Vila Nova de Milfontes sits where the Mira river reaches the Atlantic, on a low headland with white houses, a small fortress and a very good beach on either side. The fort at the river mouth, built to defend the town against pirates, has been turned into a guesthouse, and the old streets behind it are lined with cafes and small restaurants. In summer it is a favourite with Portuguese families, and in the quieter months it settles back into a gentle small-town rhythm.
The town is on the edge of the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, one of the best-preserved stretches of coast in western Europe. This is a landscape of cliffs, small sandy bays, dunes covered in juniper and rockrose, and fields running right to the edge of the sea. Further south, at Cabo Sardão, white storks do something found almost nowhere else in the world: they nest on the sea cliffs. The air here smells of salt, wild herbs and eucalyptus, and the light, especially in the evening, is soft and golden.
The riding is relaxed and scenic rather than technical. The roads to and from Milfontes cross open country, with long straights, easy bends and sudden views of the sea. They are generally in good condition, though narrow in places and often shared with farm vehicles. The coast can be windy, particularly in summer afternoons, and sea fog is possible in spring. The best months are May, June, September and October, when the heat is moderate and the beaches are quiet. The fishermen's trail runs along the cliffs for walkers, and you can reach several of its viewpoints by short side roads.
Milfontes has about four thousand residents, so it has basic services, including shops, cafes and restaurants, but Odemira, around nineteen kilometres away, is the larger town for supplies and fuel. The local cooking centres on fresh fish, shellfish and stews, and the town's main attraction in the evening is a table by the river with the sunset behind you. Walk down to the estuary beach before you leave, and look back at the white village above.