PORTUGAL
road trip by motorcycle: fly & ride
IN COLLABORATION WITH MOTORTRAVEL
From December 28th to Genuary 06th / from May 28th to Juin 6th 2021
The ocean is a light that captures the eyes. With its charm and mystery it steals the glances of those who choose Portugal as their holiday destination. Yet this strip of land between the Atlantic and Spain, not only offers the wonderful coasts of the Algarve, the natural beauties of the hinterland, but conquers the most attentive travelers with the immortal charm of the historic cities, castles and monasteries of the regions Beira, Estremadura and of the Norte, settlement area of the first Lusitanian populations and original nucleus of the kingdom of Portugal: pearls that tell, in the spectacularity and variety of the stone, the stories of a people who found their greatest exaltation in the ocean .
TRAVEL PROGRAM
Day 1: Italy - Lisbon
Flight Milan (or other stopover in Italy) - Lisbon. Transfer of participants from the airport to the hotel and delivery of the motorcycles. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Possibility of extending a day in Lisbon with early departure.
Day 2: Lisbon - Sagres (293 km)
Departure for the Serra de Arrabida, a natural park in the Setubal peninsula, characteristic for its reliefs and protected bays. We cross the Rio Sado estuary by ferry and then reach São Torpes, the gateway to the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano and Costa Vicentina. The perimeter of the park extends over the ocean for 110 km in the two neighboring regions of the Alentejo and the Algarve. After the historic town of Aljezur, spectacular paths open on the cliffs and dunes of Bordeira, panoramic points (miradouros) on enchanting bays and beaches (praias) bordered by rocky reliefs. The destination of our stop is Sagres, the cultural center of greatest interest in the Algarve, defined by the Moors as "Western Andalusia" (in Arabic: al-Gharb al-Andalus). Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 3: Sagres - Portimao (96 km)
In the Portuguese popular imagination, the small town of Sagres is the symbolic capital of the golden centuries. This promontory with steep rocky walls, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, became the starting point for expeditions that transformed the Portuguese empire into a real economic and military power. The presence of Henry the Navigator still hovers within the walls of the Fortaleza de Sagres and Cabo de Sao Vicente. A few absolutely unforgettable kilometers separate Sagres from the promontory of Cabo de Sao Vicente, to be enjoyed slowly to admire the strength and charm that emanates from this place beaten by winds and ocean waves. In the early afternoon we leave for Burgau, a white village that marks the eastern border of the park. The road, and its inevitable detours along the coast, lead us to discover less touristy corners of the Algarve, a rugged land, with cliffs and cliffs overlooking the sea that tell the eternal struggle between man and the waves. At Lagos, after visiting the cliffs of Ponta da Piedade, we reach Portimao, an important fishing port. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 4: Portimao - Evora (276 km)
We leave the coast to go inland between the low hills of the Serra de Monchique and continue in the lower Alentejo region. Along the way we will stop in the town of Beja to visit the castle. Following a series of scenic roads we arrive in the evening in the historic city of Évora. One of the most fascinating Portuguese towns, it has been a Unesco heritage site since 1986, thanks to its architectural wealth that ranges from the Roman period to the Arab domination, from medieval Gothic to Renaissance and Baroque. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 5: Evora - Serra da Estrela (276 km)
Departure for Estremoz, a historic city in the Upper Alentejo. We continue to the Serra de São Mamede where we will visit Marvão and Castelo de Vide, two picturesque fortified villages perched on the hills of the sierra. We leave the Alentejo following a highly suggestive panoramic route through the hills of the Beiras that will take us to the gates of the Serra de Estrela Natural Park. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 6: Serra de Estrela - Peso da Regua (290 km)
Morning dedicated to the most scenic roads and valleys of the Serra de Estrela Natural Park, the highest mountain range in Portugal. Once out of the park, we continue north until we reach the valley of the Douro river, a renowned wine-growing area, whose hills and vineyards will provide a beautiful backdrop to the final stage. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 7: Peso da Regua (Douro Valley) - Porto (118 km)
The vines cultivated in terraces along the banks of the river accompany us to discover the Alto Douro Wine Region (Duero) classified by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, a valley famous throughout the world for the production of Porto, an aged fortified wine in barrels for years with the addition of brandy. Our ride takes us to Vila Nova de Gaia, on the left bank of the Duero in front of Oporto, where we will have the opportunity to visit one of the most renowned wineries. Here, along the river, the characteristic boats called Barcos Rabelos are still clearly visible, which were used in the past to transport Port wine from the production areas inside to the warehouses of the "Caves do vinho do Porto". Nestled on the mouth of the Douro River, Portugal's second city is sophisticated and popular at the same time, with its Baroque buildings on one side and the houses built along the river at the Cais da Ribeira on the other. Porto lets itself be discovered among its up and down neighborhoods, as uneven as they are fascinating. Among the most important monuments the Church of São Francisco, that of Santa Clara, the Sé cathedral, built as a church-fortress between the 12th and 13th centuries. In stark contrast, the popular district of Ribeira with its houses leaning against each other, sometimes decorated with the typical majolica, between very narrow cobbled alleys descending free towards the river. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 8: Porto - Obidos (312 km)
Departure for Costa Nova do Prado, a picturesque town on the Silver Coast, known for its Palheiros, houses painted in bright colors. We go back inside and reach Coimbra, known as the "Oxford of Portugal", an ancient university and the first capital of the Kingdom of Portugal. The upper town contains the main historic buildings, and is easily visited on foot, the entrance to the historic center is via the Arco de Almedina, the ancient door of the Arab medina, an appetizer for Coimbra's main dishes: the ancient cathedral Romanesque of Sé Velha and the University. We leave Coimbra in the direction of Lisbon for a place of devotion of great charm. Batalha awaits us, whose fame is inextricably linked to the Monsteiro de Santa Maria da Vitoria. The birth of this Manueline Gothic masterpiece is due to Joao I d’Avis, the future Portuguese king, as a sign of thanks for the victory in 1385 over the enemy Juan I of Castile. After having crossed the hills of the Parque Natural das Serras de Aire, the final stage of our cultural itinerary that winds behind the Atlantic is the fortified town of Obidos. The Manueline castle, from the 16th century, and the mighty walls of Moorish origin, reinforced by Christians during the following three centuries, attract the eye, but these military structures are not the only monumental wealth of Obidos. On the main square of the village, in fact, you can admire the Igreja de Santa Maria with its painted ceilings and azulejos from the eighteenth century. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 9: Obidos - Lisbon (158 km)
Departure for the Atlantic coast. A magnificent panoramic tour of the Serra de Sintra and the Parque Natural de Sintra Cascais awaits us. The entrance to the park from the north is the fairy-tale historic city of Sintra, a UNESCO heritage site that boasts sumptuous monuments such as the Palacio da Pena and the Palacio Nacional de Sintra, summer residences of the Portuguese royal families. We enter the greenhouse to reach the Atlantic coast: two pearls await us, the enchanting Azenhas Do Mar, located on a promontory overlooking the sea and Cabo da Roca, whose imposing cliffs mark the westernmost point of the European continent. Before reaching the Portuguese capital, we have time to stop in Cascais, an internationally renowned tourist resort in whose municipality hosts the Estoril circuit. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 10: Lisbon - Italy
Day dedicated to visiting the capital. Lisbon, the "white city", on the Tagus River (Rio Tejo), can be admired from the top of the Castelo de São Jorge in the characteristic and intricate Alfama district. The irresistible light of the city has been, and continues to be, a source of inspiration for many artists and poets. The white splendor of the late Manueline Gothic style, typical of Portugal, is visible above all in the Belém district with its Tower, a symbol of Portuguese naval power at the time of geographical discoveries and the impressive Jerònimos Monastery. The districts of Baixa, or "lower city" and Chiado, or "chiar", the creaking of the wheels of the wagons on the streets, are the pride - cultural, artistic and architectural - of the capital, a fascinating quadrilateral inlaid with azulejos and floor mosaics, full of pulsating daily life in its cafes, bookshops, restaurants and pastelarias. In the late afternoon, transfer to the airport for the return flight to Milan or another stopover in Italy.
Day 1: Italy - Lisbon
Flight Milan (or other stopover in Italy) - Lisbon. Transfer of participants from the airport to the hotel and delivery of the motorcycles. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Possibility of extending a day in Lisbon with early departure.
Day 2: Lisbon - Sagres (293 km)
Departure for the Serra de Arrabida, a natural park in the Setubal peninsula, characteristic for its reliefs and protected bays. We cross the Rio Sado estuary by ferry and then reach São Torpes, the gateway to the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano and Costa Vicentina. The perimeter of the park extends over the ocean for 110 km in the two neighboring regions of the Alentejo and the Algarve. After the historic town of Aljezur, spectacular paths open on the cliffs and dunes of Bordeira, panoramic points (miradouros) on enchanting bays and beaches (praias) bordered by rocky reliefs. The destination of our stop is Sagres, the cultural center of greatest interest in the Algarve, defined by the Moors as "Western Andalusia" (in Arabic: al-Gharb al-Andalus). Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 3: Sagres - Portimao (96 km)
In the Portuguese popular imagination, the small town of Sagres is the symbolic capital of the golden centuries. This promontory with steep rocky walls, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, became the starting point for expeditions that transformed the Portuguese empire into a real economic and military power. The presence of Henry the Navigator still hovers within the walls of the Fortaleza de Sagres and Cabo de Sao Vicente. A few absolutely unforgettable kilometers separate Sagres from the promontory of Cabo de Sao Vicente, to be enjoyed slowly to admire the strength and charm that emanates from this place beaten by winds and ocean waves. In the early afternoon we leave for Burgau, a white village that marks the eastern border of the park. The road, and its inevitable detours along the coast, lead us to discover less touristy corners of the Algarve, a rugged land, with cliffs and cliffs overlooking the sea that tell the eternal struggle between man and the waves. At Lagos, after visiting the cliffs of Ponta da Piedade, we reach Portimao, an important fishing port. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 4: Portimao - Evora (276 km)
We leave the coast to go inland between the low hills of the Serra de Monchique and continue in the lower Alentejo region. Along the way we will stop in the town of Beja to visit the castle. Following a series of scenic roads we arrive in the evening in the historic city of Évora. One of the most fascinating Portuguese towns, it has been a Unesco heritage site since 1986, thanks to its architectural wealth that ranges from the Roman period to the Arab domination, from medieval Gothic to Renaissance and Baroque. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 5: Evora - Serra da Estrela (276 km)
Departure for Estremoz, a historic city in the Upper Alentejo. We continue to the Serra de São Mamede where we will visit Marvão and Castelo de Vide, two picturesque fortified villages perched on the hills of the sierra. We leave the Alentejo following a highly suggestive panoramic route through the hills of the Beiras that will take us to the gates of the Serra de Estrela Natural Park. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 6: Serra de Estrela - Peso da Regua (290 km)
Morning dedicated to the most scenic roads and valleys of the Serra de Estrela Natural Park, the highest mountain range in Portugal. Once out of the park, we continue north until we reach the valley of the Douro river, a renowned wine-growing area, whose hills and vineyards will provide a beautiful backdrop to the final stage. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 7: Peso da Regua (Douro Valley) - Porto (118 km)
The vines cultivated in terraces along the banks of the river accompany us to discover the Alto Douro Wine Region (Duero) classified by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, a valley famous throughout the world for the production of Porto, an aged fortified wine in barrels for years with the addition of brandy. Our ride takes us to Vila Nova de Gaia, on the left bank of the Duero in front of Oporto, where we will have the opportunity to visit one of the most renowned wineries. Here, along the river, the characteristic boats called Barcos Rabelos are still clearly visible, which were used in the past to transport Port wine from the production areas inside to the warehouses of the "Caves do vinho do Porto". Nestled on the mouth of the Douro River, Portugal's second city is sophisticated and popular at the same time, with its Baroque buildings on one side and the houses built along the river at the Cais da Ribeira on the other. Porto lets itself be discovered among its up and down neighborhoods, as uneven as they are fascinating. Among the most important monuments the Church of São Francisco, that of Santa Clara, the Sé cathedral, built as a church-fortress between the 12th and 13th centuries. In stark contrast, the popular district of Ribeira with its houses leaning against each other, sometimes decorated with the typical majolica, between very narrow cobbled alleys descending free towards the river. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 8: Porto - Obidos (312 km)
Departure for Costa Nova do Prado, a picturesque town on the Silver Coast, known for its Palheiros, houses painted in bright colors. We go back inside and reach Coimbra, known as the "Oxford of Portugal", an ancient university and the first capital of the Kingdom of Portugal. The upper town contains the main historic buildings, and is easily visited on foot, the entrance to the historic center is via the Arco de Almedina, the ancient door of the Arab medina, an appetizer for Coimbra's main dishes: the ancient cathedral Romanesque of Sé Velha and the University. We leave Coimbra in the direction of Lisbon for a place of devotion of great charm. Batalha awaits us, whose fame is inextricably linked to the Monsteiro de Santa Maria da Vitoria. The birth of this Manueline Gothic masterpiece is due to Joao I d’Avis, the future Portuguese king, as a sign of thanks for the victory in 1385 over the enemy Juan I of Castile. After having crossed the hills of the Parque Natural das Serras de Aire, the final stage of our cultural itinerary that winds behind the Atlantic is the fortified town of Obidos. The Manueline castle, from the 16th century, and the mighty walls of Moorish origin, reinforced by Christians during the following three centuries, attract the eye, but these military structures are not the only monumental wealth of Obidos. On the main square of the village, in fact, you can admire the Igreja de Santa Maria with its painted ceilings and azulejos from the eighteenth century. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 9: Obidos - Lisbon (158 km)
Departure for the Atlantic coast. A magnificent panoramic tour of the Serra de Sintra and the Parque Natural de Sintra Cascais awaits us. The entrance to the park from the north is the fairy-tale historic city of Sintra, a UNESCO heritage site that boasts sumptuous monuments such as the Palacio da Pena and the Palacio Nacional de Sintra, summer residences of the Portuguese royal families. We enter the greenhouse to reach the Atlantic coast: two pearls await us, the enchanting Azenhas Do Mar, located on a promontory overlooking the sea and Cabo da Roca, whose imposing cliffs mark the westernmost point of the European continent. Before reaching the Portuguese capital, we have time to stop in Cascais, an internationally renowned tourist resort in whose municipality hosts the Estoril circuit. Free dinner and an overnight stay in hotel.
Day 10: Lisbon - Italy
Day dedicated to visiting the capital. Lisbon, the "white city", on the Tagus River (Rio Tejo), can be admired from the top of the Castelo de São Jorge in the characteristic and intricate Alfama district. The irresistible light of the city has been, and continues to be, a source of inspiration for many artists and poets. The white splendor of the late Manueline Gothic style, typical of Portugal, is visible above all in the Belém district with its Tower, a symbol of Portuguese naval power at the time of geographical discoveries and the impressive Jerònimos Monastery. The districts of Baixa, or "lower city" and Chiado, or "chiar", the creaking of the wheels of the wagons on the streets, are the pride - cultural, artistic and architectural - of the capital, a fascinating quadrilateral inlaid with azulejos and floor mosaics, full of pulsating daily life in its cafes, bookshops, restaurants and pastelarias. In the late afternoon, transfer to the airport for the return flight to Milan or another stopover in Italy.
IMPORTANT TRAVEL NOTES
FOR INFO: Phone. +39-3355340456 / +39-3931412016 / ettorefra1963@gmail.com
- NO SPECIAL VACCINATIONS OR PROPHILAXIS ARE REQUIRED
- A VALID IDENTITY DOCUMENT IS REQUIRED FOR EXPATRIATION
- IN CASE OF FAILURE TO PARTICIPATE, THE FEES WILL NOT BE RETURNED, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF SUBSCRIPTION OF A TRIP CANCELLATION POLICY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE METHODS PROVIDED FOR BY THE POLICY ITSELF
- THE ORGANIZATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE TO THE ABOVE PROGRAM ALL THE NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS TO GUARANTEE THE SAFETY AND SUCCESS OF THE JOURNEY, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE VARIABLE CONDITIONS OF THE ROADS, THE HEALTH CONDITIONS AND THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS OF THE NON-CELEBRATED DRIVERS
FOR INFO: Phone. +39-3355340456 / +39-3931412016 / ettorefra1963@gmail.com
PARTICIPATION RATES
INCLUDED SERVICES
NOT INCLUDED SERVICES
MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARTECIPANTS: 12
- Motorcycle driver: Euro 1.800
- Transport motorcycle Brescia/Lisbon round trip: Euro 800
- Passanger assistance vehicles: Euro 1.800
- Motorcycle passanger: Euro 1.700
- Single room surcharge on demand
- Subscrition fee: Euro 50 (including basic medical and baggage travel insurance)
INCLUDED SERVICES
- 9 nights in hotel (cat. 3 *) in double rooms with breakfast
- Motorcycle transport Brescia / Lisbon round trip
- Motorcycle tour leader
- Maxi support van for luggage transport and recovery of any broken down motorcycles with rider and passenger
- Osservando Il Mondo staff present during the trip for assistance and logistics
- Basic travel accident / illness insurance
- Road Book of the journey in paper format
- Tracks of the route in GPX format for the navigator
- Osservando Il Mondo gadget
NOT INCLUDED SERVICES
- Flight Italy / Lisbon round trip
- Possible travel cancellation insurance and medical expenses supplement
- Fuel for motor vehicles, toll roads, motorcycle parking in the hotel where required
- Lunches, dinners and drinks
- Entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites
- The extras of a personal nature and anything not expressly indicated in the item "the prices include"
MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARTECIPANTS: 12