Nazaré and Atlantic Cliffs
A 257 km loop
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Why this ride
Leave the city behind and spend the day on roads with texture. A 257 km loop that starts and ends near Lisbon, about 4 h 40 of riding. The plan has 1 food stop marked.
Roadbook
- Lisbon
start
Lisbon is built on hills, as the old joke goes, to give the trams something to do. The city rises from the north bank of the Tagus river on seven hills, a tumble of tiled houses, church domes and steep cobbled lanes, with yellow trams creaking up the slopes, and the great red suspension bridge, the 25 de Abril, spanning the estuary. In 1755 a huge earthquake, followed by a tsunami and fires, destroyed much of the centre and killed tens of thousands, and the flat grid of the Baixa district was rebuilt afterwards under the Marquis of Pombal. The hill quarters of Alfama and Mouraria, which came through, still have their medieval twists and turns.
The city's character lies in small things. Fado, the melancholic music of longing, comes from cellars in Alfama and Bairro Alto, and the best places are small and quiet. Tiled walls cover buildings in blue, white and yellow. At Belém, just west of the centre, the Tower of Belém and the Jerónimos Monastery commemorate the age of exploration, when Portuguese ships sailed to India and Brazil, and a bakery nearby sells custard tarts, the pastéis de Belém, made to a recipe that is a close secret. Cod, grilled sardines and strong coffee fill the rest of the day.
The ride out of town toward the Atlantic is a favourite. The N247 follows the coast west from Cascais, passing Guincho beach, a windy surfing spot backed by dunes, and then reaching Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe, a cliff of about a hundred and forty metres above the ocean. Inland lies Sintra, with its palaces hidden in misty hills. Roads are generally good but busy, and the cobbled streets in town are very slippery when wet, so take care on tram tracks, which can catch a front tyre. Wind and sea fog are common on the coast.
Fuel is easy to find, though on the city's one-way streets finding parking can take time. Motorway tolls are electronic, so check how to pay if you plan to use them. Late spring and early autumn are the best seasons, and August brings crowds and heat.
- Nazaré
food
In winter, Nazaré produces some of the biggest surfable waves on earth. Off Praia do Norte, the beach north of town, a deep underwater canyon funnels Atlantic swells towards the shore, and on the right days they rise into moving mountains of water. Surfers towed by jet skis ride them, and crowds gather on the headland by the old fort with its red lighthouse to watch. If you are here between October and March and a big swell is forecast, it is worth going to look.
The town itself is divided into two parts. Down below, the main town stretches along a long sandy bay, with fishermen's houses, cafés and restaurants facing the sea. Up above, on top of a sheer cliff, sits the Sítio, reached by a funicular or a winding road. According to legend, in the twelfth century a nobleman named Dom Fuas Roupinho was chasing a deer in the fog when his horse reached the edge of the cliff; he prayed to the Virgin and the horse stopped just in time. A small chapel marks the spot, and the view from the edge over the town and the bay is spectacular.
Nazaré has kept some of its fishing traditions. You may still see older women wearing traditional costumes with several layers of skirts, and fish drying on racks on the beach. The food is excellent: grilled sardines in summer, rich fish stews known as caldeirada, and plenty of fresh seafood. Not far inland lie the great monasteries of Alcobaça and Batalha, both World Heritage Sites and both worth a visit.
The ride into Nazaré, whether along the coast from the south or through the pine forests from the north, is pleasant. The coastal roads have good views and a few nice bends, while the inland roads cross rolling farmland and eucalyptus woods. In summer, the town gets very busy, and parking can be difficult. Out of season, it is calmer, but the Atlantic weather can bring wind and rain. There is fuel and everything else you need in and around town.
- Lisbon finish