money is protected in our client account and you have the flexibility to cancel or change your booking if needed.

CONFIRMING YOUR BOOKING

Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.

You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.

TRIP STATUS

There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.

BOOKING ONLINE

From the tour page, click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).

If you are having any problems please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.

BOOKING OFFLINE

Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.

DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS

We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.

The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.

In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.

In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.

The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.

FULL FLEXIBILITY FOR TOUR CANCELATIONS

If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).

If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).

Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.

If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.

Loyalty Riders Club

For those who have been on several long tours with us, we reward customer loyalty by offering repeat customers a special discount off the tour price (excludes single supplement and bike rental). If this is your fourth scheduled tour or more you will receive a 5% discount. If this is your eighth scheduled tour or more we will extend a 10% discount. The discount will be reflected in your online booking, but please contact us if any questions. Loyalty discounts cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Note: Only tours of 7 days or more will be applicable for a loyalty discount.

International Flights

International flights, to and from the start and finish points are not included in the tour price. Once your tour is Guaranteed to Depart you can book your flight. Please contact us for advice before arranging flights for the best arrival and departure times. We would only cancel a trip for an extreme circumstance, but in that case, where we cancel your trip, we cannot be liable for losses incurred relating to any flight booking you have made. Please claim any losses from your travel insurance that you acquired when you booked your holiday.

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Trip Profile

Day 1: Meet in Ponta Delgada & Ride to Povoação

We recommend arriving in Ponta Delgada the day before the tour begins to ensure a smooth start. On the first morning, we meet for a bike fitting before setting out on our opening ride across São Miguel. Leaving the island’s capital, we head east into greener, more volcanic terrain, stopping for a picnic lunch along the way. The road rises gradually toward Furnas, where crater landscapes and thermal activity shape the valley. We pass through Furnas, a first look at the volcanic valley we return to tomorrow, then descend toward Povoação, one of the island’s oldest settlements, where the Atlantic comes back into view. In the evening, we gather for a welcome dinner and an introduction to the week ahead. Please let us know if you need assistance with pre-tour hotel bookings.

Hotel do Mar Povoação

Lunch, Dinner

Ride 60km

+1224m

-1225m

Day 2: Furnas and Thermal Springs

We ride from Povoação in the morning, climbing gradually back toward Furnas and the island’s geothermal interior. The road winds inland through green hills before reaching the Furnas valley. Furnas is best known for its thermal baths, widely considered one of São Miguel’s defining experiences. On arrival, the focus shifts to time at the springs. You have several hours to visit at your own pace and enjoy lunch independently, either at the baths or in the village. In the afternoon, we meet for a guided hike through the surrounding landscape, exploring the geothermal terrain and dense vegetation that shape the area. Later, we ride back to Povoação, descending toward the coast to complete the day. Dinner is on your own this evening.

Hotel do Mar Povoação

Breakfast

Ride 23km

+598m

-597m

Day 3: Povoação - Nordeste

We roll out of Povoação with the Atlantic still beside us, but the road soon begins a steady climb inland. The ascent allows you to settle into a rhythm as fields, stone walls, and small villages mark the way. Early along the route, we stop at the Museu do Trigo for a brief look into the island’s agricultural past. Back on the bike, the road continues through the shaded Alameda dos Plátanos, where tall plane trees form a natural corridor before the terrain opens again. As we gain height, the coastline appears from above. The road follows long, flowing curves, linking a series of viewpoints overlooking the Atlantic. A picnic lunch is taken en route before the final section of riding. The climbing gradually eases as we approach Nordeste, known for its gardens and lush surroundings. Dinner is served at the hotel this evening after a day of steady elevation and expansive coastal views.

The Lince Nordeste

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Ride 31km

+805m

-687m

Day 4: Nordeste - Ribeira Grande

We leave Nordeste and begin climbing almost immediately. The road tracks west along São Miguel’s north coast, rising and falling through a series of sustained ascents that build elevation across the day. As the route drops from higher ground, we pass the Cascata da Ribeira dos Caldeirões, where waterfalls cut through dense forest before the climbing resumes. Later, we reach the Gorreana Tea Plantation, Europe’s oldest operating tea estate. We visit the plantation and have lunch at your leisure on site before continuing toward Ribeira Grande. In the final kilometres, the terrain eases and the road drops toward the sea. A long descent carries us into Ribeira Grande, where we gather for dinner at the hotel after the tour’s most demanding stage.

Hotel Verde Mar & Spa

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Ride 56km

+1256m

-1361m

Day 5: Ribeira Grande - Ponta Delgada

We leave Ribeira Grande and ride west along São Miguel’s north coast. The road rises and falls steadily above the Atlantic before reaching Rabo de Peixe, one of the island’s traditional fishing communities, where daily life still centres around the harbour. Continuing west, we pass through Calhetas and Fenais da Luz, linking stretches of open coastline with farmland shaped by volcanic soil. The terrain remains rolling, with the sea rarely far from view. Later, we turn inland and begin the day’s main climb through quieter backroads and agricultural landscapes. The elevation builds gradually before reaching the high point of the stage. We take a picnic lunch along the way before beginning the final descent. From higher ground, the road drops toward Ponta Delgada, bringing us back to the island’s capital and completing the final ride of the tour. In the evening, we gather for a farewell dinner to celebrate the week together.

Vila Galé Collection São Miguel

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Ride 38km

+615m

-623m

Day 6: Ponta Delgada Departure

After breakfast, the tour concludes in Ponta Delgada. If your schedule allows, you may wish to extend your stay on São Miguel. Ponta Delgada’s historic centre and harbourfront offer an easy setting for a relaxed final morning, and whale- and dolphin-watching excursions are available locally for those wanting more time on the Atlantic. If you are departing today, make your way to Ponta Delgada Airport for your onward flight. We can assist with additional hotel nights or local arrangements upon request.

Breakfast

Disclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.

Nuts & Bolts