Hiking Sintra National Park & the cliffs of South Portugal

Lisbon

WHY GO?

This autumn, 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.

Cabo de Roca

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 - Hiking Sintra National Park: Post breakfast and check out, we head off to Sintra where we will be hiking in Sintra National Park that incl. a visit of the Park and Palácio Nacional da Pena and post that we head to Cascais where we will be staying for the next 2 nights.

Day 2 - 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 organized dinner and drinks place for our last night in Cascais.

Day 3 (Sunday) - Exploring Cascais: Post breakfast & checkout, we are off exploring Cascais with our morning walk ending at Boca do Inferno followed by spending some time at one of the beaches and then heading to Lisbon later in the afternoon. Once in Lisbon, participants (late afternoon) can join for an optional tour through the street of lisbon organized by the guide (optional for participants to join).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 your guide, we can get something to eat and possibly (optional) also watch a live Fado perforance over dinner.

Day 4 - Head back home: Post checkout, we head to the airport to catch our flight back home. For those catching a later evening flight, you use the day to further explore Lisbon before heading to the airport.

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

Belem (close to/in Lisbon)

TRIP DETAILS

Start & End Date:

• Option A: Thursday night, 24 Oct - Sunday, 27 Oct
• Option B: Thursday night, 24 Oct - Monday morning, 28 Oct
• Option C: Linking up with Azores trip from 17 - 24 Oct and then continuing with either Option A or Option B above of this trip. Click here for more info on our Azores trip.

Starting time & location (For Option A & B only): Meet at accommodation in Lisbon anytime from 6 PM on Thursday night (exact accommodation details to be advised to confirmed participants).

Finishing time & location:

• Option A (Skipping one day): Cascais accommodation anytime on Sunday (27 Oct). Note: Pease give yourself around an hour by taxi to get Lisbon airport.
• Option B & C (Complete trip): Lisbon accommodation anytime on Monday (28 Oct)

Note: You can arrive early / late on Thursday (24 Oct) and also leave early / late on Sunday / Monday.

Price: Starting from €365 (before any discounts are applied).

Hiking Distance:

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

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 (Speaks English & German).
• Shared accommodation for 3 or 4 nights (based on ticket selection and mix of triple share & quadruple shared accommodation). Note: Accommodation upgrade options can be found in the add-on's
• All transportation from the meeting location in Lisbon to the finishing location in Lisbon.
• Breakfast on Day 1 & 4.
• Organizing breakfast & dinner places (payment to be made by participants)
• Guided tour of Lisbon by your guide (based on ticket option B).
• 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
• Access to a google photos album dedicated to this trip, where you can share all your amazing pics & videos.

Other Things of Note:

• There is an option to combine this trip with our Azores trip that will be going from Thu, 17 Oct - Thu, 24 Oct. Click here for more info on our Azores trip.

Palácio Nacional da Pena in Sintra National Park

WHAT ARE YOUR REVIEW'S LIKE FROM PREVIOUS TRIPS?

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

• Google Reviews
• Facebook reviews

WHAT IS NEXT ?

• 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.

HOW DO I CONTACT YOU FOR ANY QUERIES / CONCERNS?

• 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

WHO IS THE COMMUNITY GUIDE FOR THIS TRIP?

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

• Free cancellation up to 7 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.