Lisboa Trip Overview
A spectacular mountain bike tour in Portugal to discover the most beautiful beaches on the Atlantic coast.
Discovering the Alentejo, among endless plains, old fortified villages and castles and vast olive groves.
Taste the aromas and flavors of Portugal: from herbs to fish and seafood and other regional specialties to combine with excellent local wines.
The Costa Vicentina Natural Park: discover pristine, exuberant and wild nature and fascinating landscapes.
Accompanied by a local mountain biking guide, to conquer the most impressive routes in the region.
Ability to adapt the BTT tour program in Portugal, with other activities or visits.
Additional Info
* Duration: 9 days
* Starts: Lisboa, Portugal
* Trip Category: Outdoor Activities >> 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
A spectacular mountain bike tour in Portugal to discover the most beautiful beaches on the Atlantic coast.
Discovering the Alentejo, among endless plains, old fortified villages and castles and vast olive groves.
Taste the aromas and flavors of Portugal: from herbs to fish and seafood and other regional specialties to combine with excellent local wines.
The Costa Vicentina Natural Park: discover pristine, exuberant and wild nature and fascinating landscapes.
Accompanied by a local mountain biking guide, to conquer the most impressive routes in the region.
Ability to adapt the BTT tour program in Portugal, with other activities or visits.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Lisbon
Stop At: Bairro Alto, Bica & Cais do Sodre, Bairro Alto, Bica & Cais do Sodre, Lisbon, Lisbon District, Central Portugal
Arrival in Lisbon and transfer to the hotel. Distribution of bicycles for departure the next day.
Duration: 1 hour
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Accommodation in a shared room in a cozy Hostel in the heart of Liboa
Day 2: Lisbon – Serra da Arrabida, Setubal
Pass By: Lisbon, Lisbon, Lisbon District, Central Portugal
Departure from Lisbon to the Serra da Arrábida Natural Park,
43 km – elevation gain of 850 m 60% of paved roads, 40% of unpaved roads.
Pass By: Palmela, Palmela, Setubal District, Alentejo
From Lisbon, the Serra da Arrábida crest is visible. This Natural Park south of Lisbon is our first stage. By ferry and train we reach Palmela, a historic city crowned by a huge castle.
Pass By: Parque Natural da Arrabida, Setubal 2900-324 Portugal
From here, we start the north side along the mountain through shady cork forests and vineyards. In a mix of paved and unpaved side roads, we reach the west end of the hill. On an increasingly rugged hill, the vegetation changes to the dense green bushes of the Natural Park until suddenly the view opens to the endless ocean.
Located by the sea, between Setúbal and the fishing village of Sesimbra, the Arrábida Natural Park has an incomparable beauty, in which the blue of the sea alternates with the whitish tones of the limestone cliffs and the green of the dense vegetation covering the Saw.
we continue up a difficult but impressive panoramic road, almost to the top of the Serra da Arrábida, with a stunning view of up to 100km along the coast.
Pass By: Setubal, Setubal, Setubal District, Alentejo
Just before we arrived in Setúbal, we found our first camp directly on the ocean.
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a comfortable Glamping tent in Setubal in a campsite in front of the sea
Day 3: Ecosystem of the River Sado Setúbal – Alcácer do Sal – Comporta
Pass By: Setubal, Setubal, Setubal District, Alentejo
The day starts with a ferry crossing the Sado River to the Troia Peninsula, and the Sado River Estuary Natural Park.
75 km – elevation gain of 480 m 60% of unpaved roads, 15% of sandy roads, 25% of asphalt
Pass By: Troia Beach, Setubal, Val do Tejo, Troia Portugal
The Troia dunes are one of the best preserved areas of the Portuguese coast in terms of dunes and native flora. Several rare species live on the Troia peninsula and along the river delta. Crabs, shells and frogs create a paradise for storks, hawks, ducks and hundreds of bird species.
Pass By: Reserva Natural do Estuario do Sado, Rua Claudio Lagrange 8, Setubal 2900-324 Portugal
The Sado River rises in the Serra da Vigia, near Beja, and runs through the Alentejo plains for 180 km towards the North, flowing into Setúbal. Its estuary is formed close to Alcácer do Sal, a very fertile humid area where the landscape is marked by rice paddies, cultivated on trays, and by white stork nests, perched on the towers of churches or on electricity posts. This elegant bird, always chooses the highest places to nest and is one of more than 200 species of birds that seek the Sado Estuary, which for its protection was declared a Natural Reserve and a special protection zone.
Pass By: Cais Palafitico do Porto da Carrasqueira, Alcacer do Sal 7580 Portugal
On dirt roads, we cross the fertile rice fields and after perhaps the most photographed Palafito pier in the world.
The low and muddy banks of the Sado make it impossible to access vessels whenever the water insists on not reaching land. In response, the community in great need built a wooden pier, whose multiple arms penetrate in a zigzag through the marshland, forming, on the one hand, a vast area for mooring boats and, on the other, a walkway through which nets, equipment can easily circulate. and fish.
For more than two centuries, this traditional port has served as an anchorage for local vessels.
And at sunset, when the water turns into a mirror and silence descends on the river, visiting this place, unique in Europe, can become an unforgettable experience.
Pass By: Alcacer do Sal, Alcacer do Sal, Setubal District, Alentejo
It goes all the way to the old market town at the beginning of the delta.
A walk through Alcácer do Sal reveals the most enchanting part of this city, with its alleys and stairs that climb up to the castle.
Pass By: Comporta, Comporta, Setubal District, Alentejo
From here, we left the Sado River and headed south through Comporta wineries.
Comporta is unlike any other place in Portugal. This charming city has become popular with European tourists as a chic, elegant and relaxed city. It offers wellness retreats, delicious seafood restaurants and seemingly endless and pristine beaches.
Pass By: Quinta do Brejinho, Brejinho d’Água, Grandola 7570-516 Portugal
Thematically appropriate, a remote cellar opens the door for us tonight. A visit to the winery and distillery and a traditional three-course Portuguese menu of your choice complete this day.
Meals included:
• Dinner
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in a comfortable Glamping tent in a wine tourism in Comporta
Day 4: Galé – Alentejo -Comporta – Porto Covo
Pass By: Gale, Gale, Albufeira, Faro District, Algarve
It starts early and the day takes us through some less and less busy roads to the town of Santiago de Cacém.
Elevation gain of 65km – 860m 60% asphalt, 35% dirt road, 10% sand roads.
Stop At: Santiago do Cacem, Santiago do Cacem, Setubal District, Alentejo
We must arrive in Santiago for lunch.
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Barragem Morgavel, 7520 Sines, Portugal
The route takes us from the mountainous region around Santiago de Cacem to an artificial lake near the coast. along a dirt road that passes directly through pastures of horses, cows and goats, the beautiful artificial lake of the Morgavel Dam.
The Morgavel Dam is located on the stream with the same name.
Its main function is to supply water to the populations, with its reservoir receiving water diverted from the Sado River through a channel / conduit starting at the Ermidas do Sado reservoir.
Pass By: Porto Covo, Porto Covo, Setubal District, Alentejo
The white dunes around the lake indicate that the coast is no longer far. And so we arrived at the ocean just near the cozy seaside town of Porto Covo.
Porto Covo remains the friendly fishing village, with small white houses, which was recovered by the Marquis of Pombal after the 1755 earthquake.
The visit is well worth it for the beautiful rugged and hidden beaches that are found along the coast. During the summer many visitors come to this area to regain strength, finding the calm and tranquility lost in time.
Pass By: Ilha do Pessegueiro, Porto Covo 7520 Portugal
Behind Porto Covo, we are waiting for a final climb before our third stage ends at the property of a horse farm just a short walk from the sea near Ilha do Pessegueiro.
About 250 meters off Porto Covo, you can see the abandoned Ilha do Pessegueiro, a source of inspiration for the most poetic. There, traces of Carthaginian occupation were found during the century. III BC and of Roman occupation, namely fish salting tanks, but tradition and the imaginary tell us about a pirate haven over the centuries.
Today, you can see the ruins of a fort built in the 19th century. XVII that, together with a twin fortress in Porto Covo, defended this part of the coast.
Here we will rest in our tents already set up in a horse farm at the foot of the ocean.
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a comfortable Glamping stall in a horse farm on Pessegueiro Island
Day 5: Porto Covo- Milfontes -Costa Vicentina Norte – Zambujeira do Mar- Praia do Carvalhal
Pass By: Porto Covo, Porto Covo, Setubal District, Alentejo
From Porto Covo, we are already on the Costa Vicentina.
This step is relatively short and absolutely worth doing, so there is no short option for this day.
51 km – 450 m elevation gain 50% asphalt, 40% easy sandy roads, 5% difficult sandy roads, 5% cycle path.
Pass By: Vila Nova de Milfontes, Vila Nova de Milfontes, Beja District, Alentejo
The morning takes us through dirt, sand and asphalt roads through the typical fruit plantations of the region. After about 20km we reach Vila Nova de Milfontes in the bay of Rio Mira, which can invite you to a first stop on this day.
Pass By: Cape Sardao, Vila Nova de Milfontes Portugal
Another 10km later we arrive at the lonely lighthouse of Cabo Sardão.
For the southern crowd, Cabo Sardão is one of the most western points where you can keep your feet in the Lower Alentejo. For us, visitors, it is a new finisterra, one in the middle of a thousand other Portuguese, which makes a difference by the haughtiness with which it looks at the sea.
Pass By: Zambujeira do Mar, Zambujeira do Mar, Odemira, Beja District, Alentejo
From here it takes a spectacular sandy road along the cliffs almost all the way to the coastal town of Zambujeira do Mar.
Excellent viewpoint over the beach, Zambujeira do Mar is a small fishing village where you can still feel calm and tranquility.
The beautiful beaches are one of the main reasons for attracting the many visitors who arrive here, especially during the summer, due to their natural conditions still preserved and for the practice of water sports.
Nature tourism and sport are the strongest aspects of this region, which is part of the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina.
Pass By: Praia do Carvalhal, Carvalhal 7570-000 Portugal
South of Zambujeira, our path still takes us to the beaches of Zambujeira and Carvalhal before we find our next campsite. Former farmhouse at the top of the ocean that today offers all tourist comfort without losing its rural origin.
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a comfortable Glamping tent in a private camping overlooking the Carvalhal beach
Day 6: South Vicentine Coast – Zambujeira do Mar -Aljezur
Pass By: Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, Portugal
This stage is short and allows you to enjoy some time on the beaches or in the historic village of Aljezur, we start with a mix of secondary roads through the fields. Soon we reached another natural highlight, the Seixe river is the natural border between Alentejo and Algarve.
gain of elevation of 50km – 500m 50% of asphalt, 25% of unpaved roads, 15% of sandy roads, 10% of simple flat trails
Pass By: Praia Da Amoreira, Aljezur Portugal
In the deep valley of the mouth of the river forms one of the most beautiful and famous beaches in the region. To the south of the river, we have to climb to the other side of the river valley to the remote Praia de Amoreira.
On this beach we find the mouth of the Ribeira de Aljezur that forms an estuary-lagoon system of natural beauty and unusual in other beaches. Its extensive sand gives way to an also extensive dune field that extends to a marshland habitat. In this place we still have the pleasure of being able to see the otter, the gray heron or the beautiful kingfisher.
Pass By: Aljezur, Aljezur, Faro District, Algarve
We continue upstream and arrive at the historic old town of Aljezur crowned by a huge castle and full of inviting shops and bars.
Then, inland, we will find rural tourism that will welcome us to spend the night.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in a comfortable Glamping tent in a rural tourism between Aljezur and Vila do Bispo
Day 7: Cabo São Vicente and West End of Europe Arrifana – Vila do Bispo
Pass By: Aljezur, Aljezur, Faro District, Algarve
Today we cycle to the ocean on an unpaved road for several kilometers.
Elevation gain of 75 km – 650 m 40% asphalt, 40% unpaved roads, 20% sandy roads.
Pass By: Carrapateira, Carrapateira, Faro District, Algarve
We arrive at Carrapateira, an old fishing village, with a circular path on the neighboring cliffs, one of the best views of the ocean in the whole country.
Pass By: Cape Saint Vincent, Cape Saint Vincent, Faro District, Algarve
In the afternoon we arrive at Cabo São Vicente, the extreme southwest of Europe. The wild cliffs and ripples of the Atlantic are as breathtaking as the wind.
Cabo de São Vicente is a cable located in the extreme southwest of mainland Portugal, in the parish of Sagres, municipality of Vila do Bispo. It is 4 km west and 3 km north of Ponta de Sagres, the ancient Roman “Promontorium Sacrum”, dedicated to the god Saturn, and where an ancient visitable fortress is located (Fortaleza de Sagres)
Pass By: Vila do Bispo, Vila do Bispo, Faro District, Algarve
About an hour later we arrived at the village of Vila do Bispo.
Attractions of Vila do Bispo and its municipality, a vast triangle in which the sea is always present and in which Nature is associated with history to give it a unique character, which is worth knowing.
Pass By: Vale Figueiras Beach, Aljezur Portugal
Shortly after we arrived at our last campsite: A beautiful sustainable and carefully maintained campsite close to the beaches of Figueira and Salema.
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a comfortable Glamping tent
Day 8: Western Algarve Vila do Bispo – Lagos
Stop At: Lagos, Lagos, Faro District, Algarve
Our last stage is very easy, we pass through the most beautiful sides of Lagos, such as the beautiful beaches of Barranco and the famous rock formations of Ponta da Piedade.
Our path takes us directly through the old town to the port of Lagos, our goal after almost 400km by bicycle!
Coming from the west, the road automatically passes through all the famous beaches and sand rock cliffs of Lagos before reaching our final hotel on the port of Lagos. Leave your bike at the hotel, take a shower and enjoy the beautiful city of Lagos.
30km – elevation gain 420m 60% asphalt, 40% unpaved roads and sandy roads.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in a shared room in a Hostel in the center of Lagos
Day 9: Departure to Lisbona / Faro
Pass By: Lagos, Lagos, Faro District, Algarve
The journey came to an end. Today after breakfast will be the day of return. We say goodbye here and hope to meet again in the future.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
