Portugal’s coastal route is a remarkably varied ride. It’s a patchwork of new cycleways, coast roads, gravel and cobbled paths. 

One minute you’ll be riding along flat resort boulevards; the next you’ll be watching the breakers as you speed along cliff roads with rock tunnels. Then the sea will disappear beyond dunes and you’ll be passing through Portuguese farming villages.

This is a moderate-to-easy ride, though expect some climbing as river valleys debouch into the sea – particularly around Lisbon. It is well supplied with facilities in the coastal resort towns.

Although there’s much ongoing development work to build cycleways and trails, the route is not signposted throughout, so bring a GPS or map. Surfaces can be rough on occasion, and we wouldn’t recommend it for a road bike. On a touring bike you should be ok, but you’ll still want to use your judgement now and then to make the odd detour.

Comments

Ridden this route? Write a ride report and share your experience…