1250 km cycling the entire Portuguese Coast, from the very Northwest to the very Southeast, all done in a common cheap heavy bicycle, in the winter, against all weather bad moods… storms, heavy winds and freezing cold.
Purpose: promote the use of bicycles and cut away the excuses – any bicycle is enough, any weather is bearable and any short distance is doable… from home to work, from home to school, from home to shopping, from home to leisure. Choose the bike first.
Highlights
The start at the Nortwestern tip of Portugal, Caminha, with gorgeous views over Spain and the ocean
Crossing the Eiffel Bridge at Viana do Castelo and relaxing at Cabedelo watching the surfers
Stopping at the windmills at Marinhas
The fishing boats at Praia da Apúlia
Injuring the calf while getting off the bike and cycling with only one foot, taped to the pedal, for about 20 km
Going along Praia de Matosinhos and Foz do Douro during the Porto Arrival
Ribeira do Douro, Ponte Luís I, seeing Porto from Afurada and the big extensions of beach of Canidelo and Madalena
Having the cycling company of my cousins and their kids from Cais de Gaia and sleeping at their house in São Félix da Marinha
Some friends joined me from Espinho on a lovely ride along Ria de Aveiro till Gafanha da Encarnação (where I live)
Heavy winds and pouring rain from Praia de Mira all the way to Figueira da Foz. Very tough conditions and a very damaged road
Laura Tropical Storm in announced and I reach Vieira de Leiria after some gruesome weather conditions
The winds increase at Nazaré, the chain of my bike gets stuck with mud and I arrive at Foz do Arelho completely drenched and with the saddlebags full of water (yes, they were supposed to be waterproof)
The calm after the storm gives me a golden day around the gorgeous Lagoa de Óbidos and then I'm presented with the incredible sceneries over Baleal, Berlengas and Peniche
André Gomes and Aires Alai follow me on a campervan from Peniche, which will be my sleeping pod till the end of the journey
Sleeping next to the gorgeous Praia da Foz do Sizandro
Going down Malveira da Serra till Guincho on a super fun downhill
Cycling along marginal de Cascais with all the lovely Passeios Marítimos
Arriiving at Torre de Belém, Padrão dos Descobrimentos and then crossing to the other side
Having dinner with friends (Mário and Diana) at Costa da Caparica
Top speed going down Parque Natural da Arrábida and then the gorgeous beaches of Sesimbra, all the way to Setúbal
Dinner with family and friends at Setúbal and sleeping at a camping facing Tróia
Crossing the Ferry to the other side, and doing over 110 km of cycling till Vila Nova de Mil Fontes, with a quick stop at Ilha do Pessegueiro in Porto Covo
Cycling the entire Rota Vicentina... the most pristine, untouched coast of Portugal
Arriving at Cabo de São Vicente and then Sagres, the Southwestern tip of Portugal
My friends Hugo and Vika replace the previous drivers of the campervan during the Algarve crossing
Doing the Algarve in two days and arriving at Vila Real de Santo António, the most southeastern tip of Portugal, 16 days and 1250 km after the start in Caminha, 2 days less than predicted :)
