Portugal End to End 😊
Cycling is such an awesome way to explore a country! You get to cruise through those cute little towns and villages that you’d totally miss if you were stuck on a coach or driving around in a car. Plus, you get to meet the locals, crash at cozy little hotels or B&Bs, try out the local food 🌽 😘, and obviously, sip on some local wine 🍷 (I mean, how could you not? 😊). Oh, and the wildlife! 🦅 Biking through all kinds of different landscapes just adds to the adventure—and you never know what surprises are coming your way! 😁
So, I’ve just landed in Porto and I’m about to kick off my 4th cycling trip with Peak Tours. Honestly, I can’t recommend them enough. They take care of everything—hotels, food, coffee breaks, GPX files, bike transport, luggage—you name it, they've got it sorted. All me and my 24 fellow riders have to do is show up and pedal. Seriously, what’s not to love about that? 🚴♀️
Porto is a lovely city & seems to have a very relaxed vibe, even in mid October the climate is warm and the cafe culture very much alive & kicking. There is a huge amount of building work going on with very large cranes!
The coffee is strong, the gelato 🍨 delicious, the Portuguese pastries Pastel da nata 🥮 a delight. I think I'll need to watched the pounds with so many sweet things around.
We start cycling tomorrow from the Paradela Dam a couple of hours outside of Porto. We have 620 miles (1000 km) approx & some 46,000 feet (14,000 metres) to cover over the next 11 days.
Thank you for being on this adventure and journey with me 😊 I'll update my blog daily as I go along, the link will be below, I hope you enjoy reading the daily updates 😁.
Day 11 - Mertola to Tavira, Faro
Today marks the end of an incredible trip, and while it's a bit sad to say goodbye, I'm excited to head home to see my other half and Shaddow, our beloved (and spoilt) cat 🐈⬛. This year has been a fantastic one for cycling—I've clocked approximately 5,280 miles on my bike, which is probably more than I've driven in my car! 😂 My trusty Felt bike has been a real champ, but it's definitely in need of a little TLC when I get back. A new chain and some fresh brake pads should do the trick!
Day 10 - Mouro to Mertola
Day 9 - Vila Vicosa to Moura
Day 8 - Marvao to Vila Vicosa
Day 7 - Alcantara to Marvao
We arrived in Alcantara early yesterday, greeted by glorious weather. It seemed everyone had the same brilliant idea to take advantage of the sunshine and catch up on some laundry! I couldn’t help but find this photo hilarious 😂😂
Day 6 - Monsanto to Alcantara, Spain
Day 5 - Belmonte to Monsanto
Belmonte, where we stayed last night, has deep roots in Jewish history dating back to approximately the 13th century. The rich heritage of this community is beautifully preserved in the Belmonte Jewish Museum, which opened its doors in 2005. For centuries, the local Jewish population practiced their faith in secrecy. It wasn’t until 1996 that a synagogue was officially established, making it a fairly recent addition to the town's landscape. Walking through Belmonte, you’ll notice countless references to its Jewish history—this is definitely a place worth revisiting to explore more! 😊 Unfortunately, I couldn’t capture a clear photo of the synagogue due to heavy mist, but its presence was still remarkable. 😓We stayed at the Belmonte Sinai Hotel, where we enjoyed yet another incredible feast. 😋😋👌 For the first time on this trip, I had a kettle in the room—such a simple luxury! Starting the day with a cup of tea in bed felt like an absolute treat. 🫖☕️😊
Day 4 - Freixinho to Belmonte
Day 3 - Quintao to Freixinho
Day 2 - Mondim de Basto to Quintao
Day 1 - Paradela to Mondim de Basto
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Comments
Thanks Hazell, glad you enjoyed it. The pastel de natas are superb (I seem to have eaten rather a lot of them) 😂
Another great read on your cycling 🚴🏻♀️ blog. Enjoy reading all about it!! Have a fab adventure and don’t forget to try the pastel de nata cakes
Thanks Kaz, I hope you enjoy the blog
Hi Dave, thanks for the comment I hope you enjoy the blog! It is a great adventure you should consider trying it 👍
Sounds like another epic. Looking forward to the journey with you x
Looks like a brilliant trip Wendy. Enjoy 😎
Thank you Richard, I’ve got my fingers crossed for favourable weather & a kind breeze, we have the later unfortunately the former has not been so accommodating, however there’s always tomorrow 🤞🤞
Enjoy the ride, wishing you good weather and a following breeze 🌬️👍
Thank you Doreen, you are always so kind. I’m glad you enjoy the blog. It has been torrential again today, fingers crossed for tomorrow xx
The weather is probably going to be good for cycling all those miles enjoy