Douro Valley By Bike

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 two dinners and a boat cruise down the Douro River (with lunch) along the way, making this holiday ideal for foodies and wine-lovers!

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.

Leisure Cycling | Leisure Cycling

Solo Travellers

The minimum age for this tour is: 18 Years

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.

On this self-guided cycling tour in Portugal you will stay in a mixture of charming 4-star wine estates (otherwise known as 'quintas') and hotels. In the Douro Valley your accommodation is very much focussed on the historical wine estates, surrounded by vineyards and boasting fantastic views of the Douro Valley. Most have outdoor swimming pools. In Porto you stay in the centre of the city, on Batalha Square and very close to the old Ribeira district. 

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 for a supplement. 

Meals

Breakfast is included each morning. Dinner is also included on Day 1 and Day 2 (excluding beverages) and a lunch on the cruise on Day 7. For the lunches and dinners that aren't included, you are free to choose from local options nearby. For lunch, you will pass through towns and villages en route where you can purchase provisions for a picnic lunch, or your accommodation may prepare a picnic the night before, if this service is available. World-class wines, and of course port, are what the region is renowned for, as well as it's mouth-watering cuisine.

Although turn-by-turn directions are not provided on this tour, by using our smartphone app to follow the GPS tracks provided, navigation is easy. The majority of the time you will be cycling on small roads, so it will be relatively easy to find your way.

You can begin your trip on any day of the week year-round. Spring and autumn is the best time to visit the Douro Valley. In early March the trees of the almond groves start to blossom with delicate white flowers. While in mid to late September the grape harvest begins and the normally slow pace of life in the Douro Valley kicks up a gear. Please note that the Douro River Cruise cannot be guaranteed until May due to the water levels. May through to October sees full operation. A private transfer by car will replace the cruise should you travel outside the cruise season.

NOTE: September and October are now extremely busy for this tour and we recommend getting booked up as soon as possible to avoid disappointment if you would like to travel in these months. 

Generally you'll find that the spring and autumn are the best times for cycling in Portugal, with temperatures from 15-20 degrees Celsius (increasing to 25 as you enter June) and the added bonus of less summer tourists. However, being in northern Portugal, and therefore cooler than the south, this trip is possible in the summer months, although it will be hotter and you must be prepared for cycling in hotter weather. Summer temperatures vary from 20-30 degrees Celsius on average, but enters into the high 30s on occasion during a heat wave. 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.

Porto Airport (or Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport) is the most convenient airport for beginning this trip, and is served by many airlines. 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, which takes around two and a half hours. Lisbon is served by many airlines in the UK and from many other gateways in Europe and USA.

A private transfer from Porto Airport to your first accommodation in the Douro Valley is included in the price of the trip. The drive to São João da Pesqueira is approximately 2 hours. Your specialist will request your flight arrival details nearer the travel date to arrange your transfer.

Porto Airport is approximately 11km from the city centre. From Porto, you can use the metro, bus, shuttle or taxi to reach Porto Airport terminal.

If you're flying home from Lisbon Airport, take a train from Porto (approx. 2.5 hours) to Santa Apolonia Train Station in Lisbon, then an airport shuttle bus, metro or taxi from there.

Macs Adventure can also arrange private transfers to Porto or Lisbon Airport. Please contact your Destination & Adventure Specialist for details.

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