The weather may be changeable, but spring flowers are going strong - from the Atlantic coast to the parks of Sintra you can see examples of stunning wild flowers as well as wisteria, camellias, azaleas and Rhododendrons in full bloom. 

If you are in the Lisbon area this spring, hop on a train to Sintra - bring a camera, jump on a no sweat bike tour and have a great day out!
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A couple of days ago we were sent a wonderful little picture taken near the Pena Palace in Sintra, around 1890.

The caption on the photo had the following in Portuguese:

"On the picture from left to right
José de Mello, José de Sena, the Marchioness of Beautiful, Afonso, Benjamin Pinto, the Queen Mother Maria Pia (roughly in her 50's) and Alfredo Albuquerque on a bicycle outing in the Serra de Sintra.

I am told that this ride was on the road from Cascais to Colares, after Malveira, Alcabideche en route to Penha Longa, through the pine forest and then Estoril, returning by road from Sintra.

It seems that these trips were frequent in 1893."

If those sturdy ladies and gents in bloomers and on single speed bicycles enjoyed it so, image the fun of being able to cycle the Sintra hills without breaking a sweat.  Recreate their rides in a part of the world that has thankfully been keep very much as it was all those years ago!