Portugal has a centuries-old colourful history: from political declines to the global upsurge in the 15th and 16th centuries, from today's small state to once a vast empire. The face of Portugal was shaped by aliens from the North and the Moors from Africa. We will visit the famous cities of Porto and Lisbon, nature parks, mountains and beaches. We will sunbathe at the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and will cool ourselves under the tree hades in highlands. We will listen to fado – famous Portuguese songs about love, betrayal, death and despair. We will see caves, waterfalls and other spectacular views of nature.

Porto, located at the Atlantic Ocean, is the start point. After a walking and cycling through its historic old town, we will definitely visit the Romanesque Cathedral, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. One of the oldest cities in Portugal (over 2200 years!) – Braga – is on our route then. It has been the ecclesiastical capital of the country since the 12th century. The country's only national park, Peneda-Geres, is also the oldest protected area in the country. We will also find ourselves in the first Portuguese capital – Guimarães founded in the 9th century. We will pass the second longest suspension pedestrian bridge in the world (516 m, up to 175 m high!). We will definitely visit another old capital (up to 1255 m) – Coimbra. The next charming city on our itinerary is Tomar with an ancient castle and an aqueduct. Then we will cycle to look at the stalactite cave and admire the waterfall. After the famous Sintra Castle, we will reach the westernmost point of Europe Cabo da Roca. We will end our journey in the capital Lisbon, where (including suburbs) one in four Portuguese residents live. The city gained a modern face when it began to build a new city after the earthquake and tsunami of 1755. There are a lot of places to visit in and around Lisbon, so we will spend a few days here.

Ride coordinator: Rolandas Liutika