Portugal Atlantic coast bike tour

Overnight: Hotel 4 * Hotel Mar e Sol

Heading towards Nazaré, a beautiful and quiet seaside town, with a breathtaking view from the top of a big cliff, the ride today will be of shorter distance. Nowadays, the great attraction of this city are the waves and the surfing. This happens due to a submarine geomorphological phenomenon, "Cannon of Nazaré", that allows the formation of giant and perfect waves. It is the largest submerged gorge in Europe, with about 170 kilometres along the coast, which is 5000 meters deep. The Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara gave it worldwide visibility when, in 2011, he surfed the world's biggest wave. Hotel 4 *: Hotel Praia or upgrade to superior room in "Premium" option

Leaving Nazaré the next village is Óbidos. Without doubt this town is one of Portugal's most classic walled settlements and visitors can also enjoy amazing views of windmills, vineyards and surrounding farmlands. In the residential area below, narrow cobblestone streets are lined with whitewashed houses, supporting terracotta roofs. Every year the city organizes two important events, the first one is a traditional 'Medieval Market', where the castle and the surrounding town recreate the spirit of medieval Europe. The second one is the Chocolate Festival. This one also attracts great interest from tourists, amazed by the real-life chocolate sculptures. São Martinho do Porto is the city of passage today. This region constituted by the "Serra da Pescaria" and by the "Bouro" mountain. In previous geological times they formed a single island. When it was divided it gave rise to the bay of São Martinho do Porto. São Martinho do Porto was even considered the best beach to go with the family in the guide of 2015 beaches of eDreams. Hotel 4 stars: Josefa de Óbidos or Hotel 4 *: Hotel real de Óbidos (included in premium option)

Returning to the coastal area, you will ride towards the city of Peniche. The city was built on a rocky peninsula which is considered by geologists, a unique example of the Toarcian turnover during the worldwide Early Jurassic extinction. Peniche is known for its long beaches, which are popular for recreational activities and sports such as surfing, windsurfing, body boarding and kite surfing. These beaches are consistently windy, which allows for good surfing, with decent waves and supertubes. Berlengas islands, about 10 kilometres (6 mi) offshore from the peninsula, are part of the municipality. They form one of the world's first nature reserves. You will also be able to make a stop at "Lagoa de Óbidos", which is a lagoon that extends between the municipalities of Óbidos and Caldas da Rainha. It is a natural barrier that separate the Atlantic Ocean and marine biome from the river ecosystem of "Foz do Arelho" formed by lateral dunes. Hotel 3 : Star Inn Peniche or Hotel 4 : MH Peniche (included in premium option)

Leaving Peniche but continuing along the coast the next destination is Ericeira. Ericeira is a civil parish and seaside resort/fishing community on the western coast of Portugal, in the municipality of Mafra, about 35 kilometres (22 mi) northwest of the capital, Lisbon. Ericeira was a popular summer retreat for many of Lisbon's families in the 1940s and 1950s. Today, it is a popular destination for local and visiting tourists, as well as surfers from around the world. Ericeira is also keen on its musical culture. The local philharmonic, currently named Filarmónica Cultural Ericeira, has existed since 1849 and pursues a path of success in this villages's musical heritage with a permanent free musical school for all who love this type of culture. The beach of Santa Cruz it´s the place of passage during this day, and it is a place that is conducive to a large part of wave sports. Every year there is the "Ocean Spirit" festival of wave sports where international competitions of various kinds are held. Hotel 4 *: Vila Galé Ericeira or upgrade to superior room in "Premium" option

On this day, the route leaves the coast and goes to the city of Sintra. This place is known for its many XIXth-century Romantic architectural monuments, which has resulted in Sintra's classification by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It has become a major tourist center, visited by many one day-travellers who travel from the capital Lisbon. In addition to the Sintra Mountains and Sintra-Cascais Nature Park, the parishes of the town of Sintra are places with royal retreats, estates, castles and other buildings, including the medievil Castelo dos Mouros, the Pena National Palace and the Sintra National Palace. Hotel 4 *: Sintra Boutique Hotel Hotel 5 stars: Tivoli Palácio de Seteais Sintra Hotel - The Leading Hotels of the World (included in premium option)

Continuing through the center, this cycling tour ends at the coastal city of Cascais. Situated west of Lisbon it is a cosmopolitan suburb of the Portuguese capital and one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. The former fishing village gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal family in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Nowadays, it is a popular vacation spot for both Portuguese and foreign tourists. Cascais is surrounded by popular beaches such as "Praia do Guincho" to the west, and the lush Sintra mountains to the north. Some of its shoreline has cliffs, attracting tourists who come for the panoramic views of the sea and other natural sights. It is also becoming a popular golf destination, with over 10 golf courses nearby. The Sintra – Cascais Natural Park it´s a mandatory place to visit and admire, because it is one of the 13 Natural Parks of Portugal, it includes the "Serra de Sintra" and extends all the way to the coast.Hotel 4 stars: Pestana Cascais or Hotel 5 *: Hotel Cidadela Cascais (included in premium option)