Portuguese cuisine is wholesome, hearty, and rarely fancy and relies heavily on the use of different herbs and spices due to its Moorish influence. Fish dishes are more predominant in the south, although northern regions often offer delicious freshwater fish dishes.

The region is also famous for sticky desserts that use egg yolk. During the Golden Age (15C and 16C), the area was very rich because of all the treasures that were brought back from the discoveries of the New World. These riches paid for many convents. The nuns needed egg whites to starch their habits so they used the egg yolks in many gooey desserts that have curious names like monk’s breast and nun’s stomach.

The Alentejo is also a highly respected wine region. The Romans were the first to start cultivating vines here. You’ll find a whole range of different vintages to try en route, the best known ones include Roupeiro, Rabo do Ovelha and Antão Vaz (white) and Periquita, Trincadeira and Aragonez (reds), although many small family run vineyards produce their own versions as well. The majority of the wines served in Portugal come from this region. If you enjoy a very young wine, try Vinho Verde from the North. Calcos do Tanha from the Douro region is a good red wine as are Cozinha Velha, Esporão and Ma Partilha from Terra do Sado. Try one of the many excellent ports as a digestif.

Day 3 unfolds as you cycle the Mondego Valley from Coimbra towards the Atlantic. The route glides through rice fields and fertile farms, reeds stirring beside irrigation channels and storks circling high. Midway, climb to Montemor-o-Velho Castle, a hilltop fort whose walls have watched over the river since medieval times.

Lock your bike and pause for photos and reflection on the ramparts before descending to village cafés for a leisurely lunch. The afternoon brings a change of horizon: you reach Figueira da Foz, where the river meets the sea and broad sands stretch to the jetty. The day’s contrasts—green valley, stone citadel, salt air—capture Portugal’s varied landscapes in a single, satisfying ride.

On day 4, follow a dedicated cycle path through the Atlantic pine forests that shelter the coast. The air is resin-scented and cool, with glimpses of dunes and the distant surf. Stop at Lagoa da Ervedeira to watch ripples cross the dark lagoon while dragonflies skim the surface.

Continue towards beaches such as Praia do Pedrógão, where the wind combs the sands and fishing skiffs rest above the tideline. The ride is gentle and rhythmic, designed for steady pedaling and a clear head. With ocean on your left and pines to your right, the day invites you to soak in the lakeside atmosphere before rolling into Praia da Vieira for an evening by the shore.

Day 5 traces the Estrada Atlântica along the remnants of the historic coastal forest planted to supply timber during Portugal’s maritime era. You weave past São Pedro de Moel, a cliffside village with sea-sprayed promenades and a lighthouse perched above wave-cut rock.

Beyond the pines, the road opens to headlands and sandy crescents. Arriving in Nazaré, watch as fishermen mend their nets and racks of sardines dry in the sun—a daily ritual scented with salt and smoke. Climb to a viewpoint to pause for photos and reflection over the bay, then settle into the beachside quarter where cafés chatter and Atlantic breezes drift through shuttered lanes.

On day 6, slow the pedals and walk the Nazaré seafront—striped beach tents, tiled chapels and the scent of grilling fish in the air. Wander the lanes behind the promenade to find family-run taverns and tiled stairways that rise towards the headland.

Make time for Praia do Norte, where the offshore Nazaré Canyon can focus swells into towering winter breakers. Even on calmer days, the headland delivers wide views and a hush of wind over sand. As evening falls, the entire town drifts to the waterfront to enjoy a free sunset—a simple ritual that pairs the day’s last light with the timeless rhythm of the Atlantic.

Day 7 carries you south to São Martinho do Porto, a shell-shaped bay whose calm waters invite a midday swim. After lunch by the curve of sand, follow the coast to the Óbidos Lagoon at Foz do Arelho, where channels twist through sandbars and the water shifts from emerald to topaz.

Boardwalks and breezy terraces frame the scene—kite-surfers stitching patterns across the lagoon, seabirds quartering the shallows. It’s a day for soaking in the lakeside atmosphere and letting the cadence of the ride match the tides. As the afternoon light softens, turn inland toward your hotel, the air tasting of salt and sun-warmed pine.

On day 8, climb gently to Óbidos, a whitewashed town wrapped in crenellated walls. Walk the town walls for views over terracotta roofs and orchards, then thread through alleys ribboned with bougainvillea and blue-and-yellow azulejos. Tiny bookshops, chapels and shaded squares reveal themselves at an unhurried pace.

As evening approaches, sample the local ritual: Ginjinha de Óbidos, a cherry liqueur often served in a chocolate cup. Tasting is at your own expense, but the tradition is woven into the town’s hospitality. It’s a fitting close to a short riding day—heritage, sweetness and conversation beneath lanterns that flicker against limewashed walls.

Day 10 invites you to explore Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest quarter, a maze of tiled lanes that climb towards Castelo de São Jorge. Pass Lisbon Cathedral (Sé), pause at Miradouro das Portas do Sol and follow tram tracks into stairways where laundry flutters and fado drifts from doorways.

At the castle, walk the ramparts above the Tagus and read the city’s layers—from Moorish citadel to maritime capital and earthquake rebirth. The afternoon is yours to enjoy a free afternoon in cafés or museums, letting viewpoints and cobbles set the pace. This is Lisbon at street level: sunlit azulejos, echoing church naves and sudden river light at the end of an alley.

Later on day 10—or during day 11’s free time—head west to Belém for Lisbon’s Age of Discoveries icons. Stroll the riverfront to the Belém Tower and the cloisters of Jerónimos Monastery, then gaze up at the Monument to the Discoveries where stone caravels seem ready to set sail on the Tagus.

Between sights, join the queue for a warm pastel de nata at the famed bakery (treats at your own expense). The buttery pastry and cinnamon are part of the ritual, best enjoyed on a bench with the river glittering beyond. It’s a leisurely circuit of heritage and flavor that anchors Lisbon’s seafaring story to the taste of custard and sun.

On day 11, opt for a day trip to Sintra, the misty hill town of Romanticism. Travel by train to wander the fairy-tale terraces of Pena Palace, painted in bold colors above the forested Serra de Sintra. Down in the old town, explore the gardens and Initiatic Well at Quinta da Regaleira, where symbolism, grottoes and tinkling fountains blur myth and landscape.

Between monuments, try queijadas and travesseiros from local pastry shops. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour (tickets and transport not included). It’s a day of palaces and panoramas, with cool mountain air and granite scents that contrast beautifully with Lisbon’s sunlit riverfront.

Alternatively on day 11, take the seaside train to Cascais for a relaxed coastal interlude. Stroll the marina and palm-lined promenades, watch surfers at Carcavelos and follow the path to Boca do Inferno, where waves thud into a natural chasm cut from honey-colored rock.

Reward the walk with gelato on the square or a seafood lunch overlooking the bay. This outing is at additional cost and bookable on tour (train fares and refreshments not included). The mood is breezy and unhurried—soak in the lakeside atmosphere along the Atlantic edge before returning to Lisbon for the evening’s lights across the Tagus.

On day 6 in Nazaré, ride the funicular to Sítio, the clifftop quarter that surveys the entire bay. Walk to the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo, a squat lighthouse fort perched above Praia do Norte, where exhibits explain how the offshore canyon can focus swells into colossal winter waves.

From the battlements, pause for photos and reflection over the beach tents below and the open Atlantic beyond. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour (funicular/fort entry not included). It’s a short excursion with major views—wind on your face, gulls carving the updrafts, and the town laid out like a chart at your feet.

After your briefing on day 2, wander Coimbra’s steep lanes towards the University of Coimbra, one of Europe’s oldest seats of learning. Explore the courtyards of Paco das Escolas, admire azulejo-lined stairways and look over the Mondego River from hilltop terraces. If you wish, you may step inside the Biblioteca Joanina, a baroque jewel famed for gilded woodwork and quiet, resin-scented stacks.

As you stroll past student cafés and bookstores, your host city’s story comes alive—from medieval scholarship to modern campus life. The atmosphere is scholarly yet welcoming; stone arcades echo with footsteps and distant guitars. Pause to photograph the tilework and whitewashed facades before descending to the riverfront to enjoy a free afternoon in Coimbra’s historic core.

On day 2, the city’s soul reveals itself during an included traditional fado show followed by dinner in a classic restaurant. Unlike Lisbon’s tavern styles, Coimbra’s fado is performed by caped singers, often students or alumni, in an intimate setting where each note carries the weight of saudade—a Portuguese expression of longing and memory.

Between songs, savor regional dishes and local wines while learning how this tradition evolved in university serenades and moonlit courtyards. The echoing guitar lines, gentle candlelight and murmured toasts frame a cultural moment that feels both scholarly and romantic. It’s a warm welcome to central Portugal—music, conversation and cuisine blending into a single, unhurried evening.

On day 2, meet our local partner for a concise welcome briefing, bike delivery and personalized fit. You’ll review daily routes along Portugal’s Silver Coast, learn how to use the navigation app and receive tips on road etiquette, café stops and scenic detours. Your host highlights today’s free time to explore Coimbra and practical notes for luggage transfers.

Safety comes first: helmets are provided and helmets are legally required when using an e-bike in Portugal. This relaxed session sets the tone for the week—confidence in your equipment, clarity on distances and gradients, and the freedom to ride at your own pace. Step out knowing where to pause, where to photograph, and how to enjoy a free afternoon in this riverside university city.