Cycling Bordeaux → Porto → Lisbon along the Atlantic coast – what should I absolutely not miss?
Hey everyone!
My girlfriend and I are planning a road bike(packing) trip starting in Bordeaux and heading south along the Atlantic coast, with Porto as our minimum destination. Depending on how we’re feeling, we might continue further south towards Lisbon.
We don’t just want to get from A to B as quickly as possible. A big part of the trip for us is actually seeing the coast and discovering beautiful places along the way.
So I’d love to hear recommendations from people who know the French, Spanish or Portuguese Atlantic coast well:
What are some places we absolutely shouldn’t miss?
Any particularly beautiful beaches, coastal roads, viewpoints or small towns?
Are there places that are worth making a detour?
Any sections of the coast that are especially beautiful to ride on a road bike?
On the other hand, are there sections you’d recommend skipping or avoiding because of traffic, bad roads, or simply because there’s a much nicer alternative nearby?
The rough idea is:
Bordeaux → French Atlantic coast → northern Spain → Galicia → Portuguese coast → Porto → potentially Lisbon
If you’ve ridden parts of this route before, I’d also love to hear which sections were your favourites.
Thanks! <3