In my opinion, Marvão is absolutely stunning and definitely deserves a spot on your "must-visit" list. The views are breathtaking and almost impossible to capture in words. I’ve included a few photos at the bottom of this post to give you a glimpse 😊. Visiting the castle is an experience worth every cent of its €1.50 entry fee.👌
Interestingly, Marvão is more than just picturesque scenery. It hosts an international classical music festival, established in 2014, as well as the Periferias international film festival every August. In early November, the town comes alive with its famous Chestnut Festival 🌰 (who knew chestnuts could have such a celebration? 🤷♀️). For a small town perched atop a steep hill, it’s surprisingly eventful!
The photo below captures a Griffon Vulture 😬, expertly snapped by Colin, one of the group members, during yesterday's outing.
We’re lucky to have three incredible tour guides from PT with us. They’ve been doing an outstanding job! From transporting our bikes to Portugal, fixing things, sorting out issues, and feeding us to moving our luggage, reminding us to stay hydrated, setting up amazing brew stops, and guiding us on our routes (even though we occasionally still manage to get lost 😂), they truly do it all. With a group of over 20, it must feel a bit like herding cats 🐈⬛ 😂😂.
Let’s give a big shoutout to:
- Gilda – The lovely lady who treated us to natas on Day 4.
- Seb – On his first PT tour and doing an amazing job (Day 3).
- Mike – (pictured below) looking sharp and perfectly matched with his bike and outfit. Oh, and did we mention he’s an Ironman? 😳 Incredible!
They’ve worked tirelessly and absolutely deserve this shoutout. Thank you for everything, Team PT – you’re amazing!
Today's ride kicked off with a 5km descent—no surprise there, considering we climbed it yesterday afternoon 🥵🚴♀️. It turned into a longer cycling day, covering approximately 76.34 miles (122.9 km) with a total ascent of 4,090 ft (1,248m). Interestingly, we managed to descend more than we climbed, which might be a first! According to Garmin, we tackled eight climbs today, all categorized as "easy." Sure, Garmin... if you say so!
Portugal (and much of Europe, really) approaches climbs in a pretty sensible way. Unless you're tackling the big cols, most gradients are manageable—typically around 3%, 4%, or 5%. You can usually tell when things are about to get steeper, thanks to the helpful warning signs (definitely a giveaway 😬). On busier roads, there are often crawler lanes to ease the effort. The road surfaces are generally smooth, though, much like in the UK, some of the smaller lanes can be a bit rough in places.
Today's ride was a mix of rolling terrain with no major climbs and smooth roads. We crossed the border between Spain and Portugal several times, which was an interesting experience. The road conditions were noticeably rougher in Portugal compared to Spain. Adding to the challenge, my Garmin and phone kept switching time zones—quite confusing! 🫤
The changing landscape has been fascinating. In northern Portugal, the lush, terraced vineyards have now given way to olive groves as we journey further south. I paused to watch a farmer harvesting olives, and he mentioned that each tree must be harvested by hand—an incredible task when you have 250 trees. It’s a truly labor-intensive process but amazing to witness firsthand.
Tonight, we’re staying in the charming town of Vila Viçosa, located in one of Portugal’s most fertile regions. Known for its rich history, renowned families, and iconic pink marble, it’s full of fascinating stories waiting to be uncovered. I’m off to explore more—see you tomorrow! Wishing you a lovely evening 😊 xx
(Scroll down for photos of Marvão!)
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Wow Wendy I love your descriptions and your photos -inspirational! Superb … what a stunning adventure … enjoy & stay safe xx
Thank you Mary xx
I told you it could be downhill !!😀
Another very interesting blog with great photos
I like the sunken garden near to the church.
Thank you Doreen, the whole is amazing xx
Look at you smiling away in that pic. Love it. I do hope you are getting to sample the wine and olives that you experience on your ride! I also think you should stay an extra week so you can report back on exactly what happens at a chestnut festival 🤣
Great to hear you have such good guides. Keep on peddling and keep the bloggs coming x
Thank you Kaz, I felt happy getting to the top of that climb. Not really sampling the wine just yet, will definitely do that next week. I am also intrigued by a chestnut festival 👌🤷♀️
A very good read I’m pleased for you the weather is good
Wow Wendy another impressive day! I’m
So glad it was more of a descent type of day although still tough!
€1.50 to go into the castle! Crazy prices and I bet you were in awe.. so much history and the views too! I love you get to experience all these amazing parts of Portugal that people would not associate from the typical Porto - Lisbon - Algarve areas. You’ve certainly added to my bucket list of places to visit … again without a bike 🤣
The 3 PT guides sound so hopeful … it’s great having all
These snacks and natas but I do need to ask… have you got or had any harribo? 🤣
You should add this place to your list! The guides certainly know their stuff which helps everyone. Hope Porto is all good with you both
Pictures today are fabulous - love the one of the street with the white houses, the eagle and you.
Great read today of your trip, such in-depth detail - love it. Sounds a day of interesting sights and cycling !!! Really enjoyed it keep up the cycling and great to hear your having sunny weather a fun time.
Thanks Hazell, it’s a bit different to C2M last year but no less enjoyable x
I know you said you were slow on the climbs but a vulture circling overhead 😳🤷🏻♂️😂
😂😂😂, you should look at my fb profile, the post has been deleted by fb for being offensive 😂😂 they obvs don’t like how slow i go 😂