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Cycle from Minho to Porto

8 Days & 7 Nights
  • Cycle through rugged hills, vineyards, coastal nature reserves and rural communities
  • Start from the spa town of Monção at the Spanish border and finish at Porto
  • Varied architecture; from intricate tile-clad buildings to crumbling fortresses
  • Miles of white-sand beaches and colourful shore huts on the dramatic Atlantic coast
  • Enjoy wine tastings on local vineyards and a visit to one of Porto's port cellars
Cycle from the beautiful spa town of Monção in the Alto Minho region to the bustling historical city of Porto, passing through fortified towns, rural communities, valleys cloaked in vineyards and coastal nature reserves along the way. Follow the Minho River, lined with fabulous views and wildlife, before continuing down the Atlantic Coast to the historical city of Viana do Castelo. Sample crisp Vinho Verde wines and seafood delicacies, and then follow the Lima River to Portugal's oldest town, where more wine and local tapas awaits. After a stop in Barcelos, located on the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail, return to the coast for more wonderful beaches and fishing communities. Your final leg will be to the city of Porto, finishing with a port wine tasting at one of of the city's most prestigious cellars.
This moderately rated tour is an easily accessible trip, combining the lush rolling valleys of the Alto Minho region with seaside cycling along the Atlantic Coast, finishing in the charismatic UNESCO city of Porto. Ideal if you want to get off the beaten track, but don't want to miss out on exploring the sights of Porto. The area is renowned for its excellent wines and full-bodied port, and your trip includes wine tastings in the Minho region as well as a visit to one of Porto's renowned port cellars. Stay in characterful 4-star hotels, finishing in the bustling historic city of Porto. The cycling is varied; enjoy a mixture of quiet country roads, cycle paths and some short sections on off-road tracks.

Tour Type:

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Activity:

Leisure Cycling | Leisure Cycling

Activity Level & Terrain

The route has been graded as moderate overall based on the distances each day. The route should be manageable for most regular cyclists or those relatively new to cycling with a good level of fitness. 
Pedal on a mixture of quiet country roads, cycle paths and some sections on track, with distances between 32-56 km. While most days are largely flat, others (Day 5, from Ponte de Lima to Barcelos) take in rolling terrain, meaning that the daily cumulative ascent varies from 64-436m on this tour, making this a great trip for anyone with good physical fitness. 

Navigation

Navigation is straightforward with detailed route notes upon arrival, and the GPX tracks provided in our app. A GPS unit can be requested if you wish with an extra cost.

Accommodations

On this tour you will stay in 4-star hotels.

Alternate Accommodation

During the high season, you might be booked into alternative accommodations that are not listed in the main daily description. If those listed are unavailable the alternative accommodation will be of the same or better standard than those described.

Single Rooms & Solo Cyclists

If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. It is also possible to travel as a solo cyclist, please get in touch with one of our specialists as our solo prices for this trip are on request only due to logistics. 

Meals

Breakfast is included each morning, but lunches and dinners are not so that you are free to choose from the surrounding options. If there isn't a restaurant at your accommodation there will be options nearby. For lunch, you will pass through towns and villages en route where you can purchase provisions for a picnic lunch.

World-class seafood, crisp white wines (vinho verde), and of course port, are what the region is renowned for. Your trip includes two wine tastings; in Monção on Day 1 and a port tasting in Porto on the final cycling day of your trip on Day 7. You'll also have a taste of local products in Ponte de Lima on Day 4.

Included
  • 7 nights in 4-star hotels
  • All breakfasts
  • Wine tasting in Monção on Day 1
  • Taste of local products in Ponte de Lima on Day 4
  • Wine tasting at port wine cellars in Porto on Day 7
  • Private transfer from Porto Airport to Monção on Day 1
  • Private transfer from Porto hotel to Porto Airport on Day 8
  • Luggage transfers
  • Bike hire with panniers and helmet (E-bike requires a supplement)
  • Detailed information pack, GPS tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
  • 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our UK & US offices
  • Welcome briefing upon arrival
Excluded
  • Travel insurance (required)
  • Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks not mentioned in the itinerary
  • Personal equipment
Extras
  • Upgrade to E-bike
  • Extra night in Porto

When To Go

You can begin your trip on any day of the week from 1st March to 31st October

Weather and Climate

Generally you'll find that spring and autumn are the best times for cycling in Portugal, with temperatures from 12-19 degrees Celsius and the added bonus of less summer tourists. However, being in northern Portugal and therefore cooler than the south this trip is also pleasant in the summer months. Summer temperatures vary from 18-25 degrees Celsius and perhaps into the high 20s on occasion. Rainfall is generally low, with a monthly average of no more than 12 mm between March and November. May to September tend to be the driest months of the year.

Getting to the Start

Porto Airport (or Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport) is the most convenient airport for beginning the trip, and is served by many airlines. However, you can also reach Porto from Lisbon Airport.

From Lisbon Airport take an airport shuttle bus to the Santa Apolonia Train Station and then a train to Porto (approx. 2.5 hours). Lisbon is served by many airlines in the UK and from many other gateways in Europe and the US.

Transfers to and from Porto Airport, to your first and last accommodations are included in the price of the trip. Your arrival transfer from Porto to Monção is approximately 1.5 hours by car. Your specialist will request your flight arrival details nearer the travel date to arrange your transfer.

Getting from the End

A departure transfer from your accommodation in Porto to the airport is included in the trip. Your specialist will request your flight departure details nearer the travel date to arrange your pick-up.

Luggage Transfer

Luggage transfers between overnight locations are included in the tour. We request that you have only one piece of luggage per person, it should weigh approximately 20 kg.

General Information

The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes.

Equipment

Bike & E-Bike Hire

Hire of a Mountain Bike is included as standard (MTB TREK Marlin 6 with 29” wheels), but we can also arrange hire of high quality E-bikes too at an extra cost (TREK Powerfly 4 625 Gen 3).
Included with bike hire is a pannier rack, panniers, lock, toolkit, puncture repair kit and pump, and use of a helmet. Although, we recommend that you bring your own helmet for your own comfort. 
For some battery-powered assistance on longer days, and to ease ascents, we recomend hiring an e-bike. The rechargeable battery on your bike will be your reliable riding partner, getting you to the top of hills or to your final destination with more energy in the tank for an afternoon swim or simply for exploring. E-bikes are growing rapidly in popularity so please make sure to request one at the time of booking so we can secure availability for your trip and avoid disappointment. 

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance that covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Porto and transfer to Monção Day 2 Cycle from Monção to Caminha 29.5 miles / 47.5 km Day 3 Cycle from Caminha to Ponte de Lima 35 miles / 56 km Day 4 Ponte de Lima and Arcos de Valdevez circular route 26 miles / 42 km Day 5 Cycle from Ponte de Lima to Barcelos 20.5 miles / 33 km Day 6 Cycle from Barcelos to Vila do Conde 27 miles / 44 km Day 7 Cycle from Vila do Conde to Porto 21.6 miles / 35 km Day 8 Departure; transfer to Porto Airport

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