Viana do Castelo
Douro & Gerês
TOUR DETAILS
START LOCATION
FINISH LOCATION
Porto
DAYS RIDING
7
GROUP SIZE
Limited to 12 people
TOTAL DISTANCE
810 km
TOTAL ELEVATION
10,300 km
LONGEST DAY
127 km
BIGGEST CLIMBING DAY
1850m | Gerês
PORTO | VIANA DO CASTELO | PONTE DE LIMA | GERÊS | AMARANTE | PINHÃO (Douro Valley) | PORTO ANTIGO (Douro Valley) | PORTO
Gerês is all about intense green fields and vineyards, lavishing nature, sparkling waters, breathtaking river valleys and an heritage older than the country itself. Perfect fot the adventurous one. Enchante valleys, sleep vineyards and world heritage sites is what you will find in Douro Valley.
Ride along the schist mountains planted eith vineyarrds, green in Summer, flame-coloured in Autumn. Be surprised by the terrior where Port Wine is made. The Vinho Verde Route, unique worldwide, full of palaces, churches, convents, fountains, roman roads forms a remarkable destination, well worth a visit.
Enchanted valleys, steep vineyards and world heritage sites is what you will find in Douro Valley. Ride the schist mountains planted with vineyards, green in Summer, flame-colored in Autumn. Be surprised by the terroir where Port Wine is made.
DAY BY DAY BREAKDOWN
The Route
Day 1
Stay at The Yeatman hotel, one of Europe’s leading wine hotels, The Yeatman is a haven for wine lovers and the prime destination for those wishing to explore the pleasures of this UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy an exquisite dinner at Café Guarany, an historical place, with elegance and old-world charm.
Day 2
Travel to Viana do Castelo, one of the most beautiful cities in the north of Portugal. Its involvement in the Portuguese Discoveries shows its traditional connection to the sea. Start the cycling trail between sea and country, discovering the beautiful northern region of Minho. Stay at the gorgeous Carmo’s Boutique Hotel.
Day 3
Start your day in Ponte de Lima, in the centre of a rich farming region, where the famous Vinho Verde is produced. Cycle through the Peneda-Gerês National Park, the only Portuguese protected area classified as a such. The lush vegetation in all shades of green includes a forest of holly and endemic species such as the Gerês lily.
Day 4
Today the trail destination is Amarante, a city surrounded by imposing natural features: the great Serra do Marão rising above the city in a series of majestic landscapes and the river Tâmega, giving added color to the picturesque houses standing on its banks. Stay at the Relais & Châteaux Casa da Calçada, a 16th century palace.
Day 5
From Amarante to Pinhão, the geographical centre of the Douro demarcated wine region, the constantly undulating road is narrow and twisting. Calm, peaceful towns; vineyards strung along the curves of the lands; castles which date back to the region´s reconquest from the Moors and many other wonderful panoramas.
Day 6
The Douro Valley could as easily be called the enchanted valley, such is the beauty and magic that its landscapes offer. The Douro Wine Region Valley is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world. Visit one of the oldest, emblematic and well-known wineries of the Douro region and enjoy a true combination of Douro traditional flavors.
Day 7
From Porto Antigo, once a stopping point of the Rabelo boats carrying Port wine from the Douro vineyards region, to Porto, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean, today’s trail will not disappoint! This region of schist mountains, with poor, harsh soils, was transformed by the actions of the men who planted the vineyards step by step.
Day 8
Time to go home and feel the exclusive Portuguese Word – Saudade. Check-out and transfer to Porto International Airport.
