Blue Coast and Lisbon – 8 Days
Type of tour: Guided
Level: 1
Duration: 7 Nights
Distance: 9 Miles/day average
Dates: May 3, 31; Jun 28, Jul 12, 2015 (minimum 4 participants)
Tour price: €3290
Start city: Palmela, Portugal
End city: Lisbon, Portugal
Tour Description
Discover a world of culture and history. Visit the cellars and taste the wine. Portugal is a small but very rich country, and within a few kilometres, landscape, history and culture change dramatically.
From the southern medieval picture, to the paradise beaches inside Natural Parks and into the World Heritage site of Sintra… ride through vineyards with this very special route that we’ve prepared for you. “Beholding south, there is sharp bend in the Sado River irrigating the smooth green plain that pre-empts the great Alentejo plain.”
Accommodations will be held at exclusive romantic palaces, luxury medieval and historical castles and fashionable country hotels.
Highlights: Guided Daily Program: Guided Day 1: Arrival Day 2: Palmela – Setubal – Palmela (16 miles/25 km) We will ride around Palmela Mountain, a landscape with rocky outcrops that originate a very particular flora, pine trees and olive trees. Take a rest at Largo de São João, this is one of the main areas where Festa das Vindimas – the annual Grape Harvest Fest – takes place every year around September’s first Sunday. This is one of the biggest festivities of the region and celebrates wine and farming. Finish your day by visiting the Wine Route Headquarters of the Peninsula of Setúbal, a recovered wine cellar and taste some regional products – wine, jams, pastries, honey and cheese. After tasting such delights, return to your luxury castle, and relax. Day 3: Palmela – Alcube (8 miles/13 km) You’ll then visit a working windmill, where the millstone transforms the grains into flour. You’ll then head down towards today’s accommodation, where you can relax and enjoy the view over the vineyards. Day 4: Rest Day Day 5: Alcube – Troia Day 6: Troia Loop You’ll then return to the hotel and in the afternoon, we’ll take you on a boat ride to watch the resident community of bottlenose dolphins of the Sado River. These dolphins can be observed in the Sado estuary and its adjacent coastline, the coast of Tróia and Arrábida. No-one knows how long the dolphins have lived in the Sado region. We believe that they have been living here for some time. The oldest recorded sighting, of two dolphins in the Sado, dates from 1863. All dolphins in the Sado are photo-identified and have been named. They are identified by their dorsal fins as these differ in size, shape and scars. Each one is unique! After this enjoyable afternoon, relax for your last night with the ocean breeze as a memory. Day 7: Tour of Lisbon On our way back we’ll have a taste of the world famous pastries “pastel de nata”, by the Jerónimos Monastery. At sunset we will savour our tour and its special moments with a nostalgic live Fado music dinner – UNESCO World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage – where you will be able to relish the most typical and exquisite Portuguese gastronomy. Day 8: Departure Included Services: Guided Bike Rentals: Guided For an additional cost, you may rent: Please note that as part of the guided tour package, you will have access to the van/trailer with full bicycle repair support. Pedals: Seats: Helmets:
After the arrival at the Lisbon airport, we will drive for 30 minutes to the 17th Century Castle of Palmela, now transformed into a historic luxury hotel. Following a general briefing on the tour, we will have an exquisite dinner with the most superb Portuguese wines from this region.
Overnight in Palmela.
For our first pedalling day, we are going to pedal around Palmela region. Before descending to the village, take a moment to admire the breathtaking landscape. Green is all around, as you’re surrounded by the magnificent Natural Park of Arrábida.
Overnight in Palmela.
After a delightful breakfast, you’ll be heading towards Louro Mountain Range, overseeing the farming fields and grazing for sheep. We have prepared a donkey ride, a slow ride that will give you a different perspective on how things were made in the old days, when donkeys helped carrying the cereal grains to the windmills.
Overnight in Alcube.
Today you can relax this family owned winery, taking a walk around it’s vineyards, see the animals and visit the cheese factory. In the afternoon, we’ve prepared a very special tasting, with the local cheese and the famous wine, and delight yourself.
Overnight in Alcube.
Breakfast will start early as we leave Alcube towards Setúbal, in a beautiful track passing by olive and cork trees, vineyards and coastal views, all the way until finally arriving to Setúbal, that was,in the beginning of the 10th Century, the most important center of Portugal’s fishing industry, particularly sardines. From here, you’ll take the ferry across the river, where on the south bank lies the peninsula of Tróia, a place with vast white/golden sand beaches. Tonight relax at a luxury hotel with fantastic views over the ocean and the Arrabida Mountain.
Overnight in Troia.
The day begins as we leave Tróia on our bikes through the dunes and pine forest, with a stop-over at the Romans ruins – the largest known salted fish and fish sauce production complex in the occidental part of the Roman Empire.
Overnight in Troia.
Following breakfast we’ll return to the Portuguese capital, to take the Discover the City of Lisbon on bike tour. We will start a very smooth descent that will take you from the city centre straight to the spot where the caravels left Portugal to discover new worlds.
Overnight in Lisbon.
Today is departure day. During the morning we’ll do the transfers to the airport.
Bikes available on this tour, and included in the tour cost (reserved in advance at the time of booking):
The bikes are equipped with flat pedals. You may bring your own pedals if desired.
Tour saddles are included, but you may bring your own seat. Please ensure that your seat has a universal seat post.
Helmets are provided as part of the tour package, but we recommend that you plan to bring your own helmet for safety and hygiene purposes.
