Day 58: Nazaré to Lisbon | 120km
29 July 2026
I think it may be because the campsite was shielded from the coast by a large hill, but there was no condensation on the tent, which is always a relief because it makes packing everything up so much quicker. I set off at 7, determined to cover the majority of the route before the sun pushed through the cloudy sky. Today I wasn’t following the EuroVelo 1, which had been such a pleasure so far. Instead, I followed countryside roads that were unfortunately quite heavily trafficked, so I kept my head down and focused only on the road ahead. The shoulder of the road was minimal at times, so I really had to squeeze in between the cars and the bushes growing next to the road.
After 40km or so, the traffic eased up and the landscape got a lot prettier. I passed hills with large pear farms and later vineyards. I had no idea Portugal grew so many pears, but given how many fields of pear trees I passed, either it’s a great export or the Portuguese eat a lot of pears. The rolling hills were not a problem after tackling the Camino del Norte, so I felt pretty strong and motivated to get through this in-between section before rejoining the EuroVelo and the coast again after Lisbon.
Forty kilometres in, I stopped at a gas station for a second breakfast since I knew it would be a late lunch and I had quite a lot of ground to cover before then. It’s always funny to see the reactions of people when a tourist in tight, padded shorts with severe tan lines strolls into the room in the middle of nowhere. It’s a very specific look, and one I’ve become quite used to.
I listened to a podcast about a new dumbphone, which got me thinking about life after the trip. For the past two months, my phone has been a very useful tool, and I feel like I’ve truly showcased its value in my life. However, prepare for a very unoriginal insight, I’ve noticed something incredibly sad while travelling through this continent. Travelling for so long on my own, and often being quite bored, I think I’ve observed people more closely whenever I’ve stopped anywhere.
Seeing groups of friends, families, and couples sitting around tables at restaurants, outside their tents or campervans, and even while hiking, it has become painfully apparent how much our phones pull us out of the current experience. Sure, it’s a tool, but most of the time that’s not how I’ve seen people use it. To be clear, I’m just as bad. I know I’ve experimented a lot with ways of reducing my phone addiction and reliance, but I’ve never taken it as far as getting a dumbphone. Perhaps it’s the answer. For bikepacking trips, the phone is your everything device, so probably a good thing to bring it, but at home I don’t really need to be connected or reachable after work hours. I’ll look into this more when I’m back in normal life.
I made the final push to Lisbon and arrived in the late afternoon, a bit fatigued from the sun, which was now burning my face. Whenever I’ve rolled into bigger cities on this trip, I’m unsure how to act. I don’t feel like I’m on vacation, but I’m not working. I’m physically exhausted, but I want to explore and take advantage of being in whatever place I’ve arrived in. It’s a real dilemma, but as I’ve been to Lisbon a few times in my life already, I compromised and forced myself out on a stroll up and down Lisbon’s hilly centre. I spotted a few bachelor party groups, presumably there for the weekend, and plenty of sweaty tourists struggling up the hills in the heat. Unlike my previous visits, the city didn’t feel like somewhere to explore, but rather just the backdrop to another quick stop on the journey. I usually like really trying to get a feel for the cities I visit, but my interest was low and the sights felt somewhat devoid of meaning. I grabbed dinner and then went back to the hotel early to pass out and eat ice cream.
Even lying here in bed, belly full of ice cream, it feels like such a shame to not be out in this beautiful city, but my body doesn’t allow it and urges me to stay still and recover for tomorrow, which will be a very long ride.