Portugal – October 2023

PORTUGAL – QUIET ROADS, MOUNTAINS AND LOWLANDS – 6 DAYS CYCLING.

Portugal is one of my favourite tours, and we’ve been doing the whole length of it, from the Northern border with Spain, down to the Algarve for a number of years. However, its time to change…..so we are keeping some of the best bits, and adding even more good bits.

Its now a 6 day tour, with slightly less daily mileages (60 to 65ish), and staying mainly in the north, as we travel from Porto, down to Sitra (Lisbon). Its a superb tour, and gives you the opportunity to see the best of Portugal, and have an extra day or two in a couple of beautiful cities.

The most surprising discovery of all in Portugal is its food. Head to the coast for the freshest seafood – squid, octopus, giant prawns, oysters and crab; or inland for fabulous old country recipes and exquisite peasant fare: delicious cheeses, locally-cured hams, succulent cuts of pork and wild boar straight from the forests. What’s more, you can wash your meal down with wonderfully earthy wines, none of which cost a bomb. All after a long day cycling !

This is a supported tour – at the start of the day, when the group sets off biking, your kit bag will be loaded into the support vehicle and transported to the next overnight halt.  The van will meet you to feed and water you, but you are free to cycle at your own pace, with the support vehicle never far away. We must stress that apart from the emergency tool kit and spares that you would take on any day ride, you will not be required to carry any luggage. Stunning scenery, atmospheric overnight accommodation and a magnificent route make this an unforgettable cycling holiday experience. Average 70 miles per day. This is a trip for keen road cyclists who enjoy the challenge of climbs and descents day after day.

• DISTANCE – Approximately 370 miles
• BIKES – Ride your own bike ! Your bike collected from you, then delivered back to you after the tour. (Extra £40 each way)
• FULLY SUPPORTED TOUR, with 6 days cycling, averaging approximately 60 miles a day. 7 nights accommodation. Cycling leader plus support vehicle carrying luggage.
• ACTIVITY LEVEL – 7/10 – challenging. Great cycling, fantastic scenery

• FLIGHT – Fly into Porto Saturday 7th October 2023 (or earlier). Fly out of Lisbon Saturday 14th October (or later).

THE ROUTE
The New Portugal route starts around Porto, and goes inland, following the Douro River. Its a beautiful river, and probably the most important area in Portugal for growing vines. The hillsides are often covered by them. We explore the northern hills of Portugal once we leave the Douro Valley, which for me, are some of the most scenic, and best cycling areas in Portugal.

Cycling into the Parque Naturel da Serra da  Estrela, we really see the beauty that is this area of Portugal. The Serra da Estrela Natural Park is the largest protected area in Portugal, located in the central mountainous massif.

We cycle through this, then further natural park areas, as we slowly make our way south, towards Lisbon. Finishing the tour just west of Lisbon at the city of Sintra. Sintra, the Moon Hill, is a place full of magic and mystery, where Nature and Man have combined in such a perfect symbiosis that UNESCO has granted it Word Heritage Site status. Its definitely worth spending an extra day looking around it, or visiting the nearby Lisbon.

It’s a GREAT tour.

ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD

This is a small hotel based holiday. Prices are based on sharing in twin rooms.
The single room supplement is £350. If you are travelling by yourself where you request to share I will use my best endeavours to pair you with someone of the same gender, but this cannot be guaranteed. Matching will be done strictly in the order bookings are received and where I am unable to make a match I will notify you in advance and the Single Supplement will apply. You should be aware that the majority of my single customers opt for single occupancy.