Cycling Network
Tourist Resources
Cycl’in Azores
CYCL’IN AZORES
Within the field of recreational cycling and active tourism, it is essential to promote infrastructures to support this practice, in order to keep up with the trend towards increased use of the bicycle, guaranteeing universal conditions of safety, comfort and experience fit for the different physical and technical characteristics of each cyclist. To this end, since 2012, the Portuguese Cycling Federation has been developing the Cyclin' Portugal Centres project, formerly known as Mountain Bike developed by the French in the 1990s.
So, in order to follow the growth of this concept and the development of the cycling tourism sector worldwide, the Azores joined this project, adopting a system identical to the one existing at national level, with the necessary adaptation to the geographical and morphological singularity of the 9 islands. Thus, the cycling centres are called Cycl’in Azoresand consist of an infrastructure built for the practice of one or more aspects of cycling, equipped with permanent facilities to support cyclists and a network of cycling paths created in an integrated manner.
At each Cycl'in Azores Centre there is an information panel set up next to the network's central support area, which contains a wide range of information, such as the network of cycling paths with their respective categories, lengths and degrees of difficulty; support contacts; partners; among other relevant information.
Each Cycl'in Azores Centre has a network of cycling paths at least 100 km long and at least one cycling path of each of the four levels of difficulty:
- Verde – Easy;
- Azul – Medium;
- Vermelho – Hard;
- Preto – Very Hard.
All the cycling paths in the Cycl'in Azores network have signs approved by the Portuguese Cycling Federation, which follows the rules and features of the cycling paths belonging to the Cyclin' Portugal network, such as the graphic elements allowed on the signs, format and shapes, fixing brackets and good placement practices.
Why the Azores
The Azores archipelago offers excellent conditions for practising several cycling forms. Nature is enhanced by quality services and a wealth of people and heritage. Being predominantly a nature destination, it is possible to combine leisure and adventure, with the Cycl'in Azores network of cycling paths offering an unforgettable attraction. Its cycling paths run through a variety of landscapes, from the highest summits to the beaches and fajãs, along the roads and paths that surround the lagoons and volcanic cones or cross the summits rich in endemic fauna and flora, or along the roads, often lined with lush hydrangeas and Japanese cedar forests.
Cycl’in Azores Centre – Santa Maria
The Cycl’in Azores – Santa Maria Centre has its official support building in the Valverde Recreational Forest Reserve. This forest park, located in Vila do Porto, provides woodland, essentially made up of cupressus (Cupressus sempervirens) and eucalyptus (Eucaliptus globulus), and includes a children's playground, a picnic area and a viewpoint. It also has a diverse fauna, including besides fallow deer, ornamental birds such as ducks, geese, exotic chickens, pheasants, turkeys and peacocks.
Alongside a pleasant space, the location of this centre offers easy and safe access, proximity to different services such as restaurants, cafés and markets, and makes it easy for people with little or no experience to get to and from cycling paths, especially those with a low level of difficulty.
In terms of equipment associated with the Cycl'in Azores project, in addition to the bicycle washing/repair area located next to the main building, there are five other bicycle maintenance stations in different parts of the island, namely:
- Vila do Porto, in front of the Police Station
- Almagreira, next to the Sports Centre
- São Pedro, by the “Casa do Povo” (Community Centre)São Pedro, by the “Casa do Povo” (Community Centre)
- Santa Bárbara, next to the Parish Council
- Santa Bárbara, by the church
Cycling Paths
The Cycl’in Azores - Santa Maria Centre has a network of 15 cycling paths, with four different levels of difficulty, adding up to 688 km. They are all properly marked and distributed as follows, by form:
- Cross-Country (XC): 6 cycling paths | Total length 214 km
- Gravel: 4 cycling paths | Total length 198.2 km
- Road cycling: 4 cycling paths | Total length 197.3 km
- 1 Grand Crossing | 78.9 kilometres long
Rules of conduct
- Always wear a helmet
- Ride only on marked cycling paths
- Leave no trace of your passage
- Have control over your bike
- Always give priority
- Slowdown in the proximity of hikers
- Never scare animals
- Plan your ride in advance
- Be aware of the possibility of motorised vehicles crossing marked public footpaths
- Control your speed at crossings where there is no visibility
- Respect the specific signs conditioning the use of cycling paths for environmental or maintenance reasons
- Read the cycling path information carefully and check that it suits your physical condition
- Check the weather forecast to better assess the cycling path conditions
- If you are travelling alone, let someone know where you are going and what time you plan to return
- The use of GPS is advisable.
Cycling Network
List of cycling paths by island:
