Wine & Cycling Lover's Paradise : Douro Valley by Bike

Arrival in Porto. You will meet your guide at the Porto airport. Then, he will drive you to your hotel in Vidago, a very special little town, which was known for an interesting reason! In the late 19th century, Vidago was a centre for treatment of mineral waters. It was believed that some minerals contained in this "special" Vidago water had some healing properties that helped with digestive issues. You will have the pleasure of staying at the famous Vidago Palace, which was a popular retreat for some Portuguese monarch's back in the early 20th century, due to the popularity of the waters.

Most of this spectacular ride takes place along an old railroad line. You'll pass through old and abandoned stations, giving you an unparalleled feeling of nostalgia! Halfway along the route, at Vila Pouca de Aguiar, the railroad joins the Corgo River, which rises here and is one of the Douro's tributaries. After following the railroad to Vila Real, you'll arrive at a charming, environmentally-friendly country estate. This will be your resting place for the night.

Distance : 55km (34mi).

Elevation : 600m.

On your journey, you'll discover small, isolated, rustic villages hidden among the Douro mountains, as if lost in time. You'll pass the Mamoa de Madorras, an ancient Bronze Age burial mound, and a pretty chapel known as Nossa Senhora da Azinheira. Next, you'll arrive in São Martinho da Anta. This emblematic little town is the birthplace of Miguel Torga, one of the greatest Portuguese writers of the 20th century. Finally, you'll pass through Sabrosa, the birthplace of the famous Ferdinand Magellan, who was the first (with his crew) to circumnavigate the globe! A few kilometers further on, you'll arrive at Vilarinho de São Romão, your home for the night !

Distance : 32km (19mi).

Elevation : 700m.

This starts halfway through the route, during a long and scenic descent,in which you will find yourself surrounded by growing vines and haveclear views with interesting angles of the Douro River. You will also passby extremely characterful villages, such as Covas do Douro ; villages likethese depend entirely on the wine production in the region and have sofor many years. As the ride comes to and end, you will arrive at the picturesque town of Pinhão, famous for its immersing landscapes andviews and home to the historic Pinhão train station. The sights of todayare guaranteed to fill your senses and remain in all of your memories for along time to come !

Distance : 30km (18mi).

Elevation : 400m.

This day is reserved to explore the surroundings of Pinhão and its gorgeous landscapes...

Landscapes that have been given the classification of UNESCO World Heritage site. We will present you with two different possible routes with a varying difficulty, both of which will pass through wine estates and typical Douro villages. On the lounger route, you will encounter Favaios Village, known for its Moscatel wine, but also for its archeological marks, stately homes, relligious monuments and absolutely mouth watering cuisine. As you return and descend to Pinhão along the river, you will realize why this is one of the most beautiful wine growing regions.

Distance : 18km or 38km (11mi or 23mi).

Elevation : 400m or 800m.

As the day before, you will have different options in terms of routes. A moment of absolute serenity and peace. Once you arrive to Covelinhas, you will start riding on a panoramic route that follows the river and itsscenery. The longer one has a hard elavation gain in between valleys. The short track runs upstream through the Corgo Valley alongside the Corgo River. Both of the routes end with an easy descent towards Pesoda Régua where we recommend that you visit the Douro Museum, before crossing the river on an old and charming bridge and arriving at your accommodation, with a charming stuning view over the Douro River.

Distance : 47km or 28km (29mi or 17mi).

Elevation : 1000m or 600m.

This will be your last in the Douro region and it will be an amazing one.

You will once again have the option of two different route, which are pretty similar in terms of difficulty. The first option will be to ride alongside the Douro River on a beautiful paved road and the second will invoive heading up the mountain towards Lamego, an old city full of monuments and an interesting history to discover. One the most renowned sites are the chapel of Sao Pedro de Balsemao (second oldest chapel in Europe) and the Cathedral of Nossa Senhora da Assunção. Both of the routes today prepared to deliver astounding landscape filled with blue and green of the river and vines, adding one more memory to take back home with you.

Distance : 28km or 31km (17mi or 19mi).
Elevation : 500m.

Today you have a transfer to Porto Airport. According to your program, we can arrange accommodations and transportation. or possibility to make your way there on a river cruise, and end your visit to the Douro region an a high note.