Day 1 - Arrival in Lisbon
Arrival in Lisbon. ( Optional transfer to your hotel in the city centre - not included)
Meals included: none
Night: Lisbon
Atlantic Coast Route : from Lisbon to Sagres by bike
From Lisbon, the beautiful Portuguese capital that spreads over the hills and dominates the majestic Tagus estuary, the trip runs along the south-west coast of Portugal, to Cape Saint Vincent and Sagres Point. The first part of the itinerary takes you along a coastline of beaches and cliffs and crosses the hinterland of the Alentejo, a wide-spread region covered with cork oaks, pines, vineyards and olive trees. The small towns or villages are often fortified and bear witness to the history of the Reconquest and the struggles for Portuguese independence. Past the Odeceixe River, the Algarve stretches to the south-western tip of the continent. The cycling route passes through pine, arbustus and eucalyptus forests, along spectacular coastal landscapes and plateaus covered with fragrant and multicoloured moors. The trip ends at the mythical Cape Saint-Vincent and Sagres Point which houses the fortress that bears witness to the epic of the Great Maritime Discoveries.
Highlights of the cycling trip in Portugal
- Exploring 2 regions of southern Portugal: the Alentejo and the Algarve
- The most beautiful coastlines in Europe: the Natural Park of the south-west Alentejano and the Vicentine coast
- A large part of the route on cycle paths
- Beautiful Lisbon at the start of the trip
Customize your holiday here
- From 1100€ /pers
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- Self-guided Cycling
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Moderate
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- 8 days
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- From January to December
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- Simple -
- Charming -
- Comfort
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- Ref : K1205
Itinerary
Transfer to the port of Setubal and pick up the bikes. The trip begins with a crossing of the Sado estuary by ferry with the bikes to the Troia peninsula. From here, you will follow the thin strip of land between the Sado dune ridge and lagoons. From Comporta, you follow an irrigation canal that crosses rice fields frequented by black ibises, spoonbills, storks or waders. In the shade of the pine forests, the itinerary continues to the lakes of Melides and Santo André by the sea. A break on the coast is highly recommended where you can admire the beach that seems to stretch endlessly.
Small roads and tracks lead to the picturesque hinterland of the Alentejo to Santiago do Cacém, a strategic town from the Reconquest period in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, dominated by its medieval castle. The route continues along tracks that pass through the hills covered with cork oak, the Portuguese national tree. After a beautiful panoramic descent, the country roads lead to the shores of Lake Campilhas and then to the typical small town of Cercal do Alentejo.
A small road through the Alentejo countryside leads south and then down to the coast, passing through a eucalyptus forest. A detour is possible to visit the beautiful little coastal town of Vila Nova de Milfontes. After a panoramic bridge over the Mira River and estuary, the tracks lined with vineyards or mimosas lead to the coastal village of Almograve, with its small houses with typical Alentejo decoration. Almograve beach is worth a visit before reaching the lighthouse of Cap Sardão. The coastal path then runs along spectacular cliffs where storks nest before reaching Zambujeira do Mar.
From the Sea Chapel in Zambujeira do Mar, you cycle along the ocean passing by the beautiful beaches of Zambujeira and Carvalhal before crossing an agricultural area. The village of Odeceixe, with its beach on the edge of the estuary adjoining spectacular cliffs, offers a memorable landscape and the small river that winds among the sandbanks is the natural border between the Alentejo and the Algarve. You then reach Aljezur, the small capital of the Vicentine coast, where fishermen now rub shoulders with surfers.
A visit to the small market of Aljezur is a must before going up to the small fortress, a legacy of the Moorish era in the Middle Ages. Dirt roads and small roads lined with large rockroses, cedars or mimosas cross the Natural Park to reach the coast in Carrapateira, a small, whitewashed fishing village. A track runs along the coast, past the beaches of Bordeira or Amado, before continuing over hills and dales to Vila do Bispo, a barnacle fishing village. An ochre track leads to the Cape St. Vincent platform, the southwestern tip of the European continent. Along the multicoloured limestone cliffs, the cycle path leads to the fortress of Sagres, a mythical place linked to the Great Maritime Discoveries of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
Transfer to Tunes and train to Lisbon, or transfer to Lagos and train to Faro. Possible transfer Sagres/Faro with supplement.
End of the trip after breakfast.- From 1100€ /pers
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- Self-guided Cycling
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-
Moderate
-
-
-
- 8 days
-
-
-
- From January to December
-
-
- Simple -
- Charming -
- Comfort
-
-
- Ref : K1205
YOUR TRIP
How does it work
- 1 - Select your start date & accommodation choice and click “BOOK NOW”
- 2 - Enter your details
- 3 - Pay the deposit
- 4 - Wait for full confirmation before booking your flights
Book with confidence
- We manage the logistics of your trip ( hotel, luggage transfer, bike)
- We are a certified agency
- You reserve the right to refuse our offer, and request a refund
Contact us
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+33 (0)4 86 65 00 20
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contact@intura-travel.com
From the blog
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December 01, 2021
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Cycling
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