Portugal
Praias & Palaces

Price: US$2750 for 6 days/5 nights.
Includes all dinners with wine, 2 picnics, and all breakfasts.
Terrain: Easy to Moderate.
Arrive: Lisbon Airport
Depart: Lisbon Airport

The seacoasts to the south and west of Lisbon have been coveted by kings and beloved by beachgoers for centuries. Greek, Roman, and Moorish civilizations all thrived here. Two hundred years ago, Lord Byron called the mountaintop village of Sintra "a glorious Eden." Now it's our turn! On our newest and easiest Iberian biking tour, we'll admire the palaces constructed by Portuguese royalty, explore the magnificent praias (beaches) that line the coast, and pedal through the peaceful cork plantations and oak forests of the surrounding countryside.

A tapestry of cultures left their marks along our route. Eighth-century Arabs made their fortunes harvesting sea salt at Alcácer do Sal ("fortress of salt"), where our tour begins. We'll pedal to the cypress-lined Roman ruins of Miróbriga, with their forum, baths, and hippodrome. A short spin from the palaces of Sintra leads to a world apart-a 16th-century Franciscan monastery hand-carved from granite and laboriously lined in cork. The summer retreat of eight centuries of Portuguese rulers, Sintra is a mountaintop village of tropical gardens and storybook chateaux. The National Palace dates from the Middle Ages, its royal chambers bedecked by thousands of minutely detailed Moorish tiles. In exuberant contrast, the 19th-century Pena Palace is a Bavarian fantasy of domes, turrets, and pastel colors. We'll spend three enchanted days exploring Sintra's royal residences, historic gardens, and host of excellent museums. Our Sintra-based rides descend through the lush forests of the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais to the colorful cliffs, dramatic headlands, and sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast. Our accommodations capture the flavor of Portugal's storied past. The atmospheric Pousada Dom Alfonso II is constructed within the walls of an 8th-century Moorish castle high above the Rio Sado. Set deep within a fragrant cedar forest, the Pousada Quinta da Ortiga is a refurbished 19th-century farm estate. We'll spend our final three nights at the Quinta da Capela, an 18th-century country manor nestled in the Sintra hills. Its antique-filled rooms and delightful views of the turrets and gardens of neighboring Monserrate Palace are the perfect ending for our tour back in time.

Day 1: Midday transfer from Lisbon Airport to our castle-turned-pousada in Alcacer do Sal, overlooking the Rio Sado estuary. Stroll the winding Moorish streets, visit the Archaeology Museum, and take a warm-up spin with views of riverside farm estates, rice paddies, and pond lilies. Welcome dinner. (6, 10, or 25 mi.)

Day 2: Pedal through pristine oak forests and traditional cork farms of the Serra da Grândola. Descend to the Atlantic with a stop at the oceanside lagoon of Praia de Santo André. Dinner and country ambiance at the Pousada Quinta da Ortiga near Santiago do Cacém. (21 or 28 mi.)

Day 3: A short spin leads to Santiago for a tour of the Roman ruins of Miróbriga, Continue through fields of wildflowers, olive and cork trees to the sparkling seaside village of Porto Covo for lunch. Relax along the sandstone cliffs and crescent-shaped beaches before a late afternoon van transfer to Sintra for a three-night stay. (22 mi.)

Day 4: Optional hike to the Moorish Castle and exotic Pena gardens before our visit to the cliff-top Pena Palace. Free afternoon to visit Sintra's Modern Art Museum or the Toy Museum, or pedal through the Parque de Sintra-Cascais to the wild headlands of Cabo de Rocha. The longest option leads past miles of beaches and sand dunes to Cascais, the "Riviera of Portugal." (0, 10, 19, or 25 mi.)

Day 5: Morning visit to the 15th-century National Palace of Sintra. Our bike route winds through the forested Serra to the remarkable Convento dos Capuchos (the "cork convent") and the Adega de Colares winery. Descend to the coast at Praia das Maçãs and admire the colorful cliffside cottages of Azenhas do Mar. Farewell dinner celebration. (16 or 21 mi.)

Day 6: Free morning to shop, visit the romantic gardens of the Palácio de Monserrate, or tour the mystical Palácio da Regaleira. Early afternoon transfer to Lisbon Airport, or extend your stay with a weekend in Lisbon.

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