Day 1
Arrival
Enjoy the glamour, history, and vibrant culture that the city of Lisbon offers. With the travel pack, we supply information for sightseeing in the capital of Portugal.
Visiting Alfama is one of our recommendations to find special views, history, culture, and tradition in the most typical neighborhood of Lisbon.
Day 2
Lisbon to Costa da Caparica - distance 21 km
Enjoy the day to relax and explore the capital of Portugal. Most of the stage is cycled through bike paths along the Tejo River with magnificent views. The beginning of the stage is marked near Tejo River by the Parque das Nações - a distinct area of the city that offers several leisure, fun, and cultural activities. Here you can visit the Lisbon Oceanarium, which in 2017 was considered by TripAdvisor as the best oceanarium in the world. When passing by the Alfama neighborhood, where you'll be able to visit the Fado Museum, where you can observe an exhibition about the history of this Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and the enchanting views over the buildings that go up the hills and over the towers of the Cathedral of Lisbon.
Arriving at Praça do Comércio, the most emblematic square in Lisbon, explore the downtown area until Praça do Rossio, where you can taste the ginjinha - the typical Lisbon liquor. Passing by the Doca de Santo Amaro, the view over the 25 de Abril bridge that crosses the river and over the monument of the Sanctuary of Christ the King is to be appreciated. In Belém, we suggest a visit to the Jerónimos Monastery - a masterpiece of Portuguese architecture in the century. XVI, to the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries), to the Belém Tower and to taste the world-famous Pastel de Belém. The departure from the capital is marked by a ferry crossing, enjoying the fantastic view over the city of Lisbon. Arriving at Trafaria it is impossible to stop feeling the fishing environment by the fishing boats that surround the small beach of the village. Take the opportunity to taste a seafood stew, being the main typical dish here. Cycling along a bicycle path mostly surrounded by pine trees, you arrive at Costa da Caparica beach, where you can relax for the rest of the day.
Day 3
Costa da Caparica to Setúbal - distance 59 km
A day full of nature with plenty to see and feel. The beginning of the stage is near the Costa da Caparica beach, where you can enjoy a refreshing swim. Cycling along a road with some movement, flanked by vegetation mainly of pines and acacia trees, you cross here the Mata Nacional dos Medos. The way to the Serra da Arrábida is marked through small towns and several pine forests by roads with little movement and quiet paths. Cycling through the Arrábida Natural Park, along a road with some movement, observe the fantastic views it offers over the mountains, the Sado River, and the Troia Peninsula. Here you can visit the two most famous beaches in the natural park, Portinho da Arrábida, and Figueirinha, and enjoy panoramic views through the Convent of Nossa Senhora da Arrábida. The stay is in Setúbal, a city with several points of interest. Visit the Livramento fish market, which in 2015 was considered one of the most famous fish markets in the world, and enjoy the city's gastronomy, especially the typical fried cuttlefish.
Day 4
Setúbal to Sines - distance 76 km
The stage starts with a ferry crossing through the Sado Estuary Natural Reserve, where passengers are usually received by resident dolphins. A rare phenomenon worldwide and unique in Portugal. In this biologically rich area, there are also more than 200 species of birds and many of them can be observed during the ferry crossing. The bicycle tour starts at the Troia Peninsula, next to its magnificent beach with a fantastic landscape over the Serra da Arrábida. Passing through Comporta observe a large number of rice fields under cultivation and visit the Rice Museum, where you can learn more about this region's tradition.
You start cycling in the Alentejo, a stunning and mostly flat region. The stage is traced by a road with some movement, secondary roads, and some quiet paths that are mainly flanked by pines, eucalyptus, and cork oaks. Through villages and towns you will find the typical Alentejo houses, the houses whitewashed and embroidered in ocher and blue colors. You'll also find the typical village cafe, where you can enjoy traditional snacks and a good conversation with the local population. Traditional cuisine is diverse based on meat, fish, and seafood. Also, enjoy a wide variety of cheese and good Alentejo wines. Cycling along a bicycle path, you arrive at Sines Beach, where the end of the stage is marked and where you can relax for the rest of the day.
Day 5
Sines to Vila Nova de Mil Fontes - distance 40 km
Start the day by exploring Sines, the hometown of the navigator Vasco da Gama who discovered the sea route to India. The castle, the Mother Church, the Church of Nossa Senhora das Salvas and the Vasco da Gama monument, where you have a fantastic view over the entire bay of the city, are some of the highlights to explore. This is the first stage to cycle in the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast: the best-preserved section of the European coast. Cycling along the coast, with breathtaking views over the Atlantic Ocean and the dunes, you have the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing swim at São Torpes Beach, Morgavel Beach, Praia Grande Beach, or any other of your choice.
At the square Marquês de Pombal, in Porto Côvo, take a break to eat ice cream while enjoying one of the best examples of the typical Alentejo houses in the country. Watch the passage through the Fort of Nossa Senhora da Queimada from where you have fantastic views over the Pessegueiro Island. A road with some movement and quiet paths with predominant vegetation of some pines and some eucalyptus trace the stage until the destination. The sunset through the Portinho do Canal is a great moment to keep in memory.
Day 6
Vila Nova de Milfontes to Aljezur - distance 71 km
Start your day exploring Vila Nova de Milfontes. Here you can visit the Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça of the XVI century and the Fort of São Clemente from the beginning of the XVII century. The beginning of the stage is marked next to the monument to aviators of the Raid Lisboa-Macau, in the square Largo Brito Pais, where the Raid started. Crossing the bridge over the Mira River, the stage is marked by a road with some movement, by quiet paths, and by secondary roads with little movement, cycling along many fields of cultivation of raspberry, sweet potato, and others. The typical Alentejo houses are once again a great highlight of the landscape among the villages. Arriving at Cabo Sardão, observe the lighthouse, which has been in operation since 1915, and explore the extraordinary views of the ocean and the cliffs while cycling through peaceful paths. Passing through some villages and towns there is always the typical café, where you can buy water or snacks.
Visit the small fishing port of Porto das Barcas where you can enjoy magnificent views over the cliffs and the ocean. Passing in Zambujeira do Mar, visit the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Mar and try some seafood from the region, such as the velvet crab, crabs, or oysters of Mira. Cycling along the coast, you have the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing swim on the beach of Zambujeira do Mar, on the beach of Carvalhal, or on the beach of Odeceixe. Cycling through the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, a visit to Azenha do Mar, where you have fantastic views over the coast, is recommended. By roads with little movement, sometimes lined with pines and eucalyptus, sometimes open to an uncovered scenario, you cycle along the Seine River and enter the Algarve region. Enjoy the wonderful views that the river provides until it joins the ocean. The stage is concluded until Aljezur by secondary roads, mostly next to pine forests.
Day 7
Aljezur to Sagres – distance 63km
Visit Aljezur, a small coastal village with typical houses of the rural architecture of the Algarve. In its municipal market, you can discover several local and regional products. Explore and visit one of its many museums. A visit to the castle at the top of the hill offers you extraordinary views of the mountains and an insight into the historical past. The stage is traced mainly by peaceful paths with the common presence of eucalyptus and pine trees, through the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast, with fantastic views over the valleys that draw the hills. Cycling along the coast you can enjoy a refreshing swim at Bordeira beach or Amado beach. In Carrapateira, we highlight the visit to the Museum of the Sea and Earth, where you can learn about the history and development of the region, ecology, and local development. Cycling for more than 5 km next to the cliffs, with fantastic views from different angles over the coast, will certainly mark your day and your holidays. In Vila do Bispo you have the opportunity to visit the Mother Church of the XVIII century and to take a break in one of the traditional cafes while chatting with the locals. Cycling along quiet paths through the natural park, the stage offers you exceptional views of the coast and the cliffs. At Cape St. Vincent, where a visit to the lighthouse is mandatory, let yourself be fascinated by the magnificent views in the most southwestern point of Portugal and Continental Europe. The way to Sagres is marked by a beautiful environment full of cliffs, which rise almost vertically from the Atlantic to a height of 75 meters. Reaching Sagres, visit its fortress by bicycle, the Baleeira port where you witness the fishing activity of the village and make a toast on the Mareta, beach, while tasting the most popular seafood in the region – the percebe (Gooseneck Barnacles).
Day 8
Departure
End of the program with optional transfer to Faro airport or to another location of your choice. OPTIONAL: extra nights available on request. It is also possible to continue cycling with the program Cycling Algarve Coast Line - 8 days - 7 nights if you have 14 nights available.
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