PORTUGAL - The Ancient Quarters of Lisbon and Monsanto Park
We start our tour in Alcântara/Belém where everything reminds us of that glorious period of our History that is the Discovery Journeys in the 15th and 16th centuries. Let us point out Jerónimos Monastery whose construction began in the 16th century and it is the ex-libris of the Manueline style, an exclusive Portuguese style; it was built with the money originated from the commerce of species that came from the New World.
Belém Tower (16th century) commemorates Vasco da Gama’s maritime journey to India and it links the defensive purpose (in the past it was completely surrounded by water) with the decorative effect. Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Stone monument to the Discoveries) is a monument exalting the people of the Discoveries; it was designed for the Portuguese World Exhibition in 1940 and only later did it get this definitive form in stone as we see it today; it is 52 metres high and from the top you get a wonderful view over the river and the city.
Belém National Palace was built in the 18th century and today is the official residence of the Portuguese President; it has a wonderful tropical garden.
We ride to S. Bento Palace, where the Portuguese members of parliament work and talk.
Then, we start climbing to get to Estrela and admire its basilica. Riding up and down we can see a mixture of the modern and the old city until we get to the highest point of this tour: Edward VII Park. It was inaugurated in 1903 when the British King visited Portugal; it is one of the gardens of Lisbon and offers a perspective of the city and the river.
After the modern and large Av. Liberdade we ride into Bairro Alto, one of the ancient quarters of Lisbon. Notice the narrow and winding roads and the small old houses. Then we will see Carmo Convent which was built in the 14th century. It was a majestic gothic construction which was partially destroyed in the earthquake in 1755. We continue riding down and we get to Rossio. Here is the beginning of Baixa Pombalina. The earthquake in 1755 destroyed this part of the city and gave Marquês de Pombal the opportunity to have a new and modern city rebuilt; parallel and large streets contrasting with the narrow and winding streets of the ancient quarters.
We will ride up again to get to S. Jorge Castle. This is from Roman origin and was rebuilt by the Arabs in the 10th century. It was conquered by D. Afonso Henriques (the first king of Portugal) in the 12th century. It was severely damaged by the earthquake in 1755 and it was rebuilt in the 20th century. It is a spectacular belvedere offering an exquisite view of the city and the river.
We continue through the typical and ancient quarters of Lisbon – Graça, Alfama, Bica – first we go up and admire the view from the belvedere, then we go down sometimes riding down flights of stairs and enjoy the adrenaline.
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| Group Sizes |
4 to 7 people
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| Durations |
1 day
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| Required Skill Level |
Intermediate
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| Required Equipment |
Included
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| Targeted Activities |
Cycling, Mountain Biking |
| Our Certificatons |
- We have been operating for 10 years.
- BTTour/PortugalBike is a company licensed by Direcção-Geral do Turismo (D.G.T. – the Portuguese governmental entity that rules these activities).
- We have Post-graduate studies on Adventure Tourism Planning and Management |
Group Types |
Private |
Groups |
Kids/Youth |
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Elderly |
Workshops/Seminars |
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Mountain Biking Skills & Disciplines |
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Road Cycling |
Urban Terrain |
Lap Racing |
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Offroad Biking |
Cross-country |
Hill Climb |
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Downhill |
FreeStyle |
Dirt Jumping |
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| Mountain Biking | Contact wild nature and the heritage in our Natural Parks!
PortugalBike offers you a First-Class Adventure!
Duration: 1 day
Distance: 45km (28mi)
Technical Difficulty: 3 (1~5)
Physical Difficulty: 3 (1~5)
Overal Dificulty: 3 (1~5)
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| Meals |
Not Applicable
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| Local Transport |
Included
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| Insurance |
Included
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| Additional |
WHAT DOES THE PRICE OF PORTUGALBIKE GUIDED TOURS INCLUDE?
- PortugalBike Tour with a Guide
- Car connections
- Permanent Backup Vehicle
- 27-speed MTB bicycle with disc brakes and front Suspension (GT Avalanche 1.0 Disc)
- Helmet (Bell) and Backpack
- Nourishing and energetic picnic
- Personal Accident Insurance and Liability Insurance
- Mechanical assistance and first-aid assistance |
| Nearby Attractions |
- You can visit interesting historical places, such a castle, palaces and monuments.
- You can enjoy the single-tracks in the forest of Monsanto Park. |
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Basics & Backgrounds
in Dutch
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