Northern Portugal: Porto and the Minho to the Douro

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

Overview: Northern Portugal is an ideal cycling destination. In includes beautiful historic cities and towns, a seacoast, a national park, and a rolling verdant landscape. It has a warm-summer mediterranean climate, and is less touristed than the country to the south, with a mixture of urban and rural environs. This point-to-point roaming ride begins in Viana do Castelo, an important and prosperous port city during the Age of Discovery, and ends in Porto, Portugal’s second largest city. With the population of Portugal concentrated along the coast, the ride begins and ends in population centers, but traverses the less-populated areas to the east, through rural villages, farmland, and Portugal’s single National Park. From Viana do Castelo, we will ride east along the Minho River to the Spanish cities of Tui and Esposende, then turn south to return to Portugal and Peneda-Gerês National Park. We will stay in the Park, in a village that was abandoned then rehabilitated into a site for rural tourism. We will then move west and south, visiting a string of small villages and towns. First among these is Ponta de Barca, on the Lima River. From there we pass through Ponte de Lima, which will be hosting its annual International Garden Festival, and continue a few miles north to spend the night in an 8th Century manor house with historic gardens on a Minho vineyard. The ride will proceed through Braga, the country’s oldest city, stopping along the way for a tour of a medieval monastery; to Guimaraes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where we will have a walking tour of the city; and into hill country on the way to the Douro River valley. We will again stay in a formerly abandoned village, the Quinta do Rapozinho, now rehabilitated and operated as a health spa. We will spend a night in Vila Real, the central city for the Douro region, then ride to the Douro River valley and its terraced vineyards, with optional routes including through the medieval village of Lamego. We end our riding at Peso de Regua on the Douro River, from which we will take the train down the Douro River Valley to Porto. We’ve arranged a walking tour of the city and end the ride after a final night in the city’s historic center.

The ride will occur over 14 days, including the arrival and departure days, of which there are 10 required riding days. The ride includes the services of a 7-passenger luggage van, bicycle trailer, and a bilingual driver on hire from a bike rental company. The van will carry luggage and assist riders as needed, and the driver will deliver luggage to hotel lobbies and help with communications to native speakers of Portugese. Rental bikes will be delivered to the Pousada Viana do Castelo (our first hotel), and will be retrieved at our Hotel in Peso de Requa, allowing us to travel on the train to Porto. For those bringing personal bikes, the bike rental company will collect bike boxes in Viana do Castelo, deliver them in Peso de Requa, allowing the owners to box their bikes, and deliver the boxed bikes to our hotel in Porto. Although this is a self-directed tour, the ride fee includes $100 per person in anticipation of tipping the van driver.

We will have five group dinners, one on the first night at the pousada, and the other four in villages or locales where restaurants are unavailable or inconveniently located. Included in the ride fee are admission to the Monastery Mosteiro de Baes, walking tours of Guimaraes and Porto, and train tickets from Peso de Regua to Porto. The routes will be scouted in July 2025, and the trip details may be changed if needed.

Health and Safety: Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. Our group will work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned. Ill individuals will be expected to isolate themselves from other participants.  

Ride Rating: The overall BAC ride rating is 2A! There are four days of riding that would be classified as ‘B’ distances, the longest of which is 47 miles. Portugal is a hilly country. Some rides are along river valleys with little climbing, but we will venture into the elevated national park in the north. As we approach the Douro River Valley, we will climb and pass through the Parque Natural do Alvao. There are two days with about 4500 feet of climbing, within the criteria for a rating of ‘4’. For those two days, the van driver will offer a shuttle over the steepest distance. The ride will be scouted in July 2025; the distance and climbing estimates here are based on observation of Google Maps and Ride-With-GPS heat maps. The overall ‘A’ distance rating is based on the shortest estimate of distance for each day. For most days, there will be an alternative for those wishing a longer ride. Although we will travel from more densely populated areas towards the less-dense interior, we don’t expect to travel more than an hour or two between sources of food and drink.

Cue sheets, maps, GPS files: GPS files for all routes will be provided and the use of a navigation device is not just highly recommended but required. It would be difficult if not impossible to follow many of the routes with printed route sheets due to the numerous turns. It is up to the rider to know how to use his or her GPS device/GPS App on their phone before the trip begins. Routes will be posted on a Ride with GPS event where GPS tracks can be downloaded (in a form compatible with other GPS platforms), and maps can be printed by those who would like to print them in advance. It is up to the rider to know how to use the Ride with GPS app on his/her phone or to transfer the files to his/her own GPS unit.

Weather: As noted above, we will be in the part of Portugal that experiences warm summers, and more rainfall than in the more arid south. However, the weather in Porto in June is typically dry. Historically, the average high temperature in Porto in June is 73F, with an average low of 57F. Average precipitation for June is 1.8”, with that precipitation spread over 9 days. The territory inland of Porto is warmer and drier.

Lodging, Meals, & Happy/Social Hour: We will stay in full-service hotels in urban areas; in rural villages; and in two manor houses located in vineyard/wineries. In the two rural villages, we’ll stay in renovated houses, in which we will have bedrooms with bathrooms and access to the house kitchen and living room. At the manors, we will stay in the manor-house hotel. We will have five group dinners, on the first night at the Pousada Viana do Castelo, and the remaining four will be in locales with limited access to restaurants: the farm villages and the manor estates. In the villages, the meals will be catered. At the manors, we will dine at the in-house restaurant. Where possible, breakfast will be included with our stay (almost all locales) or will be available nearby. We will have happy hours at each location, including the usual amenities (snacks and drinks of choice).

Logistics: The ride will begin on June 7, 2026 at the Pousada Viana do Castela. We will meet at 5:00 pm in the hotel lobby. The ride will end on June 20th in Porto, at the Hotel Icon Duplo Ribiera, after breakfast. Participants can fly into Porto (Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport).

Traveling to Pousada Viana do Castelo:

From the Porto Airport: Autna (https://autna.com/en/special-on-demand-service/ ) offers bus service directly from the airport to Viana do Castelo, but tickets must be purchased in advance. Transit takes about 1 hour. Bicycles are accepted as luggage: "...it must be protected and packaged."

 rede expressos offers bus service from the Porto Airport Arrival Teminal to Viana do Castelo Bus Station. The trip takes about 1 hour, with frequent departures. (https://redeexpressos.transportticket.com/?marketingCarrierCode=REXE&retailerPartnerNumber=130331.)

From downtown Porto: Travel to Viana do Castelo: From downtown Porto, the International train operated by Renfe accepts bicycles as space allows, 1 bike per person, two bikes per rail car. Also, checked luggage is accepted. Here text from their website: "If you need to add 1 piece of additional, larger-sized luggage, measuring a maximum of 85x60x35 cm (or no more than 180 cm in total), you can do so when purchasing your ticket for €10 or for €15 after purchase at any of our sales channels and up to the departure time at station ticket offices. You can also add extra luggage at the station boarding control or on board for €15. (Available service subject to baggage quota)."

(https://www.renfe.com/es/en/travel/prepare-your-trip/quiero-avlo/tarifas-y-servicios)

From Lisbon: Fly into Lisbon: Humberto Delgado Airport

Travel to Viana do Castelo: rede expressos (https://rede-expressos.pt/en/timetables) trains depart from the Lisboa Oriente train station, traveling to Viana do Castelo. While bicycles are accepted, they are limited by available space and must fit into space for luggage.

In Viana do Castelo: Note that the Pousada is atop the bluff overlooking the town. There is a taxi stand at the bus stop, where you can get a lift up the hill. From the pousada, there’s a funicular tram to the town.

End of the Ride: We will stay in the old city center in downtown Porto. On June 19th, participants will walk across the street in Peso de Regua to the municipal train station and travel on their own to Porto, arriving at Campanha Station. The hotel will be an approximate half hour walk from the station, or one may take a taxi. In the late afternoon, we will have a guided walking tour of Porto.

Cost & Administration: The cost estimate is $3600 per person, double occupancy at $1.20 per euro for 13 hotel nights, and includes hotels; tips for hotel staff; all/most breakfasts; happy hours; five group dinners; a luggage van with driver and bike trailer; delivery of rental bikes and retrieval of rental bikes at the beginning and ending of the ride, respectively; storage of personal bike boxes and delivery of same to our final hotel; walking tours and monastery admissions; train travel from Peso de Regua to Porto; and a prospective tip for the van driver. Initial deposit is $1200, with an additional payment of $1200 on August 1, 2025 and $1200 on December 1, 2025. The final payment may be adjusted according to currency exchange rate fluctuations.

 Singles & Solos Policy: Singles and Solos are welcome. A “single” is a member who signs up by himself or herself and wishes to share a room with another participant. A “solo” is a member who signs up by himself or herself and does not wish to share a room. Singles who wish a roommate will be assigned one from other ride applicants. Assignees will be encouraged to contact one another prior to the ride. Singles may of course request to room with specific other club members, and an effort will be made to accommodate the request. (At the moment, there’s no option in the website system to temporarily mate members who don’t have a joint membership. Members seeking specific roommates should telegraph their wishes to the ride leader at the earliest opportunity.) Members who commit to the ride, but who cannot or do not obtain a roommate before the hotel cancelation deadline, may receive a full refund (minus the BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee), or may continue and pay the single supplement fee. (The hotel cancelation deadline will be established when room reservations are accepted and will be sent to participants well in advance.) Solos can pay the single supplement fee of $2000, by Zelle or check on or before the due date for the final payment.  To pay using Zelle:  

●     In your bank's website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org

●     Initiate a payment

●     In the Message block, enter the name of your ride.

If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org or Ernie

Coose erniecoose.bac@gmail.com.   Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to:  Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.

Bicycle Rentals, Tandems, and eBikes. Turisbike, a Portuguese bicycle tourism company, will provide bicycle transport as described above. In addition, Turisbike will provide rental bikes to participants by direct arrangement. Example bikes and prices are shown on their site: ( https://turisbike.com/en/ ) and ( https://rent.turisbike.com/en/category/bicycle-rental-portugal/ ). They may also be contacted by email, info@turisbike.com, and by Whattsap, (+351) 916242484 (by message in any language). Bike rentals are between individuals and Turisbike; rental prices can be estimated using the site, ranging from about 10 euro per day for a ‘trekking’ bike to about 30 euro per day for an eBike. However, the site limits bike rentals to 10 days; Turisbike will accommodate members of this ride for its duration.   Tandems and eBikes are welcome.

EU EUROPEAN TRAVEL INFORMATION AND AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM (ETIAS)

TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION: ETIAS will not be implemented until the last quarter of 2026. Unless this changes, we don’t have to address its application. The ETIAS process will require short-term travelers to apply online, pay a small fee (€7 – roughly $7.40) and then wait up to 96 hours for applications to be approved. The authorization is good for a three-year period or until the traveler’s passport expires – whichever comes first. Airlines will be required to notify passengers of requirements in enough time in advance of their flights to complete the process. BAC will continue to update members as the things change.

Cancellation Policy: The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance. 

Ride Participant Responsibility: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions. 

 Insurance Statement: Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, and repatriation. This coverage applies when touring outside the US and your home country, regardless of your nationality. It will cover you door-to-door for a maximum of 90 days but will expire if you make a side trip not related to the BAC tour for more than 7 days before or after. There is limited coverage for a family member to join a covered person in an emergency. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible.

Sign-up: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. There is an $85.00 domestic ride fee and $150.00 international ride fee. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.