Tour plan and presentation:
- Day 0 – Arrival and welcome dinner
- Day 1 – Training Day
- Day 2 – Santarem to Vila de rei (170Km)
- Day 3 – V.Rei to Piodão (150Km)
- Day 4 – Piodão to Fátima (160Km)
- Day 5 – Fátima to Santarém (150Km)
The Portugal “Sea to Sky” is a 750 km long adventure that brings you Portugal in a nutshell! From the mesmerizing shores of the Atlantic to ancient slate villages high up on the mountains we will ride through all sorts of terrains and sceneries, spend the night in beautiful places and savor the most delicious local food. The best and most compact way to fully experience Portugal and it’s trails.
Note: On this tour we will carry on our bikes the necessary luggage for the 3 nights we will spend travelling, each of them in a fascinating new location with its own gastronomic offer.
Day 0 : Arrival Day
Riders are expected to arrive in Santarém the day before the event. In my FAQ page you can get instructions on how to get here coming from Lisbon.
This first night in hotel is included and so is the welcome dinner (around 7h30pm), an awesome opportunity for all of us to get to know each other and to savour some typical Portuguese delicacies as we talk about the details of the upcoming tour.
Day 1 : The training day
We’ll spend the day training essential skills like understanding traction, body positioning, emergency stops, hill climbing (and descending), etc. Everything we will need to make the best out of the upcoming tour. The difficulty and complexity of the exercises will be adjusted to the level and bikes of the participants, so you will certainly learn lots!
At the end of the day we return to Santarém for another dinner together and a good night’s rest
Day 2 : Santarém-Vila de Rei (~170 Km)
We’ll gather in the morning, prep the bikes, and embark on our first riding day through Alentejo (South-central region in Portugal), following its picturesque “rally roads” bordered by cork trees, eucalyptus trees and grazing cattle. The day concludes in the heart of Portugal, quite literally, as Vila de Rei stands as the geodesic center of the country!
This is the perfect track for a first day, as it start off easy and gets progressively harder as we cross the Tejo river and enter the first mountains on our way North.
Day 3: Vila de Rei – Piodão (~150 Km)
Today’s adventure begins following a roller-coaster of wooded trails that will ventually take us to the top of the mountains where we’ll find rocky and gravel tracks sided by ribbons of wind turbines stretching as far as the eye can see.
Today’s quest will take us to the postcard-worthy village of Piodão (Unesco world heritage site) – A very small town, nestled in the Serra do Açor mountains. Its has only around 40 inhabitants, and all houses are built out of slate stone, creating a charming, cozy ambience – the perfect retreat after a day of off-road exploits. Here you will be forced to try the Chanfana (old goat stew). Please don’t resist 😛
Day 4: Piodão – Fatima (~160 Km)
Leaving the idyllic Piodão behind, our route takes us towards Fátima. Descending the Western side of the mountains, you’ll notice a remarkable shift in scenery and soil.
Fátima is famous for its religous importance and it’s huge sanctuary to the “Our Lady of Fatima” is definitely worth a short visit!… Also, this town happens to have one of my all-time favorite restaurants 😛
Day 5 – Fatima to Nazare to Santarem (~150 Km):
For the grand finale we will journey from Fatima to Santarem. Along the way, we’ll make a pitstop at a renowned viewpoint overlooking Nazare – a coastal haven celebrated for its golden beaches, iconic cliffs, and, of course, those massive 30meter (100 feet) “surfable” waves.
Our victory lap unfolds over diverse terrains, completely different from what we’ve found on the previous days, offering both moments of contemplation and a reason to celebrate. Returning to Santarem, we ride high on the triumph, to have truly delved Deep Down Portugal!
For those opting to extend their stay in Santarem, I’ll ensure a transfer to the hotel (please note that the last night is not included). Those departing on the same day can freshen up with a shower at my place before hitting the road.
