The Quiet Villages on the Mountains

This is a gorgeous region and it is one of the most well preserved regions in Portugal still maintaining many Portuguese ancient traditions and the small and traditional villages made of granitic stones. The luxuriant vegetation completes this awesome scenario.

The tour starts in a small village called Casas Novas (near Chaves) where we can see several manor houses dated from the 17th and 18th centuries. We cycle along the river banks and the dam, and our way leads us to one of the most picturesque villages in the region and then to a town famous for its castle and its witch nights.

We go on cycling along traditional villages within the amazing luxuriant landscape of oak trees. We visit the highest village in Portugal and admire the breathtaking landscape around, its traditions and its people.

We cross the border to Spain at 1213m high and we cycle within the Natural Park of Xurès and visit some of its villages.

Our day without cycling is spent at a thermal hotel where you can relax or you can opt to take a scenic drive on the mountains that will take you to walk along the most well-preserved Roman road in Portugal, the Roman Military Road XVIII (Geira) which originally extended itself from Braga (Minho) to Astorga (Spain) and contains 250 milestones, used by the roman soldiers to measure the distances.
Our tour goes on taking us to the hills and to a small town where we can admire the walls of the old castle dated from the 11th century and located on the top of a granitic mountain and its Roman bridge.
We cross a forest of cedars and birch-trees which leads us to a Sanctuary. The landscape is amazing and the winding mountain roads take us to Lima valley and the land of Vinho Verde, the typical wine of this region.

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

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
1. Cycling within the largest National Park in Portugal
2. Typical villages, its habits and traditions
3. The highest and one of the most typical villages in Portugal
4. Castles and remote sanctuaries
5. Roman monuments and many other ancient evidences
6. Cycling on the border and crossing to Spain at the highest border point
7. The delicious food and wine typical from the region
8. Breathtaking landscape
9. The Natural Park of Xurés (Spain)
10. Unspoiled Nature to be discovered

THE PRICE INCLUDES (self-Guided version):
- 7-day Road Bike Tour with a Guide (*)
- Transfers from and to Oporto/Lisbon Airport
- Accommodations (6 nights): five 4* hotels and one 3* hotel. Double bedroom occupancy.
- 6 Breakfasts
- 4 nourishing and energetic picnics (*)
- 6 Dinners (including our famous wines, our amazing cheeses and lovely desserts) (*)
- Daily energy-bars and water (*)
- Luggage transport from Hotel to Hotel
- Documentation about PortugalBike Tour
- Personal Accident Insurance and Liability Insurance.
- First-Aid assistance on location (*)
- Techno-Mechanical Assistance (*)
- Permanent Backup Vehicle (*)
- Free day: Scenic transfer on the National Park and Guided walk on a Roman way. (*)
- Free day: Walking tour option for the Self-Guided version

(*) Not included in Self-Guided Tours
Ask us the prices for the Guided Tour version.

Please contact us for more information. Thank you.