Climbing Profile

7 days

total: 313km (194mi)

44% asphalt + 56% bike-lanes

level 3 (3.0)

daily average: 63km (39mi)

Welcome at Porto airport. Transfer to the start Hotel (half an hour drive), briefing about the tour.

This is the first day of your bike ride and probably the easiest day.
You will split this day between asphalt (52%) and bike paths (48%). Today is predominantly flat.
Since the bike paths cross several coastal cities, it is quite likely that you will encounter some people riding on these bike paths and that they are not even aware of it. Please be careful and ring your bike bell constantly. 😉

56km (35mi)

level 2 (2.3)

300m (980ft)

Today you will have to take a small ferry to cross the Ria de Aveiro, which is located at km 8 (5 mi) from the hotel. The ferry crossing is quite short: only 1.5 km (1 mile) long.
Again, be careful of people walking on the bike paths when you are crossing small towns. Please don’t forget to ring your bell. 🙂
Today is the longest of your entire ride, but not the most difficult. It is very flat and is mostly done on bike paths (63% of the route). Only when you reach km 70 (43 mi), a few kilometers before the end of the day, will you actually encounter the “first” climb. This climb, very gentle at the beginning, is no more than 3 km (2 miles), but afterwards you can enjoy the beautiful view over the Atlantic Ocean and the city of Figueira da Foz. 😀

79km (49mi)

level 3 (3.3)

420m (1380ft)

Today is also quite flat. When you leave the hotel and leave the city of Figueira da Foz behind, you may encounter some traffic. To leave the city, you need to cross the bridge and cross the Mondego River to the other side. Yes, I know, we don’t like crossing bridges and sharing the same road with cars, but it’s something we have to do, and drivers are already used to it, so all cyclists do the same.
On the other side of the river, you will follow secondary roads with less traffic until you enter a large pine forest area (km 18/mi 11) and there you will feel in touch with nature again. 🙂
Today your route will be about 65% on cycle paths. 🙂

62km (39mi)

level 3 (2.8)

400m (1310ft)

Today is the hardest day of the whole tour, not because of the distance, but because of the climbs. Yes, I know, we’ve gotten used to not having hills on the road until now. We’ve been lucky to have so many flat roads and bike paths, but today we’ll encounter some hills, and some of them long and steep. The good news is that today 62% of the route is on bike paths and dirt roads. Everything is easy and flat until you reach the city of Nazaré. Prepare yourself for what comes after kilometer 30 (19 miles), right after leaving Nazaré behind: a long and very steep climb that even pedaling in the easiest gear is not enough. The climb is about 2 km (1.5 miles) long, and it’s beginning is 10% of grade (7% of grade on average). It is a difficult climb!  :/
You will find another small climb at km 42 (mi 26) but not as steep as the first one, with 5% grade average. 🙂 Think of it this way: the best views are from the top of the hills, and these are no exception. 😉

68km (42mi)

level 4 (4.0)

1010m (3310ft)

This is the last day of your gravel bike tour. It’s a day with many undulations, but get ready for a stretch with climbs between km 16 and km 20, with an average gradient of 4%. Today you will cycle partly on paved roads (58% of the day), partly on dirt roads or cycle paths, along the Óbidos Lagoon or the beaches of the Atlantic coast.
Pay attention: when you reach km 35 you can choose to go straight to the hotel (it’s very close, just go to the roundabout and turn left) or you can choose to cycle another 12 km, which is the perimeter of the Peniche Peninsula, with incredible views of the ocean and the beautiful rock formations found there, as well as views of the Berlengas Islands and Cabo Carvoeiro with its lighthouse. 😉

48km (30mi)

level 3 (2.7)

500m (1640ft)

After breakfast transfer to Lisbon airport (1-hour drive).