Itinerary
Portugal Cycling Holiday Atlantic Coast
8 days / 7 nights | Self guided bike tours | Along golden sandy beaches and fishing villages
The Atlantic Coast biking holiday route represents 24/7 in the freshest, lightly salty air imaginable. A boost to both body and mind. As you cycle southwards from the Galician coastal region in the north, the beauty of continuously changing views over the vast Atlantic will impress itself on your mind and soul. Taste both Galician and Portuguese seafood. Encounter latter-day pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, with whom you share a few kilometres. Meet the nicest fishermen and their wives who will welcome you and enjoy sharing lifetime experiences and customs. Stroll through the fish markets and watch them as they work.
Visit Porto, one of Europe's most beautiful cities, classified as a Unesco World Heritage Property. Learn about Port Wine, the beverage and the associated culinary dimension of its own. Dance on saltpans and bring back some excellent salt crystals from there. Taste, smell, meet and bask in the sun as you cycle gently along this beautiful coast. Maybe, even dream. After a great day cycling, the night will cherish you with nothing less than the freshest air conceivable.
Highlights
- Two countries – Portugal and Spain - in one trip
- Cycle a leisurely track along the North of Portugal and Galicia (Spain)
- Accommodation by the sea, some facing the beach
- Enjoy golden beaches and the sea, countryside and forests, lagoons, all in a single trip
- Ride through the protected Natural Park of the São Jacinto dunes
- Cycle past fishing villages frozen in time and observe the ancient art of fishing
- Daily Atlantic catches of unbeatable fish and shellfish
- Porto, famous for Port wine and a lively World Heritage city. Voted Best European City Destination in 2012, 2014 and 2017
- Towns rich in roman, baroque and neoclassical architecture
- Traditional salt pans by the sea
- Transfer from the airport to the first accommodation and from the last accommodation to the airport, included
- Possibility of choosing between two distances in multiple cycling stages
Itinerary
Day 1: Baiona – Typically seaside houses by the sea, narrow cobblestone streets and a beautiful bay
From Porto airport (Portugal) you will be taken with a shared transfer at 2 p.m. to Baiona (in Galicia, Spain), a charming and lively harbour town, where a dish of fresh fish from the sea is an absolute must. Don't forget to stroll around the harbour or the Monterreal Fort, famous for the Príncipe Tower.
Day 2: Baiona to Caminha – The perfect town for enjoying beaches, rivers, mountains, forests, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture and fabulous food (Cycling 38–67 km / 24–42 miles)
The first half of the day on your bike you cycle in Spain, gently following the flat coastline, along the foothills of the Sierra de la Grova mountains and a bit further south, of the Sierra de Argalo. You may enter Portugal by ferry, across the River Minho into the town of Caminha, or a bit further upriver, by crossing the Vila Nova de Cerveira bridge. In Caminha delight in the stately houses that set the scene as you enter the town, whose history dates as far back as pre-Roman times. Your stage ends here.
Easy Tour: 38 km, 44% paved, 293 m elevation gain.
Medium: 67 km, 54% paved, 462 m elevation gain.
Day 3: Caminha to Viana do Castelo – Medieval city and folklore capital (Cycling 29 or 40 km / 17–25 miles)
Cycle southwards on excellent asphalted cycle paths along the coast and fields close to the coastline, until you reach Viana do Castelo, where you will spend the night. Seagulls will also enjoy your attention too, especially if you let them taste a few crumbs from your food. Viana do Castelo, located on the River Lima estuary, is a bustling city with an active student population and a good night life. Dating back to Roman times, Viana's impressive history includes that of the merchants who provisioned the ships that took part in the Portuguese discoveries during the 16th century and later built the ships that sailed to Newfoundland for codfish. It is they who built the numerous stately town houses whose architectural beauty is a hallmark of the city.
Easy Tour: 29 km, 50% paved, 173 m elevation gain
Medium: 40 km, 59% paved, 368 m elevation gain.
Day 4: Viana do Castelo to Vila do Conde – Traditional old town that retains its small fishing port and historic buildings (Cycling 54 km / 34 miles)
The third stage again offers a gentle 50 kilometres ride southwards, cycling through vineyards and across the Protected Landscape Area of the Esposende coast, a wild life and flora reserve. Speak with the fishermen and their wives. They are such beautiful people - always warm-hearted and with a friendly word for every passer-by. The city centre is dominated by elegant manors and small stately homes. The importance of its harbour is not only evident at sea, as you will discover when you enjoy a wonderful sardine or other fresh fish dinner in town. Afterwards, relax with a leisurely stroll along the beach before you go to bed, refreshed by the sea air.
Easy Tour: 54 km, 92% paved, 332 m elevation gain
Day 5: Vila do Conde to Porto – UNESCO World Heritage city, world-famous for Port Wine (Cycling 35 or 48 km / 22 or 30 miles)
On Stage 4 of your holiday, you will cycle to Porto, a short ride of some 34 kilometres. Starting, naturally, at the Atlantic, you will follow cycle paths until you reach the River Douro. Alongside this famous river, you will cycle into one of Europe's most beautiful cities. Porto is a World Heritage city, a historic jewel with more than 150 listed monuments. Ride gently past the famous Eiffel bridge; see how the proud Port Wine lodges rise uphill from the south bank of the River Douro. An essential stop, of course, will be to admire the Casa da Música auditorium, designed by Rem Koolhaas, the Dutch architect. It will be hard to choose where to dine tonight: Porto is famous for Port Wine and the diversity and quality for its cuisine.
Easy Tour: 35 km, 70% paved, 255 m elevation gain
Medium: 48 km, 79% paved, 429 m elevation gain.
Day 6: Porto to Furadouro – Unique landscapes facing the sea, surrounded by pine forests (Cycling 43 km / 27 miles)
This morning you exchange the hustle and bustle of the city for the peace and quiet of the Atlantic shore. Once again, you will have a lovely ride along the coast, partly through a pine woods. The day ends in Furadouro, a hospitable town renowned for its excellent fish. Enjoy your meal!
Easy Tour: 42 km, 90% paved, 213 m elevation gain
Day 7: Furadouro to Mira – Traditional Portuguese artisan fishing and Blue Flag awarded beach (Cycling 58 km / 36 miles)
This is a beautiful ride of 58 kms in all today, including through the Protected Natural Reserve of the São Jacinto dunes. Mira, where you will sleep tonight, perhaps to dream, is a small fishing village. You will certainly be inspired by the beautiful multi-coloured striped houses. Visit some of the little shops too; a nice carpet can be bought at affordable prices.
Easy Tour: 58 km, 100% paved, 12 m elevation gain
Day 8: Mira – Porto
After breakfast (at 9 a.m.) transfer back to the airport of Porto.
Please note: All cycling distances stated above are approximate only.
Map
Booking, Dates & Prices 2024
Start every Monday from Mar 01 - Nov 30, 2024
Prices 2024 (per person in €)
1
2
Twin/Double
€ 1225,-
€ 1349,-
Single supplement
€ 409,-
€ 515,-
1
Mar 01 - Apr 30 and Oct 01 - Nov 30, 2024
2
May 01 - Sept 30, 2024
Optional
Supplement E-Bike
€ 180,-
Supplement start in a different day of the week
€ 180,-
6 x Lunch package
€ 135,-
2 x Wine tasting
€ 50,-
Wine & Dine package
€ 120,-
Extra night in Porto Season 1 (4* DR) p.p.
€ 95,-
Extra night in Porto Season 1 (4* SR)
€ 178,-
Extra night in Porto Season 2 (4* DR) p.p.
€ 106,-
Extra night in Porto Season 2 (4* SR)
€ 200,-
Extra transfer airport - Porto (1-3 pers.)
€ 55,-
Minimum number of participants: 2
Included
- Program as described
- Accommodation 7 nights in a double standard room with breakfast
- Luggage transfer daily
- Porto airport transfers to the start and from the ending points of the programs in a car, van or minibus
- Per person: Hybrid bicycle, cargo rack, pannier bike bag, handlebar bag (one per two bicycles)
- Per group/reservation: Individual digital tour book with maps, navigation and info on sights, toolkit, first aid kit, puncture repair kit, pump, lock (one per two bicycles)
- Overnight storage of bicycles at the hotels
Not included: Guide and support vehicle (price on request), meals, wine experiences and cooking experience (optional), E-Bike supplement (optional), bike helmet, insurance, personal expenses, other items not mentioned
Tour dates
These bicycle holidays start on Monday. If you wish to start in a different day of the week, a price supplement applies.
Difficulty levels
Easy: You do not often ride a bicycle but you would like to take a biking holiday. You want to have a leisurely, relaxed time, learn about the local culture and meet people, enjoy the landscape, the seaside, take photographs and still have time to taste some wines. Average 40 Km/day with few slopes.
Medium: You go on long bike rides during the year and you would like to take short trips. You do not mind stopping for a rest at interesting points along the route and enjoy Portugal's fantastic countryside, or taking some time off to explore Portuguese towns and discover the wealth of our culture and their fine food. At this level, the trips mostly average between 40 and 60 Km/day, with rides a few gentle kilometres up hillsides and small to medium slopes.
We provide GPS equipment for those who want to ride at their own pace. Our GPS's are loaded with our carefully-designed tracks and are as easy to follow as arrows.
Bicycles
For this tour we selected 2 types of bicycles for you to choose from:
Hybrid bike: Specialized hard rock sport disc 2014. 29' wheels, Suntour XCT front suspension, Hybrid tires, adjustable height stem
E-bikes on request. (Cube reaction HPA 2015, 29' wheels, Suntour XCR front suspension, Mtb tires or Hybrid tires, 50 to 120 Km autonomy depending on energy management , adjustable height stem.)
Equipment: Included in this tour: Cargo rack, pannier bike bag or handlebar bag, bike tool kit for quick repairs, GPS Garmin Dakota 10 with android based software.
Optional: child seat and child bike trailer.
Please note: Clients are advised to bring their own helmets, although we can provide a limited number of second-hand helmets, if required, at no extra charge. Clients may purchase a brand-new helmet from us for an additional 60 euros. If required, these must be requested when booking your journey, otherwise we cannot guarantee availability.
E-Bike supplement: 6 stages (subject to availability due to the limited number of E-Bikes). The price does not include the first day nor the last day of the tour. We only guarantee e-bikes for the cycling stages within the contracted tour.
Luggage
Transportation of your luggage is included in our tours and it will be transferred by our staff or our partners along the way.
Accommodation
Level CONVIVIAL: Lodging in 3* or 4* hotels (or equivalent category guest houses); small hotels in most cases. Many of these lodgings have swimming pools, bar and meals services.
Meals
All the breakfasts in the hotels are included. We offer an optional picnic lunch for riding days, delivered to you every morning by the hotels. This picnic is a light meal, easily carried on your bike. You may also choose our dinner option, so you need not worry about evening meals.
Optional
Wine experiences featuring 2 visits and tastings:
Including: Day 1 - 1 local wine tasting in Baiona
Day 5 - 1 Port Wine visit and tasting at a historic Port Wine cellar in Porto
Special Wine & Dine package with 2 dinners:
Including: Day 1 - Dinner at a typical restaurant, three courses menu & wines
Day 5 - Gourmet dinner at Porto with three courses & three wines
Picnic package:
Including: 6 light lunch meals to carry on bike in riding days
Transfers
Shared transfer at the beginning of the tour, 14h00 from the airport Porto to Baiona. Clients travelling by airplane must arrive until approx. 12h30.
Flights arriving later than this hour: clients will have to pay a fee for a private transfer.
Shared transfer at the end of the tour from Mira to Porto airport or Porto city center at 09h30 or according to the soonest flight departure
Extra transfer to/from Porto to/from Porto airport: It is considered an extra transfer every time a transfer is not direct. Transfer IN is from Porto airport to Baiona and the transfer OUT is from Mira to Porto city center or to Porto airport. For other locations, a fee applies (on request). From Porto to the airport, the price above applies.
Note: All additional activities, including wine tastings, shall be scheduled to take place at the end of the day, after cyclists arrive at their destination.
Extra nights in the first or last accommodation or within the tour require a change to all the logistics. Therefore, applies the supplement fee for starting in a different day of the week. For extra nights in Porto, this fee does not apply.
Booking, Dates & Prices 2025
Start every Monday from Mar 01 - Nov 30, 2025
Prices 2025 (per person in €)
1
2
Twin/Double
€ 1299,-
€ 1459,-
Single supplement
€ 411,-
€ 539,-
1
Mar 01 - Apr 30 and Oct 01 - Nov 30, 2025
2
May 01 - Sept 30, 2025
Optional
Supplement E-Bike
€ 200
Supplement Premium E-Bike
€ 266
Supplement start in a different day of the week
€ 200
Premium Service
€ 333
6 x Lunch package
€ 150
2 x Wine tasting
€ 55
Wine & Dine package
€ 144
Extra night in Porto Season 1 (4* DR) p.p.
€ 105
Extra night in Porto Season 1 (4* SR)
€ 199
Extra night in Porto Season 2 (4* DR) p.p.
€ 94
Extra night in Porto Season 2 (4* SR)
€ 177
Extra transfer airport - Porto (1-3 pers.)
€ 61
Minimum number of participants: 2
Included
- Organization of the program
- Accommodation, 7 nights BB, in double standard room
- Luggage transfer daily
- Porto airport transfers to the start and from the ending points of the programs in a car, van or minibus
- Per person: Hybrid bicycle, cargo rack, pannier bike bag, handlebar bag, spare inner tube.
- Per group/reservation: GPS loaded with the tracks and a individual digital tour book with maps, navigation and info on sights, toolkit, first aid kit, puncture repair kit, lock (one per two bicycles), pump.
- Overnight storage of bicycles at the hotels
Not included: Guide and support vehicle (price on request), meals, wine experiences and cooking experience (optional), E-Bike supplement (optional), bike helmet, insurance, personal expenses, other items not mentioned
Tour dates
These bicycle holidays start on Monday. If you wish to start in a different day of the week, a price supplement applies.
Difficulty levels
Easy: You do not often ride a bicycle but you would like to take a biking holiday. You want to have a leisurely, relaxed time, learn about the local culture and meet people, enjoy the landscape, the seaside, take photographs and still have time to taste some wines. Average 40 Km/day with few slopes.
Medium: You go on long bike rides during the year and you would like to take short trips. You do not mind stopping for a rest at interesting points along the route and enjoy Portugal's fantastic countryside, or taking some time off to explore Portuguese towns and discover the wealth of our culture and their fine food. At this level, the trips mostly average between 40 and 60 Km/day, with rides a few gentle kilometres up hillsides and small to medium slopes.
Premium service
Let us ensure your bike tour is a stress-free vacation of a lifetime. Our dedicated team will take care of your well-being during your entire trip. Our uniquely Premium Service includes: • Private transfers at the start and end of your tour • Full route briefing and 30-minutes bike fitting • On-call roadside assistance • Private reception in Portugal • Daily post-ride messages
Bicycles, E-Bikes rental and equipment of the bikes
The rental bikes are hybrid bikes, i.e. a combination of touring bike and mountain bike. Please specify when booking if you would like a low-frame bike. The low-frame bikes are only available for body heights from 160 to 180 cm. Standard hybrid touring bike: Specialized Rockhopper Sport 29 with 29' wheels, 24/27 gears, hydraulic brakes, touring tires, height-adjustable handlebars, pannier rack, pannier bag and handlebar bag.
The standard hybrid touring bike with low step-through/low frame is a CUBE Touring EXC or similar.
E-Bikes Standard are of the Cube Reaction e-bike type, 29' wheels, hydraulic brakes, touring bike or MTB tires, minimum range of the battery: 40 km. E-bikes with low frame: CUBE Touring Standard or comparable.
Equipment of the rental bikes: pannier bag, lock (1 per 2 bikes), bike tools and patches for quick repairs, spare inner tube, coat levers, air pump, battery charger for e-bikes, first aid kit, safety vest, access to the Ride with GPS smartphone app (you receive access with the tour information). The app contains the most important information about the tour (turn-by-turn directions and voice-controlled navigation, maps, distances, altitude information) as well as details about the route: sights, accommodation, restaurants. The app also works offline. Please bring your own smartphone holder. We also recommend taking a power bank with you to charge the battery on the way. In 2025 only on request: Garmin GPS device with the loaded tours.
We also lend out child seats or bicycle trailers for children on request.
Please note: Clients are advised to bring their own helmets, although we can provide a limited number of second-hand helmets, if required, at no extra charge. Clients may purchase a brand-new helmet from us for an additional 60 euros. If required, these must be requested when booking your journey, otherwise we cannot guarantee availability.
Luggage
Transportation of your luggage is included in our tours and it will be transferred by our staff or our partners along the way.
Accommodation
Level CONVIVIAL: Lodging in 3* or 4* hotels (or equivalent category guest houses); small hotels in most cases. Many of these lodgings have swimming pools, bar and meals services.
Meals
All the breakfasts in the hotels are included. We offer an optional picnic lunch for riding days, delivered to you every morning by the hotels. This picnic is a light meal, easily carried on your bike. You may also choose our dinner option, so you need not worry about evening meals.
Optional
Wine experiences featuring 2 visits and tastings:
Including: Day 1 - 1 local wine tasting in Baiona
Day 5 - 1 Port Wine visit and tasting at a historic Port Wine cellar in Porto
Special Wine & Dine package with 2 dinners:
Including: Day 1 - Dinner at a typical restaurant, three courses menu & wines
Day 5 - Gourmet dinner at Porto with four courses & three wines
Picnic package:
Including: 6 light lunch meals to carry on bike in riding days
Transfers
Shared transfer at the beginning of the tour, 14h00 from the airport Porto to Baiona. Clients travelling by airplane must arrive until approx. 12h30.
Flights arriving later than this hour: clients will have to pay a fee for a private transfer.
Shared transfer at the end of the tour from Mira to Porto airport or Porto city center at 09h30 or according to the soonest flight departure
Extra transfer to/from Porto to/from Porto airport: It is considered an extra transfer every time a transfer is not direct. Transfer IN is from Porto airport to Baiona and the transfer OUT is from Mira to Porto city center or to Porto airport. For other locations, a fee applies (on request). From Porto to the airport, the price above applies.
Note: All additional activities, including wine tastings, shall be scheduled to take place at the end of the day, after cyclists arrive at their destination.
Extra nights in the first or last accommodation or within the tour require a change to all the logistics. Therefore, applies the supplement fee for starting in a different day of the week. For extra nights in Porto, this fee does not apply.