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

[Starts in Salir do Porto](https://irondeer.pt/locations/salir-do-porto)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](https://irondeer.pt/routes/silver-coast-sul-foz-do-arelho) or have us deliver bikes to Foz do Arelho.

## Prefer company?

The [Óbidos lagoon birdwatching e-bike tour](https://irondeer.pt/tours/foz-do-arelho-birdwatching) rides this with an ornithologist, paced to the tide.

## Along the way

1. [Foz do Arelho](https://irondeer.pt/locations/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.

     [](https://irondeer.pt/locations/foz-do-arelho)
2. [Óbidos Lagoon](https://irondeer.pt/locations/obidos-lagoon) The largest saltwater lagoon in Portugal and an important ecological site, hosting diverse bird species and aquatic life in its wetland habitats.

     [](https://irondeer.pt/locations/obidos-lagoon)
3. [Salir do Porto](https://irondeer.pt/locations/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.

Take it with you

The GPX works with Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava and every phone app worth using.

[Download GPX](https://irondeer.pt/files/gpx/foz_and_fly.gpx)

Surface Paved · Gravel

Rideable on Gravel Bike · Road Bike · Mountain Bike · Cross Country · Urban Bike · E-Mountain Bike

Ride it self-guided

Rent a bike that suits this route, load the GPX and go.

[Rent a bike](https://irondeer.pt/bikes/rent)

[Prefer a guide? This route comes from one of our guided tours. Ride it with a local who knows every junction, café and viewpoint.  See the guided tour · From €95](https://irondeer.pt/tours/foz-do-arelho-birdwatching)

## More routes nearby

[All routes →](https://irondeer.pt/routes)

[Starts in Nazaré ###  Nazaré to São Martinho do Porto coastal loop (50 km)

South over the Serra da Pescaria to the Salgado dunes, past the dinosaur footprints to the calm bay at São Martinho, then back inland. Quiet roads and bike path, one real climb.

   50 km    580 m    5 h  · Paved / Gravel](https://irondeer.pt/routes/silver-coast-sul) [Starts in Nazaré ###  Salgado hills and Serra da Pescaria loop from Nazaré (50 km)

Coast road south, then inland on farm tracks into almond and olive country above the Salgado dunes. 800 m of steady climbing, a ridge view of the whole coast, and the Capela de Santa Ana on the way down.

   50 km    800 m    5 h  · Trail](https://irondeer.pt/routes/silver-coast-sul-and-salgado-hills) [Starts in Nazaré ###  Nazaré to the Óbidos lagoon gravel route via São Martinho (80 km)

Coast road, limestone farm track, dune track and lagoon path from Nazaré to Foz do Arelho. 780 m of climbing, lunch at São Martinho, birds at the lagoon. The Silver Coast in one day.

   80 km    780 m    6 h  · Paved / Gravel](https://irondeer.pt/routes/silver-coast-sul-foz-do-arelho)

Source: https://irondeer.pt/routes/foz-do-arelho-birdwatching