Cycling The Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago
9 days | from 1.090€
See the best of northern Portugal and Galicia as you cycle the Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago along the coast.
Explore the wonders of the Alto Minho, Costa Verde and Porto on this 1-week self-guided cycling holiday in Portugal.
After beginning the adventure with a winery visit in the spa town of Monção, you’ll follow eco trails along the River Minho, the natural border with Spain. This area offers fabulous views, wildlife, and scenery, as well as fortified towns with centuries of history.
From the mouth of the Minho, you’ll head down a verdant section of the Atlantic Coast, filled with stunning beaches, to the beautiful historical city of Viana do Castelo. Then, follow the Lima River to Portugal’s oldest town, Ponte de Lima, where you will sample more wine and local produce. From this idyllic setting, cycle to the villages of Arcos de Valdevez and Ponta da Barca along eco trails on either side of the river.
The next stop is Barcelos, home to a legendary cockerel and an important stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail. Then, the journey will return to the coast for the last leg.
Your last cycling day includes more wonderful beaches, fishing communities, nature reserves, and interesting towns and cities. You will end the tour in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto with a port wine cellar tour and tasting experience.
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
Day 1: Transfer from Porto to Monção
Meet your private driver and enjoy the scenic drive to the small town of Monção in the Alto Minho region. After a welcome briefing with one of our team, you’ll visit a local winery and taste their Alvarinho wines.
If you have time, you may wish to sample the healing waters at Termas de Monção spa or simple settle into your hotel and surroundings and relax in preparation for your cycling adventure.
Accommodation: Monção, 4-star hotel
Day 2: Monção to Caminha
Distance: 47.7 km (29.6 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +356m / -387m
Enjoy the views of neighbouring Galicia across the mighty Minho River as you follow it to its mouth at Caminha. Birdlife abounds and you’ll see ingenious fishing platforms built into the river.
Take time to explore the fortress town of Valença and the art and architecture in the pretty little town of Vila Nova de Cerveira.
Caminha´s medieval centre is full of charms, which you can explore at leisure when you arrive as this is your base for the night.
Accommodation: Caminha, 4-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Caminha to Ponte de Lima
Distance: 56.6 km (35.2 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +343m / -340m
Portugal’s Costa Verde (Green Coast) is known for its pristine beaches, backed by dunes, forest and the occasional fishing village.
Enjoy the coastline for the first part of today’s journey and spend time exploring the historical centre of Viana do Castelo, famous for heart-shaped filigree jewellery and colourful embroidery, before heading inland.
Follow the south bank of the Lima River through forests and farmland to reach Ponte de Lima, a delightful town with plenty to offer.
Accommodation: Ponte de Lima, 3-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Ponte de Lima circular (via Arcos de Valdevez)
Distance: 46.3 km (27.2 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +531m / -535m
Using the Lima and Vez rivers as your guide, follow the eco trail upstream through gorgeous countryside to the village of Ponte da Barca, allegedly the birthplace of the navigator Ferdinand Magellan.
Ponte da Barca is located on the left bank of the Lima River. It owes its name to the barge (barca) that crossed the river until the end of the 15th century when the bridge was built.
From here, you will head to Arcos de Valdevez, another pretty riverside town with an impressive bridge and delicious local cakes called charutos. If the river beach is operational, you can go for a swim or simply explore the town.
The return journey to Ponte de Lima follows the opposite banks of the Vez and Lima Rivers, passing through more rural wonders.
When you get back to Ponte de Lima, via beautiful nature trails, we will have a chilled vinho verde (regional wine) and Portuguese tapas waiting for you at a typical tasca.
Accommodation: Ponte de Lima, 3-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Ponte de Lima to Barcelos
Distance: 35 km (21.8 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +524m / 493m
Don’t be surprised if you see lots of people hiking on today’s route – you’ll be following sections of the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail today, albeit in the opposite direction.
This stage brings you up close and personal with tiny villages and their local farming traditions and vineyards. It also offers fabulous views of nearby mountain ranges.
Accommodation: Barcelos, 3-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6: Barcelos to Vila do Conde
Distance: 45.8 km (28.4 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +336m / -368m
Make your way through more beautiful countryside as you head back to the ocean once more at the mouth of the Cávado River.
Then, follow the south coast to the sandy beaches and riverside town of Vila do Conde, which is famous for bobbin lace-making, embroidered “handkerchiefs of love,” and its naval history.
Accommodation: Vila do Conde, 3-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Vila do Conde to Porto
Distance: 35.4 km (22 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +278m / -276m
Look out for more birds as you cross the nature reserve south of Vila do Conde. The coastline is varied and beautiful, with windmills on some of the beaches. Stop at the colourful fishing village of Angeiras to see the community at work before making your way past the port of Matosinhos and along the Douro River into Porto city centre.
After you have freshened up, it’s time to find out more about the famous port wine at one of the most prestigious port wine lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia. With a tasting, of course!
Many other sightseeing opportunities exist in Porto, including Lello Bookstore and the Stock Exchange Palace.
Accommodation: Porto, 3-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Departure
After breakfast at your hotel, make your own way to your next destination.
End of our services
Meals: Breakfast
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Map
Alto Minho Cycling Tour
GENERAL CONDITIONS
Duration: 7 nights | 6 cycling days
Tour type: Self-guided
Nº of people: From 2
Cycling grade: Moderate
Total cycling distance: 266.3 km | 165.5 miles
Region: Minho
Highlights: Monção spa town, Valença fortress town, art-filled Vila Nova de Cerveira, medieval Caminha, historical Viana do Castelo, pretty Ponte de Lima, Arcos de Valdevez, Barcelos ceramics, Vila do Conde lace and embroidery, UNESCO Porto, vinho verde and local tapas, winery visit, port wine cellar visit and tasting, Douro and port wines, fishing communities, mountains, rivers, stunning and varied coastline, rural lifestyles, local gastronomy.
Available: From 01st March to 31st October
Price per person:
March, April and October
> In double room occupancy: 1.180 euros
> Single room supplement: 390 euros
May, June and September
> In double room occupancy: 1.240 euros
> Single room supplement: 440 euros
July and August
> In double room occupancy: 1.290 euros
> Single room supplement: 490 euros
What’s included?
- 7 nights’ hand-picked accommodation with breakfast;
- 6 days bike rental (MTB TREK Marlin 6 with 29” wheels + panniers + helmet);
- Private transfer from Porto airport to Monção on day 1;
- Winery visit with tastings in Monção (day 1);
- Tapas and vinho verde in Ponte de Lima (day 4);
- Port wine cellar tour with tastings (day 7);
- Luggage transfer between accommodations;
- Detailed route notes;
- App with trail information for use on a smartphone
- In-person welcome briefing;
- 24-hour emergency contact number (English-speaking).
What’s not included?
- Lunches and dinners; Insurance; Tourist taxes; Gratuities; Personal expenses; Anything not mentioned in the “included” section above.
Important notes:
- Your flight must arrive in Porto before 1 p.m. in order to arrive in Monção with enough time to do the briefing and the winery visit. If this is not possible, we suggest adding a night in Porto so that you can explore the city at leisure and fully enjoy your time in Monção, which is 130 kilometres from Porto.
- The route combines rural paths (asphalt, cobblestones, or dirt), forest trails (dirt or gravel, uneven and sometimes rocky), secondary roads, and some main roads (both on asphalt). Along the journey, you may sometimes encounter steep climbs and descents, so good advanced physical preparation is necessary to make this trip.
- It is essential that you have previous experience with mountain bikes and basic bicycle repair knowledge, especially how to change a tyre, as punctures may occur during your trip.
Optional extra services:
- Upgrade to E-bike TREK Powerfly 4 625 (or similar): 175 euros/E-bike
- Extra nights in Porto (4-star hotel): On request.
- Transfer from hotel to airport in Porto: 50 euros for up to 3 people; 80 euros for 4 to 7 people.
OUR BIKES
Because we’ve carefully created this programme ourselves, we selected the most appropriated bikes for this route. Each bike has a full service between trips, replacing any parts as needed. Plus, we always ensure the brake pads are changed, delivering the bike as new to our guests.
All our bikes are high-quality Trek bikes, chosen for reliability and performance. We have different sizes and use the Trek size guide to pick the best one for you. When you book a cycling holiday with us, we’ll ask for your height so we can reserve your bike.
We also have some e-bikes in our fleet, which can help give you a boost on the hills, that we offer as an optional upgrade.
MTB: Trek Marlin 6
This 29-inch hardtail mountain bike (27.5-inch for smaller sizes) is the standard bike for most of our cycling holidays. The geometry and front suspension make it a comfortable ride and it’s perfect for off-road trails. The medium width tyres roll well on asphalt, gravel, and cobbles.
Electric hybrid bike: Trek Allant+ 7
This 27.5-inch electric bike was named the Dutch e-bike of the year in 2020. The faster rolling tyres, more upright design, and front suspension, make it comfortable on smooth surfaces. It’s perfect for longer distances on roads, and the electric motor means you can still enjoy the ride when the hills get steeper.
What’s provided with our bikes?
Relax and enjoy your cycling holiday, knowing we’ve got everything covered for you:
- Rear pannier rack and bag
- Bottle cage and brand new Portugal Green Walks water bottle
- Helmet
- Adjustable phone mount on the handlebars
- Bell
- Bike lock
- Battery charger (where applicable)
- Small repair kit per group. This includes spare inner tubes (Schrader valve), tyre levers, bike pump, chain oil, chain link, disposable gloves, and multi-tool.
DIGITAL DETAILED ITINERARY
Click on the button below to download the itinerary with day-by-day details, highlights, prices and the respective general conditions.
