Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Portugal by E-bike: Porto to Lisbon on the Atlantic Coast
8 days riding e-bikes from Porto to Lisbon: the Aveiro lagoon, Coimbra's university library, Nazaré's cliffs, walled Óbidos, the surf coast at Ericeira and a last ride into Lisbon, with a van for the bags and anyone who wants a lift.
8 days · Porto to Lisbon · up to 12 guests
The Douro at Porto, looking across to Vila Nova de Gaia Photo: Thierry Marthy, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Porto_Portugal_2016_P1290305_(37204881982).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Porto to Lisbon
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Six riding days of 35 to 50 km on e-bikes, about 255 km in all, mostly on flat coastal paths, boardwalks and quiet roads, with rolling ground and short climbs near Ericeira and Cabo da Roca. Expect three to four hours in the saddle with stops. You need to be confident on a bike in light traffic; the support van takes anyone who wants a lift for any stretch.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 815 (estimated price)
- Season
- April to June and September to October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Ride out of Porto along the Douro and down the Gaia boardwalks to the sea
- The dunes of São Jacinto and a small ferry across the Aveiro lagoon
- The striped fishermen's houses of Costa Nova and the canals of Aveiro
- The baroque Joanina Library in Coimbra on a timed ticket
- The funicular to Sítio and the cliff above Praia do Norte in Nazaré
- Ginjinha in a chocolate cup on the walls of Óbidos
- Pena Palace at first entry, then a ride from Cabo da Roca past Guincho and Cascais into Lisbon
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 815 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Porto
Porto Airport to your hotel in central Porto
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Porto
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into Porto Airport (OPO), about 17 km north of the city, where a driver meets you for the half-hour transfer to your hotel in the centre.
Afternoon
The afternoon is yours: walk down through the steep lanes of the Ribeira, the riverside quarter listed by UNESCO with the historic centre in 1996, cross the lower deck of the Dom Luís I bridge to the port lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, or sit by the water and watch the boats.
Evening
In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide and our cycle guide meet the group at the hotel. We fit the e-bikes to each rider, set the saddles, go through the brakes, gears and power modes, and take a short spin on a quiet street so nobody starts tomorrow on an unfamiliar bike; if your flight lands later, we fit your bike after dinner or before breakfast. Then we walk to a welcome dinner of northern Portuguese cooking and talk through the week's route, day by day.
Included
- Pick-up at Porto Airport (OPO)
- E-bike fitting and a short practice ride with your guides
- Welcome briefing and welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the early-evening bike fitting
Activity: Aim to land by about 3 pm to join the bike fitting. Later arrivals are fine: we fit your bike after dinner or first thing on day 2. Exact times come with your final itinerary.
Down the coast to the Aveiro lagoon
Porto to Espinho by bike, van past Torreira, then São Jacinto, the ferry and Aveiro
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Aveiro
- Drive about 48 min
Morning
We leave after breakfast while the riverfront is quiet, walking the bikes over the Dom Luís I bridge and riding west along the Gaia bank of the Douro to Afurada and the river mouth. The Gaia coast is then a long run of boardwalks and cycle paths above the beaches, flat and close to the sea, to Espinho, about 25 km.
Afternoon
The van carries everyone and the bikes past the busier stretch to Torreira, on the sand spit between the ocean and the Ria de Aveiro lagoon, for a sit-down lunch of grilled fish, then on down the spit to the edge of the São Jacinto Dunes Nature Reserve. We ride the last 8 km or so through the pines to São Jacinto, where a small ferry crosses the mouth of the lagoon in about 15 minutes. From Forte da Barra a lagoon-side path brings us about 10 km into Aveiro by mid-afternoon, and we taste ovos moles, the town's egg-and-sugar sweet, by the canals.
Included
- Guided ride from Porto along the Douro and the Gaia coast boardwalks to Espinho
- Sit-down lunch in Torreira
- Guided ride through the pines of the São Jacinto spit
- Ferry from São Jacinto across the mouth of the lagoon
- Ride along the lagoon into Aveiro and an ovos moles tasting on arrival
Optional experiences
- A moliceiro boat ride on Aveiro's canals
Easier option: Ride the morning only and take the van from Espinho to Aveiro.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Aveiro
Activity: About 45 km of riding in three sections, almost all flat. The ferry runs to a timetable and can be suspended in bad weather; the van then drives round the lagoon to Aveiro.
Costa Nova's stripes, then Coimbra's library
Aveiro to Costa Nova and Praia de Mira by bike, then van to Coimbra
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Coimbra
- Drive about 48 min
Morning
An easy morning on the bikes. We ride out of Aveiro past the salt pans to Costa Nova, where the old fishermen's storehouses, the palheiros, are painted in bright vertical stripes along the lagoon front. The route then follows the coast road south between dunes and pine forest, past Vagueira, to Praia de Mira, a beach village where the fishing boats are still hauled up the sand. It is about 35 km and nearly flat.
Afternoon
After a sit-down lunch the van takes us inland, under an hour, to Coimbra on the Mondego River, Portugal's capital in the 12th and 13th centuries and home to one of Europe's oldest universities. The university's hilltop buildings were listed by UNESCO in 2013. In the late afternoon we walk up to the Paço das Escolas courtyard and visit the Joanina Library on a timed ticket: an early 18th-century baroque hall of gilded and lacquered shelves, where a colony of small bats still helps protect the books from insects.
Included
- Guided ride from Aveiro to Costa Nova and Praia de Mira
- Sit-down lunch at Praia de Mira
- The University of Coimbra: the Paço das Escolas and the Joanina Library on a timed ticket
Optional experiences
- A Coimbra fado performance in the evening
Easier option: Ride as far as Costa Nova, about 12 km, and join the van there.
Free time: Evening free in Coimbra
Activity: About 35 km of flat riding, then a steep walk up to the university; the van can drop you at the top.
Through the pine coast to Nazaré
Coimbra to Figueira da Foz and Leirosa by van, ride to Praia da Vieira, then van to Nazaré
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Nazaré
- Drive about 1.5 h
A short van ride takes us back to the coast at Figueira da Foz, a resort town at the mouth of the Mondego, for coffee on the long beach of Cabedelo, on the south bank. The van then carries us on past the industrial edge of the town to Leirosa, where the riding starts. The route runs south on cycle paths and quiet roads through dunes and the pine forest that backs this whole stretch of coast, about 40 km, flat or gently rolling, with the sea on your right for most of the day. We stop at the fishing beach of Pedrógão, where the boats come in through the surf, then turn inland for a few kilometres to the Ervedeira lagoon in the pines before the last run down to Praia da Vieira.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal of fish at Vieira, and the van takes us the last half hour to Nazaré.
Evening
We check in by mid-afternoon; the rest of the day is free for the promenade and sunset over the bay.
Included
- Coffee stop at Cabedelo beach, Figueira da Foz
- Guided ride from Leirosa through the coastal pine forest via Pedrógão and the Ervedeira lagoon to Praia da Vieira
- Sit-down lunch at Praia da Vieira
Easier option: Ride as far as Pedrógão, about 25 km, and take the van from there to lunch.
More active option: Ride on from Praia da Vieira along the Atlantic Road through the Leiria pine forest to São Pedro de Moel, about 15 km more.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Nazaré
Activity: About 40 km of riding, flat or gently rolling, on cycle paths and quiet roads.
Nazaré's cliff, then the lagoon road to Óbidos
Nazaré to Sítio, then São Martinho do Porto and Foz do Arelho to Óbidos by bike
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Óbidos
Before we ride, we take the funicular, running since 1889, up the cliff to Sítio, the old upper town, for the view straight down onto the beach and the red roofs. A short walk leads to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré and the lighthouse fort above Praia do Norte, where the undersea Nazaré Canyon drives the giant winter waves that surfers come for; your guide explains how. Then we ride south along the coast to São Martinho do Porto, a bay almost closed into a shell shape by the cliffs, for coffee by the water.
Afternoon
The road carries on through farmland and small hills to Foz do Arelho, where the Óbidos lagoon meets the sea, and lunch is sit-down by the lagoon. The last stretch runs inland along the lagoon and up to Óbidos, whose medieval walls ring the whole town. In the late afternoon your guide walks the lanes with you, and the ginjinha tasting comes in a small chocolate cup.
Included
- The Nazaré funicular to Sítio, the sanctuary and the lighthouse fort above Praia do Norte
- Guided ride via São Martinho do Porto and Foz do Arelho to Óbidos
- Sit-down lunch at Foz do Arelho
- Guided walk in Óbidos with a ginjinha tasting
Easier option: Ride as far as São Martinho do Porto, about 15 km, and take the van to Óbidos.
More active option: Walk the top of the Óbidos town walls in the evening light; parts have no railing.
Free time: Evening free in Óbidos
Activity: About 50 km of riding with some rolling hills, and a short climb into Óbidos at the end.
The surf coast to Ericeira
Óbidos to Santa Cruz by van, then by bike along the coast to Ericeira
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Ericeira
- Drive about 36 min
Morning
A slow morning in Óbidos while the lanes are quiet, before the day visitors arrive. Then the van takes us about 40 minutes south-west to Santa Cruz, a beach town on the cliffs, and we ride the coast south. This is the most varied riding of the week: farm roads among vineyards and vegetable fields, short climbs onto the headlands and fast runs down to small beaches and river mouths at Porto Novo, Assenta and Foz do Lizandro. The e-bikes take the sting out of the hills.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down stop on the way. We roll into Ericeira by mid-afternoon, a white and blue fishing town on a cliff above its harbour, and since 2011 a World Surfing Reserve for the run of reef and point breaks along this coast. The afternoon is free: watch the surfers at Ribeira d'Ilhas, walk the old town, or swim at the town beach below the cliffs.
Included
- Guided ride from Santa Cruz along the coast to Ericeira
- Sit-down lunch on the way
Optional experiences
- A surf lesson in Ericeira
- The Mafra National Palace, about 15 minutes inland
Easier option: Ride the first half to Porto Novo and take the van on to Ericeira.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Ericeira
Activity: About 40 km, the hilliest day, with several short climbs onto the headlands.
Pena Palace, Cabo da Roca and the ride into Lisbon
Ericeira to Sintra and Cabo da Roca by van, then by bike past Guincho and Cascais to Lisbon
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Lisbon
- Drive about 48 min
We drive about half an hour to Sintra for Pena Palace at the first entry of the day, before the queues. Tour vehicles cannot enter Sintra's historic centre, so the last stretch is by the local shuttle. The palace sits on a peak in the Sintra hills, part of a cultural landscape listed by UNESCO in 1995, and from its terraces you can see the coast you are about to ride.
Afternoon
After an early sit-down lunch the van drops us at Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, and we ride down to the wide beach at Guincho and along the cycle path into Cascais. From Cascais the seafront promenade, short road stretches and the riverside path along the Tagus carry us past Belém into central Lisbon, about 45 km in all, arriving at the hotel around 5:30 pm.
Evening
Tonight we celebrate the ride with a farewell dinner in the old town.
Included
- Pena Palace and park at the first entry, with the Sintra shuttle
- Sit-down lunch in Sintra
- Guided ride from Cabo da Roca past Guincho and Cascais into Lisbon
- Farewell dinner in Lisbon
Easier option: Ride Cabo da Roca to Cascais, about 18 km and mostly downhill, then take the van into Lisbon, arriving around 4 pm with time to rest before dinner.
Activity: A long day: Pena in the morning, then about 45 km of riding, downhill and flat after Cabo da Roca, with a headwind possible on the Guincho stretch. Pena involves steep paths and stairs.
Lisbon and home
Central Lisbon to Lisbon Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 18 min
Morning
The bikes go back to the supplier this morning and the day is yours.
Afternoon
For those with afternoon flights your guide leads an optional early walk from the Baixa, the grid of streets rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, up through the stairs and lanes of Alfama to a viewpoint over the river, before the cruise passengers and day trippers fill them. Then there is time for a custard tart and a last coffee before the transfer. Lisbon Airport (LIS) is only about 8 km from the centre, around 20 minutes by van, and we take everyone there in time for their flight. Book a flight leaving after about 1 pm to join the walk, or a morning flight if you prefer: we time your transfer either way. Many guests stay on: the Lisbon city stay with Sintra and Arrábida follows this trip well.
Included
- Optional morning walk from the Baixa through Alfama with your guide, for those with afternoon flights
- Drop-off at Lisbon Airport (LIS)
Free time: Morning free if you skip the walk
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 1 pm to join the morning walk.
- Porto1 night
- Aveiro1 night
- Coimbra1 night
- Nazaré1 night
- Óbidos1 night
- Ericeira1 night
- Lisbon1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Spring and early autumn bring mild riding weather, though a north wind often blows down the coast, mostly at your back as we ride south. Morning sea fog is common on the coast and burns off by late morning. The São Jacinto dunes and the Aveiro lagoon are good for wading birds, and Nazaré's giant waves belong to winter, roughly October to March, so only late-October departures have a chance of a big-swell day.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want to see Portugal's coast at bike speed without needing to be a cyclist
- Couples or friends of different fitness, since everyone rides an e-bike and the van gives lifts
- Riders who want towns and sights as well as the road: Coimbra, Óbidos, Nazaré and Pena Palace
- A first point-to-point cycling trip with the logistics handled
Not for you if you want
- Anyone not confident riding a bike in light traffic
- Travellers who dislike changing hotels: this trip moves every night
- Road cyclists looking for long, fast days or big climbs
- A slow city break: Porto and Lisbon get one night each
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Porto1 night
- Aveiro1 night
- Coimbra1 night
- Nazaré1 night
- Óbidos1 night
- Ericeira1 night
- Lisbon1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights in central hotels of at least 3-star-plus standard, each with secure bike storage: 1 each in Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Nazaré, Óbidos, Ericeira and Lisbon
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Porto Airport (OPO) and drop-off at Lisbon Airport (LIS)
- An e-bike for every guest, with helmet, lock and pannier, for six riding days
- A support van and driver that carries your luggage and gives lifts on any stretch
- The São Jacinto ferry across the Aveiro lagoon
- The Nazaré funicular and the Sintra shuttle to Pena Palace
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip, with a local cycle guide who rides with the group and looks after the bikes
- Personal earpieces so you can hear the guide in busy places
Activities
- Porto: e-bike fitting and practice ride
- The Douro and Gaia coast ride, the São Jacinto dunes and Costa Nova
- Aveiro: ovos moles tasting
- Coimbra: the University's Paço das Escolas and the Joanina Library
- Nazaré: Sítio, the sanctuary and the lighthouse fort above Praia do Norte
- Óbidos: guided walk and ginjinha tasting
- Sintra: Pena Palace and park
- Cabo da Roca, Guincho and Cascais by bike
- Lisbon: optional morning walk through the Baixa and Alfama with your guide
Meals
- Breakfast daily (7)
- 6 sit-down lunches on the riding days
- Welcome dinner in Porto
- Farewell dinner in Lisbon
Not included
- International flights to Porto and from Lisbon
- Travel insurance (it must cover cycling)
- ETIAS travel authorisation, once it applies
- Dinners on days 2 to 6
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities: the Aveiro moliceiro boat, Coimbra fado, a surf lesson and the Mafra National Palace
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 815 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Seven nights in central hotels, breakfast daily, six sit-down lunches, a welcome and a farewell dinner, an e-bike with helmet and pannier for every guest, a support van for luggage and lifts, airport transfers at both ends, your See Sight Tours guide and a local cycle guide, and every visit in the day plan, including the Joanina Library and Pena Palace.
How fit do I need to be to cycle from Porto to Lisbon?
Moderately active and confident on a bike. Rides are 35 to 50 km a day on e-bikes, mostly flat, with short climbs near Ericeira and Cabo da Roca. Expect three to four hours in the saddle with stops. The support van gives a lift to anyone who wants to skip a stretch, and every day has an easier option.
Do I have to ride an e-bike?
E-bikes are the standard for everyone, so the group rides together whatever each person's fitness. You choose how much the motor helps, from none to a lot. If you would rather ride a regular bike, ask when you book and we check whether our supplier can provide one for your dates.
Can I take the van instead of riding?
Yes, any time. The support van follows the route each day, carries the luggage, and has room for riders and bikes. You can skip a morning, an afternoon or a whole day and meet the group at lunch or the hotel. Each day's plan names a natural place to stop.
How big is the group and who leads it?
The small group runs with 7 to 12 guests. A See Sight Tours guide is with you for the whole trip, and a local cycle guide rides with the group, knows the route and looks after the bikes. Personal earpieces mean you can hear the guide in busy places such as Pena Palace.
Is there a single supplement for solo travellers?
A room of your own is from CAD 815 more, shown before you book with no surprise later. Solo travellers ride, eat and explore exactly as the rest of the group does, and the price for a shared room is per person, so it is the same whether you come alone or with someone.
When is the best time to cycle the Portuguese coast?
April to June and September to October. The days are mild, the coast paths are quiet and a north wind usually blows down the coast, mostly behind you as we ride south. July and August are hot and busy; winter brings Atlantic storms and short days.
Will we see the big waves at Nazaré?
Probably not. Nazaré's giant waves come with winter swells, roughly October to March, so only late-October departures have a chance. You still see where they break: we take the funicular to Sítio and stand on the lighthouse fort above Praia do Norte, where the guide explains the undersea canyon that builds them.
Why only one night in each place?
Because it is a point-to-point ride from Porto to Lisbon. To make it easy, the van moves your luggage and it waits in your room, we arrive by mid-afternoon, and every evening is free. If you want longer in Lisbon or Porto, add our Lisbon city stay or our Portugal classic trip.
Do I need a visa for Portugal?
Canadian and US passport holders do not need a visa for a short stay in the Schengen area. The EU's ETIAS travel authorisation is not yet in force and has no confirmed start date, so we confirm the current rule, and anything you need to apply for, when you book.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The trip also comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide, e-bikes and van. If you would rather ride self-guided on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we quote the hotels, bikes and luggage transfers separately.
How does booking work?
The small group starts from CAD 4,795 per person sharing, taxes included. Send your preferred dates as an enquiry. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. For a private trip, choose Private and send the date you want.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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