Douro Valley By Bike

Welcome to Portugal! Upon arrival at Porto Airport, our local representative will meet you at arrivals and drive you to Quinta do Ventozelo in the Douro Valley, your first hotel and where you'll have a welcome briefing. The drive takes approx. 2 hours.

Overnight Ervedosa do Douro

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

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Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta | 4 Star

Located in Ervedosa do Douro, Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta provides accommodation with an infinity swimming pool boasting incredible views over the Douro Valley, and a garden with a terrace. Some rooms have a balcony with mountain views. At the hotel you will find a restaurant and bar serving seasonal cuisine using ingrediants from local farms and producers. We love their farm-to-table approach, and staying in an elegant quinta like this really is a unique experience.

Today's loop ride is your first day of riding, exploring the beautiful area of Pinhão, famous for its incredible views and beautiful, historic train station. Surrounded by vines, this small town is placed in a beautiful landscape, classified by UNESCO as World Heritage Site. It's one of the most beautiful places in this wine-growing zone and certainly worth a stop to explore the town. You'll pass through villages and the Nossa Senhorade Fátima Chapel. If you feel like doing a wine-tasting today, Quinta do Bonfim is nearby and located by the river, and considered to be one of the best wineries in the region. We have also recommended other wine experiences for your ride, which is included in your Information Pack.

Ascent/Descent - 785m/785m

Overnight Ervedosa do Douro

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta | 4 Star

Located in Ervedosa do Douro, Ventozelo Hotel & Quinta provides accommodation with an infinity swimming pool boasting incredible views over the Douro Valley, and a garden with a terrace. Some rooms have a balcony with mountain views. At the hotel you will find a restaurant and bar serving seasonal cuisine using ingrediants from local farms and producers. We love their farm-to-table approach, and staying in an elegant quinta like this really is a unique experience.

You'll head north and leave the Douro Valley towards a municipality with the largest area of vineyards, as well as port wine production. Along the way, several historic villages can be discovered. Several viewpoints offer stunning panoramic views of the Douro and Tua rivers. A famous viewpoint in the area is Miradouro de Casal de Loivos, a tiny village perched on a hill overlooking the small but popular village of Pinhão in the heart of the Douro Valley. The BBC declared the views from this spot to be among the 6 best views in the world. From the miradouro terrace, you can see wave after wave of hills beyond the wide expanse of the Douro River, where you'll spot boats gliding towards the quayside at Pinhão. The slope between the river and where you stand is decorated with geometrical vineyards, rows of olive trees, vegetable plots and houses.

Continue on to the village of Favaios, located in one of the most beautiful plateaus in the Douro region. The village offers mouth-watering cuisine and one of the two only places in Portugal (besides Setúbal), where a different fortified wine called Moscatel is produced. It's also home to a distinctive four-cornered loaf made with locally produced wheat and baked in a wood-fired oven. Many locals pop to the bakery for a fresh loaf on a daily basis. Be sure to try the famous bread in a traditional bakery. Finally, you'll arrive in Alijó, with opportunities to taste local wines.

Ascent/Descent - 790m/525m

Overnight Favaios

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Pousada Palacete | 4 Star | Hotel

Located in the village of Alijó, this restored historical building is surrounded by the large estate of one of the area’s famous Port wine houses. The hotel is named after Joseph James Forrester, an English wine merchant who was one of the great names in Port wine history. Enjoy the outdoor swimming pool and the onsite garden, sun terrace, bar and restaurant, serving local dishes and wines from around the region. Guests can tour the local vineyards, which produce the famous Port wines.

The scenery today is full of olive trees and vines on historic terraces as you make your way to your wine hotel (another quinta!) in Vilarinho São Romão. Cycling through small villages and vineyards, you'll get a real flavour of the Douro region. As you cross the plateau, some of your ride will be on old roads, taking you from small villages to the breathtaking landscapes of the vineyards and then on to Vilarinho São Romão. You'll pass the town of Sabrosa enroute. The majority of the settlements in Sabrosa date back to the Middle Ages. Many of these settlements were established prior to 1143 (the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal), such as Provesende, and have scattered paleo-Christian structures from this period. You'll have plenty of opportunities to admire the beautiful colours of the Douro Valley.

Ascent/Descent - 615m/650m

Overnight Sabrosa

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Casa das Pipas | Hotel

Located on the Quinta do Portal vineyard in the wine-producing Douro Valley, Casa das Pipas boasts fabulous views of vineyards and rolling green countryside. Enjoy the quinta's selection of fine wines and farm-to-table food at the restaurant, as well as the outdoor swimming pool. This family-run vineyard is a producer of some of the finest Douro wines, Port Wines, fortified Moscatel wines and olive oil. Indulging in the food and wine at this fabulous award-winning quinta is an experience in itself.

Today you'll cycle towards your last destination in the Douro Valley, to immerse yourself in vineyards once more. You'll get a flavour of the local life today, with traditional homes scattered across the land. Finish the day in Peso da Régua, another important town on the Douro riverside, full of history and traditions of wine production and celebrations. Situated on the banks of the Douro River, it played a fundamental role in the production and sale of Port wine, and it was from here that the barrels were transported in the special boats, known as barcos rabelos, to Vila Nova de Gaia, where the wine was left to age in the local wine lodges. In this region, the vines are grown on terraced slopes leading down to the river, providing visitors with a series of spectacular views, which are best admired from the area's many viewpoints, such as São Leonardo at Galafura, and Santo António do Loureiro. To end your day, there is no better place than Quinta da Pacheca as your hotel for the evening, one of the best wine estates and hotels in the region. Relax in the hotel and enjoy the sunset by the pool.

Ascent/Descent - 550m/1035m

Overnight Peso da Regua

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Quinta da Pacheca | 4 Star

The Wine House Hotel (otherwise known as Quinta da Pacheca) is a beautifully restored 18th-century house on a 36-hectare wine estate, surrounded by vineyards and overlooking the Douro Valley. The luxurious boutique property is located just outside of Peso da Regua in Lamego, and is known to be one of the best estates in the Douro region due its world-class wine tasting. It was one of the first properties in the Douro Valley to bottle wine under its own label, and has its very own acclaimed restaurant, serving excellent wine and seasonal food throughout the year. Quinta da Pacheca has the feel of being on a working elegant wine estate, with the buildings surrounding the main manor house still being used for making wine and port.

Your last ride! Nearly half of the route today will be alongside the Douro River, where you can take your time to appreciate the views. From Peso da Régua, you'll cross the wine country of the Douro via its hilly slopes. The landscape along the way will be pleasant, with stunning viewpoints throughout. Crossing the plateau, the vineyard scenery is superb and the old roads will lead you back to your hotel via small villages. The ride will take you via Lamego, an ancient city rich in history since its founding dates back to the Roman ages. It was an important city even in Visigothic times. It features an 11th-century cathedral and was ruled by the Arabs from the 6th century until the 11th century. Lamego is defintiely worth a stop, and we have included some suggestions on historical sites to visit in our Information Pack. If you want to challenge yourself for the final day, a longer ride is available (48km).

Ascent/Descent - 740m/740m (long version)

Ascent/Descent - 515m/510m (short version)

Overnight Peso da Regua

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Quinta da Pacheca | 4 Star

The Wine House Hotel (otherwise known as Quinta da Pacheca) is a beautifully restored 18th-century house on a 36-hectare wine estate, surrounded by vineyards and overlooking the Douro Valley. The luxurious boutique property is located just outside of Peso da Regua in Lamego, and is known to be one of the best estates in the Douro region due its world-class wine tasting. It was one of the first properties in the Douro Valley to bottle wine under its own label, and has its very own acclaimed restaurant, serving excellent wine and seasonal food throughout the year. Quinta da Pacheca has the feel of being on a working elegant wine estate, with the buildings surrounding the main manor house still being used for making wine and port.

A beautiful 6 hour cruise will take you from the Douro Valley to Porto along the Douro River, with 14 locks and 35m of climbing via the dams. Observe the stunning views of the valley from the river, and enjoy a lunch on board, which is included. Upon arrival in Porto you will be transferred to your hotel where you can spend your last evening exploring the cobbled winding streets of the old quarter, with plenty of rooftop bars, coffee shops and restaurants to choose from.

Overnight Porto

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

NH Collection Porto Batalha | 4 Star

Located in a newly renovated 18th-century palace, the hotel is in the heart of Porto. Once the home of a prominent wine-producing family, and most recently the city's main Post Office, the hotel has the feel of old Porto, from its historic façade to the elegant décor. It is also within easy reach of everything that makes this city a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy a fully-equipped gym that’s open 24/7, unwind in the spa or relax in the indoor swimming pool.

Your journey comes to an end today, or why not book an extra night in Porto so that you can explore this historic bustling city.