Name: Cycling Experience of the Douro Valley
SKU: 88662
Price: 1589.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

Start and end in Porto! With the Cycling Experience of the Douro Valley, you have a 7 days tour package taking you through Porto, Portugal and 6 other destinations in Portugal. The Cycling Experience of the Douro Valley includes accommodation in a hotel as well as an expert guide, meals, transport and more.

Additional Information:

Tour Operator: Exodus Travels

Max group size: 14

Age range: 14 to 99

Operated in: English

Tour id: 88662

Highlights:

Enjoy stunning views of Douro Valley
Cycle along Portugal’s highland plateau
Explore the Douro Nature Reserve
Savour organic and local produce

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Itinerary:

Day 1: Start Porto airport; transfer approx. 3 hours to Castelo Rodrigo, not far from the Spanish border

Pick up a shared transfer from Porto airport (included at 14:20) to the easternmost point of your holiday; Castelo Rodrigo. Enjoy the beautiful landscape and scenery that unfolds along the way, entering the fascinating landscape of the Douro River Canyon and its 200 metre high cliffs. The historical village of Castelo Rodrigo deserves an exploratory walk, with its cobbled streets, palace ruins, old walls and ogival arched gates, 16th century pillory and medieval church. Your hotel is located in Castelo Rodrigo with great views over the surrounding plains, mountains and all the way to the border with Spain.

Day 2: Cycle across high plains to Almeida and Escarigo on the Spanish border (breakfast)

The first day of cycling takes you across high plains to the historical village of Almeida, one of the most important strongholds in Portugal’s history. Although it had been occupied by humans since the Palaeolithic era, it was only during the Arabic period that the name of the village came about – Al Meda meaning “the table”. There is an ancient tale that a sumptuous table embedded with precious stones once stood in this spot. However, Almeida’s military importance was yet to come…taken and re-taken many times during battles between the Portuguese and the Castilians, in 1296 a new castle was built by the Portuguese, then in 1640 an enormous star-shaped fortress was built around the town to defend against Spanish and French attacks. Eventually falling to Napoleon’s armies it was later used by the Portuguese as a political prison. Also visit the village of Vilar Torpim, with it’s chapel and manor house, and Escarigo, right on the Spanish border. Return to Castelo Rodrigo for your overnight.

Day 3: Cycle to Aldeia do Juízo along backroads with beautiful landscapes (breakfast)

At the beginning of the day, cycle around the Serra da Marofa mountain range. Experience stunning views over the Iberian Plateau and from the top you can also see the Douro river system (which, beyond this river, includes Côa and Águeda rivers), to the East. Continue on to Aldeia do Juizo, a rural village with 2 chapels, several wineries and a community oven that is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and almond orchards. On the banks of the river, there are vegetable-gardens, where the locals produce a wide variety of agricultural products. Stay in a delightful village house, part of a rural tourism complex of restored houses, all with private bathroom facilities.

Day 4: Cycle through the historical villages of Marialva, Meda and on to Penedono (breakfast)

On the ride today you cycle through two historical villages, Marialva and Meda before your approach to Penedono, with views of its almost hexagon castle, perched on an outcrop. After the first 10 km you will be able to see the Castle of Marialva. When you reach the village, explore the streets, lined with buildings that have stood the test of time and which lead to the citadel surrounded by ancient walls. The next highlight is Meda – in medieval times this village was essentially a border town and the setting for hard-fought skirmishes between Christians and Muslims. The watchtower was one of the most important strategic defence points in the region and combined with the castles of Marialva and Longroiva. Today the village is quiet and the main activity is farming and wine-making. Continue on to Penedono and its medieval castle, a unique example of military architecture that dominates the surrounding countryside.

Day 5: Ride to the UNESCO World Heritage listed vineyards of the Douro Valley (breakfast)

The Alto Douro winemaking region is most famous for its Port wine, but the region also produces world-famous wines from the Touriga grape. The terraced vineyards are so typical of the region that they are listed a UNESCO World Heritage site and are a delight to behold. The neatly-kept wine estates rise proudly amidst the vineyards, their names clearly visible to everyone who passes. In the afternoon enjoy a boat trip on a ‘Rabelo’, a traditional ‘gondola-shaped’ boat that in earlier days transported up to 50 barrels of wine at a time, downriver, to Porto. The Port wine town of Pinhao is your next stop, with its exquisite train station, the ceiling covered in azulejos (traditional Portuguese blue ceramic tiles). You spend the night in Pinhao.

Day 6: Pinhao Loop cycling along the Douro River (breakfast)

The route today takes you along the magnificent and enchanting Douro Valley. The views are nothing less than breathtaking, as if the Douro Valley is ensuring that you will never forget its magical beauty! Head along the riverside and enjoy a guided visit of an 18th century wine estate, at the confluence of the Douro and Tedo rivers, and a wine tasting at Quinta do Tedo. At the end of today’s cycle you will arrive back in Pinhao.

Day 7: Transfer back to the airport, or choose to spend extra time in the cosmopolitan city of Porto (breakfast)

This morning you check out from your hotel and are transferred back to Porto at 10am; here you can choose to spend some time in this cosmopolitan city, or go straight back to the airport for your flight home. Extra nights in Porto can be requested at the time of booking.

Included:

Accommodation

The accommodation on this trip is chosen with the greatest care and varies from one stop to the next. You stay in guesthouses, rural village houses, giving you a feel for the local community and 3 and 4 star hotels. Some of the properties have swimming pools for you to relax in after a day of cycling.

Guide

As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. Your luggage is transferred and route notes and maps are provided. The route notes contain a 24hr emergency assistance telephone number. In emergency, the local representative or hotelier is normally able to dispatch a taxi or pick you up themselves. They may wish to charge for this service.

Meals

A typical hotel breakfast consists of: cake, toast/bread with jam,or honey, cheese and ham, served with coffee, tea, milk, orange juice, fruit, cake and yoghurt. The Douro region is well-known for an endless number of meat dishes, which include the famous roasted baby goat with rice and potatoes, wild boar stew, posta mirandesa (veal steak), cozido à portuguesa (boiled meat, sausages and cabbages), partridge on a skewer, arroz de cabidela (chicken or rabbit with rice) and feijoada à trasmontana (bean stew). The region’s fish is caught in the Douro river and its tributaries, and is served fried or marinated. The codfish is also a famous alternative to meat dishes. The typical desserts include traditional pastries such as the peixinhos de chila or the biscoito da Teixeira are famous in the region. The region is also known for the delicious pão-de-ló (sponge cake) and the bolo-rei (fruit cake), manly eaten during local celebrations. The rice pudding and the aletria (vermicelli with cinnamon) are also some of the region’s specialties. Most of the time, meals in Portugal are served with bread. If you visit the Douro region, you must try the traditional breads made with meat or olive oil. Normal bread can be savoured with regional honey or home-made jams. Regional cheeses and smoked sausages can also be eaten at any time of the day, either by themselves or with a piece of bread. There is also a wide variety of fruit in the region, which are picked in different seasons. Cherries, almonds and apples are the most abundant fruits. Roasted chestnuts, nuts, diospyros kaki (persimmon) and tangerines are typical of the colder months. Olives and grapes are the main fruits in the region, even though they are used more to make olive oil and wine than for direct consumption.Olive oil is used in most dishes, whether to cook the dish or as seasoning. Every dish is seasoned with salt, or it can be replaced by herbs, which are plentiful in the region. Rosemary, parsley and bay leaves are some of the most commonly used herbs, mainly to cook meat. There is nothing better than starting a meal by drinking a glass of Port wine to open your appetite. The Favaios wine is also served as an aperitif, while the Douro wines are served with the main course. The liqueurs produced in the region, which are the result of the mixture of spirits and fruits, such as the arbutus, blackberries or cherries, are served as digestifs, replacing the international scotch. For those who do not appreciate alcoholic beverages, fruit juices and herbal teas are always a treat, especially because these juices and teas are made with fresh and crystalline water from the several springs in the Douro region.

This tour offers Vegetarian and Vegan food options on request. Simply let Exodus Travels know the food option that you prefer.

Additional Services

Luggage transfers

Local bike hire

Transport

Transfers are made using a private minibus or taxi. Your luggage is transported from hotel to hotel for you.

A shared airport transfer (arrival and departure) is included in the trip cost. As the transfer to Castelo Rodrigo is 3 hours long, please book a flight that arrives in Porto airport before 14:20 so that you will arrive at your start point in time for dinner. All those taking advantage of the free airport transfers must provide full flight details for both arrival and departure in advance. Air prices include our standard flights/transfersOut: TAP Air Portugal Gatwick to Porto 12:00/14:20 then transfer to hotel 3 hours. Return: Transfer to airport 1 hour 45 mins then TAP Air Portugal to Gatwick 17:50/20:05. Business/club/first class seats are available on request. Alternative Air TravelAlternative flights, onward rail to your holiday area, and connecting private transfers can be arranged from most UK airports. If you would like to use one of the many ‘low cost’ airlines, we can book these on your behalf. We can also book UK shuttles to connect with your onward flight, please call for details and prices.

Not Included:

Insurance

This tour does not include travel insurance. Please make sure you are adequately covered. You can arrange travel insurance with your preferred provider, or check here to see what our Travel Experts recommend.

Additional Services

— Travel insurance — Single accommodation (compulsory supplement applicable) — Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date) — Visas or vaccinations — Flights from London (available on request)

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