The Charming Pousadas in the North Self-Guided

Hybrid Bike | Self-Guided | Historic
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This is a gorgeous Hybrid Bike Tour in Portugal which takes you to several Manor Houses, Palaces and Monasteries; these magnificent places were once inhabited by the clergy or the Queens and Kings of Portugal and now are converted into exquisite lodgings, which we call POUSADAS.

The overall difficulty level of this tour is 3, Intermediate (more precisely, level 2.7 between 1~5). It is recommended for “bikers” and “cyclists”. It is supposed that you are in good shape.

This Bicycle Tour in Portugal starts in Valença do Minho which is a historic village in Northern Portugal located near the Spanish border; the borderline is the beautiful river Minho and the village is surrounded by walls. There is a fortress with two towers and double walls, several manor houses and small palaces and several churches too. Then we will ride to Viana do Castelo, a town founded in the 13th century and whose port was one of the main ports from which the Portuguese explorers set sail, due to the Discoveries in the 16th century.

We will cycle along the river Lima to Ponte de Lima, admiring an astonishing view and luxuriant vegetation. Ponte de Lima is a beautiful small town whose name derives from the bridge (ponte) which was the only safe way to cross the Lima river.

We will cross the hills in Gerês and will stay in a 12th century Monastery converted into a charming hotel. Next stop will be in a Nature hotel located in the heart of Peneda/Gerês National Park with a breathtaking view over the river and the peaceful Caniçada dam.

On our last day we will cycle to Guimarães which is traditionally known as the birthplace of the Portuguese nation. You can visit the medieval historic center, the castle and the palace nearby and feel the medieval atmosphere around you. We will stay in a Convent dated of the 12 century.

From
Euro 1930
Self-Guided
Tour

7
Days 

Level 3 (2.7)
Intermediate

Distance
204km/127mi
41km/25mi day
Hotels
Signature, Monument and Historic

Trails
66% asphalt+34% dirt-roads+bike lanes
Start | End
Valença | Guimarães
Dates

Start-End

Availability

Booking

Price

Per Person

October, 2019

Available

Euro 2030

13 to 30 April, 2020

Available

Euro 2050

May, 2020

Available

Euro 2330

01 to 13 June, 2020

Available

Euro 2340

14 to 30 June, 2020

Available

Euro 2110

01 to 10 July, 2020

Available

Euro 1930

11 to 26 July, 2020

Available

Euro 2050

01 to 12 September, 2020

Available

Euro 2210

13 to 30 September, 2020

Available

Euro 2310

01 to 17 October, 2020

Available

Euro 2270

18 to 31 October, 2020

Available

Euro 2050

RESERVE THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME

Ready to book? Select tour date.

(Your booking will be confirmed when our specialist contacts you.)

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Minimum number of people: 2
Location: Porto and the North
Price per person:
Single room supplement:
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Adults:

Price includes:
7-day Hybrid Bike Tour with a GPS device | Superior quality bicycle rental | Transfers from and to Porto or Lisbon Airport | Accommodations (6 nights): 5 nights in Pousadas – luxury Historic Hotels): one 12th century Monastery, one 17th century Fortress, one early 20th century Palace, one typical House in the mountains, one 12th century Convent) and one 4* modern hotel. | Double bedroom occupancy | 6 Breakfasts | Luggage transport from Hotel to Hotel | Documentation about PortugalBike Tour  | Personal Accident Insurance and Liability Insurance.

Please note:

Self-Guided version: We require a minimum of 2 people to confirm a Self-Guided departure | Groups: Discount for Groups of 4 or more people | E-Bike rental: + Euro 150 | Longer tour: You can join two PortugalBike Tours and have a 2-week program. Take a look to Along The Silver Coast bike tour (10% discount on the second tour) | On Self-Guided tours we can offer you any date, depending on our availability. If the tour starts and ends in different months/fortnight the price will be adjusted accordingly, depending on how many days in each month/fortnight. The price on festivity dates will be adjusted accordingly.

DAY BY DAY 

Portugal Bike Tours - Charming Pousada in the North

Day

1

Arrival   

Welcome at Porto airport. 1-hour drive to Valença, briefing about the tour. Lodging in a Pousada which is set on the highest place of the old fortified area of Valença, with a great view to the Spanish border.

Day

2

Cycling along the coast

62km (39mi), level 4 (3.5), total climbing 750m (2460ft).
After breakfast you leave Valença and ride towards a city that was founded in the 13th century and whose port was one of the main ports of sailing during the Portuguese Discovery Journeys in the 16th century. Lodging in a Pousada set on a hill, overlooking the city and the beautiful estuary of the river Lima.

Day

3

Along the Lima river banks

37km (23mi), level 2 (2.0), total climbing 390m (1280ft).
After breakfast you ride towards the oldest small town in Portugal with its amazing bridge which was the only safe way to cross the Lima river until the end of the Middle Ages. Lodging in a 4* modern hotel.

Day

4

The most typical views in Minho region

50km (31mi), level 4 (3.6), total climbing 1080m (3540ft).
After breakfast you ride on the green and luxuriant Gerês Hills and here and there you can find some houses. Lodging in a Pousada that is the result of the restoration of a former Cistercian Monastery of the 12th century.

Day

5

Climbing the green luxuriant hills

18km (11mi), level 2 (1.9), total climbing 550m (1800m).
After breakfast you leave the 12th century Monastery and you ride up the green Gerês Hills. Your ride is short but very steep until you get to your next Pousada; however the dazzling views make the effort worth. Lodging in a nature Pousada with a unique location, right in the heart of Peneda/Gerês National Park.

Day

6

Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal

37km (23mi), level 3 (2.7), total climbing 710m (2330ft).
After breakfast you ride towards Guimarães, the birthplace of Portuguese nationality. You leave the Peneda Gerês National Park and you start to ride down to this historic city. Visit the medieval historic center, the castle and palace where you can feel the medieval atmosphere around you. Lodging in a Pousada which is the result of the restoration of a former Augustine Monastery of the 12th century.

Day

7

Departure

After breakfast transfer to Porto or Lisbon airport  (40-min drive to Porto or 3-hour and 40-min drive to Lisbon).

Total distance  204km (127mi) | Average 41km/day (25mi/day) | 66% asphalt + 34% dirt-roads and bike lanes

SEE CLIMBING PROFILE

ACCOMMODATIONS

Accommodations for this tour include Signature Hotels (the best charming Hotel of the region, usually stylish 4-star hotels or 5-star properties), as well as Monument and Historic Hotels (gorgeous Castles, Palaces, Monasteries and Convents once inhabited by the clergy or the Queens and Kings and now converted into exquisite lodgings)

the charming pousadas in the north potugal bike tours hotel 1
the charming pousadas in the north potugal bike tours hotel 2
the charming pousadas in the north potugal bike tours hotel 4a
the charming pousadas in the north potugal bike tours hotel 4
the charming pousadas in the north potugal bike tours hotel 1the charming pousadas in the north potugal bike tours hotel 2the charming pousadas in the north potugal bike tours hotel 4athe charming pousadas in the north potugal bike tours hotel 4

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TESTIMONIALS

“We had a great bike tour in Northern Portugal. Portugal Bike Tours was efficient and super well organized. Our ebikes were excellent and really helped with the hills. The tour was very well laid out and following the route with the gps was easy. Luis provided great support for the trip and was fun to be with. I would highly recommend Portugal Bike Tours to anyone who wants to discover the beauty of Portugal.”

Jean Bickal, 66 – New Jersey, United States

“My husband and I just completed the 7 day self-guided Pousadas in the North tour. We had a great time. The bikes we were provided were great quality and in good condition. The routes each day provided a ton of variation and we felt we got to see some very beautiful and unique areas of Portugal. The hotels (pousadas) were all very nice and we felt very lucky to be able to stay in these restored properties. Each day was challenging but doable. When I booked and saw the distances I figured the rides would be pretty easy because I typically ride much farther distances at home but I had no idea about the hills in Portugal. Plus add on cobblestone in many areas and I was more than ready to reach the destinations each afternoon! If you are considering a bike tour in Portugal, I highly, highly recommend booking it with Portugal Bike.”

Nicole Janssen, 39 – Edmonton, Canada

“We chose Portugal Bike’s ‘Charming Pousadas in the North’ self-guided tour immediately followed by their guided ‘Marble, wine and heritage’ tour in Alentejo. Both were superbly organized with carefully chosen routes that stuck to quiet and scenic roads wherever possible. We found the supplied bike satnav easy to use and its ‘purple line’ guided us along charming tracks and backroads that we could not have found on our own. Jose, our guide for the second week was a lot more talkative and entertaining than the satnav, but the routes were equally enjoyable! It was a pleasure getting to know him and the ever efficient and elegant Cristina, over every evening’s wonderful Portuguese food and wine. This was our tenth and best cycling holiday!”

Jonathan Campbell, 62 – Southampton, United Kingdom

“My wife and I rode the Charming Pousadas of the North during an unusually wet week, and the tour was so good the rain did not matter at all. The bikes (one electric) and route were excellent: very scenic with little time on roads with significant traffic. The accommodations were amazing! And Jose’s attentiveness was nothing short of superb.”

John Graham, 58 – Boulder CO, United States

“My daughter and I just completed this self guided tour in June. It was everything as advertised and more. The bikes were great quality, the route was well thought out, the maps and GPS worked perfectly. The Pousadas are wonderful and you will feel that you deserve it after riding up the hills to get to them! Jose and Christina were very gracious hosts and ambassadors for their country. We can’t recommend this company highly enough, and we will be back for another trip – with more family members.”

Susan Wilkins, 60 – Vancouver BC, Canada

See detailed reviews

TOUR GEAR

On this tour you can ride with one of these bicycles
portugal bike tours hybrid bicycle

SCOTT SPORTSTER

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE

Sporster 20 Solution emphasises comfort and convenience for touring and transportation. Equipped with a lockout fork and Syncros components, the Sportster is set up perfectly for your excursions with a more vertical and comfortable position.

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portugal bike tours electric bicycle Bosch

BOSCH SYSTEM 

E-BIKE

Now you don’t have any excuse for not participating on a Portugal Bike Tour! Don’t be afraid of not being able to keep up with the group. Now you can ride an e-bike without feeling too exhausted! The system works as if someone is pushing at your back! The more you pedal, the more electric assistance you have.

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From Our Blog

by an amazing client

The Charming Pousadas by an Amazing Client
The Charming Pousadas In The North Portrayed by An Amazing Client

One day we had a special client doing this tour; he was an artist! Every morning, before cycling, he sat somewhere painting with his watercolors. Here is the Charming Pousadas in the North portrait, day-by-day.

Read More 

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