En route to Velo-city 2021 Lisboa

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25 Aug, 2021

Velo-city 2021 Lisboa will take place on 6-9 September, a perfect occasion to learn more about Lisbon’s bike friendliness. And why not explore the Portuguese capital by bike?

To get to Lisbon by bicycle, your best option is to cycle along the EuroVelo 1 - Atlantic Coast Route. This 11,000-kilometre-long route goes through six different countries from Portugal to Scandinavia. Following over 200km of coastline the first section of the route starts in the south of Portugal in Vila Real de Santo António, in the Algarve region. The region is famous for being one of the warmest regions of Southern Europe and for its azulejos, the painted, tin-glazed ceramic tiles.

The EuroVelo 1 in Portugal has been divided into 18 sections, you can find a detailed description of each section on EuroVelo's dedicated website for Portugal. Crossing Algarve's coast along EuroVelo 1, you will arrive in Lisbon at the end of section 8, which goes through the Alentejo region. On your way to Lisbon make sure to stop at the Natural Reserve of Sado Estuary, East of Setúbal city, where 200 bird species live. It is also one of the only places in Europe where you can see dolphins swim freely in their natural habitat. Once you are in the surroundings of the city, make sure to visit the Roman ruins of Creiro and the Santiago de Outão Fort. Don’t forget to enjoy a well-deserved break on one of the 66 different beaches you’ll find on your way up to Lisbon. To reach the so-called city of seven hills you can choose the boat option – operated by Transtejo – and stop at Cais do Sodré, or the train option – operated by Fertagus – and stop at Campolide train station.

From Cais do Sodré, you can follow one of the cycling lanes of the city’s 150km network until the Belém area, West of the city centre. Once there, make sure to visit the Palace near to the famous pastry shop (where the Pastel de Belém is sold), Jerónimos Monastery, Padrão dos Descobrimentos and the Tower. You can also enjoy the view from the terrace of the Cultural Centre of Belém.

Photo credit: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa

Cycling in Lisbon

To reach the city centre, cycle along the Tagus River, stopping first at the Terreiro do Paço, then the Baixa Pombalina and its squares and monuments. The historic neighbourhoods of Alfama, Mouraria, Graça, Bairro Alto, Bica are the best places to hear Fado. In Alfama, you can go and visit the Fado Museum to find out more about the history of this typical Portuguese musical style. Walk through the busy streets of Chiado and go shopping and see the Portuguese sidewalk. Visit the many breathtaking churches and escape the heat at the Eduardo VII Park, the biggest park in the city. In the same area, don’t miss the view from the 1902 built Santa Justa Elevator, then make sure to go to the Convent do Carmo standing right next to it.

If you want to keep exploring the city by foot, be sure to park your bicycle in one of the 13 BiciParks of Empresa Municipal de Mobilidade e Estacionamento de Lisboa (EMEL), the company in charge of mobility and parking in the capital. They have a total of 238 parking spots: 214 for conventional bicycles and 24 for cargo bikes.

To move easily around the different neighbourhoods you can also use the city’s shared public bicycle system GIRA. Introduced only four years ago, in 2017, the network managed by EMEL saw on July 13 the opening of three new stations on the riverfront in Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Av. Brasília / Cordoaria and Av. Brasília / Doca de Alcântara, having now a total of 91 bike stations in operation, representing roughly 1,700 bicycle docks. And 54 more bicycle stations are scheduled to be open by the end of September.

Photo credit: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa

Thanks to the rapid extension of the network, Lisbonites now consider the bicycle as a real alternative to cars for their daily trips. This was proven in a survey with 963 participants, where 83.20% declared themselves satisfied by Gira’s services, making Gira the winner of the Selo 5 Estrelas distinction. The distinction is a guarantee that the brand was tested and evaluated by consumers and considered extraordinary.

To continue to offer the best in terms of cycling infrastructures to the citizens and visitors of the city, EMEL installed 34 bicycle counters last July. The latter will be useful to collect information regarding the number of cyclists using the cycling lanes in real time. Set up on solar-powered poles these bicycles counters use radar technology, which make their bike counting very precise. The information gathered will help the city planning and define where to build future Gira bicycle stations.

Once you have finished wandering around the colourful streets of Lisbon, make sure to join the Velo-city family at FIL in the Parque das Nações quarter in Lisbon. In contrast to other more historical parts of Lisbon, the Parque das Nações is strikingly modern, filled with futuristic architecture, creative gardens, and urban art. Located by the Tagus River, it features the main music venue of Lisbon, the fabulous oceanarium, a major shopping centre, and a wide selection of fancy bars and restaurants. All of this, at the distance of a bike ride from the city centre since the whole Parque das Nações area is connected by a separated bike lane network.

Velo-city 2021 Lisboa

Photo credit: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa

Aware and attentive to the current health situation, the City of Lisbon, EMEL and the European Cyclists’ Federation, organisers of this year’s edition of the world’s largest cycling conference are committed to hold a safe in-person event and are working closely with the Portuguese health officials to ensure all necessary measures are implemented. FIL has been certified as “clean&safe” and in compliance with all the safety and hygiene norms.

Photo credit: EuroVelo

Once Velo-city 2021 Lisboa is over, why not keep exploring Lisbon’s surroundings? Last May, it has been officially announced that by the end of 2022 five new cycling lanes will link Lisbon to Odivelas, Amadora, Moscavide, Sacavém and Algés (five cities within the Lisbon District). The planning and construction are partly financed by Fundo Ambiental, a funding created and managed by the Ministry of the Environment to support green policies.

In the meantime, you can keep cycling along the EuroVelo 1 - Atlantic Coast Route! Cycle to Algés where you can visit the Vasco da Gama Aquarium. The beaches Santo Amaro, Torre, Carcavelos, S. Pedro do Estoril and Estoril beaches will be then waiting for you to rest on its fine sand.

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