Cycling Portugal – Porto to Lisbon

Over View

Discover the cultural highlights, sweeping beaches and natural beauty of central Portugal. Cycle up the Douro Valley, ride a bike path to university town Coimbra then take a train to picturesque Aveiro. Spend the next three days following the Atlantic Coast, trying the excellent local wines and catch of the day.

Varied and scenic cycling – two inland rides and three days closer to the coast

Porto and Lisbon – Explore Portugal’s two finest cities

Local cuisine – Taste great food especially fresh fish and seafood

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip starts in Porto; evening orientation walk

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.

The Tour Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting followed by a quick orientation tour on our walk to the first group dinner where you can to get to know your fellow travellers. If you would like to receive a complimentary 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.

Day 2 Cycle ride up the scenic Douro Valley on quiet roads to Peso da Regua

We leave Porto this morning after breakfast, travelling by train for nearly two hours to reach Pala where our first ride begins. We will walk from our hotel some 500 metres to the train station (mention to Tour Leader if you are going to struggle). There will be some time to ensure all are happy with our bikes and to make any minor adjustments. We then begin cycling and continue our journey up the Douro Valley, cycling on relatively quiet roads. Towards the end of our ride we enter one of the world’s oldest demarcated wine regions – Porto and we start to see the famous terraced vineyards that have produced Port for over three hundred years. Our ride ends in Peso da Regua from where we travel by public bus for about an hour to Viseu and our hotel for the night. Set on a high plateau in the hills of Beira Alta, Viseu retains a medieval feel and has been an important crossroads since Roman times. Nowadays it is the centre of production of Do wines.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 47 kilometres (total 800 metres accumulated ascent and descent).

Day 3 Ride the Do cycle path; drive to university town of Coimbra

We cycle from the hotel after breakfast and ride our way to the start of the Ecopista do Do cycle path. This cycle and walking path was made in 2011 by converting a railway line and we follow the entire route, with a downhill bias, to Santa Comba Do. The first part runs along the banks of the river Do, later leaving the river and running through landscapes covered with oak and chestnut trees with some vineyards and cultivated land. In the distance the mountains of the Serra do Caramulo (in the north) and the Serra da Estrela (in the south) are always present. At the end of the ride, depending on our arrival time we travel by train or public bus to Coimbra – once the medieval capital of Portugal and home to the historic University. The Tour Leader will take us on a walk through the backstreets and old quarter.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 49 kilometres (total 150 metres accumulated ascent and 550 metres descent).

Day 4 Train ride to Aveiro – the Portuguese ‘Venice’; cycle on coastal plains to Figueira da Foz

First thing today we catch the train to Aveiro – a charming town that is known for its canals, Art Nouveau architecture and colourful Moliceiros boats. 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 south, through the plains and marshland close to the sea, to finally reach Praia de Mira where our ride ends. We then travel by bus 45mins to Figuera de Foz where we spend the night. Figueira sits at the mouth of the Mondego River and its extensive beaches of soft white sand meant that it has developed as a seaside resort as well as a fishing port.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 49 kilometres (total 190 metres accumulated ascent and descent).

Day 5 Drive to historic Alcobaa; coastal cycling via Nazar to Foz do Arelho

After breakfast we drive for about 1.5hrs to Alcobaa, allowing some time here to explore before starting our cycle ride. The 12th century UNESCO listed monastery is considered to be one of the finest examples of early Gothic architecture in Portugal. Today’s cycle ride starts here and the first section follows the valley down to where it meets the sea at Nazar. 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 in height in the winter months when conditions are right. Our cycle route then follows the coast south to Foz de Arelho where we spend the next two nights. Foz de Arelho 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 total cycling distance today is approximately 48 kilometres (total 400 metres accumulated ascent and 330 metres descent).

Day 6 Free day. Relax on the beach or visit charming walled town of bidos

Today has been left free to explore or relax. We suggest a visit to nearby Obidos and it is possible to travel there by taxi or join the Leader on an optional cycle ride. Obidos is considered to be one of the most picturesque and well preserved medieval towns in Portugal. The town prospered after becoming part of the royal estate from the 13th century and within the walls you can visit the castle and lose yourself in the maze of narrow streets and little squares with fine examples of religious and civil architecture from the town’s golden days.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 30 kilometres (total 420 metres accumulated ascent and descent) (optional)

Day 7 Coastal ride to traditional fishing port of Peniche; drive to Lisbon

Our final ride is always close to the sea as we cycle south until Peniche, spectacularly set on a headland surrounded by the sea. The town remains an important fishing port as well as offering great beaches and surf. We will have some time to explore the walled historic centre where you can see the old fort where Salazar’s regime imprisoned political prisoners only a few decades ago. We then drive for around 1.5 hours to Lisbon and the Leader will do a short orientation walk on arrival followed by free time to explore further. 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.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 43 kilometres (total 490 metres accumulated ascent and descent).

Day 8 Trip ends in Lisbon

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 a complimentary airport transfer today, you need to depart from Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS), which is about 15 minutes’ drive from the city centre.