Northern Portugal Bicycle Tour

After arriving to the airport Francisco Sá Carneiro airport, we transport you to the hotel, which takes more or less a half an hour. For the rest of the day is free time. Before the dinner the tour guide does the main briefing, sums up the week ahead, introduces the program to the guests. After the briefing we dine together in a authentic Portuguese restaurant.

At a prearranged time we meet at the hotel, already prepared for cycling. We start pedaling from the hotel towards the Dom Luis I. Bridge. After the bridge we continue on the north bank of the river, towards the Atlantic Ocean. Along the route we will see the historical old town of Porto and other interesting spots of the city.

At the mouth of the river we cycle by the São João da Foz fortress and we can walk to the lighthouses as well if the ocean is calm. From this point we cycle by the ocean to the north. Sandy and rocky beaches, restaurants and bars will be along the way, where we can chill out whenever feels good. Our halfway distance is at the Miradouro da Boa Nova viewpoint in Matosinhos, which is a chapel built on cliff by the Atlantic Ocean.

Here we turn around, and with some minor changes we do the same route back until we reach the van. After returning to the hotel we define the time schedule for the daily briefing (15 min). The rest of the day is free time.

Our goal is to get to know Porto a little bit better and to have a nice lunch somewhere along the route. Consider as a warming up tour.

• Difficulty: 1/5
• Distance: 36 km
• Tour type: Loop
• Positive elevation: 167 m
• Est. cycling time: 3 h (without stops)
• Guiding: By bicycle, with the group

At a prearranged time we meet at the hotel, already prepared for cycling. We start pedaling from the hotel towards the Dom Luis I. Bridge, then we go to Vila Nova de Gaia (South bank of the River Douro) and we continue cycling towards the Atlantic Ocean. Before reaching the river mouth we cycle through a typical Portuguese fisher village called Afurada, where a lot of inhabitants make a living out of fishing.

After cycling by the river mouth we keep the ocean on our right side and pedal towards the south. Until we reach the city of Espinho, we will encounter lots of beaches bars and a famous chapel called Sr. da Pedra built on a rock surrounded by the ocean. Espinho can be a nice spot for lunch. Leaving Espinho we cycle towards Esmoriz, sometimes on bike lane, sometimes on secondary roads. From Esmoriz the scenery changes, we leave the ocean front and we cycle through a pine forest until Furadouro.

We can spend some time in Furadouro, take a coffee break and enjoy the views. After leaving Furadouro we do a short ride until Ovar, where we hop on the train and go back together to Vila Nova de Gaia.  We head back to the hotel with our bikes, and we decide when shall we do the briefing. The rest of the day is free time.

• Difficulty: 2/5
• Distance: 50 km
• Tour type: Point to point
• Positive elevation: 320 m
• Est. cycling time: 4,5 h (without stops)
• Guiding: By bicycle, with the group

At a prearranged time we meet at the hotel, already prepared for cycling, then we go to Monção by van, which takes more or less 1,5h. The bicycle tour takes the whole day counting the transports as well. The tour starts from the center of the village and than connects the bike path along the River Minho. This route is a deactivated railway line which was transformed into a cycling and walking path. This bicycle path leads to Valença and along the way you can see the old stations buildings and other accessories of the railway still. In Valença we do a short detour by the fortress of the city.

After looking around in Valença  we continue our journey and the next stop will be in Vila Nova de Cerveira. A small town with a beautiful historical center. The village simbol is the stag, the region is also called as the land of the stag. This fact is proudly represented by the big stag statue on top of the mountain on the southern side of the village. There is a possibility to go cycle up to the statue, but only if all members of the group votes for it. A steep climb leads to the statue, 5,2km ascent with an average of 8-10% elevation, and some spots even 20%.

The last third of the tour leads to Caminha, the northern tip of Portugal by the Atlantic Ocean. On the Spanish side we can see already from a distance the Monte Guarda mountain.

After concluding the bicycle tour, we go back to the hotel by van, which takes more or less 1,5h. At the hotel we decide when to do the briefing.

• Difficulty: 1/5
• Distance: 47 km (+10 km detour to the statue in Vila Nova de Cerveira)
• Tour type: Point to point
• Positive elevation 316 m (Detour data: 343 m positive elevation)
• Est. cycling time: 4,5 h (without stops)
• Guiding: By bicycle, with the group

At a prearranged time we meet at the hotel, prepared for a leisure walk. We begin our walk through the city and passing by the highlights of Porto and the guide will show a few interesting but not that well known part of the city . We do a few stops, and the guide will speak a little bit about the history of each spot.

After finishing our walk, we go for a wine tasting in one of the Port Wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia. The wine tasting includes a short guided visit in the wine cellar, so you can learn more about Port Wine.

This program will end more or less by noon, and the rest of the day is free time. Of course, if the group would prefer to do something together in the afternoon, that is also fine, the guide can arrange some extra programs.

At the end of the day the guide does the daily briefing.

At a prearranged time we meet at the hotel, already prepared for cycling, then we go to the city of Amarante which takes more or less an hour by van. The bicycle tour takes the whole day counting the transports as well. After arriving, we unpack and the tour begins. The route is 100% on the old Amarante – Arco de Baúlhe railway line, which was transformed into a cycling and walking path.

After 17 years since it was decommissioned (1990) the „Eco” path was created. Many infrastructures of the railway was renewed, including stations. Some of them was transformed into a hostel or a coffee bar. It is a scenic bicycle path which has splendid views to the valley of the River Tâmega and the surrounding green wine vineyards. At some point you can see the „Alto de Sra. da Graça” cone shaped mountain peak, on of the classic finishes of the Tour of Portugal.

After the bicycle tour we visit the „Alto de Sra. da Graça” mountain by van, which has a 360o view to the region, and has a shrine on top of it. On our way back to the hotel we drive through the Alvão Natural Park, where we can do a pit stop at one of Europe’s biggest consecutive waterfalls, called „Fisgas do Ermelo”.

When we arrive to the hotel we schedule the briefing.

• Difficulty: 1,5/5
• Distance: 39 km
• Tour type: Point to point
• Positive elevation: 225 m
• Est. cycling time: 3 h (without stops)
• Guiding: By bicycle, with the group

At a prearranged time we meet at the hotel, already prepared for hiking, then we go to the small village called Espiunca, which takes 1,5h by van. The „Passadiços Do Paiva” walkway is a 100% wooden built walkway within the valley of the River Paiva.

The first part of the hike doesn’t have any technical challenges, occassionally some steps and some minor ups and downs. At the 4th kilometer there is a suspended bridge, which goes over the river, and connects to another walking path which is under development. At this point there is a small bufe where we can by some basic food and drink if needed.

At the second half of the hike comes the challenging part, which includes an ascent of 450 steps and a descent of 310 steps on the other side of the ridge. The view from the top is worth all the effort!

After concluding the walk, the guide goes back to the van with a cab to grab the van, until the group relaxing in a coffee bar. hen we return to the hotel by van. The rest of the day is free time, and we decide as well when to do the briefing.

• Difficulty: 3/5
• Distance: 8,7 km
• Tour type: Point to point
• Positive elevation: 541 m
• Est. walking time: 2,5 h (without stops)
• Guiding: Hiking with the group

On the last day there is no scheduled program, every member of the group can spend his or her time as it feels the best. There can be optional programs arranged, depending on the group. For example, we can go to the seaside by van and do a short walk on the beach. In the afternoon the transport to the airport is scheduled with the members of the group. The tour ends at this point.