To N2 Or Not To N2?

Over recent years, Portugal’s N2 has started to draw growing numbers of cyclists, attracted by the prospect of an end-to-end ride that follows a single road.

Many companies bill it as a fabulous cycling route – charging a hefty sum to let you share the experience.

So, is it a good choice? For some ultra hardcore roadies, maybe. That’s if all you want to do is tick off another challenge.

Personally, I think that if you’re coming to Portugal to enjoy the cycling and actually see the country then, no. There are many, much better options.

One thing most cyclists probably don’t realise is that the same route is being plugged by Portuguese tourist organisations and other websites as a great way for motorbike riders and car drivers to see the country.

Distance markers like the one pictured are frequently covered with stickers – mostly from motorbike clubs!

And, while not a major highway, the N2 is also still a fairly important transport route both locally and between different areas of Portugal so traffic includes a fair number of trucks and commercial van drivers, who are probably the worst when it comes to giving a safe amount of space to cyclists.

Some of the marketing hype is also pure hyperbole. The N2 is often compared to America’s Route 66, with suggestions you can see “everything that Portugal has to offer”.

Well… yes, the N2 does go practically the length of Portugal but it’s a mere 739km. Not quite the same scale as the 3,940km of US Highway 66. 

So, what’s the attraction? Well, the N2 starts in Chaves, just 11km from Portugal’s northern border with Spain, and runs all the way to Faro in the Algarve.

On its journey south the N2 goes through a wide variety of scenery. It crosses three of Portugal’s main rivers – the Douro, the Mondego and the Tejo. It also goes through several ranges of hills and passes a number of historic towns and cities.

All of which makes it an obvious option for an end-to-end ride. And like pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, you can even get an N2 passport and collect stamps along the way.

There are some riders see end-to-end routes as a speed challenge. Komoot user jackultracyclist claims to have the N2 speed record after riding the entire route over two days, spending 24 hours and 12 minutes in the saddle. To which, my response is: “well done but what did you see along the way?” 

Some stretches of the N2 certainly do go through some lovely scenery. Some are also relatively quiet.

But being a national road, and formerly a very important one, the N2 generally takes you right through the centre of towns, often through some of the most built up suburbs where you’ll also find industrial parks, shopping centres etc. and all the traffic associated with them.

Being an older road, it’s also generally not that wide and lacks a shoulder. Which means that when there’s two-way traffic, vans and trucks are often squeezing past cyclists with very little space – often at speed.

South of Viseu, some sections of the original N2 no longer exist. It’s been replaced by the IP3 (or E801), a major highway carrying lots of heavy trucks that’s normally closed to cyclists.

There are a couple of short stretches, such as the bridge over the River Dão, where bikes are allowed as it’s the only option. There is a narrow shoulder here but it’s not particularly pleasant riding. Elsewhere, cyclists have to follow a parallel service road – also used by local traffic.

After that, it does get much prettier again. There’s an absolutely lovely stretch following the original N2 along the banks of the Mondego river, while the IP3 thunders along the ridge on the other side of the valley. And then it’s on south, over the mountains and down towards the Alentejo.

But I can’t help wondering, when there are so many quiet back roads to explore, why rush to get from end-to-end. For me, cycling is about taking your time and admiring the scenery, not gritting your teeth in traffic. Getting to know another country is about pottering between rural coffee stops, old castles and quiet provincial towns.

Don’t follow the herd… or swallow the hype. If you want beautiful landscapes, historic sites and a taste of Portuguese culture, take the roads less travelled.

And if your really need a challenge, try cycling across the Serra de Estrela – take a look at Gregor Tome’s video of the ‘most beautiful road in Portugal’ from his 18-day, 2,214km trip across the country in 2014.

Or you could try and follow the route used by Pedal Portugal guest blogger Ricky Jackson in 2017 – he clocked up nearly 1,500km (with almost 23,000m of climbing) in just nine days!