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Nature, Vineyards, Charming Towns and the Seaside at Northern Portugal and Galicia
The Vinho Verde wine bike tour is designed for both wine and culinary lovers and for bikers wishing an easy cycling holiday amidst a paradise of landscapes, nature, vineyards and charming old towns, in the lush green Minho province, in the North of Portugal.
Begin high in the Peneda-Gerês mountains, the only Portuguese protected region classified as a National Park and a proud member of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). Surrounded by nature and unique local fauna such as the wild Garrano horses and Cachena cattle.
Cycle down to the Atlantic Ocean that stretches before you as far as you can see, across a land blessed by the Minho and Lima rivers, each of which will accompany you at one stage or another of your ride.
The Minho is proud of its maritime history and of the remains of the fortifications that helped keep the Spanish well outside its borders. It is a land of fine mountain cuisine and along the coast, of a wealth of fish and seafood dishes, best enjoyed with a glass of Vinho Verde wine.
As you cycle throughout the Minho, you cannot fail to be charmed by the beauty of ancestral towns such as Viana do Castelo, a major harbour under the Romans and cradle of notable Portuguese discoverers and traders, with a wealth of elegant medieval buildings and capital of Portuguese folklore. Ponte de Lima, the most ancient town in Portugal, is famous for its beauty and its importance to medieval pilgrims as they made their way from Porto to Santiago de Compostela.
Your biking journey through the Vinho Verde winemaking region includes accommodation on a local winemaking estate and in towns planted with vineyards. The optional tasting program offers guided visits and tastings dedicated to discovering this unique wine that stands out as crisp, elegant and light, with fruity and floral notes of delicate aromas and flavours, as well as the chance to visit an organic and biodynamic wine producer and taste his unique wines. Enjoy biking through the North of Portugal at its most authentic.
*For 2-3 people, to start in a different day of the week, a supplement fee applies. This fee isn't applicable to 4 or more persons
Itineraries
Day 1
Castro Laboreiro | Ancestral village inside the Peneda-Gerês National Park
Transfer from Porto airport to Castro Laboreiro, inside the Gerês National Park. As you are driven across the hills and mountains of the countryside, past extensive vineyards, you will observe small villages dotted here and there, like pieces of mosaic, on the distant hills. This is the land for recapturing your peace of soul; for leaving behind the hustle and bustle and stress of modern life. Without a doubt, cycling here will be sheer bliss. As we reach the Serra de Laboreiro mountains where you will spend the night before beginning your biking holiday, a hush descends over all as we slowly climb up to the village through forests of long needled pines. This is a tiny hamlet with beautiful wind and watermills and just one or two shops in the centre, the hub of village life.
Day 2
Stage 1 - Castro Laboreiro to Monção | Cradle of Alvarinho, the finest Portuguese white wine
The first stage of your biking holiday is exceptionally beautiful. Enjoy the pleasant downhill journey past the Spanish border, past a landscape of stark granite outcrops and few trees, across the northern regions of the Gerês National Park and into the land of the Serra de Peneda Mountain range. The 72,000 acres of the Gerês National Park provide one of the last natural refuges for wolves and golden eagles. Don’t be too surprised if you come face-to-face with wild Garrano horses and Cachena cattle, local indigenous breeds!
Continue cycling through totally silent villages where you will always find a kind person to help you find the road when needed. The community ovens where villagers gathered to bake their bread, some of them still in use, are fascinating. Particularly striking are the traditional espigueiros, the granite maize stores on stilts. By the time you arrive in Monção, the fortified town on the Minho River, you will understand why the Portuguese are so proud of the fact that the Spanish were never able to conquer them. Monção is the land of Alvarinho wines, the finest Portuguese white wine. The optional tasting package offers you the opportunity to visit producers of great Alvarinho wine and their stately homes.
Day 3
Stage 2 - Monção to Vila Praia de Âncora | Traditional fishing town by the river and the sea
Today, travel eastwards along the River Minho to the Atlantic Ocean as you cycle across the demarcated Vinho Verde wine region, past the vineyards that produce the dry white wine for which the Minho province is famous.
Along the way, cycle past landmarks of the battles between Portugal and Spain, especially the impressive 17th century stronghold at Valença, the fort in Vila Nova de Cerveira and Caminha, an elegant town strategically located at the estuary of the river Minho and whose history dates back to pre-Roman times.
That evening, stay in Vila Praia de Ancora, a fishing village at the mouth of the Ancora River, which delights visitors with its great natural beauty. The commanding 17th century military fort overlooking the ocean shelters to a small harbour full of colourful fishing boats. Several restaurants overlooking the Atlantic offer delicious fish and shellfish dishes, making of this town a destination of excellence that will tickle all your senses and entice lovers of fine seafood.
Day 4
Stage 3 - V. P. Âncora to Viana do Castelo | Fishing villages, windmills and historic forts
Today, travel eastwards along the River Minho to the Atlantic Ocean as you cycle across the demarcated Vinho Verde region.
Cycling along the mighty Atlantic Ocean is an extraordinary experience, especially when the ocean is at its friendliest as you ride past fishing villages that appear to have remained unchanged for centuries. The haughty historic Montedor lighthouse watches over all who sail close to the coast. As you cycle to Viana, elegant windmills are reminders of the farming traditions connected with the maize that early navigators brought with them from South America. After Viana, the itinerary loops southwards across the Eiffel bridge and onwards to the villages of Anha and Chafé, where the owner of a Vinho Verde wine estate is your host for an informal lunch.
After lunch, Viana do Castelo will welcome you back to this lively city at the mouth of the river Lima. This next stage of your trip begins in one of the most charming Portuguese regional capitals on the Atlantic Coast, city proud of its wealth of medieval architecture and birthplace of several Portuguese discoverers. Today, Viana do Castelo boasts numerous stately homes, manor houses and elegant squares that will enchant you. Also known as the folklore capital of the country, Viana hosts frequent cultural activities and many shops selling hand-embroidered folk costumes and typical filigree jewellery.
Day 5
Stage 4 - Viana do Castelo to Ponte de Lima | The charm of the most ancient village in Portugal
Cycle inland from Viana do Castelo, along the river Lima until you arrive in Ponte de Lima.
The cycling path today is mostly the ecovia, an unpaved riverside greenway along corn fields, vineyards, and hamlets. Ponte de Lima, is the oldest town in Portugal, is celebrated for its beautiful 24-arch Roman bridge’s importance to medieval pilgrims as they made their way from Porto to Santiago de Compostela.
Although after arriving at your accommodation just outside the town, you might be tempted to stop and enjoy the charming setting, we recommend that you first stretch your legs with a stroll around the picturesque city.
There, you will delight in its medieval heritage, the narrow streets and lovely squares and perhaps sit down for refreshments in one of the many outdoor cafés facing the river and the bridge. Your accommodation, in a farmhouse surrounded by vineyards, awaits you with a welcome tasting of locally produced Vinho Verde. The next day, sweeten your breakfast with the finest honey from the bees on the estate.
Day 6
Stage 5 - Tour around Ponte de Lima | Green valley, Vinho Verde vineyards and rich cuisine
Today’s itinerary takes you to the millennial town of Ponte da Barca, doorway to the World Biosphere Reserve, as you cycle eastwards along the South Lima greenway. The route is takes advantage of the many significantly improved, pre-existing rural roads along the river, as well as some totally new routes, namely across the bridges over gravelled tributaries of the Lima River, the paved leisure zones, and wooden walkways. The course is mostly flat as it almost always progresses along the riverbank.
In Ponte da Barca you may wish to stroll amongst the medieval houses and across the bridge over the Lima River where the sound of running water, birds and buzzing blue dragonflies fill the air. The town is surrounded by sprawling Vinho Verde vineyards, corn fields and lush pastures, to form an idyllic scenario, the perfect end to your holiday in the Minho province. Cycle westwards back to Ponte de Lima on the North Lima greenway along the banks of the Lima River, where you may encounter some roots, rocky bits and ups and downs on your way.
The optional tasting package includes a visit to an organic and biodynamic wine producer and a tasting of his unique wines.
Day 7
Transfer Out
Farewell transfer to Porto airport.
End of the program.
- Organization of the program
- Accommodation, 7 nights in double standard room, with breakfast included
- Luggage transfer daily
- Porto airport transfers to the start and from the ending points of the programs in a car, van, or minibus
- Per person: Standard Touring bicycle, cargo rack, 1 pannier bike bag, handlebar bag, 1 spare inner tube.
- Per group/reservation: GPS loaded with the tracks, toolkit, first aid kit, puncture repair kit, pump, lock (one per two bicycles)
- Overnight storage of bicycles at the hotels
- Login access to the app where the route is published in digital support, including map, points of interest and route details; the client must download it beforehand to its own smartphone, using it online/offline to guide himself during the journey
- Guide and support vehicle (price on request)
- Meals, wine experiences and cooking experience (optional)
- E-Bike supplement (optional)
- Pre-paid mobile phone (on request)
- Helmet (on request)
- Travel Insurance. We do suggest: Nomads / Worldwide / Colombus
- Personal expenses
- Other items not mentioned
- Mechanical bike interventions made on the bikes without Pedalquest Tour’s permission
- The damages caused by bad use or accident are the client’s responsibility and so the cost associated will be charged directly to them (However, Pedalquest Tours will provide assistance for the situation to be resolved in the clients’ best interest)
- Small repairs such as a tire repair or inner tube change are done by clients. For that, we provide 1 toolkit per group with the necessary gear
Please note: Clients are advised to bring their own helmets, although we can provide a limited number of second-hand helmets, if required, at no extra charge. Clients may purchase a brand-new helmet from us for an additional 80 euros. If required, these must be requested when booking your journey, otherwise we cannot guarantee availability.
We consider this tour to be of an easy to medium level.
We recommend taking this tour between March and November
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