Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride

• Accommodation: 1 Premium night (hotels), 5 Superior nights (hotels), 1 Classic nights (hotels)
• Five days cycling with partial vehicle support (limited seats)
• Group normally 6 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
• Easily combine this trip with our Lisbon to Algarve Ride

All breakfasts and one wine tasting included. A typical hotel breakfast consists of toast/bread with jam, or honey, cheese and ham, served with coffee, tea, milk, orange juice, fruit, cake and yoghurt. Eggs are usually available and there are frequently other cooked options; the breakfasts on this trip are always plentiful and perfect to set us up for a day of cycling. Portuguese people are very proud of their cuisine, and the deliciously fresh seafood is a real highlight. You will find fresh fish on most menus, usually sardines, sea bream, hake, sea bass and sole, cooked in a variety of ways. Bacalhau (cured codfish) is a national dish although it can vary depending on the region – there are up to 365 recipes to cook it. Caldo verde (green soup) is made with potatoes, olive oil and salt, sometimes with garlic and onion, and is typical in the northern region of Portugal. For meat lovers, the barrosã meat (steak) is often served grilled and roasted just to its naturally delicious flavour. Francesinha is an iconic dish originating from Porto and involves layers of different meats (usually beef, ham, grilled pork, linguiça [smoke-cured pork sausage] and sausage), between two slices of bread, covered by melted cheese and immersed in a spicy beer and tomato sauce, often topped with a fried egg and surrounded by chips. It is not for the faint-hearted. To drink you will find plenty of the local Sagres and Superbock beer. Vinho verde is available from the supermarket and directly from the producers. It is a young, medium-strength white wine with an almost carbonated quality. Port needs no introduction and a glass (or two) of the fortified wine will generally follow a hearty Portuguese meal. There are an incredible amount of different desserts available and if you have a sweet tooth it will be possible to try a different one each day! Local favourites include bolo de bolacha (cookie cake), leite creme (cream eggs and sugar), pao de lo (sponge cake made with lots of eggs), arroz doce (a traditional rice pudding) and of course, pastel de nata, which you will find at most cafes on your route.

Porto and Lisbon have a temperate maritime climate with a strong Mediterranean influence. The climate here is long, warm summers and mild winters, with most rain falling in the winter months, but possible in all other months. Seasons are marked, with pleasant temperatures in the spring, in the summer, and in the autumn. Heatwaves can push up temperatures between mid-June and September.

Coastal areas of Portugal can be known to be quite windy, but we are fortunate that this tends to be from north to south; which gives us an extra push while cycling.

This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Average daily distance: 34mi (55km)

Cycling days: Five

Maximum ascent: 2,126ft (648m) on Day 6

Route: We mainly use cycle paths and quiet roads where possible. Occasionally, we cross or ride along some busier roads. The first three rides are shorter, mainly flat and easy; on Day 4 the ride is longer and ends with a moderately challenging hill. The ride on Day 6 has the most ascent as the terrain changes, but the pace will be slow, and with plenty of coffee and cake stops.

Support: A support vehicle (with limited seats) follows the group for approximately 25 percent of the cycling (at points known to be more challenging). For the rest of the time, the support driver undertakes other tasks to ensure the group’s comfort and safety, for example, delivering luggage to the next hotel before the group’s arrival.

Fitness levels: You need reasonably good fitness levels for this trip, which sits at the harder end of our Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate) grading.

Typically, we ride with the wind behind us. However, this can change which can make the rides more challenging.

Some rides are on rolling routes with occasional steep ascents for up to 2.5mi (4km).

We strongly encourage you to request an electric bike prior to departure (available for a supplement) if you have limited cycling experience. This would improve your experience and ensure the trip is led at a comfortable pace for everyone in the group.