Beaches, Beaches and More Beaches

Distance

200 Km's

Driving time

5 Hours

3.5/5

Routes

5/5

Landscapes

4/5

History and culture

Overview

Even though 200 km may not seem like a long way, we are still looking at a full day of riding. The roads are not the most winding, they are rather straight, but the spectacular views and breathtaking panoramas are what make Beaches, Beaches and More Beaches so unique. The Atlantic Road, as its name suggests, runs along the coast and grants access to dozens of beaches, each more different and memorable than the next. Seize this opportunity to take some amazing pictures and make your friends and fellow motorcyclists wish they had joined in on this once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Itinerary

1.

The first destination is Praia Velha (Old Beach). Our first coffee stop of the day awaits us at the Old Beach Bar, a superb café/restaurant located directly on a hidden beach. This is one of our favorite spots. The main national road would be the quickest way to get there (30 minutes), but we will rather take country roads, allowing us to ride through small typical villages and secondary roads, in order to fully enjoy our bikes and the scenery.

We will then swing by Paredes da Vitória, a stunning beach attended by several athletes (surfing, bodyboarding, beach volleyball). At the northern end of the beach is a huge rock formation called Castelo (castle), also know as leão (lion), as it resembles the king of the jungle lying on the sand.

2.

Taking the Estrada Atlântica we will cross the Pinhal de Leiria to get to Nazaré, where you can count on a few stops to appreciate the different viewpoints of this beach, which has become one of the most popular in Portugal. (Possibility to visit the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo).

Did you know that Praia do Norte (Nazaré) is where the biggest waves in the world are surfed? Since 2011, several Guinness records have been registered there. Waves over 80 feet (25 meters) occur between the months of October and March.

3.

Photo stops at Praia do Salgado and Praia da Gralha as we continue to São Martinho Do Porto. This beach is very popular with families because of its semi-circular bay of about 700 meters in radius, which has the effect of breaking the waves of the Atlantic and offers much calmer water for children.
Let your guide take you to three (3) sites that will allow you to appreciate this bay from completely different angles.

4.

Next stop is Praia Da Foz Do Arelho, a magical place where the Óbidos Lagoon and the sea meet, making it a sought-after place for windsurfing and kitesurfing. It is also a very popular spot for motorcyclists, especially at the end of a day of riding.

5.

To continue down on the coast, we will have to circle around the Óbidos Lagoon. Back on the coast, a stop at Praia de Rei Cortiço, a well-kept secret. This small, almost private beach is where people come to get away from the tourists crowded beaches. We then pass through the Praia D’el Rey area where golf courses, luxury hotels and entire villages of prestigious houses are the norm. Something to make you dream a little.

6.

Our last destination of the day is Baleal, a peninsula located north of Peniche and separated from the mainland by a beach of fine white sand. In the past, this small island played an important role in the whaling industry that was practiced there, hence the name
(whale = baleia in Portuguese).

Because of their prime peninsular location, Baleal and Peniche offer unique conditions in Europe for the practice of surfing and bodyboarding. You will find many camps and surf schools there.