Portugal
Serras & Sea
May 3-11, 2008
Sep 27-Oct 5, 2008
Price: US$3495 for 9 days/8 nights.
Includes 7 dinners with wine, 2 picnics, and all breakfasts.
Terrain: Moderate to hilly. Club Series tour; 50-70 miles per day.
Total Mileage: 349-492 miles
Arrive: Lisbon Airport
Depart: Lisbon Airport
 Gear up for a challenging border-to-coast spin across southern Portugal! The "serras," or mountains, that lie along the Portuguese border with Spain are the starting point for our newest Club Series tour for experienced cyclists.
Beginning high in the Serra da São Mamede Nature Reserve, we'll spin west across the undulating Alentejo plains, through "big sky country" characterized by groves of olive and cork trees, fields of wheat and wildflowers, and hilltop villages untouched by time. Two hundred miles later, the sparkling Atlantic Ocean comes into view. After a splashy celebration, we'll follow a maritime route to the south, tracing the coast until land's end at the towering sandstone cliffs of Cabo de São Vicente, once considered the edge of the world. A cool-down spin to the beckoning beaches of the Algarve tops off our tour.
Our route passes through some of the most beautiful and beloved towns in Portugal. The hand-hewn granite walls of Marvão and Elvas, originally built as defensive fortifications, remain as artistic masterpieces. Castelo de Vide captivates with its winding cobbled streets, Renaissance fountains, and ancient Judiaria. Roman ruins peek out between majestic rows of cypress in Miróbriga. Arronches and Alvito are perfectly-preserved white villages of Gothic arches and Manueline bell towers; Moura and Mourão reveal Moorish traces; tiny Monsaraz rules from its mountaintop perch. Along the coast, sparkling white fishing villages are trimmed in yellow and blue, reflecting the hues of the sun and sea.
 Our one-of-a-kind accommodations include the 15th-century Moorish castle of Alvito, a gracious country quinta, and an elegant pousada overlooking the cliffs of Sagres. The cuisine along the way offers the best of both the heartland and the coast, with specialties such as açorda à Alentejana, a rich garlic and cilantro-infused soup; ensopado de Borrego, a traditional lamb stew; and arroz de mariscos, a rice dish brimming with seafood delicacies. No Portuguese repast is complete without vinho, and the Alentejo region has been gaining international recognition for its vintages-perfect for toasting both serras and sea.
Portugal Bicycle Tours
Serras & Sea Itinerary
 Day 1: Morning transfer from Lisbon Airport to Marvão, a medieval mountain village perched high above the Spanish border. Our warm-up ride begins with a three-mile descent to Castelo de Vide; return through picturesque olive groves and dramatic granite outcroppings. (9 or 20 mi.)
Day 2: Pedal through rolling hills of oak and chestnut forest in the Serra de São Mamede Nature Park. Brake for panoramic castle views in tiny Alegrete, a toy museum in medieval Arronches, and the quadruple-tiered Aqueducto de Amoreira. The long option crosses the border into Spain. Our historic inn is built into the walls of the Old Quarter of Elvas. (50 or 60 mi.)
 Day 3: A four-castle day! A ridgetop ride leads to Vila Viçosa for a tour of the impressive Palace of Bragança. Continue past the region's famed vineyards, marble quarries, and the castle of Terena, with a longer option to the pottery center of São Pedro do Corval. Olive groves and cactus line our ascent to Monsaraz, a walled village also known as "Ninho das Aguias" ("Eagles' Nest") for its dramatic location. (55 or 63 mi.)
Day 4: Cross the new Alqueva Reservoir, the largest in Europe, en route to the embattled castle ruins of Mourão and winding Moorish streets in Moura. After dinner, a local chorus of farmers will entertain us with harvest songs dating from the Middle Ages! Overnight at the Castelo do Alvito. (68 mi.)
Day 5: Rolling plains of cork and olive groves give way to coastal pines as we approach the Atlantic. A final climb over the Serra da Grandola leads to our first glimpse of the sea and a celebratory ocean dip. Bask in the country ambiance of the Pousada Quinta da Ortiga in Santiago do Cacém, with an optional night out in nearby Sines. (57 or 71 mi.)
Day 6: Free morning to relax at the pousada or visit the Roman ruins of Miróbriga. Afternoon coastal ride reveals ever-changing Atlantic views: the pretty village of Porto Covo, dramatic strata formations at Cabo Sardão, and the beach dunes of Almograve and Zambujeira do Mar. (56 mi.)
 Day 7: Coast to the land's end at Cabo de São Vincente, where Prince Henry founded his 15th-century navigational school. Additional options loop to high cliffs at Ponta da Atalaia, or an extreme add-on across the Serra de Monchique! Two-night stay at the Pousada do Infante in Sagres, where every room has a balcony with an ocean view. (54, 66, or 100 mi.)
Day 8: Free day for sightseeing, shopping, or a boat trip through the sea grottoes. An optional ride via Salema loops to the historic city of Lagos and its beaches. Farewell dinner celebration. (0, 23, 31, or 54 mi.)
Day 9: Van transfer to Lisbon Airport for early afternoon flights.
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