Lost in the Mountains, Found in Coimbra

The plan was simple: ride from Porto to Coimbra. But instead of taking the direct route, I aimed the bike east, choosing the scenic path through the mountains. The first part of the trip was a stunning stretch along the Rio Douro. After Fornos, the road started to climb steadily, and the real adventure began.

The views were absolutely breathtaking, and for long stretches, it was just me and the open road. These roads were something else, though. At times they were so steep that even in first gear, my bike was struggling, especially when the incline was paired with an incredibly tight turn. It felt like a proper workout just to keep the bike upright and moving. I found myself wondering how anyone transported the cut lumber from up here. Surely not on these roads; there was no way heavy machinery could handle these switchbacks.

Eventually, I reached a high plateau and just had to stop. I killed the engine and stood there, taking it all in. The scenery was so beautiful, raw, and rugged. A steady wind was blowing, and the air was noticeably cooler. I could see for miles into the distance. It was a profoundly emotional moment. Standing there, completely alone, I felt an overwhelming sense of privilege to be able to experience something like this. It was a truly humbling experience.

I continued along the road on top of the plateau until my sat nav told me to take a sharp right, heading down the mountain. I trusted it and followed the route, which quickly turned into a super narrow, extremely steep, and frankly, a bit of a scary “road”. Judging by the sheer amount of droppings, it seemed to be used more by livestock than by vehicles.

After a long descent, I reached what was less a village and more a small collection of houses. My navigation system confidently sent me through narrow cobblestone “streets” to get back to the main road. Halfway through, I hit a problem. The road just ended. Construction. No way through. For a moment, my German upbringing took over, and I couldn’t believe someone would do roadworks on all the streets at once without posting a single sign about a detour. I spent the better part of an hour walking around the tiny village, exploring little streets and even dirt paths, all of which led to dead ends. It was just as I had feared. There was no way through. A flicker of anger rose up, mostly at the lack of a simple warning sign up the hill.

So, the only option was to go back the way I came. I turned around and drove back up the narrow, steep path, which, surprisingly, was much easier going up than it was coming down. I retraced my route for about half an hour until I reached a junction. With no mobile reception and a sat nav that was proving useless, I just went with my gut and picked a direction. It turned out to be the right choice. The road led me around the mountain instead of back over it. In the grand scheme of things, the detour was minor, and I was back on my way to Coimbra.

I stuck to my usual strategy for the last leg of the trip. After a few hours on scenic roads, I find I get a bit saturated, so I finished the day with a stretch on the highway. It gives me the best of both worlds: beautiful scenery and curvy roads for most of the day, followed by some fast progress when I’m starting to feel tired.

When I rolled into Coimbra, I instantly fell in love with the vibe. I’d been looking for a city that I could really connect with, and this was it. I knew right away that my planned one-night stop wasn’t going to be enough. I extended my stay for another day to just relax and explore. I spent the next day wandering through the city, visiting the incredible old university, and exploring the old town, which happened to be hosting a medieval fair. Later, I found a bench by the river and just sat, taking in the beautiful cityscape, relaxing and enjoying a much-needed rest day. The past few days had felt a bit rushed, and this was exactly what I needed.

Sitting there, I could feel that my long journey was slowly coming to an end. I tried not to let the thought take hold, but deep down, I could feel a sense of saturation setting in. For now, though, I was content to just be in Coimbra, a city that felt like a reward at the end of a challenging road.

Impressions

Way to Coimbra

Coimbra