PORTO (MIRAMAR-PORTO) 15.03.23

A perfect ride for exploring Porto's beautiful west-southern coast and part of its Old Town. You start close to the once lovely seaside village of Miramar with its emblematic Senhor da Pedra baroque chapel built on a rock on the beach. You make a short visit south to Aguda and its beach before heading north, mainly on a cycle lane along the coast which turns east along the beautiful estuary until you reach the marina and the Afurada village.

It then proceeds on an easy-going road until you reach the famous Ribeira de Gaia on the southern shore of the Douro River where the famous Port Wine cellars were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. You then cross over to Porto through the lower platform of the monumental late 19th century Luiz I iron bridge. Once on the northern shore, take the tunnel on the left. Turn right immediately when you get out of the tunnel and follow the narrow Mercadores Street to the top of the Cathedral's Hill. There you will find the proud 12-13th century Cathedral competing with the colossal Bishops Palace form the 18th century. This hill is the oldest part of Porto's Historical Center (World Heritage Site since 2001) from where the name Portugal was shaped through the combination of Portus (harbor) and Cale (The Roman city).

From here you head east leaving the Old Town behind, take the Infante bridge while admiring the superb view, and cross over again to the Gaia. From there you go down using the small road on the right until you reach the D. Maria Pia railroad iron bridge built by Gustave Eiffel in 1877 and his masterwork by then. After admiring this colossal piece of engineering, you ride back west up the hill until you reach the Jardim do Morro and again the Luiz I bridge, but this time the upper platform which can be crossed. The views from here are just astounding and, if you like, you can even venture a little higher up to the Serra do Pilar monastery.

From here take the Republic Avenue for a little bit, turn right, and then head generally west. After a while you will find yourself on the southern shore again. Time to go back along the same trail with a deviation.