More than a tour company, we share a passion, called Lisbon. Prepare yourself for riding around the best places the city has to offer and to be an explorer of its secrets. Nothing is ever predictable with us.
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You are invited to explore the central-west part of Portugal. We will start in Fatima, one of Catholicism’s major shrines (read more here), and a town visited by 6 million people every year, where it is said that the Virgin Mary appeared to three children – Lúcia (10 years old), Francisco (9 years old) and Jacinta (7 years old) – every single month from May 13th, 1917 until October 13th, 1917. There were several prophetic messages and many stories shared with these three shepherd children (‘pastorinhos’). This is commonly known as the three secrets of Fatima. At the sanctuary, there is a segment of the Berlin Wall, a tribute to ‘God’s part’ in the fall of communism.After leaving Fatima, we will ride west to Nazaré for a lunch break, embracing the cliffs and providing stunning views. In Nazaré we will also perceive the smell of grilled fish and realize that we are in a fishing village. Nazare is one of the most picturesque Portuguese coastal cities and is now also one of the most popular places to surf in the world. In 2011, the biggest wave in the world (nearly 24m; 79ft) was surfed here by Garrett McNamara, an American professional big wave surfer.This tour continues throughout the historic town of Obidos. The town was taken from the Moorish army in 1148 and since that time was part of the dowry of several queens of Portugal, that’s why it is often called the Queen´s town. Nowadays Obidos still has a medieval town completely inside the old walls, with cobblestone streets and flower-bedecked houses. Obidos is also known for the Ginjinha, a sweet cherry liquor that you will have the opportunity to taste. After that, you will have some free time on your own to explore the scenic town before going back to Lisbon. We are pretty sure that you will fall in love with this small town.Finally, it is time to go back to Lisbon.
Departing from Lisbon, we will head towards the surprising Sintra Mountain. We will start the day by visiting the amazing Sintra village (a UNESCO world heritage site since 1995) together and after you will have some free time to explore the village that the Greeks and Romans named the “Mountain of the Moon”, a true fairy tale village that is also full of Moorish influences. The best way to start the day is by going to an old bakery (in the same family since 1862) to enjoy the famous travesseiros (pillows), which are light puff pastries that are turned, rolled, and folded seven times, and then filled with delicious almond-and-egg-yolk cream and lightly dusted with sugar. Or you can enjoy the Sintra cheesecakes (the date of the first reference back to the XIII century; at that time, these cheesecakes were a form of rent payment).Next, it is time to cross the mystic mountain of Sintra towards the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, we will have the opportunity to see the quaint Colares village and learn more about local wines dating back to the 13th century. We will make a stop midpoint in the wild Cabo da Roca, which is a sheer 150 meters cliff that forms the most western point of continental Europe.Then it’s time for a lunch break. We´ll enjoy beautiful roads toward the village of Cascais, a former fishing village that gained fame as a resort for Portugal’s royal family in the late XIX century and early XX century. Nowadays, it is a popular vacation spot for both Portuguese and foreign tourists, as well as a village with small museums, picturesque gardens, a shiny marina, and a pedestrian old town. In Cascais, you´ll have the opportunity to try the most famous ice cream in Portugal, Santini’s Gelati, which is considered the best ice cream in the world! It is truly a gift from the gods! Santini’s has been tantalizing Portuguese tongues since 1947.After lunch will be the right time for an amazing experience. We’ll go directly to the Pena Palace, (the Park and the Palace of Pena entrance fees are included in the price; 14€ per person). The palace’s history started in the Middle Ages when a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pena was built on the top of Sintra Mountain. According to tradition, construction occurred after an apparition of the Virgin Mary. The current palace dates back to 1839 when King Ferdinand II bought the ruins of the Hieronymite Monastery of Our Lady of Pena, a 500 years old monastery, and started to adapt it for use as a residence according to his romantic taste. Today the palace constitutes one of the major expressions of 19th-century romanticism in the world, and it’s a true fairytale that appears to have come from Disney (read more here).Then, it is time to go back to Lisbon.
From Lisbon, we will cross the Tagus River and pass by the Portuguese Golden Gate Bridge, formally called the Salazar Bridge during the fascist dictatorship. At the end of the bridge, we will have the opportunity to see how big the statue of Christ the King is (it was erected in 1959 to thank God for sparing Portugal from the horrors of World War II).We will drive along the Albufeira Lagoon, a protected area where pine trees, cork trees, beautiful beaches, small lagoons (the deepest in Portugal), and birdwatching are all combined. Then, we will arrive at the impressive Espichel Cape (Cabo Espichel). It is the westernmost point of Arrabida Mountain where we can find frighteningly tall cliffs. There are a few constructions here, mainly built in the 1700s and related to an old story that dates back to the 1200s: a church flanked by two arms of pilgrims’ lodges, a lighthouse, a chapel, and an aqueduct.Then it is time to explore the fishing town of Sesimbra. Originally from the 12th century, it is now famous for fresh fish and wonderful beaches. Here we will visit a medieval and well-protected Moorish Castle that stands in a dominant position overlooking a cliff, and it offers the best view of the village and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s lunchtime, and it’s recommended that you enjoy the best fresh seafood that Sesimbra has to offer.After lunch, we will cross the astonishing Arrabida Mountain, known as the blue coast. This is a protected area (Arrabida Natural Park) with many Mediterranean plants, from olives, pistachios, and strawberries, to lavender, thyme, and chamomile. Always close to the sea, we will pass by some amazing beaches with azure waters and remarkable views.At the end of the day, we will visit a small family-owned local cellar in the middle of the peaceful Arrabida Mountain, and learn more about this precious nectar and this stunning area. Enjoy the vineyards, and the beautiful landscapes, relax, and of course- taste some local wine.Finally, it is time to go back to Lisbon.
Olá! You will learn about the City of Seven Hills, enjoy the amazing views and vibes that Lisbon has to offer, and experience the best viewpoints of the city – we call them miradouros, which means ‘golden views’ – you will understand why! For example, the miradouro of Nossa Senhora do Monte is where we will get an amazing perspective of the Castle of Lisbon and of the old town which embraces the river. We will tour the most typical neighborhoods in Lisbon, such as Baixa, Chiado, Alfama, Graça, or Mouraria.After all the up and down (it’s a very hilly city!), we will go south and cross the bridge that was named after the revolution day (25th of April Bridge) that finished the Salazar dictatorship in 1974. This bridge is often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA (it’s our Golden Gate). On the south side, we will enjoy the best view of Lisbon at the Christ the King Statue. The statue was erected in 1959 to thank God for sparing Portugal from the horrors of World War II and it was inspired by the Brazilian version of this statue. You will be amazed by this astonishing view as well as be able to identify all of the places where we stopped.Then is time to go back to the 15th century to learn about all of the adventures of the brave Portuguese navigators. We will have the opportunity to appreciate different monuments, such as the magnificent Monastery of Jeronimos (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos), classified by UNESCO, which was built to celebrate the discovery of a sea route to India in 1498 by our most important navigator, Vasco da Gama. You can enjoy the outside and visit the church. We will also appreciate the remarkable Torre de Belem (outside only) or the beautiful Padrao dos Descobrimentos also known as Discoveries Monument (outside only).Last but not least, we will taste the best well-kept secret of the Portuguese pastry, the Pastéis de Belém! It’s a secret recipe invented by the monks in 1837 and it is still kept a secret. There is a local ritual to eating these delicacies that we will share with you (Pasteis de Belem is included in the price; 1 per person). This is the best way to end this introduction to Lisbon.Bem-vindo!
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