Portugal - Castles and History

We pick you up at the airport in Málaga and bring you to the tour hotel. 

If you are already accommodated on site, or your flight arrives early enough (in the morning before 11:00 am), you can remove this overnight stay from the included services during the booking process.

• Accommodation: Tourhotel Málaga

The first stage of your motorbike tour takes you through the mountains of Andalusia. You start this tour on a spectacular mountain road towards Ronda - welcome to the motorcycling paradise of Andalusia - and you continue on a winding ride through the almost untouched nature of Sierra Grazalema. Through the lowlands of the Guadalquivir, passing Seville in the distance, you reach Sierra Aracena, where your destination for the day lies.

• Destination: Aracena
• Distance / duration: 320 km / 6 h
• Highlights: Serrenía de Ronda, Sierra Grazalema

You leave Aracena and pass through a magical cork oak forest with wonderful views of several White Villages along the way. Discover the impressive mines of Tharsis, where precious ores have been mined since biblical times. The imposing craters bear witness to the industrious work of the Phoenicians, Romans and all subsequent cultures. 

Near Mertola, with its well-preserved city walls and castle, you cross the Guadiana River and the border to Portugal. Along very entertaining roads, spiced with magnificent views, you pass mighty windmills and enter the green forests of Sierra Monchique. 

• Destination: Monchique
• Distance / duration: 280 km / 6 h
• Highlights: Tharsis, Mertola, Guadiana Valley

The route leads you away from the mountains and through cork oak forests to the Atlantic coast. Fantastic views of the vast ocean and coastline await you on the way to Lisbon. You reach Cabo de Sines and the peninsula of Troia, where you take the ferry to Setúbal. After the ferry ride only a few kilometres separate you from the Portuguese capital. But before you finally get into the hustle and bustle of Lisbon, you stop for a moment at the "Christo Rei" monument. Enjoy the magnificent view over Lisbon and the "Ponte de 25 Abril", the impressive bridge over the Tajo. Incredibly beautiful!

• Destination: Lisbon
• Distance / duration: 260 km / 5 h
• Highlight: Atlantic coast

Today you will explore the capital of Portugal and its sights. The best way to get a feel for the atmosphere of Lisbon's historic centre is to walk through the Alfama barrio. Here you will find a labyrinth of unspoilt narrow streets and winding alleys with cobblestones, old houses, former palaces, fish stalls and pubs. Of course, the seafarers' monument and the Torre de Belèm are also worth visiting, as well as the impressive Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, and and and..... It is up to you whether you explore the city on your own or with our tour guide.

• Destination: Lisbon
• Distance / duration: - km / - h
• Highlights: Tram line 28, Cathedral, Torre de Belén

Before you say goodbye to the Atlantic, visit the lighthouse at Cabo da Roca, Europe's westernmost point, and take in the view of the ocean before heading inland, towards the medieval town of Obidos. Traditional salt mining in Rio Maior, the impressive monastery of Bathala and the pilgrimage site of Fatima are further points of interest on your way to the ancient Templar city of Tomar. The Monastery of Christ of the Knights Templar - a kind of monastery castle - towers over this small city and was also the spiritual centre of the region for centuries.

• Destination: Tomar
• Distance / duration: 270 km / 5 h
• Highlights: Cabo de Roca, Obidos, Rio Maior, Bathala Monastery

A real cultural highlight of the tour is the visit to the Convent of Christ (Convento do Christo). Right after breakfast, you visit the monastery with its integrated Christ Church and enjoy this cultural gem (UNESCO World Heritage Site). But the second part of today's agenda is also a challenge: beautiful panoramic roads with exceptional grip and curves, curves, curves... Wonderful views and traditional mountain villages as well as ancient, partly abandoned settlements in the sierra give you an idea of the splendour of times long gone. Cork oak forests, oceans of blossoms and picturesque lakes decorate your path into the Serra da Estrela region.

• Destination: Serra da Estrela
• Distance / duration: 360 km / 6.5 h
• Highlights: Convento do Christo, Serra da Lousã, Serra da Estrela

You extend your stay in Serra da Estrela by one day, because there are wonderful mountain passes and panoramas in the area. At Torre summit (1993m) you are at the highest point in Portugal, the ascent is one of the most beautiful motorbike routes in Europe! 

The Vale do Zezere valley - once carved by a glacier - is another highlight in this mountain paradise. In the afternoon there is still time to relax in the hotel pool or to explore the mountain world of the Serra by foot. At the end of the day, you will be spoilt with culinary delights from the restaurant and the wine cellar.

• Destination: Serra da Estrela
• Distance / duration: 220 km / 5 h
• Highlights: Mountain panoramas of Serra da Estrela

Before you leave Serra de Estrela, you ride through beautiful roads and enjoy the view over the peaks. On the way out of the mountains, you ride past fields of grain, olive trees and old vineyards. Over the bridge of Alcantara, still the best preserved bridge from the Roman era, you are leaving Portugal. Back in Spain, you visit the once mighty fortress of Badajoz, then continue through the vineyards of Ribera del Guadiana to Zafra.

• Destination: Zafra
• Distance / duration: 360 km / 6.5 h
• Highlights: Bridge of Alcantara, Extremadura

On today's last day of riding, you can expect some great routes in Andalusia. The mountains of Sierra Morena and Móntes de Málaga provide two more motorcycling gems before you return to Málaga. During a joint farewell dinner, you will reflect on the impressions of the past week.

• Destination: Málaga
• Distance / duration: 350 km / 6.5 h
• Highlights: Sierra Morena, Montes de Málaga

If you are already accommodated locally, or your flight departs late enough (in the afternoon from 17.00), you can remove today's overnight stay from the included services during the booking process.

The luggage is packed and according to your flight time, our transfer service is ready to take you to the airport. We say goodbye and hope to see you again soon on one of our future motorbike adventures. 

Please note: We reserve the right to make small changes to the tour schedule.