Two amateur cyclists from Abrantes have completed a record-setting bike ride on the EN2 road – often described as Portugal’s ‘Route 66’ – travelling an impressive 738kms from Chaves to Faro in just 26 hours.
The two cyclists, Nuno Gomes and Daniel Simões, arrived in Faro on Saturday, July 27 and were welcomed by members of the local council.
They were not the first people to embark on a demanding journey along the EN2 this year. In March, three sextagenerian friends started a hike along the entirety of the road in Chaves, completing their daring adventure the following month in Faro.
Says Faro council, “more and more people want to travel on the EN2, which is establishing itself as a touristic product of unquestionable value”.
Indeed, the EN2 has been garnering international attention, especially in the US. Last year, it was named one of the “best places to go in 2019” by American travel guide publisher Frommer’s. Just a few weeks later, it was featured on the hugely popular morning talkshow ‘Good Morning America’.
Faro council says it has been hard at work with the other 34 municipalies that the road spans promoting the potential of the EN2 as a tourist attraction for Portugal and the Algarve.
“Faro is the arrival point of this touristic route and the council has been a partner in several promotional activities,” the council adds, revealing that the road’s passports and guides can be picked up for free from the municipal museum, town hall and tourism office.
In December, Secretary of State for Tourism Ana Mendes Godinho described the EN2 as the “only road in Europe” of its kind and welcomed the attention that the road had been receiving.
“The EN2 is establishing itself as one of the best roads in the world and shows the authenticity of Portugal from the north to the south. We have more and more people visiting it, opening up Portugal’s touristic map and discovering the 1,001 experiences that can be found along the 700km of stunning landscapes, unique villages, irresistible river beaches, unforgettable heritage and unique gastronomy,” the secretary of state said, adding that the road is the backbone of the country.
M.B.
