Douro Valley By Bike

8 Days & 7 Nights

Cycle through rolling vineyards, olive groves and hillside villages
Stay in charming wine estates and boutique hotels
Indulge in traditional farm-to-table cuisine from the region
Enjoy wine-tastings at renowned local wineries
End your journey on a scenic boat cruise back to Porto

Cycle through one of the oldest wine regions in the world, staying in charming wine estates along the way. The immense beauty of this region will guarantee an amazing ride through rolling terrain with endless views, where terraced vineyards, olive groves and traditional white-washed villages cling to the hillsides. You'll indulge in the mouth-watering cuisine of this region, as well as some of the finest wines at award-winning wineries. End your journey with a spectacular boat cruise along the Douro River to the bustling city of Porto, with time to explore its wine cellars, restaurants, coffee shops and rooftop bars.

From $2,580.00

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Gallery

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Itinerary

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Day 1 Arrive Porto; transfer to the Douro Valley Day 2 Pinhao Loop Ride from Quinta do Ventozelo 22 miles / 36 km Day 3 Cycle from Quinta do Ventozelo to Alijó 20 miles / 33 km

Today's destination is Alijó. 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, as well as a rich gastronomy scene. Several viewpoints offer stunning panoramic views of the Douro and Tua rivers. A famous viewpoint in the area is Miradouro de Casal de Loivos. Casal de Loivos is 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 mountains beyond the wide expanse of the Douro River, where you may spot a cruise ship 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 (beside Setúbal), where a different fortified wine called Moscatel is produced. It is 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 (one of the best is Manuela Barriguda, where the recipe has been passed down through generations). Finally, you'll arrive in Alijó, with excellent opportunities to taste local wines.

Ascent/Descent - 790m/525m

Overnight Alijó

Accommodations

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.

Day 4 Cycle from Alijó to Vilarinho de São Romão 27 miles / 44 km Day 5 Cycle from Vilarinho de São Romão to Peso da Régua 26 miles / 42 km

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

Accommodations

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.

Day 6 Peso da Régua Loop Ride 20 miles / 33 km

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 viewspoints 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 include 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). To finish your ride, another wine tasting is included today on your return at Quinta da Pacheca, to celebrate!

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

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

Overnight Peso da Regua

Accommodations

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

Day 7 Cruise from Peso da Régua to Porto Day 8 Departure

Reviews

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Other Information

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Is it for me?

If you, like the Portuguese, have a passion for farm-to-table cuisine, paired with some of the world's finest wines, then this is the trip for you. On this bike tour you'll discover the heartland of the world's oldest wine-producing region from the saddle, on a mixture of quiet roads and car-free nature trails. By day, pedal gently on the rolling terrain of the terraced vineyards and olive groves, and stay in charming wine estates with a glass of wine in hand by night. We include a dinner, two wine tastings and a boat cruise down the Douro River (with lunch) along the way, making this holiday ideal for foodies and wine-lovers!

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

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveler this tour would be suitable for is: 5 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Foodie

Wine

Off the Beaten Track

Activity Level & Terrain

The route has been graded as Moderate overall based on the distances and elevations each day. The route should be manageable for most semi-regular cyclists or those relatively new to cycling but with a good level of fitness.

Pedal on a mixture of quiet country roads, car-free nature trails with 5 days in the saddle, with distances between 32-44km. Day 6 is the shortest ride but you can opt for a longer route if you fancy more of a challenge. Each day takes in rolling terrain, meaning the daily cumulative ascent range is between 500m-790m and descents between 500m-1000m. It's a great trip for anyone with good physical fitness and we recommend you get used to cycling on hills before this tour. However, if you feel the hillier days may be more than you'd like to tackle on holiday then why not opt for some battery-powered assistance by hiring an e-bike.

Accommodation & Meals Navigation What's Included When to go Travel & Transfers Info & FAQ

Equipment

Hybrid, Road & E-Bike Hire

Hire of a hybrid, road or e-bike is not included as standard. Choose from either a Ghost Trekking touring/hybrid bike, a Ghost Yamaha E-Bike, or a road bike with a carbon frame.

Included with bike hire is a pannier rack, 1 pannier per bike, handlebar bag, a lock, toolkit, puncture repair kit, pump, spare inner tube, and use of a helmet (please note that a pannie rack and bag ar enot provided on a road bike). We recommend that you bring your own helmet for your own comfort.

For some battery-powered assistance on longer days and to get up hills 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 your destination. You can request a Ghost Yamaha E-Bike Touring bike at the time of booking. E-bikes are growing rapidly in popularity so please make sure to request at the time of booking so we can secure availability for your trip and avoid disappointment.