Great ride. Most is on mostly flat, well maintained, paved bike paths, with little riding on... Anne Neary, 2017 See more reviews
This was my 7th cycling trip and biking was a great way to see this region of Portugal. The route... Carlo b, 2017 See more reviews
This was our 6th cycling trip and one of the best,we usually do moderate but this time did... Jenny Dando, 2017 See more reviews
A fantastic week riding through beautiful coastal scenery, with fantastic accommodation and... Gina Eckersley, 2017 See more reviews
Itinerary Expand all Porto to Lisbon Day 1 Start Porto; afternoon orientation tour and guided wine tasting at a Port wine cellar. Start in Porto. Time permitting, your leader will arrange a short orientiation tour in the historic centre. Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage city and a real historic jewel with more than 150 listed monuments. There is plenty to see and for this reason we recommend travelling a day earlier if you are interested to explore more of its vibrant centre. Before dinner, we will enjoy a guided visit and wine tasting at a traditional Port wine cellar. Overnight at the central Porto Trindade Hotel or similar. Meals included: Dinner Day 2 Gentle coastal ride to the seaside town of Furadouro, renowned for its excellent fish. Free time to explore the lively town or relax at the beach. This morning we leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind and immerse ourselves in the more peaceful atmosphere of the Atlantic shore. Starting from Porto, we will ride along the Douro River until its estuary. We then follow the coast, mostly on cycling paths, enjoying some inspiring views of beautiful sandy beaches along the way. During this ride there will be plenty of opportunities to stop for drinks or snacks in traditional Portuguese cafes, right by the Atlantic Ocean! After following a cycling path which crosses a pine tree forest, we reach lively Furadouro, a seaside town renowned for its excellent fish. Free time for a swim (seasonal), relax in the hotel's spa or enjoy a deserved drink in one of the several cafes and restaurants in town. Overnight at Furadouro Boutique Hotel Beach & Spa or similar. Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Cycle to Mira via the protected Natural Reserve of the São Jacinto dunes; en route visit to the pretty coastal town of Costa Nova. Today's ride follows the Aveiro lagoon and the nature reserve of Sao Jacinto, one of Europe's last remaining untouched coastal marshland and habitat of numerous bird species. We pedal through a scenery of sandy beaches, marshland and rolling dunes peppered with grasses and creepers. This is home to a plethora of birds, insects, small animals and unusual flowers and plants. After a short transfer by ferry, we leave the lagoon and continue cycling to the small town of Costa Nova, a picturesque village characterised by multi-coloured striped houses. Our ride ends in the seaside town of Mira, known for its infinitely long beach rated as one of the best in Portugal. Overnight at Macarico Beach Hotel or similar. Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Follow the Portuguese silver coast and ride to Figuera da Foz through a peaceful pine forest. Today's ride takes us through one of the biggest dune systems in the area covered in a scenic pine tree forest. The route is mainly flat and the roads quiet and peaceful making the cycling very pleasant and relaxing. We aim to arrive in the lively town of Figuera da Foz in the early afternoon. The rest of the day is free to explore the town of Figuera da Foz and its extensive beach (nicknamed 'Rainha das Praias' - Queen of beaches) - there are lots of lovely cafes and bars to enjoy a pre-dinner drink, and some excellent restaurants. Overnight at Universal Boutique Hotel or similar. Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 Coastal ride to the village of Sao Pedro do Moel; free time to relax by the beach or explore the town. Today we enter the Portuguese silver coast and ride a cycleway that follows the Estrada Atlântica (Atlantic Road). We’ll be riding mainly through a vast pine forest, which was originally planted in the 15th Century with the aim of supplying naval construction during the Portuguese discoveries. We reach the picturesque town of São Pedro de Moel in the afternoon, and enjoy some time to relax at the beach or at the comfortable hotel with sea-view. Overnight at Mar & Sol Hotel or similar. Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 Pedal to the famous town of Nazare', where some of the highest waves in the world are recorded annually; continue to Óbidos, a stunning fortified mediaeval village. Our last rewarding ride take us all the way to Obidos, a charming small fortified town which resembles a suggestive medieval film set. It has been carefully preserved by its inhabitants who have been taking careful pride in maintaining the architectural image of the village characterised by narrow winding streets and white-washed houses. En route we also make a stop in Nazaré, one of the most famous fishing town in Portugal. Here fisherwomen still wear seven colourful layers of skirts, as well as wooden clogs and a traditional black headscarf. There will be the opportunity to enjoy some spectacular ocean views from the popular panoramic terrace. It was in Nazare's Praia Norte that the world record for the largest wave ever surfed was set, an estimated 30m high! Overnight at Josefa d’Obidos Hotel or similar. Cycle approx. 60km Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Private transfer to Lisbon. Free day for indiviidual sightseeing and optional Fado dinner. A morning private transfer (approx. 1hr) takes us to the great capital city of Lisbon; here we enjoy a full free day for independent sightseeing. Begin with the two landmark monuments, the Tower of Belém and the Monastery of Jerónimos, both of which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage status. For some great views, head up the Monument to the Discoveries and in the afternoon consider catching one of the traditional yellow trams for a panoramic ride through old Lisbon and conclude the trip with an enjoyable Portuguese dinner accompanied by traditional Fado music (optional). Overnight at Turim Europa Hotel or similar. Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 End Lisbon. End Lisbon Meals included: Breakfast
Premium Hotels We use a selection of comfortable 4-star hotels. All hotels are high quality and individual and have been selected for their location, comfort and character. All rooms are en suite and some hotels have a swimming pool or a sea view. Examples of hotels used: Porto: Porto Trindade Hotel. 4-star Central location, modern and comfortable Ovar: Furadouro Boutique Hotel Beach & Spa. 4-star, beach front hotel with a contemporary design Praia de Mira: Maçarico Beach Hotel. 4-star, located in front of the Mira beach with a contemporary design with an incredible rooftop pool Figuera da Foz: Universal Boutique Hotel. 4-star, charming style, central and beach side location Sao Pedro do Moel: Mar & Sol Hotel. 4-star, seafront location, modern style, spa and rooftop deck Obidos: Josefa d’Obidos Hotel. 4-star, charming small hotel, convenient location in the old town, recently refurbished Lisbon: Turim Europa Hotel. 4-star, small hotel, convenient location, comfortable Please note some hotels might change on certain departures. For more up-to-date information about the hotels used, please contact our Customer Operations Team closer to your travel date.
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Reviewed November 2017 Anne Neary Trip: Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride - Premium Scenic and peaceful with wonderful food Great ride. Most is on mostly flat, well maintained, paved bike paths, with little riding on roads. Going in late October meant that when we were on roads they were almost traffic-free and the lovely coastal villages and beaches en route were tourist-free. This summer Portugal experienced many forest fires and a day of cycling through charred forests was unavoidable. It was interesting to see, first-hand, the unfortunate devastation that we had all read about in the news. Regeneration will begin quickly, I'm sure. Marco was an excellent guide and we were fortunate to learn a lot as a result of his excellent knowledge of the history of Portugal. The picnic lunches were a highlight, the group was great and I had a wonderful holiday. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The beautiful sea views. What did you think of your group leader? Good guide that spent a lot of time each night assessing the route and alternative options given the local fire situation. On one day, a fire was still burning on the route and he arranged a train ride to Coimbra for a day walking the town and transportation to the next day's destination.. An unanticipated obstacle in the tour but handled well. He also arranged wonderful places for dinners each nice with good variety to experience the local dishes. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Easy ride and rated a 2 probably due to an off-road climb one day which is walkable if necessary and undulating terrain on the last day. It may be too relaxing a holiday for eager riders, but allows you to enjoy the countryside and chat your fellow cyclists.
Reviewed October 2017 Carlo b Trip: Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride - Premium Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride - MEO (Sep/17) This was my 7th cycling trip and biking was a great way to see this region of Portugal. The route is mostly flat with the occasional steep but short hill.. The views while cycling along the coast were beautiful. Our cycling group was a lot of fun and the pace was perfect such that we enjoyed a relaxing time at coffee stops (always near a beach) and got into the next town/city in time to explore a bit. The weather was perfect for cycling and we had no rain on the trip. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There were many memorable moments on the trip but some of them were: 1) the many beautiful views of the beaches and Atlantic Ocean, 2) Porto, 3) Portuguese pastries, 4) the food in Porto, 5) Port wine with tonic on ice - refreshing!, 6) the seafood, 7) tapas-style dinner at the "Wine Bar" in Figuera da Foz, 8) Obidos, 9) the coffee breaks: excellent espresso and pastries, 10) Portuguese pastries (delicious), 11) coffee break in Nazare. What did you think of your group leader? Pedro was a gracious and knowledgeable guide and very attentive to the needs of the group. He always provided excellent recommendations for dinner. He was very organized and kept the group together despite different cycling abilities. And, Jaun, our support-van driver, was also knowledgeable and provided delicious picnic lunches. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Arrive in Porto a couple of days early to explore this picturesque city - it is easily walkable and has excellent food. But make restaurant reservations ahead of time though. Make sure you are comfortable with riding a bike because you will have to share the road with cars on parts of the journey. Is there anything else you would like to add? This was a thoroughly enjoyable bike trip and the views were often stunning.
Reviewed October 2017 Jenny Dando Trip: Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride - Premium Porto to lisbon This was our 6th cycling trip and one of the best,we usually do moderate but this time did leisurely to moderate,thought it might be to easy but there was a couple of challenging hills,hotels were very good,trindade hotel in Porto advertised a rooftop bar but there wasn't one,another hotel had a rooftop bar but was closed for the season bit early I thought. Our guide Pedro and our driver jaun were excellent nothing was too much trouble ,super trip . What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Scenery and beaches What did you think of your group leader? Brilliant we all loved him . Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Ride a couple of hills before you go. Is there anything else you would like to add? Take warm tops for early morning and evenings if going after last week in September.
Reviewed July 2017 Gina Eckersley Trip: Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride - Premium Porto to Lisbon Ride (Premium) A fantastic week riding through beautiful coastal scenery, with fantastic accommodation and excellent food. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There were so many highlights on this trip! I loved the Port tasting on the first day - it was a fantastic opportunity for the group and the leader to get to know one another and taste some delicious wine! The cycling was glorious, the first 4 days were easy and then the final day was a little more difficult (but this just meant that eventually cycling in to the walled town of Obidos was all the better!!) I love the bespoke cycling paths that are used on the first few days of this trip - it's great to see a country that puts so much emphasis on safe and enjoyable cycling. The accommodation was also a real highlight - each night's stay was individual and quirky - it felt like it was properly hand picked to reflect the area. The food was brilliant - there is so much of it! There was an abundance of fish/seafood and meat - really delicious. I found myself eating far more than I was burning in calories but I got the opportunity to try a different Portuguese dessert each evening - bliss! I also really enjoyed the Fado dinner on the final night - it was a perfect end to the trip. What did you think of your group leader? Marco was excellent. He was obviously passionate about cycling and Portugal, and this really shone through every time he spoke to the group. I felt there was not a subject he did not know something about! The whole trip ran very smoothly, supported by the driver and Mechanic Joao. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Lots of sun cream! The final day of cycling is more difficult than the rest so don't be lulled into a false sense of security when you are riding on the flat for 4 days! Just before Obidos the scenery becomes more undulating which is really nice to have a change, but means that the cycling day is longer. However, the van is really helpful for those that need it and there was plenty of time for regrouping (and a long lunch!) on that day. It's useful to read up a little on Lisbon before the final day as it is a free day, so nothing in particular was planned. It's a great walking city and there is a good network of public transport so it's easy to get around. If you have time, add an extra day in Porto - it's well worth it!! Is there anything else you would like to add? I really recommend this trip - it's a leisurely, enjoyable, scenic ride which showcases a country which I feel is really underrated. And you can really indulge in the Portuguese puddings!!
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