Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride

Lucky that we had a late Oct ride with 25 C temperatures. Great guides and well-working bikes. The mostly flat terrain was pleasant and interesting. The meals were excellent, like a gastronomic tour!
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The really steep hill to the Obidos castle on the last day.
What did you think of your group leader?
J.P. was organised, kind, thoughtful and considerate of all guests. A little more historical/cultural information would have been nice.
There are a couple of high bridges that persons with height issues (me) may want to get a van ride across.
The hotels were fine and the many Atlantic beaches were interesting. Lots of stops for excellent coffee!

Who could ever have imagined just how fantastic a week long experience cycling (plus laughing, drinking,eating, talking and laughing a bit more) from Porto towards Lisbon would turn out as a new group assembled , on time (in house story), in Porto on Saturday September 22. For me - well I had one of the great experiences of my life and I could say the same for my wife , Ali. There was a sense of apprehension at the initial meeting but most of that pretty quickly dissolved as we went on our tour of Porto (on foot) and then to our first dinner. We quickly realised we had a great team - and to make a great team we had to have great leadership. That we did in Jaoa ( Zoom Zoom) and Oscar - absolutely brilliant and more on them later. The tour was everything ("more or less" - there is a story there) we could have hoped for - scenic even breath-taking at times, a huge variety of different landscapes from coast to farmland to colourful villages and picturesque lakes and seaside towns, mainly very good surfaces but nothing un-expected, great accommodation, great camaraderie and ultimately friendships and very good equipment. The tour was, as advised, mainly flat with a couple of good challenging short hills which did take a good bit of energy. If you have reasonable fitness (e-bikes are always available if you want) and enjoy the benefits of good exercise, connecting with new acquaintances and being blown away with scenery this is a "bucket-list" trip for you. And, to finish in the castled town of Obidos (yes, with a bit of final climb - 200-300 metres - "more or less eh Jaoa") was a wonderful experience as was the time to enjoy that fantastic city of Lisbon when we arrived there by bus for our final day. We will never forget our week long cycling experience on Portugal for all the very best reasons!
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Impossible to mention just one. Everyday was inspirational! From getting back onto the bike each morning, to eating the best Portuguese tarts, breath-taking views, finishing "the road to hell" - not that bad really - just 15km of straight road at the end of the day, the first Super Bock of the day and the evening dinner - there was something to savour all the time. For me there were 3 key inspirational features. We had great weather throughout so that helped but also helped enjoy some spectacular views. None more so than ascending the short,steep hill before Figueira da Foz and the beautiful views across and city and coastline far below. There was inspiration everyday in the form of our tour leaders who tended to our every need at any time and always wore great smiles. There was inspiration in the way the team bonded together-16 people from 4 different countries and one more little one for me - the wonderful way the whole team gave me a birthday i will never forget!
What did you think of your group leader?
Jaoa ( Zoom Zoom) and Oscar were/are the very best. Capable, experienced, gracious, on top of everything ,hospitable, caring and understanding. Hard to get all the right words to describe all attributes. These guys were at the core of why our tour was so good. We may not have been the fastest group but we never missed an opportunity to enjoy every possible experience and our leaders allowed that to happen. Always in control - they are the epitome of what great tour guides should be - and always with a smile!!
Spend a little time on a bike before you arrive in Porto for training - just helps you to enjoy the tour a bit more. It is not that it is difficult - it is just getting back on the saddle 5 days in a row!! Hopefully you can get a group like ours and hopefully you can have Jaoa and Oscar as leaders
I'd do it again. Hi to all the team of the September 22 2019 tour.

We had an excellent cycling holiday with great leaders and a very sociable group of fellow travellers.
Our favourite aspects of the trip were: • Good cycling with relaxing stops at many cafes to enjoy coffee and pasteis de nata • Comfortable hotels • Great choice of restaurants with excellent fish • Very friendly locals wherever we went • Spectacular coastline, especially the huge waves at Nazaré • Great weather (if maybe a little too hot!)
Our guide was João (JP) and assistant guide was Oscar. We can’t compliment them highly enough for the tireless work that they put in to make sure everyone had a great time. They coped with all adversities thrown at them, including making sure everyone stayed hydrated in very hot weather, rescuing people with punctures, coping with a broken down ferry, travellers who couldn’t decide what they wanted to do (!), all with smiles on their faces.
We really enjoyed having an extra night in Porto, which allowed us to see more of the city. Don’t underestimate the undulations, there are some!