Porto to Baiona

Standard starting day: Monday*

From Porto airport (Portugal) where you will arrive, you will be taken to Baiona (in Galicia, Spain), a charming and lively harbour town, where a dish of fresh fish from the sea is an absolute must. Don’t forget to stroll around the harbour or the Monterreal Fort, famous for the Príncipe Tower.

Stage 2 – Caminha to Viana do Castelo

Cycle southwards on excellent asphalted cycle paths along the coast and fields close to the coastline, until you reach Viana do Castelo, where you will spend the night. Seagulls will also enjoy your attention, especially if you let them taste a few crumbs from your food. Viana do Castelo, located on the River Lima estuary, is a bustling city with an active student population and a good night life. Dating back to Roman times, Viana’s impressive history includes that of the merchants who provisioned the ships that took part in the Portuguese discoveries during the 16th century and later built the ships that sailed to Newfoundland for codfish. The numerous stately town houses whose architectural beauty is a hallmark of the city were built by these merchants.

Stage 4 – Vila do Conde to Porto

On Stage 4 of your holiday, you will cycle to Porto, a short ride of some 34 kilometres. Starting, naturally, at the Atlantic, you will follow cycle paths until you reach the Douro river. Alongside this famous river, you will cycle into one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Porto is a World Heritage city, a historic jewel with more than 150 listed monuments. Ride gently past the famous Eiffel bridge; see how the proud Port Wine lodges rise uphill from the south bank of the River Douro. An essential stop, of course, will be to admire the Casa da Música auditorium, designed by Rem Koolhaas, the Dutch architect. It will be hard to choose where to dine tonight: Porto is famous for Port Wine and the diversity and quality for its cuisine.

Stage 6 – Furadouro to Mira

For this last stage, you must not miss visiting the small city of Aveiro, with its picturesque town centre; if you’re lucky, you will catch sight of a Moliceiro, the colourful wooden boats used for gathering seaweed. Visit the saltpans too, if you can, and enjoy a delightful footbath in one of the pans. Once again, this is a beautiful ride of some 55 kms in all today, including through the Protected Natural Reserve of the São Jacinto dunes. Mira, where you will sleep tonight, perhaps to dream, is a small fishing village. You will certainly be inspired by the beautiful multi-coloured striped houses. Visit some of the little shops too; a nice carpet can be bought at affordable prices.