Portugal has its own answer to Route 66. The Estrada Nacional 2, known simply as the N2, runs 739 km from Chaves near the Spanish border in the north to Faro on the Algarve coast. It is the longest road in the country and one of very few in Europe that crosses an entire nation from end to end. In recent years it has become a bucket-list ride for motorcyclists from across Europe.
A road that crosses the whole country
The N2 was built as a national route before the motorway network existed, and that is what makes it good to ride today. Traffic moved to the motorways long ago, leaving a two-lane road that runs through the middle of towns, over mountain ranges and across farmland, with kilometre markers counting down the whole way.
The northern section is the most dramatic. From Chaves the road drops through the hills of Trás-os-Montes to Peso da Régua on the Douro, where terraced vineyards climb the valley sides. Further south it winds through the forests around Góis and Pedrógão before crossing the Tagus near Abrantes. Below that the landscape flattens into the Alentejo, with long straights through cork and olive groves, before the final climb over the Serra do Caldeirão and the descent to Faro.
The passport
Many towns along the route have embraced the road’s popularity. Riders can pick up an N2 “passport” and collect stamps at municipal tourist offices along the way, a small detail that has helped turn the trip into a recognised challenge.
How long it takes
It is possible to ride the N2 in two long days, but most riders take four or five. That leaves time for the Douro, a night in a small inland town and the kind of long lunch Portugal does well. Spring and autumn are ideal. In July and August the Alentejo stretch can be extremely hot.
Getting a bike
For riders flying in, the logistics are the main question, because the road starts and finishes far from Lisbon. One practical approach is to fly into Lisbon, arrange a motorcycle rental there, ride north to Chaves on the first day and then follow the N2 south.
RENT.MOTO.PT, a rental company based just south of Lisbon, allows bikes to be collected in one place and returned in another, which suits a one-way route like the N2. Its fleet includes touring and adventure bikes such as the Honda NC750X, Honda Transalp 750 and Yamaha Ténéré 700. Each rental includes 400 km per day, comprehensive insurance, a helmet and riding gear.
Highlights along the way
- Chaves: the start point, with a Roman bridge and thermal springs.
- Peso da Régua: the heart of port wine country on the Douro.
- Viseu: a historic cathedral city roughly a third of the way down.
- Serra da Lousã: forested hills with some of the best bends on the route.
- Abrantes: views over the Tagus from the castle.
- Serra do Caldeirão: the last mountain section before the Algarve.
- Faro: the end of the road and the last kilometre marker.
Before you go
Fuel stations are frequent in the north but more widely spaced in parts of the Alentejo, so it is worth filling up whenever the gauge drops below half. Road surfaces are generally good, though some rural sections have patched tarmac. Accommodation along the route ranges from simple guesthouses to restored manor houses, and booking ahead is wise in spring.
The N2 is not the fastest way to cross Portugal. That is exactly why so many riders choose it.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
