Cycling Portugal - Porto to Lisbon

Our trip starts in Porto. Portugal's second city straddles the River Douro and its atmospheric historic centre lies on the northern bank. The Port Wine lodges are located along the river in Gaia on the southern side. For those arriving on time our Tour Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner after the orientation walk. If you would like to receive an airport transfer today, you will need to arrive into Porto Airport (OPO), which is a 30-minute drive from the hotel. If you miss the briefing, your Tour Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. No cycling today.

After breakfast, there will be some time to ensure all are happy with our bikes and to make any minor adjustments. We then start our cycling journey through downtown Porto cross Luís I bridge along the Douro River and later continue along the Atlantic Coast to Furadouro and our hotel for the night. Furadouro is a small unspoilt resort boasting an extensive sandy beach backed by a long stretch of pine-fringed dunes. Our premium hotel for the night is right by the beach with views of the Atlantic and close by to many restaurants and bars. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 43 kilometres/26.7 miles (180 metres/590 feet of ascent and 250 metres/820 feet of descent).

We cycle from the hotel after breakfast and ride our way along the graded cycling trail into Ovar and visit this lovely old town. We then continue back to the coastal trail and ride to Sao Jacinto. Between white sand beaches, dunes, pine forests and marshes, the landscapes are quite simply spectacular. From there, we take a short ferry ride and then continue cycling to Aveiro, a charming town that is known for its canals, Art Nouveau architecture and colourful Moliceiros boats. In the afternoon, explore the centre of Aveiro often called the Portuguese 'Venice' or take an optional boat tour along the canals. Our hotel for the night is a typical Portuguese townhouse located right in the centre of Aveiro. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 48 kilometres/29.8 miles (total 100 metres/328 feet accumulated ascent metres descent).

After breakfast, we start our cycle along the colourfully painted beachfront houses in the Costa Nova neighbourhood. The surrounding area is a shallow coastal lagoon rich in birdlife and our cycle route takes us outh, through the plains and marshland close to the sea, to finally reach Praia de Mira where our ride ends. We then travel to Nazaré where we spend the night. This seaside town has become famous among surfers for the monster waves, created by a trench close to shore, that can reach over 20 metres/65 feet in height in the winter months when conditions are right. Our hotel is situated less than 100 metres/328 feet from the beach and the breakfast room has panoramic views of the town and Atlantic Ocean. In the afternoon, spend time at the beach or climb up to the viewpoint and llighthouse. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 40 kilometres/24.8 miles (total 75 metres/246 feet accumulated ascent descent).

Our cycle route this morning follows the coast south towards the charming beach town of Sao Martinho do Porto. Then, we continue to Foz de Arelho for a much-deserved lunch on the beachfront. The afternoon is free to enjoy the fabulous beaches of Foz de Arelho which remains remarkably undeveloped and boasts a vast beach on the estuary, popular for windsurfing, as well as a great seafront beach just 15 minutes walking from town. Our hotel for the night is located in between Obidos Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean, and walking distance from from the beach. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 30 kilometres/18.6 miles (total 350 metres/1148 feet accumulated ascent descent).

Our final ride is always close to the sea as we cycle south until Peniche. In between, we make a stop inland, in Obidos for a walking tour. Obidos is considered to be one of the most picturesque and well-preserved medieval towns in Portugal. We then, cycle back to the coast and arrive in Peniche for the night, spectacularly set on a headland surrounded by the sea. The town remains an important fishing port as well as offering great beaches and surf. After settling in our hotel, explore the walled historic centre and see the old fort where Salazar's regime imprisoned political prisoners only a few decades ago. Tonight, we are staying in a family run hotel in a 19th century building located in Peniche's lively city centre, a 5-minute walk from the Atlantic Ocean and the Peniche Fortress. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 48 kilometres/29.8 miles (total 450 metres/1476 feet accumulated ascent descent).

This morning, we drive for around one-and-a-half hours to Lisbon where our Tour Leader will take you on an orientation walk and the afternoon will be free to discover the city at your own pace. Resting on seven hills overlooking the estuary of the River Tagus, Lisbon became the capital of Portugal after its conquest from the Moors in 1147. As Portugal built a global empire Lisbon became the hub of international trade and the heart of this maritime Golden Age of discovery, reflected in the monumental architecture. A devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami almost totally destroyed the capital in 1755 and therefore Lisbon appears as a carefully planned 18th century city. Lisbon offers a good selection of restaurants to celebrate the end of our journey followed by the option to see a live performance of traditional 'Fado' music for those interested.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Lisbon. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to receive an airport transfer today, you need to depart from Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS), which is about 15 minutes' drive from the city centre. Lisbon has so much to offer and if you would like to have more time to explore the city at your own pace, we suggest to book a few extra nights at the end of the trip.