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Óbidos lagoon loop from Foz do Arelho (40 km, flat)
Starts in Salir do Porto

Óbidos lagoon loop from Foz do Arelho (40 km, flat)

Shoreline tracks, paved lagoon paths and dune line around the Lagoa de Óbidos. Almost flat. Herons and bee-eaters in summer, flamingos and ospreys in winter. Ride it at low tide.

Route elevation profile: from -2 m to 175 m, total ascent 1185 m.
Tour Difficulty
Easy

About this ride

A 40 km loop around the Óbidos lagoon starting at Foz do Arelho, with a detour to Salir do Porto. Flat shoreline tracks, paved lagoon paths, a few short sandy stretches and the pine on the western flank. Almost no climbing. The birds are the point: grey herons, bee-eaters and ospreys most of the year, flamingos in winter. Time it for low tide, when the mudflats are exposed and the birds feed close to the path.

Before you go

The ride

Start on the Foz do Arelho seafront. The GPX runs around the lagoon edge, into the pines on the western flank, along the dune line that fronts the bay, and out to Salir do Porto before looping back. There are a few small rises and that is all. The last stretch rolls back along the sandbar.

Surfaces and bike

Flat shoreline tracks, paved lagoon paths, short sandy sections. Any bike; on an urban bike you will walk the sandy bits. Gravel or e-bike is easiest.

Tide

Check the tide table for Foz do Arelho. Low tide exposes the mudflats and the birds feed close in. At high tide the same stretch is water and gulls. At low tide the lagoon smells of seaweed; that is normal.

Water and food

Foz do Arelho has cafés with a lagoon view. Salir do Porto has one café. Nothing on the western flank.

When

Winter and early spring for flamingos and the biggest bird numbers. Summer works but the wind on the dune sections picks up by midday.

Getting there

Foz do Arelho is 25 km south of Nazaré. Ride there on the Nazaré to Óbidos lagoon gravel route or have us deliver bikes to Foz do Arelho.

Prefer company?

The Óbidos lagoon birdwatching e-bike tour rides this with an ornithologist, paced to the tide.

Along the way

  1. Foz do Arelho

    A picturesque coastal area where the Óbidos Lagoon meets the Atlantic Ocean, known for its diverse ecosystems, birdwatching opportunities, and beautiful beaches.

  2. Óbidos Lagoon

    The largest saltwater lagoon in Portugal and an important ecological site, hosting diverse bird species and aquatic life in its wetland habitats.

  3. Salir do Porto

    The quieter southern side of the São Martinho do Porto bay, a relaxed starting point for gentle rides around the lagoon and its open dune landscape.

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Nazaré to the Óbidos lagoon gravel route via São Martinho (80 km).
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