Motorcycle Dream Portugal CPS2602
All guests from the United States have arrived at the starting hotel, the “Marriott” in Lisbon. Let the adventure begin! Angela & Patrick, Ben & Candice, Paul, Michael, Mayer, Dave & Michele, Pierre Yves, and Bev & Lee have already gotten to know each other better and chatted over a welcome drink. We’ll start with the welcome briefing and give an overview of the next 12 days—introducing the tour and highlighting the “highlights” of this diverse Portugal tour.
Finally! The day has arrived. Today we're starting our motorcycles for our dream trip through Portugal. We're all very excited. Since it's a public holiday today, we're lucky enough to avoid the traffic around Lisbon. Our first stop is the westernmost point of Europe, Cabo da Roca. It's windy, and the cliffs are showing their rugged side. We continue north and, of course, stop at Portugal's most important Baroque monument, the Palácio de Mafra. We find a special spot on Sande Cruz beach. It's so beautiful here, let's have lunch.They have fresh fish here. Then we continue on to our destination, passing through the tiniest villages. You can't take a wrong turn here. Crossing a really big causeway, we see Nazaré in the distance, famous among surfers. The waves here can reach up to 30 meters high. We only have one large ice cream for dessert. The first day was fantastic, so let's look forward to what the future holds. See you tomorrow! Tom and Michaela
Today we’re in for a varied route that perfectly combines the coast, culture, and winding roads, and we’ll soon reach today’s highlight: Fátima. It’s a small town, but one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Catholic Christians in the world. We leave Fátima heading north on the N113 toward Ourém/Tomar via the scenic N1 / IC2, which takes us through rolling hills. Despite road closures and detours, we find a charming restaurant called “Grelha 3”—the food is fantastic and the hosts are so friendly!!! Refreshed, we cruise further north—on our way, we stumble upon a bike race—we’re amazed by the cyclists’ speed—it’s insane!!! Ambitiously, we climb today’s highest point at 1,200 meters, passing through the town of “CANDAL” via countless curves—it’s a true motorcyclist’s dream. We reach Coimbra during rush hour: Despite adverse traffic conditions, the group stays together (Great job!!! – THANK YOU) and we arrive at our fantastic hotel: “Vila Galé Coimbra” Thank you very much for an intense and safe day of motorcycling – TOM
Today begins with a tragic love story. We leave Coimbra and drive to Portugal's oldest castle, Montemor-o-Velho, where Afonso IV had his lover Inês de Castro and his sons killed in 1355. After the tragedy, we move towards a fairytale setting: The Palacio de Bucaco enchants us with its elegance and beautiful garden. You can stop here for a coffee. Our journey continues through eucalyptus forests. It looks impressive and smells wonderful. Our tour guides are sometimes real storytellers. Something like, "There might not be lunch because nothing is open in this remote area." ;-) But we have a plan, and once again it works out perfectly. I (Michaela) know exactly where I need to go so that Thomas can surprise us with a fantastic picnic in a truly beautiful spot. Refreshed, we set off, because we don't want to arrive in Porto too late. During our coffee break on the way, we were entertained with live music. And indeed, the drive to the hotel through Porto wasn't so bad at all. Everyone was attentive and a great team; no one got lost. We had a fantastic evening in a Portuguese restaurant.
Today is our day off. And our lovely guests are taking that literally. Today the motorcycles are parked. Everyone is doing what they want. Some are sleeping in, others are exploring Porto early, and still others are taking a boat trip on the Douro River. But everyone is happy. We tour guides are checking on the motorcycles. We'll have more to tell you tomorrow.
We continue our journey and today reach the northernmost point of Portugal. Afterwards, our route takes us south again. But first, we want to get out of Porto and the surrounding area as quickly as possible. Our first stop today is Bom Jesus do Monte. But we're not just going there; no, we're taking the steep cable car from 1838 – spectacular! This sanctuary is predominantly Baroque and was built over a period of 600 years. And today it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you like, you can also have a coffee. Afterwards, we drive to Portugal's only national park, the Peneda-Gerês National Park. It covers 703 square kilometers.It's a dream to drive here. We make a short detour into Spain via the Portela do Homen pass, albeit only to refuel. Beautiful roads with stunning scenery accompany us to our destination. We cross the Miño River twice, which also forms the border for over 70 km. We were welcomed by a very nice hotel and the dinner was exceptional.
Today we’re treating our biker souls to a spa day. As we set off from the Hotel Monte Prado Minho, it’s still a bit chilly and the sky is overcast. During our morning coffee stop at the Ghost of Castro Laboreiro, we’re still fully in “cornering mode.” We mingle with the ghosts and mentally prepare ourselves for the cornering paradise that awaits. We cross a dam, and the monoliths of the Foxo de Lobo dolmen appear at the end of the road… Wow! Portugal has so much to offer. Millennia-old stone chambers framed by untouched nature bear witness to the rich culture of this region. Michaela surprises us at noon at the best “restaurant in Portugal” and treats us to a fabulous picnic. Gratefully, we hit the N103—it gets every motorcyclist’s heart pumping with adrenaline. Hills, forests, and meadows form a unique backdrop, a stage set for the asphalt worm. We need a short break, and the charming café in Vinhals comes just at the right moment. We set off again—the N103 is a real treat for riders. With broad grins and our minds overflowing with impressions, we arrive at our hotel in Branganca. This amazing day is then crowned by a fantastic dinner—THANK YOU!!!
Our day started in the far north of Portugal with a truly spectacular sunrise. We started our engines and headed towards the easternmost city in the country. Our coffee stop in Miranda do Douro was fantastic. Next, we went to the filming location of "Fast and the Furious." Before continuing our journey, we visited the Douro Natural Park, home to many endangered species. We even saw stork hotels! ;-) We then made good time across the Iberian Plateau to Salamanca in Spain. We wanted to see the "Golden City," which is built entirely of sandstone. Salamca was founded in antiquity and is home to the oldest university in Europe. And the cathedral was designed in the 1990s with an astronaut in the artwork. Our day was truly diverse, and we experienced a great deal.
We leave the hotel in Salamanca at a leisurely pace. After leaving the plains behind, we reach the half-timbered village of “Alberca.” Our ladies gladly accepted the offer and went into town for a little shopping spree. Shortly thereafter, we reach the highest point of the day (1,201 m above sea level). The descent from the pass, with its many switchbacks, is a real treat for drivers. A few turns later, we stop at the largest eucalyptus trees in Spain, Eucalyptus Gigantes, and take photos. The trees are huge, and you can smell the eucalyptus in the leaves. After so many turns and new impressions, we needed a bite to eat. At Casa Laur (still on the Spanish side), we are warmly welcomed. The salad was delicious. The pit stop was complete, and we continued on to the village of Sortelha—one of the oldest in Portugal—where only three people live; the remaining houses are used for tourism. The bravest of the brave climbed the castle hill and toured the well-preserved castle. After more beautiful curves with ascents and descents through the national park, we arrived at the Vila Gale Manteigas more than satisfied.
How would we best describe today? Motorcycle heaven or astronomical ;-) We'll find out. We're enjoying breakfast at our fantastic hotel nestled in the mountains. As soon as we leave the garage, we're right in the thick of it. There are curves as far as the eye can see. The weather is absolutely perfect, we're well-rested, and can't wait to get going. Our highlight of the day is just around the corner: the 1,993-meter-high Torre, the highest mountain in Portugal. We're not planning on skiing, so the lack of snow isn't a problem. We continue on, winding, on and on, right, left, right. We might get dizzy today. The Serra da Estrela lives up to its name. This region is home to many schist villages, which receive EU funding to halt their decay and keep the residents. It's getting really summery now; the thermometer will soon reach 37 degrees Celsius. ... We wanted to get to the hotel as quickly as possible to cool off in the pool. My conclusion: It was the best day ever!
Unfortunately, today is already our last day of riding, starting from the hotel: Vila Gale “Collection Alter Real,” where we’ll marvel at the Lipizzaner stud farm. We’ll explore the Portuguese countryside at our own pace. Cork oaks, olive trees, and cow pastures form a unique backdrop—a stage set for the asphalt worm. We stop for coffee in AVIS, and from there we “ride” on toward ÉVORA, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the 2027 European Capital of Culture. The city is tranquil—even the crowds of tourists in the city and at the Capela dos Ossos are kept to a minimum today—what a stroke of luck. We enjoy lunch, coffee, and ice cream before heading out onto the highway… the return trip to Lisbon takes us along the A6 highway over the Vasco da Gama Bridge , 17 km Long , to the Marriott Hotel. The atmosphere at the farewell dinner is fantastic. All the guests share their personal highlights—truly moving moments. We congratulated Mayer on his 5th Edelweiss Tour—he was thrilled with his new trophy. THANK YOU to everyone!!! Tour guides Michaela & Tom