- Day 0 – Arrival and welcome dinner
- Day 1 – Training Day
- Day 2 – Santarem to Fatima (140Km)
- Day 3 – Fatima to Peniche (140Km)
- Day 4 – Peniche to Peniche (140Km)
- Day 5 – Peniche to Santarém (130Km)
From the Atlantic shores to sweeping mountain views, the “Winter Sun Tour” is a 650 km off-road adventure through Portugal — with a special focus on the peaceful, picturesque coastline that truly shines in the cooler months.
This 5-day experience (including a training day + 4 days riding) is a compact but unforgettable way to discover Portugal’s trails, landscapes, and local flavors. Expect a mix of dirt, culture, and coastline — from Santarém to Fátima, Nazaré, Peniche, and back again.
Logistics:
We’ll carry what we need for the 3 overnight stays on our bikes (If the group gets large enough, and the organization feels necessary, a support vehicle will join us to transport luggage, tools, spare bike, etc).
Day 0 : Arrival Day
Riders should arrive in Santarém the day before the tour date so they can enjoy the welcome dinner. 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.
Check the FAQ to get instructions on how to get to Santarem (from Lisbon)
Day 1 : The training day
We’ll spend the day training essential skills like understanding traction, body positioning, emergency stops, hill climbing, 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 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-Fatima (~140 Km)
We’ll gather in the morning, prep the bikes, and embark on our first riding day through North Alentejo (South-central region in Portugal), following its picturesque “rally roads” bordered by cork trees, eucalyptus, and grazing cattle. After visiting the ancient Tomar aqueduct, our day will end in the iconic town of Fátima — Portugal’s most famous pilgrimage site and a place where even the dustiest riders might feel a touch of the divine 😀 … and If it doesnt happen while visiting the shrine, you will surely feel it at dinner on one of our all time favorite restaurants!
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-West.
Day 3: Fatima – Peniche (~160 Km)
We leave Fátima behind and make our way west, with a quick cultural pit stop at the awe-inspiring Batalha Monastery — a true jewel of Portuguese Gothic architecture. After soaking in the history and snapping a few photos, we head for the coast.
We’ll stop for lunch in the legendary town of Nazaré, known worldwide for hosting the biggest surfable waves on Earth — 30m tall…the kind that make jet skis and life insurance policies mandatory. Even if we’re not here to ride the swell, we’ll soak in the surf-town vibe and grab a delicious meal before continuing south.
The rest of the day is pure riding bliss, tracing the rugged Atlantic coastline with the ocean on one side and the wind in our faces. We finish the day in Peniche, a charming fishing town perched on a peninsula, where a cold beer by the sea tastes even better after a full day of adventure.
Day 4: Peniche – Peniche (~140 Km)
We wake up in Peniche and head out for an exciting and diverse loop ride around the surrounding coastal trails, vilalges and landmarks, returning to the same hotel in the afternoon.
Spending two nights in Peniche is a wise move, especially during winter: in the unlikely event that St. Peter betrays us, some riders can stay back and relax at the indoor pool while others can go soak but their boots! — If the weather is great though, then we get two full days to enjoy the trails with a view over the Atlantic.
Day 5 – Peniche – Santarem (~130 Km):
We kick off our final day with a relaxed loop around the Peniche peninsula — the perfect chance to soak up the salty breeze, snap a few last ocean-view photos, and let the morning sun bouncing off the Atlantic burn itself into your memory.
From there, we wave goodbye to the coast and head inland toward Santarém, swapping crashing waves for sweeping hills and quiet countryside. This final stretch brings yet another change of scenery — from rugged cliffs to open valleys — keeping the riding fun and full of variety to the very end.
Back in Santarém, we wrap things up with that familiar mix of tired muscles and satisfied grins. If you’re staying an extra night, I’ll sort out a transfer to your hotel (note: the last night isn’t included). If you’re heading straight out, no worries — there’s a hot shower waiting for you at HQ before you hit the road home.
