Bikepacking across the Portuguese mountains

We enjoyed this stunning three-day bikepacking trip across the Portuguese mountain chain Serra da Estrela to reach the highest peak at 1,993 meters, fuelled by tosta mistas.

Our route included quite a few road sections to make the steep climbs easier and to be able to make it on time to catch the bus to Covilhã. However, on day two there was a great long gravel section that also included some hike-a-bike because of the steep, technical climbs.

One thing is for sure, Portugal has some steep and punchy climbs and beautiful mountain roads! But after these long climbs you get to enjoy the speedy and fun descents that make you forget all the pain.

There were quite a few water fountains on the way so we could refill our water bottles easily. We drank the water directly from the fountains and didn't have any problems with it. For food we had to plan a little ahead since there were longer stretches without restaurants and especially grocery stores. We stocked up in Lousã and Góis with groceries and ate at restaurants in Lousã, Góis, Piódão and Serra da Estrela.

For camping we learnt that later in the fall it's better to sleep higher up in the mountains because there's less humidity there, which makes the night warmer. We didn't have a tent with us: only a tarp, sleeping bag and a mattress.

We took a bus to Coimbra, and then cycled to Serra da Estrela and down to Covilhã where we caught a bus back to Lisbon. Traveling with a bike in Portuguese buses required a lot of negotiation and hassle with the bus drivers even though we had bought a bike ticket. However, we were eventually able to get the bikes on buses without packing them.