Fresh Eire Adventures

"I recently cycled in Portugal with Fresh Eire Adventures. A friend asked me for a recommendation on cycling in Europe and Fresh Eire is a no brainer; if you’re a cyclist or you just want a great way to take in a country at a less hectic pace than most other trips. Our trip included three guests. My wife was unable to travel. The other two guests were a couple who we had met with on a previous Fresh Eire trip. Most guest are repeat customers, so this wasn’t unusual. What was unusual was that this trip was in July in the middle of a drought. Fresh Eire doesn’t usually offer Portugal so far into the summer, but the other couple were constrained by their work schedules and Fresh Eire is flexible. I happily signed up to be able to cycle with friends. Fresh Eire staff, took extra precautions in view of the heat. We felt safe at all times and the SAG vehicle which accompanied us provided frequent hydration breaks. They also adjusted the schedule so that we started earlier each day and finished before the mid-afternoon heat. The Alentejo region of Portugal features gentle hills, with farms, forests, and small towns. Orchards of Olive and Cork trees are on much of the farms. We cycled on bike paths and back roads with very little traffic. Our route included small towns, often with beautiful churches and town squares. We stayed at unique hotels, each with full amenities. We spent several nights at Torre de Palma Wine Hotel, a property dating from the 1300s. The rooms have modern amenities, and the restaurant is Michelin rated. At sunset on our first day, we ascended the central tower of the estate and enjoyed a view of the surrounding countryside with a few glasses of wine as the sun went down. At Hotel Marmoris in Vila Vicosa we had dinner in the wine cellar with a unique ambience. The cellar is carved into the surrounding stone. Those nights we didn’t eat at hotel, the restaurants were within walking distance. The food was outstanding, fresh local produce and meat, plus seafood from the nearby coast. What I lost in exercise each day I put back on in the evening :-) Since Portugal is easy to get around in, I visited the city of Porto when I arrived a few days before the start of the cycling trip. Both Lisbon and Porto are great cities, full history and cultural attractions with good pubic transportation. The Portugal trip shared a lot of features standard on Fresh Eire trips. Each trip includes a guide with intimate knowledge of the route. In Portugal on several days our cycling guide cycled the next day’s route while we were at dinner, just to ensure there were no surprises. Fresh Eire Adventures features three bicycle choices: Road Bikes, Hybrids, and e-Bikes. This means folks with quite different cycling experience and stamina can cycle together. If the last time you did any serious biking was decades ago an e-bike will mean you’re not going to struggle to keep up and can enjoy the ride. You’ll get a high-end cycle no matter what you chose, but the destination you decide on should influence your choice. I used an e-bike in Portugal as it was pretty hot, but one of the guests opted for a road bike. Fresh Eire researches each trip, each season, in advance to ensure the route, hotels, and restaurants still meet the company’s standards. Since none of the hotels or restaurants are large chains, this ensures that they still meet the company’s criteria for guest lodging. In Portugal with the exception of the first night in Evora all our hotels had pools; we had time in the afternoon to cool down and relax. I’d definitely recommend the Portugal Fresh Eire trip for anyone who enjoys beautiful countryside, history, and warm weather regardless of their prior cycling experience. cations we've come across."

"Padraic and the Team at Fresh Eire are incredible. The tours are absolute luxury and at the same time bring you right to the heart of local dining and culture from Michelin star to farm-to-table to hole-in-the wall, we enjoyed it all. They think of everything so you don’t have to and create the most unique biking and hiking adventures for all levels. I can’t wait get back in the saddle with these guys as soon as possible."

"My mother and I travelled to Provence with Fresh Eire Adventures on a special pre-season trip in 2018 as Padraic and his team prepared for a busy season there. This is something Fresh Eire Adventures does with every destination and we were lucky to join them. While it wasn't a typical tour (we are not cyclists) we stayed in the same hotels, enjoyed the same restaurants, visited most of the attractions, and drank a lot of great wine. Each day was planned, and because we were the only guests we were able to take an a la carte approach to the day's inclusions. Everything ran smoothly, every detail was checked, confirmed and executed impeccably. It was a seamless experience from start to finish and we were able to relax completely. The attention to detail, and the enormous amount of work which obviously goes into a tour is striking. I highly recommend Fresh Eire Adventures and look forward to travelling with them again. The Croatia Bike & Sail trip look fabulous and Padraic had assured me that I can take a relaxed approach to the cycling and hang out as much as I like on the beautiful 102ft yacht."

"My husband and I had a wonderful experience in Provence with Fresh Eire Adventures last June. The tour was well planned and well paced with a great variety of rides each day. The hotels were top notch and the meals and wine tastings were the best of local cuisine. The bikes and support were excellent and the guides were ideal for the tour. Padraic worked very well with our travel agent on all the trip details. We look forward to our next Fresh Eire Adventure!"

"Fresh Eire Adventures --- cycling trips are absolute perfection. The ideal mix of cycling curated routes with full support (while cycling on top of the line bikes), luxury hotels, incredible meals with 'spot on' wine pairings, and cultural knowledge. The focus is upon a stellar experience for you --- and believe me because we have been to Ireland (twice), Italy and Spain (twice) with Fresh Eire Adventures. Perfect trips and top value for our money and our 'vacation' time! I'm already dreaming about our next cycling trip with Fresh Eire Adventures --- where to next?"