Hiking Sintra National Park & the Cliffs of South Portugal

WHY GO?

This Easter, join us in visiting Lisbon with its vibrant culture & architecture and combining this with Portuguese capital’s near neighbours, Sintra & Cascais, considered one of the most beautiful cities in the country for good reason. With its curved mountains, dewy forests, exotic gardens and Crayola-coloured palaces, there two cities are torn straight from a storybook.

Lastly Cabo da Roca, which for a while, was considered the end of the world, and you’ll see why, as there’s nothing but water for miles ahead —it’s the westernmost point of mainland Europe. Portugal has a long coast lined with beaches, and in between them, you can find lots of cliffs jutting out into the Atlantic. Breaking waves, rocky shores and windswept cliffs, Cabo da Roca ticks all the boxes.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS?

Exploring Lisbon: The capital city of Portugal, is a city with a rich history, vibrant culture, and stunning architecture. Lisbon is home to a unique blend of architecture styles, from the medieval castles and churches to the colorful buildings covered in ceramic tiles. The iconic Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge, inspired by San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, is also a sight to behold. Since Lisbon is a hilly city, there are plenty of viewpoints to enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the city, river, and hills. Some of the popular viewpoints include Miradouro da Graça, Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, and Miradouro de Santa Luzia.

Pastel de nata: Pastel de nata is a traditional pastry from Portugal that has been enjoyed for over 200 years and was invented by the bakery Pastéis de Belém. It is a sweet pastry that has a creamy custard filling and a flaky crust. The combination of textures and flavors is simply delicious, making it a popular treat for people with a sweet tooth.


Exploring Cascais: Cascais has a long and rich history, dating back to the 12th century when it was a small fishing village. Over the centuries, it has been visited by royalty and become a popular tourist destination. Cascais is home to several stunning beaches, including Praia do Guincho, Praia da Rainha, and Praia da Conceição. These beaches are known for their clear waters and beautiful scenery.

Sintra National Park: Sintra National Park is a beautiful and diverse natural park located in the mountains near the town of Sintra in Portugal. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is famous for its stunning scenery, rich biodiversity, and cultural attractions. The park is also home to several cultural attractions, including the Moorish Castle, the Convent of the Capuchos, and the colourful Pena National Palace which is straight out of Disneyland. These historic landmarks provide a glimpse into the region's rich history and architectural heritage.

Cabo de Roca: Cabo de Roca is the westernmost point of continental Europe.The cape is characterized by its rugged cliffs and strong Atlantic winds, which have carved out unique rock formations along the coastline. Visitors can enjoy stunning views of the sea and surrounding landscape from the lighthouse on the cape. Cabo de Roca has been an important landmark for sailors and navigators for centuries. The lighthouse, which was built in the 18th century, played a crucial role in guiding ships safely through the waters of the Atlantic.

WHAT IS THE PLAN?

Day 0 (Thursday night) - Arrive in Lisbon: Meet your guide & the rest of the participants in Lisbon and then possibly look at checking out the vibrant nightlife of Lisbon.

Day 1 - Exploring Cascais: Post breakfast and checkout, we are off on a walking tour through the streets of Lisbon. This also includes a stop at the The bakery that invented Pastel de nata - Pastéis de Belém. Once we are done with exploring Lisbon with our guide, we catch a train to Cascais, where we are going to be based for the next 3 nights. After settling into hotel, we are off exploring Cascais including an afternoon walk finishing at Boca do Inferno followed by dinner and drinks organized by the guide (optional for participants to join).

Day 2 - Hiking Sintra National Park:Post breakfast, we will be hiking in Sintra National Park that incl. a visit of the Park and Palácio Nacional da Pena followed by dinner and drinks in Cascais organized by the guide.

Day 3 - Cabo da Roca (Westernmost Point of mainland Europe): Today we will be hiking Praia de Ursa beach loop from Almoçageme which will include Cabo da Roca that is continental Europes and the Eurasian landmasses westernmost point. The hike involves walking along the cliffs with amazing ocean views. Post the hike we head back to Cascais, where the guide has organizesd Dinner and drinks place for our last night in Cascais.

Day 4 - Head back to Lisbon & back home: Post checkout, we head back to Lisbon and then onward to the airport to catch our flight back home. For those catching a later evening flight after 5pm there is a possibility to go for a short hike on a vineyard trail in Cascais and then head to Lisbon onward to airport to end this amazing trip.

Note: Trains from Cascais to Lisbon go every 30 minutes.

Belem (close to/in Lisbon)

TRIP DETAILS

Start & End Date: Thu night, Mar 12 - Mon morning, Mar 16

Starting time & location: Meet at accommodation in Lisbon at 9 PM on Thursday night (exact accommodation details to be advised to confirmed participants).

Finishing time & location: Cascais train station at11 AM on Monday, Mar 16.

Note: You can leave arrive early / late on Thu, 12 Mar or leave early as well on Mon, 16 Mar.

Hiking Distance:

• Day 1: <5km - Exploring Lisbon
• Day 2: 16 km - Exploring Cascai & Hiking in Sintra National Park
• Day 3:15 km - Hiking to Cabo da Roca
• Day 4: <5km - Heading back to Lisbon and then off to the airport.

Hiking Difficulty: Intermediate – hiking at relaxed pace on well-marked paths, moderate/low elevation, no experience required.

What is included ?

• Community Guide & leader for the entire trip (Guide speak English & German). Note: English is the main language spoken on this trip.
• Shared accommodation for 4 nights (mix of double, twin - share, quadruple).
• All transportation from the meeting location in Lisbon to the finishing location in Lisbon.
• Organizing breakfast & dinner places (payment to be made by participants)
• Guided tour of Lisbon by a local guide.
• Guided tour of Cascais
• Guided hike in Sintra National Park
• Guided hike in the cliffs of South Portugal
• Entry to palace in Sintra National Park
• A ccess to a google photos album dedicated to this trip, where you can share all your amazing pics & videos.

Other Things of Note:

• Accommodation: Single, Twin share / Double rooms are provided at an extra cost and can be bought directly.

To go through our amazing reviews by participants, please click on the links below:

• Google Reviews
• Facebook reviews

• WhatsApp Group: In the ticket confirmation page, you will find a link to a whatsapp group dedicated to this event. This group is where you can connect with trip mates, coordinate arrival options & stay in touch.
• Trip Briefing: You will find a link in the whatsapp group description to a detailed trip briefing document providing details on what to expect, how to prepare etc.
• Google Photos Album: You will find a link in the whatsapp group description to the shared google photos album where you can upload & view all shared photos & videos from the trip.

• WHATSAPP (fastest): Reach out to us directly by clicking here.
• EMAIL: Reach out to us by clicking on "Contact the event organizer" option below.
• FACEBOOK: Message our facebook page @urbanaturetravel
• INSTAGRAM: Message our Instagram page @urbanaturetravel

• Free cancellation up to 14 full days before the start of the trip. After that, cancel up to 5 days before the trip to get a 50% refund.
• If the event is cancelled on our end, you will get a full refund.
• Please note that the program, as well as the venue is subject to change due to extreme weather conditions, as well as to the characteristics and size of the group.
• Urbanature Travel (UNT) needs a minimum of 5 participants for this trip to take place, else we may cancel this trip.
• UNT reserves the right to cancel the trip, modify the route, change the accommodation or re-schedule hikes and without prior notice.
• UNT is not responsible for any loss, theft, damage or personal injury that occurs during the trip.

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