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Tours Biking North of Portugal

The charming Douro Valley Bike Tour

Why Book With Us? We are Portuguese and know the hidden corners of our land, we care and we take care of your special trip.
from 2,205€
  • Difficulty
  • Duration
    8
    Days
  • Self-guided

"The beauty of the Douro landscape."

The Experience

Douro is the oldest wine region of the world, due to its geographical conditions wine is produced for more than 2000 years with outstanding quality.
Since 2011 the region is considered world heritage by Unesco.

The landscape is the result between the perfect harmony between nature and human forces that have been working on the slopes of the mountains creating together the best conditions for the wine production.

The slopes of the mountains allow the best views over this charming valley. The best time of the year to visit the region is the Spring and the Autumn, where the colour schemes gets more intense. In the Autumn, the landscapes get golden tones and in the Spring the sceneries get whiter due to the colour of the almond trees!

We invite you to cycle through this unique landscape and indulge a trip full of traditions, history and an outstanding natural beauty.

Reasons To Love It
  • The beauty of Douro’s landscape
  • The cliffs of Douro, the oldest demarcated wine region of the world
  • The charms of the northern Portugal

Experience Itinerary

We will pick you up at Porto Airport and together we will drive until we reach the first accommodation, the charming Solar Egas Moniz, in Paço de Sousa, Penafiel. We will provide you with all the information about the program, the bikes and you still have time to enjoy this peaceful and charming retreat.

After a delightful breakfast of typical products, the destination will be the Romanesque Route and its outstanding monuments of Romanesque period (between the end of the 11th and the beginning of the 12th century). You will also be impressed by Castro Mozinho, one of the biggest pre-roman ruins in the Iberic Peninsula. You will also pass by Quintadona and Cabroela, two renovated Schist Villages that still breathes the old times' flairs. Solar Egas Moniz is waiting for you once more to make you feel at home, perhaps accompanied by a port wine. At 200 meters from Solar, you can visit the Monastery of Paço de Sousa, founded in the 9th century and where Egas Moniz,  aide-de-camp of D. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, is buried. This character serves as an inspiration to the designation of the rooms of the historic wing of this manor house (37km).

Today's destination will be the charming village of Pinhão and its surrounding vineyards, where you will have an intense experience of the destination. The afternoon is booked for a Douro boat tour between Pinhão and Tua (2h) and then maybe visit Quinta do Bonfim winery if you wish. You will be staying at the Vintage House Hotel, once a wine cellar that will bring you an amazing comfort with the best Douro views.

This day is reserved to explore the surroundings of Pinhão and its gorgeous landscapes which have given it the classification of UNESCO  World  Heritage  Site. With two options to explore this fantastic region, you will pass by many wine estates and typical villages. On the longer route, you will visit the Favaios Village, known for its Moscatel wine, but also for its archaeological marks, stately homes and religious monuments, in addition to the mouth-watering cuisine.  As you return to Pinhão and descend along the Pinhão river,  you will realize why this is one of the most beautiful places of this wine-growing zone. The overnight will be at Vintage House Hotel (Short 17km + 450m | Long 37km + 900m)

Today, after a delicious breakfast, you will be transferred to the Régua Dam, where your program starts from. Ride along the Douro River until you arrive at the Corgo River. Here you will head inland, cycling upstream through the Corgo Valley following the river. Pass by some small villages, typical of this region, before descending towards Peso da Régua, where you can stop and visit the Douro Museum. To conclude, cross the Douro River on an old charming bridge and arrive at your accommodation.
In alternative, for a shorter ride, take a scenic train journey from Pinhão to Covelinhas (Please note that the only possible train departs at 8:14 am). Once at Covelinhas cycle on a panoramic route that follows the river with fantastic views of mesmerizing slopes that make this region a one in a kind. Similar to the other program, you will then cross the river to arrive at Quinta da Pacheca. Quinta da Pacheca is a wine production estate, so there is no better place to enjoy a wine tasting and have a well-deserved rest at the end of the day (Short 15km + 200m | Long 22km + 500m).

After a detailed breakfast the route of today will be full of history, passing by the Lamego Castle nestled at the top of the village and stage of numerous battles to protect the village. Lamegos´s cathedral in gothic architecture will be another ex-libris of the day with eight centuries of history. Nossa Senhora dos Remédios Santuary is also another highlight of the day and its outstanding entrance staircase is one of the classical region postcards. Head up the mountain on the southern margin of the Douro River towards Lamego, an old city full of history and monuments to be visited. Many small villages and beautiful landscapes will enrich this day, before returning to your accommodation. The night is spent at Quinta da Pacheca (40km + 700m).

Today you will be transferred to the charming Porto city. In here there will be plenty of activities to do and the city is lovely to explore on foot. The 1872 River House with views over the Douro River and in the central area of Ribeira will accommodate you for the last night.

After a breakfast facing the Douro River it will be difficult for you to leave the city , so if you would like to extend your stay in Douro, 1872 River House as well as We Love Small Hotels would be delighted to assist you on this.

Itinerary Map

GOOGLE MAPS

Important Information

The route is set on secondary roads with low traffic. The level of difficulty is moderate, however, there are some valleys with steep slopes. This tour is self-guided so it is up to you to decide your date of departure, we will be here!

PRICE

The price of the program is from €2205 per person on a double room basis.

INCLUDES

- 7 nights’ accommodation with breakfast; 
- Visit and wine tasting in Quinta da Pacheca;
- 1 Boat Tour (2h) Pinhão - Tua;
- Welcome reception at the airport with information about the programme providing a mobile phone, GPS track; GPS rental and informational material; 
- Transfers from/to airport;
- Pic-nic to go on the activity days; 
- 1 dinner at Solar Egas Moniz (drinks not included); 
- Transfer of luggage between accommodations; 
- Travel insurance;
- Bike rental.

EXTRAS

Dinners; Extra activities.

Terms and Conditions

Couldn´t find what you were looking for in our offer? We would ♥ to reduce, increase, modify, change, and finally, we can do the tour depending on your interests and availability. Contact us: info@welovesmallhotels.com.