Northern Portugal offers a cyclist's paradise, a region where every pedal stroke blends physical exertion with profound sensory rewards. Setting off from the historic city of Guimaraes, riders are immediately immersed in a landscape rich with granite architecture and lush green valleys.
It's incredible as the route winds northward, ascending into the raw, untamed wilderness of the Peneda-Gerês. Here, dramatic mountain passes are rewarded with breathtaking vistas of emerald peaks and cascading waterfalls, and the only sounds are often the whir of tyres and the distant chime of cowbells. It is wild and rugged, with granite peaks that are millions of years old, oak forests, green valleys, and scenic hiking trails, and wildlife, including the native, wild Garrano ponies, deer, and ibex.
The hospitality is as warm as the climate, with opportunities to refuel on hearty local cuisine and Vinho Verde in tiny, forgotten villages, making the challenging climbs worth every moment for the sheer beauty and authentic culture encountered along the way.
This is a 4* hotel based holiday. Prices are based on sharing in twin rooms.
Single Supplement for this tour is £500. If opting to share, this must be with a friend or partner. If no one else is prepared to share with someone wanting a twin room, then the single supplement is payable. Ideally you should sign up with a friend to enable you to share a twin room. ACT is reluctant to allow strangers to share a twin room.
We will start the tour by spending a couple of nights in Braga before cycling up into the Peneda-Gerês National Park, and then on into the Reserva de la Biosfera Transfronteriza Gerês-Xurés spanning Spain and Portugal. We will then cycle down back to the Atlantic coast of Portugal to complete our tour of this magical area.
• DISTANCE – Approximately 330 miles (approximately 30,000 ft of climbing)
• BIKES – Ride your own bike ! Collection and delivery can be arranged, door to door, and back, for an extra £65 each way
• FULLY SUPPORTED TOUR, with 6 days cycling, averaging approximately 50 - 60 miles a day. 7 nights accommodation. Cycling leader plus support vehicle carrying luggage.
• ACTIVITY LEVEL – 8/10 – challenging.
• FLIGHTS – Fly into Porto, Saturday 22nd May (or earlier). Fly out of Porto, Saturday 29th May(or later).
We believe your tour experience will be enhanced if you are able to ride a bike you are comfortable on, and familiar with. So, with that in mind, we will transport your bike to and from the start/finish of a tour.
Our support vehicles are adapted to carry bikes in a safe and secure manner which gives you the peace of mind that you will be ready to get cycling on day one without any major rebuilding of bikes required. Just the front wheel will need to be put back on.
Your bike can be collected and delivered back to your door for £65 each way.
If you would prefer, we can arrange bike hire. This cost covers transport and customs documentation
DOCUMENTS
You will require a passport to visit Portugal
You are also required to have travel insurance for the duration of the holiday.
WEATHER
The weather in Portugal should be warm and sunny in May.
PAYMENT
Click on ‘Book Now’, and go through the site to pay the deposit. Balance invoiced out 10 weeks before the tour
Hotels during the tour are all paid for by ACT
All breakfasts and lunches/snacks on cycling days
GPX files available for garmins/wahoos etc.
Cycling Leader who will stay close to the back of the group
Luggage will be transferred by the support vehicle between hotels. Its the clients responsibilty to make sure luggage is put onto the van each morning.
Transfer from the designated airport to the starting hotel
Neither bike insurance or travel insurance are included. You are highly recommended to have both for the tour.
Bike transport to the start of the tour, and back to the UK is not included, but can be purchased as an option (£60 each way). Covering transport and customs costs post Brexit.
You have to make your own way to and from the designated airports at the beginning and the end of the tour.
