A week in a sport hotel anywhere sounds good. A week in a sport hotel in Portugal with rowing sounds like a perfect vacation. You might think of a resort as a place to lie on the beach or by the pool, sipping non-stop margaritas and loading up at the buffet. Sport hotels offer the luxury and amenities of a resort, but the focus is on physical activity. Could be water sports, hiking, cycling, tennis and in a few places, rowing. Sport hotel guests are fit and want to be active outside. Spandex is the norm. Rowers will definitely feel welcomed and at home at FeelViana Sport Hotel. When you are not rowing, try out the other sports on offer, enjoy a yoga class, pamper yourself with a massage or just relax in beautiful surroundings. 

 River rowing and coastal rowing are possible from the long-established and very successful rowing club in Viana do Castelo. The Lima River is tidal. At high tide it is possible to get in a 20 km excursion. Shorter outings and practices are also possible, under the watchful eye of local coaches. The club has recently invested in coastal rowing shells, built by the Portuguese manufacturer Ave. With them, you can head downriver, past the port and the huge breakwaters and out onto the Atlantic Ocean. Tides, weather and water conditions and other safety considerations will dictate each day’s rowing.  

 Portugal is popular and for good reason. The famous sights of Lisbon, Porto, Douro Valley and the Algarve coast merit visiting. Even better is to go off the beaten path, away from the tourist crowds. Viana do Castelo, close to the Spanish border, is easy to access from Porto. A short ferry or bike ride from the hotel, the small city offers cafés, restaurants, bars, gardens, museums and shopping for exquisite filigree jewellery. Take the funicular (with a bike) to the top of Santa Luzia and the monumental sanctuary crowing the hill with a spectacular view. Cycle or drive along the river to visit Ponte de Lima, one of Portugal’s oldest villages, or spend an afternoon exploring local vineyards. But you might not want to stray far from the hotel. Built behind sand dunes and a pine forest, it is a short stroll to a magnificent beach, waves rolling in the wild Atlantic.