The North of Portugal by bike:
From Peneda Gerês to the Douro Valley

The North of Portugal… A region that immediately evokes the mythical Douro Valley - listed as a UNESCO heritage site - and its terraced vineyards that became internationally famous. Not to mention the wines grown there, whose reputation crossed many borders! To the north of this veritable spine lies the Minho region, which extends to the Spanish border. This region, still largely unknown, is nevertheless considered the most beautiful in the country by the Portuguese. As soon as you leave the urban areas, it is indeed a landscape of green hills that offers itself to the curious traveler, far from the more Mediterranean clichés that Portugal traditionally offers. As you go further east, the environment becomes increasingly wild, rocky and mountainous, until you reach Peneda Gerês Park, the only national park in the country. The landscapes, despite their harshness, seem to come straight out of a fairy tale. It didn't take much for us to decide that this is where this two-wheeled Portuguese odyssey would begin.

This biking trip will take you on a journey between two of the most enchanting regions of the country, gradually taking you from the austere mountains of Minho to the suave Alto Douro Valley. A very varied itinerary awaits you. After two days exploring the incredible landscapes of Peneda Gerês Park, you reach the green countryside of Minho before entering the isolated region of Tras os Montes, literally meaning “behind the hills”. This region contains the Alvão Natural Park, a mysterious and striking mountain range that you will cycle through from one end to the other. You then gradually return to “civilization”, until you reach Vila Real, the royal city, renowned for its majestic Mateus Palace. Then comes a magical moment, when, suddenly, you see the Douro Valley in the distance. Lying at the bottom of a deep gorge, the river is not so easy to spot, but the many vineyards in the adjacent valleys and the increasingly cheerful landscapes never leave any doubt about its imminence! After 2 days of wandering in the Douro Valley, you are then back in Porto, which deserves 1 to 2 days of visit too!

This bicycle tour, to fully appreciate it, is recommended by electric bike. On some days, the elevation gain indeed reaches more than 1000 m (3281 ft). Doing it on a classic bike is of course also an option, but you have to be sporty and have a minimum of training.

Day 1 : Arrival in Porto (Saturday)

Porto, although it does not have any monument of international standing, is not lacking charm. Remaining in the shadow of Lisbon throughout the 20th century, its status as a secondary city has probably also saved its old city from large and tasteless urban projects. The result is a city that is still very much in its former glory, with the splendour of the centuries when the gold of the New World allowed Porto to become elegant. Its maze of narrow stairways, its old facades, sometimes decrepit, sometimes decorated with azulejos, its picturesque yellow trams from the 1920s, or the bonhomie of its inhabitants, give it today a half-retro, half-bohemian character that will surely seduce you. Porto would not be what it is either if it were not cradled by the Douro at its feet, which has seen so many rabelos loaded with barrels of excellent Porto wine set sail for thirsty lands.

Day 2 : Porto- Mixões da Serra - Brufe - Gerês (29 km/18 mi - D+ : 520 m/1706 ft)

Transfer to Mixões da Serra, located at an altitude of 730 m (2400 ft), the starting point of this great adventure. Trial of the bikes and briefing on the route. It is then by superb small very aerial roads that you cross the Serra Amarela (yellow mountain) until you enter the famous Peneda Gerês National Park. On the top of these windswept ridges, the vegetation is sparse and only a few ferns, moors and heather manage to flourish. The view is thus most often unobstructed, sometimes carrying it very far. Along the way, you pass through peaceful villages that have remained away from modern life, whose typical houses with thick granite walls and without artifice bear witness to a way of life that was once quite austere. At the bend of a bend, you will also come across one or other of these impressive espigueiros on stilts dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, also all in granite, which, although they look like extravagant tombs, were simply used to dry corn away from rodents. After a nice descent, you then arrive at Gerês, a small spa town nestled in the heart of a narrow valley, where you spend the night.

Day 3 : Gerês - Cascata Tahiti - Guilhofrei (43/52 km (27/32 mi) - D+ : 1100/1490 m (3609/4888 ft))

It is in the shade of a beautiful forest where eucalyptus, oaks, pines and chestnut trees follow one another, that you will spend the first part of the day. Some magnificent viewpoints and pretty waterfalls brighten up the route throughout. The most famous of the waterfalls, renamed the Tahitian waterfall by the locals, will allow you to take a refreshing swim. You then leave the national park and walk through more desolate landscapes, where you may come across a few widows dressed in black or farmers taking their long-horned cattle to better pastures. The many small stone walls that line the landscape may remind you of Ireland.

Day 4 : Guilhofrei - Aboim - Casa do Penedo - Mondim de Basto (39/46 km (24/29 mi) - D+ : 870/1020 m (2854/3346 ft))

It is by a pretty country road that you first reach Aboim, whose authentic windmill still stands. You then continue on a superb panoramic road, offering you views that you never tire of. Further on is the Casa do Penedo, a surprising stone house sandwiched between two gigantic blocks of granite. You then go down to the plain where you cross some bucolic countryside before joining a greenway that will take you to your destination for the day: Mondim de Basto.

Day 5 : Mondim de Basto - Parque Natural do Alvão - Vila Real (43 km/27 mi - D+ : 1240 m/4068 ft)

The day begins with a rather sporty ascent (even with an electric bike, you will end up blushing a little) which will take you to the heights of the Alvão Natural Park, made up of high pastures where sheep and cattle graze, small granite villages, austere rocky landscapes, as well as pine forests on the less exposed slopes. The sumptuousness of the landscapes will fortunately largely reward the effort made. The avifauna is not left out, and, if you are really very lucky, you might even see one or the other wolf. However, the highlight of the day will be the view of the Fisgas do Ermelo waterfalls, which, with a drop of more than 200 m (660 ft), are considered among the most beautiful in Europe! This massif acts as a real barrier between the more humid Atlantic climate and the more arid and continental interior of the country. It is therefore another world that opens up to you once you have descended on the other side (and what a descent!). Then you reach the royal Vila Real, whose cute historic center, although not gigantic, has withstood the onslaught of time very well.

Day 6 : Vila Real - Casa de Mateus - Belvédère St. Leonardo - Peso da Régua (53 km/33 mi - D+ : 710 m/2329 ft)

Your day begins with a visit to the fabulous and unmissable Palace of Mateus, where Baroque architecture unfolds in all its power (it is indeed the palace that we see on the wine label of the same name, well known to oenophiles!). Guided tour recommended! A few kilometers further, a micro detour leads to the rock sanctuary of Panóias, blocks of granite in which the Romans dug amazing cavities which were used for the worship of Serapis, an Egyptian goddess! You then walk through a landscape of pine forests, then, as you get closer to the Alto Douro Gorge, the terraced vinesyards begin to shape the landscape, suggesting the M moment: the one when you see the famous river in the distance! Before starting the descent, a small detour via the St Léonard belvedere is not negotiable: it is quite simply the most beautiful view of the gorges, according to the locals! Then comes a memorable descent which will take you little by little to the banks of the river, which you will follow until you reach the river town of Peso da Régua where you'll stay 2 nights. You can visit there the Douro House, an interesting museum that traces the entire history of the region.

Day 7 : Different options from Peso

You fill your day as you wish ! Here are a few ideas jumbled up: a 35 km (22 mi) loop to the beautiful town of Lamego and its famous Nossa Senhora de Remédios sanctuary, a 2-hour cruise to Pinhao, before returning by train (the journey of which is just as picturesque!), whereas the visit of a Port quinta will teach you more about the process of making these eminent wines. The visit of the quinta is followed by a tasting of their Port wines. If you wake up early enough, you can combine different of these activities. If you wish to visit a quinta, it is best to book ahead (we can do it for you !).

Day 8 : Transfer to Porto in the morning.

On request, it is possible to stay an extra night in Peso, but you will then have to return to Porto by train on your own (without your rental bikes, however, as these will have already been repatriated to Porto the day before).

Arrival in Porto will be around noon. Unless you already go back on the same day, we suggest you to opt for an extra night in Porto.

Porto, apart from the fact that it alone deserves at least 1 or 2 days of visit, is also an excellent base from which to make an excursion to the cities steeped in history such as Braga or Guimarães, both located about an hour by train from Porto.

1. Duration:
   
   8 days and 7 nights, including the day of arrival and departure. 6 days of cycling. You have the option of booking extra nights at certain locations to extend the pleasure.


2. Minimum age: 12 years old


3. Seasonality: from April to October.
   
   Northern Portugal enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
   
   In summer, cycling can sometimes be strenuous during the hottest hours. The altitude and latitude helping a little, the summer heat is fortunately far from reaching the extremes experienced every summer in the south of the country, even if, like everywhere else, a wave of strong heat is always possible. A departure in summer is therefore still possible for those who are not too afraid of the heat, especially since most of the selected accommodations have a swimming pool.
   
   In the between seasons, the temperatures are pleasant but the risk of rain is a little higher. In spring, the landscapes are very green, and in October, the trees take on a thousand colors. September is the harvest season in the Douro, but it is also the peak of the season, and prices are a bit higher.
   
   Between November and March, the weather is cooler and wetter, and many sites and accommodations are otherwise closed. We do not offer departures between November and March.
   
   Note: the weather varies greatly from year to year. The information described above are only averages.


4. Arrival days: Saturday
   
   Your arrival in Porto (Day 1) must imperatively take place on a Saturday (or earlier), because the transfer to the starting point by bike is, for organizational reasons, only possible on Sunday mornings.
   The following Saturday (Day 8), you arrive in Porto during the afternoon.
   
   If you want to grant yourself 1 or 2 additional nights in Péso da Régua (Douro valley) or in Porto, it is of course possible (see "prices" tab).


5. Arrival and return:
   
   
   • Start of stay: Porto
   
   
   • End of stay: Porto
   
   In order to promote train travel, please note that all our routes are accessible in less than 24 hours by train (nigt trains, for the most distant tours) from Paris, London or Brussels. If the train journey can sometimes seem long, to appreciate it at its true value, it must be seen as an integral part of the journey and not as a simple displacement. You will also see beautiful landscapes along the way. Of course, depending on your budget, your available time or the comfort you are looking for, the train may be an obstacle and the plane or the car may be a more suitable option for you.
   
   For the north of Portugal in particular, although the sleeper train is comfortable, the long connection in Coimbra at the end of the night on the outward journey is a little less smooth. The return is smoother. An option is to first fly to Portugal and then return by train.
   
   
   Train +

   Direct high speed trains (TGV) as well as night trains connect Paris Montparnasse to Bayonne (near to the Spanish border). Sadly enough, from Hendaye, the night train to Portugal is currently not running anymore (2025). The best option is therefore to opt for a bus from Bayonne till Porto.
   
   Reservation required for the TGV!
   Car +

   From Bordeaux or Toulouse, it is possible to make the trip in a good day's drive. The journey is about 1000 km from Bordeaux. Motorways in Spain are good and now almost all free again.
   Airplane +

   Direct flights to Porto from many European cities.
   
   To connect Porto from Porto airport and vice versa, a direct metro line connects the city center and the airport every 30 min. (during the day).


6. Rendezvous:
   
   The cycling journey begins on Sunday (Day 2). For the transfer to the place of departure, a member of our local team will pick you up during the morning at your accommodation or another agreed location.


7. Type of route:
   
   Itinerant (linear).


8. Supervision:
   
   Freely (self-guided), with telephone assistance and guidance in the event of a problem. To orient yourself, you will have a detailed roadbook in English, a topographic map as well as GPS tracks of the route (which you can download on any navigation application - navigation is done by satellite, no internet connection is not required).


9. Level: sporty
   
   
   • Topography: the north of Portugal is quite hilly, even mountainous in places, but the effort is fortunately always largely rewarded by the grandiose landscapes of the heights. Unless you are very sporty or well trained, an electric bike is quite strongly recommended on this route in order to take full advantage of the stay, some stages accumulating an elevation gain of more than 1000 m (3300ft). Portuguese roads can also include some fairly steep passages.
   
   
   • Length of the stages: around 40-50 km (25-30 mi) per day, giving you plenty of time to make lots of stops along the way.
   
   
   • Terrain: over 90% paved roads. Some compact gravel tracks, not requiring suspensions or MTB tires.
   
   
   All details are summarized in the table below.
   
   

   Table 1: Distances and height differences

   PORTUGAL
   Stage	Route	Distance	Elevation gain(m)	Drop (m)	Estimated time
   Day 1	Arrival in Porto
   Day 2 (stage 1) Mixoes da Serra - Gerês	Default	29	520	840	1h56
   Day 3 (stage 2) Gerês - Guilhofrei	Default	43	1100	1090	3h36
   	Sporty	52	1490	1480	4h31
   Day 4 (stage 3) Guilhofrei - Mondim	Relax	39	870	990	3h01
   	Default	46	1020	1140	3h34
   Day 5 (stage 4) Mondim - Vila Real	Default	43	1240	1070	3h42
   Day 6 (stage 5) Vila Real - Peso da Régua	Default	53	710	990	3h29
   Day 7 (stage 6) Loop Lamego	Default	42	890	890	3h13
   Day 8	Transfer to Porto in the morning.

   
   
10. Accommodation:
    
    2-3* hotels (3-4* hotels in comfort+ category) or guest rooms with equivalent comfort. Accommodations have been selected with the greatest care, and some of them have a swimming pool.


11. Meals:
    
    Breakfasts are included. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense. During the day, you can eat in the local restaurants (you will find daily suggestions in our roadbook) or buy a lunch in local groceries.
    Some accommodations don't have a restaurant but you will always have a few restaurants within walking distance of your accommodation.


12. Luggage transport:
    
    You only carry your day's belongings during the cycling stages. Your luggage is transported from one accommodation to another by us, you find them at the end of the day at your accommodation. It is also possible to carry your belongings with you in bicycle side panniers that we can provide. In this case, you get a discount.


13. Travel documents:
    
    A detailed roadbook - including a lot of tourist information -, a map of the tour and GPS tracks will be sent to you before your departure or provided on site.
    


14. Bicycles:
    
    We offer the rental of quality bicycles, fully equipped and adapted to the type of terrain. If you nevertheless wish to bring your own bicycle, remember to check all the parts of the bicycle beforehand (brakes, tires, sprockets, chain, etc.) to ensure that it is in technical order for travel nearly 250 km (155 mi).
    
    As a reminder, given the significant difference in altitude on certain days, it is strongly recommended to opt for an electric bike.


15. Cancellation and assistance insurances:
    
    In order to guarantee reimbursement of costs in the event of cancellation of your stay or in the event of problems (e.g. health, accident, theft, lost luggage, ...) during the trip, you can opt for a cancellation (CAP Explorer - premium cancellation) and/or assistance insurance (CAP Exporer - premium assistance). To learn more about our proposed insurances, click more info or ask us.

The price of the tour and the bike rentals is given in below tables:



The price also varies according to a number of options (additional nights, optional insurances, etc.). By clicking on BOOK NOW, you will have the opportunity to select the options you want and obtain a price estimate, taking into account the discounts. If you submit the form, we will check the availability of accommodation and bikes and send you the final price within 2 working days, in order to finalize the reservation.

The base price includes:

• A detailed roadbook in English or Dutch, produced by us during our scouting trip (Paper booklet + PDF)
• The GPS tracks of the route via our navigation app
• A topographic map of the tour
• 7 nights in 2-3* hotels or equivalent guesthouses (or 3/4* if you opt for the comfort+ category)
• 7 breakfasts
• The transfer from Porto to your starting point (Day 2)
• The transport of your luggage between the accommodations
• Luggage tags
• The transfer from Peso da Régua to Porto (Day 8)
• Access to our hotline (7/7, 8am-8pm) and assistance and guidance in the event of a problem (except simple repairs such as punctures/derailments)
• Tourist taxes
• Registration fees

Possible options:

• Rental of fully equipped bicycles (price: see above table)
• Single room supplement (price: see above table)
• Comfort+ accomodation category (price: see above table)
• Additional nights in Peso da Régua and/or Porto (price: depends on season and category, see form)
• The visit of a quinta, followed by a tasting of their Port wines (31 €/pers)
• Optional insurance: cancellation and/or 24/24 assistance (more info)

The price does not include:

• The trip from your home to the meeting point, as well as the return.
• Lunch and dinners
• Your personal expenses
• Entrances to tourist sites
• Anything not listed in “the price includes”

Other:

• If you wish to transport your luggage yourself from one accommodation to another, you get a 180 € discount. An extra pannier will then be provided on each bicycle.
• You can do this tour with your own bike. However, keep in mind that if you go there by train or plane, your bike generally will have to be dismantled and packed up.
  
• A 'solo traveller' supplement of 290 € is counted for individuals doing this tour alone.

    Yvan and Geneviève, 69 and 69 years old

"Magnificent tour of Portugal, superbly well organised. The routes chosen by Cyclodyssées are perfect for cyclists: roads and paths with little traffic. The electric bikes are of the highest quality, but don't put the 'turbo' level on too often, or you risk finishing the stage with your muscles alone... We're already looking forward to adding another tour to our holiday programme."  September 2023

    Bénédicte and Alexandre, 59 and 64 years old

"Several trips in the wheels. Always very satisfied."  August 2023

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