BICYCLE TOURS & MOUNTAIN BIKING

Biking in Portugal: Praias & Palaces

A tapestry of cultures left their marks along the route. Eighth-century Arabs made their fortunes harvesting sea salt at Alcácer do Sal (“fortress of salt”), where the tour begins. Pedal to the cypress-lined Roman ruins of Miróbriga, with their forum, baths, and hippodrome. A short spin from the palaces of Sintra leads to a world apart — a 16th-century Franciscan monastery hand-carved from granite and laboriously lined in cork.

The summer retreat of eight centuries of Portuguese rulers, Sintra is a mountaintop village of tropical gardens and storybook chateaux. The National Palace dates from the Middle Ages, its royal chambers bedecked by thousands of minutely detailed Moorish tiles. In exuberant contrast, the 19th-century Pena Palace is a Bavarian fantasy of domes, turrets, and pastel colors. Spend three enchanted days exploring Sintra’s royal residences, historic gardens, and host of excellent museums. Sintra-based rides descend through the lush forests of the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais to the colorful cliffs, dramatic headlands, and sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast.

Tour Details

Day 1:
Midday transfer from Lisbon Airport to a castle-turned-pousada in Alcacer do Sal, overlooking the Rio Sado estuary. Lunch along the waterfront, visit the Archaeology Museum, and take a warm-up spin with views of riverside farm estates, rice paddies, and pond lilies. Welcome dinner. (6, 10, or 25 mi.)

Day 2:
Pedal through pristine oak forests and traditional cork farms of the Serra de Grândola. Descend to the Atlantic with a stop at the oceanside lagoon of Praia de Santo André. Overnight in Santiago do Cacém, whose Moorish past can be sensed in its steep winding streets and impressive castle walls overlooking the Serra. (21 or 30 mi.)

Day 3:
Morning tour of Roman Mirobriga’s ruined forum, temples, thermal baths, and hippodrome. The biking route leads past fields of wildflowers, olive and cork trees to the sparkling seaside village of Porto Covo for lunch. Relax along sandstone cliffs and crescent-shaped beaches before a late afternoon transfer to Sintra for a three-night stay at the Palacio de Seteais. (24 mi.)

Day 4:
Guided walk through Pena Park and its exotic gardens before a visit to the cliff-top Pena Palace. Free afternoon to visit Sintra’s Modern Art Museum or the Toy Museum, or pedal through the Parque de Sintra-Cascais to the wild headlands of Cabo da Rocha. The longest option leads past miles of beaches and sand dunes to Cascais, the “Riviera of Portugal”. (0, 10, 19, or 25 mi.)

Day 5:
Morning visit to the 15th-century National Palace of Sintra. The bike route winds through the forested Serra to the remarkable Convento dos Capuchos (the “cork convent”) and the Adega de Colares winery. Descend to the coast at Praia das Maçãs and admire the colorful cliffside cottages of Azenhas do Mar. Farewell dinner celebration. (16 or 26 mi.)

Day 6:
Free morning to shop, visit the romantic gardens of the Palácio de Monserrate, or tour the mystical Palácio da Regaleira. Early afternoon transfer to Lisbon Airport, or extend your stay with a weekend in Lisbon.