We’re now cycling through Extremadura, the west-central part of Spain that has long been under-appreciated by the rest of the world. Spring is arriving, and fruit trees are starting to flower. A celebration seems appropriate. In our case, that’s turned out to be Carnaval.

Andalucía is the part of Spain most influenced by the Mediterranean and its moorish past. And like other regions in Spain, Andalucía has a strong identity, especially with respect to Flamenco song and dance. From a cyclists point of view, Spain also has roads and biking trails that are - for the most part - in pretty good condition. This made the biking easier than in Portugal. It also meant biking through more developed, and fewer remote areas.

The southern coastal region of Portugal is known as the Algarve. With more than a hundred beaches, it attracts tourists from all over the world. We biked eastward along the coast for three days. Along the way, Portugal continued to challenge us physically while offering incredible scenery and the chance to immerse ourselves in the mix of old and new.

Lisbon’s medieval quarter is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Europe. The Alfama’s winding alleyways date back to the 8th century, when the Arabic Moors ruled the Mediterranean. We spent most of a day wandering through the Alfama’s narrow passageways, climbing hidden staircases to the top of São Jorge Hill.