Self-guided Porto to Lisbon Bike Tour

Arrive at the Porto airport and be welcomed by our team. Our hotel in Porto is located in the heart of the city, making it a great place to explore Porto.

Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and consistently ranked as among the most beautiful cities in Europe. As you walk around the city, you will understand why.

It's historic city center is home to more than 150 listed monuments.

The famous Douro river, whose valley nurtures the vineyards from which comes the famous Port wine, meets the Atlantic after flowing through Porto. In fact, Port wine gets its name from the city of Porto, as it was first shipped out to England from here.

Take a walk along the river bank, past Porto's Eiffel bridge, and across to the Port wine lodges that rise up from the Douro's southern bank.

In the evening, enjoy dinner at any of the fine restaurants in Porto. Make sure to pair your meal with a glass of fine Port wine from the Douro Valley.

We begin the day with a briefing at 09:00 hours.

We then kick off our cycling adventure by heading due south from Porto along the coast. We ride through several small towns along the coast, where life is slow and the views are soothing.

Occasionally, we also ride in and out of pine forests.

The terrain remains flat, as we ride close to sea level, making for easy riding all day long.

Our destination for the day is Furadouro, a little-known coastal town with soft, sandy beaches and great seafood. After the bustle of Tokyo, Furadouro offers an evening of quite contemplation with great ocean views.

Our hotel for the night is located right on the beach too, and offers a spa, sauna, and a Turkish bath among other amenities.

Road Surface: 90% paved, 10% trails

We continue riding due south along the coast. We pass through the wonderfully tranquil nature reserve of Sao Jacinto known for its sand dunes and pines. The reserve is formed by the Ria de Aveiro lagoon as the Atlantic cuts into the Portuguese coast around these parts. Stretching for over 45 kilometres (28 mi), the lagoon is one of the last remaining untouched marshes in Europe, and is well known for its diversity of bird species.

The lagoon is also known for its artisanal fishing, and as a centre of collection for the highly-prized flor de sal variety of salt. Literally meaning the "flower of salt", this salt costs hundreds of times more than regular sea salt due to the difficulty involved in its collection. It is used only as a flavoring agent in high-end kitchens, added as a touch of garnish on finished dishes.

Our destination for the day is the town of Aveiro, known as the Venice of Portugal due to its numerous canals. The locals traverse these canals in boats knowns as moliciero. Easily noticeable due to their vivid colors, these moliciero boats get their name from the molico sea weed which grows in Aveiro lagoon, for the collection of which these boats are used. The weed is then used as a fertilizer.

If you have the time, you can join a workshop today to try your hand at making a the famous Aveiro pastry. Also known as ovos moles de Aveiro, these pastries are made from egg yolks and sugar put inside rice paper casings or wheat flour. This highly-valued pastry enjoys a protected geographical indication status from the European Union.

Road Surface: 94% paved, 6 % trails

Today we ride past a variety of landscapes including beaches, pine forests, and river fronts to head towards Mira, a small coastal town renowned for being a centre of artisanal fishing. Locals here have been fishing using traditional gear such as hand reels and throw nets using small boats since time immemorial.

The town is also remarkable for its colorful stilted houses known palheiros. The beautiful beach at Praia de Mira is a Blue Flag certified beach, which means it has been certified by the Foundation for Environmental Education to meet their standards for water quality, safety, and public environmental education.

After a stop at Mira, we take a transfer of about 45 minutes to Figueira da Foz, which is our destination for the night . Figueira da Foz is located at the mid-point of the Iberian coast, and at the mouth of the Mondego river. Apart from its beaches of golden sand, the town is also known for its art nouveau architecture and its casinos.

Our hotel for the night is located on the beach and has a well-stocked bar but no restaurant. So feel free to step out and enjoy some delicious local cuisine. Make sure to enjoy the seafood today as it especially fresh and delicious.

Road Surface: 80% paved, 20% trails

We start the day with a boat taxi across the Mondego river (not included).

For the day's cycling, we continue biking along the Estrada Atlantica, with views of the king's pines and the Atlantic Ocean. We are now riding through the heart of Portugal's "silver coast" famed for its scenic beaches and quiet fishing villages.

We ride past the town of Sao Pedro de Moel with its melancholy lighthouse and its pine forests. Our destination for the day is the famous beach resort of Nazare. Renowned the world over as the place with the highest waves, Nazare is a much sought-after destination among surfers. Its humongous ocean waves are the result of the Nazare canyon, and underwater canyon which, at 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) deep and 230 kilometres (140 mi) long, is the largest submarine canyon in Europe.

Nazare is the Portuguese pronunciation of the Biblical city of Nazareth, and the town is home to several medieval churches including Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré dating back to the 14th century. The fisherwomen in Nazare stll prefer to dress in their traditional attire of seven-layered skirts and black headscarves, making for a charming sight.

Road Surface: 97% paved, 3% trails

From Nazare, we head towards another popular Portuguese town, Obidos. Our route today takes us inland and away from the Atlantic, although the sights and sounds remain equally charming.

Obidos is famous for its castle, dating back to the 13th century, and sitting imperiously atop a hill. The entire town is surrounded by medieval walls, while the old medieval houses within are surprisingly well-preserved.

This small town is home to no less than 14 bookstores. In fact, Obidos has a reputation for being a book lovers' paradise. In 2015, UNESCO honored Obidos' connection with literature by recognizing it as a City of Literature under its wider Creative Cities Network program.

Road Surface: 97% paved, 3% trails

Today we check out of our hotel and hand over our bikes to take a transfer to Lisbon. The drive from Obidos to Lisbon takes a little over 90 minutes.

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. It is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, is the second-oldest European capital after Athens, the westernmost capital city in mainland Europe, and the only capital city on mainland Europe to be located on the Atlantic coast.

Situated along the mouth of the Tagus river, Lisbon is one of Europe's most beautiful capital cities.

Today, you are free to stroll through Alfama, Lisbon's oldest neighborhood, and walk on the narrow cobbled streets to Castelo de Sao Jorge which offers great views of the city.

Bairro Alto, Lisbon's Bohemian neighborhood hosts art galleries during the day and becomes the centre of its nightlife after sunset. Its also a great place to find the best Portuguese restaurants and bars playing traditional Fado music.

We say goodbye to our cycling adventure, and are free to depart according to our own schedule.