Over 9 nights and 8 days, this trip will show you a Portugal that’s hidden from touristic brochures, lists of best roads ever, and typical guided tour destinations. It is a journey of discovery of the Portugal not many people know about and is rarely seen or experienced.
We will be riding technical, sometimes smaller and engaging roads, and using those roads to navigate Portugal’s grandest landscapes throughout the Douro, Serra da Estrela, Alentejo, and Algarve.
The Douro is the world’s first demarcated wine region and wine production here started long before Portugal was Portugal, over 2000 years ago the Romans were harvesting the grapes for their favourite drink!
We will not be using the most publicised road, the N222, but instead ride on the other bank of the Douro, past both high-end vineyards as well as old olive groves on our way to our comfortable hotel overlooking the River, where we will enjoy wine as it is meant to be enjoyed, with friends over dinner, after a long motorcycle ride. The views, the food, and the atmosphere will make an impression on you that will warm your heart and leave you dreaming about returning soon. That is what happens to us every time!
From the Douro we weave our way through inland Portugal, passing mountainous regions, forests and the land of big granite boulders, used many times as building materials for all the castles that dot the border with Spain, bastions of defensive positions on the fight for independence from Castille, ever looming large over the Portuguese lands. It is not every day one has the opportunity to step inside history, but here we will have the chance to do it several times on the same day!
We eventually reached Serra da Estrela, Known as the "Star Mountain Range," it is the highest point in continental Portugal, reaching an altitude of 1,993 meters (6,539 feet) at its highest peak, Torre. But that is just the top of the mountain!! This is a large region, characterized by rugged mountains, deep valleys, lush forests, and crystal-clear rivers, providing an unforgettable backdrop for motorcycle touring.
One of the highlights of Serra da Estrela is its stunning natural park, Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela. The park spans over 100,000 hectares and is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. As we ride through the park, we encounter scenic viewpoints, pristine lakes, and picturesque villages nestled amidst the mountains, such as Belmonte, Sabugueiro, and Manteigas, often featuring narrow cobblestone streets, centuries-old stone houses, and traditional handicrafts, providing a glimpse into the region's history and culture. And let's not forget the most famous artisanal cheese, Queijo da Serra da Estrela, which is made from ewe’s milk and has a distinctive flavour and creamy texture. On a cold day, as often is the case here in the mountains, a hearty cheese sandwich and a warm drink as you set for the day! Very likely we will encounter local traffic, namely cows and flocks of sheep that are, really, the principal users of the road!
After descending via thrilling and winding mountain passes, the land will open up, your eyes will look for an increasingly distant horizon and you’ll start to breathe warmer air with a distinct southern aroma, welcome to the Alentejo!
You will get to know this region in a way most Portuguese motorcyclists don’t. Your Alentejo will be a perfect mix of riding open roads, great wine estates, and historic locations, we will join all three! The Alentejo landscape will be a drastic change to the previous days' rides, and you’ll feel like you are flying south, from mountains to hills to savannah-like plains.
We will ride up ancient fortresses, providing great views over the surrounding country, stop under a majestic Cork Oak to eat a typical local snack, protected from the sun by its big canopy, and we will experience the tranquillity of a vast region very sparsely populated.
At the next stop, it's time to freshen up after a long day in the saddle with a chilled glass of local wine and a dip in the swimming pool is advised but not mandatory! The evening will see us relaxing over dinner, enjoying the terraces and patios of the typical Alentejo house made to deal with the high Summer temperatures and very much based on Moorish architecture with its hidden magic of natural air conditioning! How better to spend an evening talking bikes and travelling!!
The Alentejo will have a couple of surprises prepared to provide you with a day off the bikes at the large wine estate where we will stay for 2 nights and have the pleasure to share with you. Options range from lounging by the swimming pool, or maybe a balloon ride or even a little photographic safari or a boat trip visiting Alqueva or a tour of the farm on horse carriage…. The world is your oyster! Of course, you can also jump on the bike for a small ride around the area, one of us will be dying for an excuse to go for a spin!
The biggest surprise of this trip will be The Algarve. You will see an Algarve very different from the one sold on tourist flyers, riding over mountain roads and hills never mentioned to any prospective visitor of this region. There is a distinct feeling of being close to another Continent and dinner outside comes accompanied by the breeze blowing from Africa, bringing its warmth and fine sand that actually manages to float in the air! We will ride to the oceanside and present you with the views our ancestors saw when dreaming of sailing to distant lands. The spirits of Portuguese explorers are still present here. The magical Sagres with its Finisterra allure is a must see location and, if the Gods of the weather decide so, you will see the crushing of the Atlantic waves on the high cliffs and feel the Sea salt on your lips. We will see rocky coves with transparent water, large expanses of sand, rugged cliffs with crushing waves below, fishermen hamlets where we can eat some mean sardines! If we are lucky, from the top of Foia and its 900m, we might even see Morocco!!
On this tour, you will ride roads that are both amazing and empty, sleep in luxury historic buildings and traditional farm houses, allowing for the best immersion in local culture and heritage. Above all, you will end the trip with a feeling of having made new friends through the experience of a few great motorcycling days!
Thanks for reading and for sharing!!
The Turtle!