June 14-17, 2012 Portugal Cascais * 21st Annual European HOG Rally

Motorcycle Races, Charity Rides, Biker Rallies

Tuesday, 23 August 2011 18:03

21st Annual European HOG Rally

June 14-17, 2012 in Cascais, Portugal

With Croatia Harley Days stealing the headlines, Harley-Davidson faced the challenge of finding a location for the 2012 H.O.G. Rally that would continue to raise the bar... And they found it! Get ready to party in Portugal!

Just 30km west of Portugal's elegant capital, Lisbon, the 'land of kings and fishermen', Cascais, is being prepared to host the European H.O.G. Rally in 2012 from June 14-17.

The Atlantic-facing west coast of Portugal boasts a cultural beauty, with historic towns, 16th-century palaces, long beaches and some fabulous riding roads.

Cascais itself is surrounded by hills and white sandy beaches and is protected by beautiful countryside. The town's beach and harbour will form the epicentre of the 2012 event and will rumble with the sound of V-Twins and live music as Harley-Davidson brings the heart of the town to life for this annual party.

From the harbour, a maze of tiny cobbled streets are packed with restaurants and bars, serving a wide variety of food - Santinis is highly cited as Europe's finest ice-cream parlour! Many boutique and budget hotels line the periphery with short walking distances to the heart of the action.

Between Lisbon and Cascais lies the famous Portuguese racetrack at Estoril, just 2km from the centre of Cascais - keep an eye on the website for news of Estoril's involvement in the event. The plaza at Europe's biggest casino, located on Estoril's beachfront, will stage the Custom Bike Show. If you've got a beautifully customised Harley you'd like to show off, or perhaps a build is currently underway in your garage, this is the show to aim for. Bring your bike along for a chance to win some fabulous prizes, including a trip to Sturgis for the Best Modified Harley!

Harley-Davidson will have a presence throughout the town, with live music on two stages, hospitality bars, demo rides and a village for Harley-Davidson dealers. The harbour area itself will be closed off to all traffic, except motorcycles, so you can look forward to parking up on the seafront, grabbing a refreshing drink in one of the bars and chilling out under the Portuguese sun.

And out of town, Harleys will be heard exploring the beautiful hills and villages inland. Every mile is unique, with rocky coastal roads disappearing into sand-dune banks, forested hill climbs disappearing into hidden historic villages where stunningly colourful palaces watch over this area of Portugal.

For great riding, historic sites and Mediterranean culture, head to Cascais in Portugal next June... Party Harley-Davidson style!

For more information visit http://www.hogeuropegallery.com/portugal-2012/

If you have a comment or additional information about this motorcycle event, please post it below.