Madrid-Lisbon MTB

An incredible route trough the central mountains of Spain and Portugal! Spectacular trails, beautiful mountain scenary, historic villages and castles.
Crossing from Madrid, the capital city of Spain, to Lisbon, capital of Portugal in 15 days, finishing in Roca Cape - the western point of Europe! 1200 km of off-road across forest tracks, gravel roads and steep single tracks over the highest slopes across the Iberian Peninsula until reaching the sea side, with nice cliffs over the Atlantic Ocean.
Always riding across very isolated and peaceful landscape, this is a spectacular MTBike traverse like no other in Europe!

Tour difficulty: Challenging

Day 1: Arriving to Madrid. Arrive to Madrid, transfer to the Hotel. Time to prepare your bike and equipment. Briefing and dinner.

Day 2: Bike Madrid to Miraflores (63 km, 1400 mH+).

Start at the center of Madrid, in Plaza del Sol, aside the km 0 landmark where all the roads leave from Madrid. Following some pedestrian streets and some parks (as the Parque del Retiro), the route goes north passing the Real Madrid stadium “Santiago Barnabéu”, and only after a few km and an hour ride begins the dirt roads and single tracks joining the Santiago Way. Cycling trough beautiful golden fields away from the stress from the big city, the goal is to reach the Miraflores at 1100 m of altitude in the Guadarrama Mountain.

Day 3: Miraflores to Cercedilla (64 km, 1850 mH+).

Leaving from Miraflores de la Sierra near the Guadalix River starts a nice uphill forest track between pines and oak trees. This day is marked by high mountain scenarios with strong possibilities of encountering horses, cattle and wild life. With nice sinuous single tracks between small waterfalls and greenish hoods, long uphill sections and fun descents, this is a day to remember. The finish of a beautiful day in the mountains occurs with a long downhill (for the last 10 km of the stage) to finish in Cercedilla and with an impressive 1850 m overall ascent.

Day 4: Cercedilla to Ávila (91 km, 1800 mH+).

In the third day of the traverse there is a 91 km stage beginning in Cercedilla this is a day of high altitude plains, forest tracks and some interesting cultural sites in the way, such as Cruz dos Caidos, El Escorial and Collado de la Mina and cycling a long ridge trough a windmill park. To finish this long day, there is a hidden treasure, with this perfect single track to the end in Ávila, one of the most interesting cultural cities along the route.

Day 5: Avila to Barco D'Ávila (116 km, 2150 mH+).

Leaving from the medieval city of Ávila, descending by the streets along the wall the direction is west, entering a forest track along a sinuous creek. This is another day cycling on high mountain tracks and it's even the day with the highest passage through Zapatero Mountain at 1822 m at Gredos Massif. The beauty of the landscapes and the innumerous km done alongside the Tormes River, with its Roman bridges, helps forget that this is a long day. After a hard 118 km and 2150 m ascent the route reaches Barco d'Ávila, a historical villa within this mountain range.

Day 6: Barco to Sotoserrano (83 km, 1750 mH+).

For the fifth day of this adventure there is a difficulty, the Béjar Mountain. This is a day with difficult climbs, hard tracks, and lots of single-tracks that result in a slow progress but always full of emotions. There are also the oak forests and the picturesque Candelário Villa. With good single tracks and after 83 km finally reaching Sotoserrano, to a resting end of the day!

Day 7: Sotoserrano to Pinofranqueado (82 km, 1650 mH+).

This is a day where the terrain is softer, and a good way to recover from the last hard stage. The mountains get lower and the terrain is now more schist. This is the kingdom of Oak and Pine with nice forest tracks to cycle and the possibility of enjoying the landscapes of Las Hurdes, cruising through another 82 km and 1650 m ascent, to finish in Pinofranqueado.

Day 8: Pinofranqueado to V. Fresno (85 km, 2000 mH+).

On the seventh day of the expedition, and with almost half of the traverse completed it's time to enjoy cruising through small villages, which seems to be stuck in the Middle Ages, still with lots of the old ways of living. The Serra da Gata offers nice tracks and astonishing photo opportunities during a nice day's ride. The finish of the stage is in V. Fresno after 2000 m ascent and 85 km run.

Day 9: V. Fresno to Sabugal (56 km, 1550 mH+).

Half of the route is done! This is the shortest day, good to recover for the next 7 stages. Up again on the mountain and cross the border between Portugal and Spain at almost 1000 m on the mountain of Malcata. The goal is to cross this isolated and wild mountain region to reach the first typical villages in Portugal. Through a forest of pines and oaks and over a lake finally reaching the city of Sabugal.

Day 10: Sabugal to Manteigas (85 km, 2200 mH+).

Beautiful day through a region full of Portugal most Historical Villages. Discover Sortelha, an amazing medieval village of granite with an impressive castle! Medieval stone roads and single tracks in valleys between villages will delight cyclists. Entry to the higher mountains of Portugal through beautiful forests and arriving in the picturesque village of Manteigas lying on a glacial valley! This is a great stage!

Day 11: Manteigas to Piodão (67 km, 2250 mH+).

Mountain landscapes of great beauty. This day is also the highest in Portugal passing the 1600 m near a lagoon on the highest Mountain of Portugal - Serra da Estrela, a handsome and impressive granite massif with forests, mountain meadows and mountain typical villages! Stage ends at the most beautiful schist village of Portugal - Piodão! Unbelievable valley with small houses stuck in its hill side.

Day 12: Piodão to Castanheira Pêra (78 km, 2500 mH+).

This day goes through the central schist mountains system of Portugal. The route follows through rounded ridges near to 1000 m. It is a day of great scenery and long windmill park crossings. This is the last day above 1000 m. End of stage with an incredible downhill track of 700 m to the quiet village of Castanheira de Pera.

Day 13: Castanheira Pêra to Tomar (89 km, 2450 mH+).

An incredible day and a great variety of landscapes! This is all about mountain scenery, typical villages and a magnificent trail through the Alge canyon. Impressive waterfall and super fun single tracks along the river, the delight of any cyclist. Then, the scenery changes radically as you enter in a hilly region of karst landscape that will dominate the next stages with its olive groves and holm oak! You are in the limestone stone kingdom.

Day 14: Tomar to Rio Maior (92 km, 1800 mH+). Starting at Tomar (town of the Templars), for a day of limestone hills. A day spent entirely in the stone kingdom! The paths are flanked by stone walls built over hundreds of years, unique and impressive scenery. At the end of the day up to the last ridge of these mountainous terrains and look for the first time to the Atlantic Coast!

Day 15: Rio Maior to Torres Vedras (66 km, 1700 mH+). In the beginning of this stage, the main scenario is the crossing trough some Eucalyptus forests. This is also the final crossing of karst landscape of the journey, through a beautiful path on Montejunto sierra by the hillside with superb views over the plains. Single tracks on ridges full of typical windmills and on rivers trough a lush Mediterranean vegetation!

Day 16: Torres Vedras to Cascais (77 km, 1700 mH+).

Finally on the last day of this epic journey we arrive at the sea! For those who were able to ride for 14 days through the mountains of Iberian Peninsula this is a great day! Roads and paths over the sea, single-tracks, trails on the cliffs and beaches make this a unique and different day on this long journey. Finally the arrival to Roca Cape, the western point of Europe! Celebration and transfer or ride to Hotel in Cascais

Day 17: Cascais-Lisbon. Optional day riding on road by the sea from Cascais to Lisbon (2h riding). Transfer and farewell at Lisbon airport.

Price Includes:
- 15 days MTBiking Guided tour.
- Transfers from Madrid Airport to Hotel on day 0.
- Transfers to Lisbon Airport on day 16.
- Support packaging your bike for transportation.
- Accommodations (16 nights BB).
- 15 nourishing and energetic picnics.
- 15 Dinners special for MTBikers.
- Daily fruit, energy-bars and water.
- Luggage transport Hotel to Hotel.
- Liability and personal accident insurance.
- Techno-Mechanical Assistance.
- Spare Bike (just in case…).
- Backup Vehicle.

Lodging:
- 4 nights Hotel 4*.
- 7 nights Hotel 3*.
- 4 nights Rural Hotel.
- 1 night Hotel 2*.

Madrid, Spain