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 culture and countryside of Lima Valley on our 1-week self-guided cycling holiday.
Cycling in Portugal’s Lima Valley is the perfect way to discover its verdant and varied countryside, where you will find warm-hearted people, tasty food, and vinho verde wine. Divide your time between the River Lima, the surrounding hills and countryside, the unspoilt coast north of Viana do Castelo, and fascinating historical towns and villages.
Whether you cycle alone, with friends or family, you can appreciate the unique alliance between nature and man-made landmarks such as medieval monasteries and Roman bridges.
The local culture and proud sense of tradition find expression in many different forms: through handicrafts, music and dancing, gastronomy, religious festivals and numerous creative and recreational activities.
Discover the identity, history and the evergreen charms of the Lima Valley.
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
Day 1: Transfer from Porto to Ponte da Barca
Meet your private driver and enjoy the scenic drive to the small town of Ponte da Barca in the Alto Minho region. After an in-person welcome briefing with one of our team, they’ll also ensure your bike is set up correctly for you.
If you have time, you might wish to take a short walk along the banks of the River Lima and admire the beautiful Medieval Bridge built in the first half of the 15th century or simple settle into your hotel and relax in preparation for your cycling adventure.
Accommodation: Ponte da Barca, 3-star hotel
Day 2: Ponte da Barca circular (via Arcos de Valdevez)
Distance: 25 km (15.5 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +501m / -503m
On your first cycling day, leave the village of Ponta da Barca to enter quiet agricultural land, interspersed with tiny hamlets and patches of woodland. Cross the River Lima via the Touvedo dam and continue through the countryside to cross the River Vez and reach the attractive and interesting town of Arcos de Valdevez.
Take some time to explore the town before following the River Vez downstream back to Ponta da Barca.
Accommodation: Ponte da Barca, 3-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Ponte da Barca to Ponte de Lima
Distance: 26 km (16 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +510m / -535m
Say goodbye to Ponta da Barca and make your way into the “Land of Nobrega” for amazing views and the chance to see to two of the most important medieval monasteries in the region, Crasto Monastery and Bravães Monastery.
Then follow the riverside cycle path along the River Lima, all the way to the gorgeous historical town of Ponte de Lima, accompanied by fields and trees, until you reach the town’s ancient Roman bridge.
Accommodation: Ponte de Lima, 3-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Ponte de Lima circular (via Bertiandos Lagoons)
Distance: 32.4 km (20.1 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +463m / -462m
Leave Ponte de Lima via the Roman bridge and follow the River Lima.
Enjoy the woodland and lakes and look out for local wildlife in the nature reserve known as Lagoas de Bertiandos. Then follow the undulating route through a series of hamlets, open countryside and patches of trees, passing a famous watermill in Estorãos and the medieval chapel of Espirito Santo in Moreira do Lima.
Marvel at the Lima Valley and its surrounding hills from various perspectives before returning to Ponte de Lima via the Roman bridge.
Accommodation: Ponte de Lima, 3-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Ponte de Lima circular (via Freixo)
Distance: 38.2 km (23.7 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +581m / -585m
Today’s tour takes you along secondary roads to the village of Freixo.
From there, it’s just a short distance to the Way of St. James. From there, the yellow arrows will guide you through Correlhã to end this journey back to Ponte de Lima.
Accommodation: Ponte de Lima, 3-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6: Ponte de Lima to Viana do Castelo
Distance: 26.6 km (16.5 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +152m / -146m
This cycling day links the towns of Ponte the Lima and Viana do Castelo, at the mouth of the River Lima. Cross the Eiffel bridge to arrive in the city centre, allowing plenty of time to discover the treasures of this medieval city.
Accommodation: Viana do Castelo, 4-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Viana do Castelo circular (via Montedor)
Distance: 27.9 km (17.3 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +414m / -415m
This tour follows part of the Atlantic Route to the Montedor Lighthouse. From there, you’ll climb to top of the iconic Santa Luzia mountain, from where you can admire the entire Lima Valley and the town of Viana do Castelo. Some people say that it is the best viewing spot in Portugal.
Accommodation: Viana do Castelo, 4-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
Like what you see but it’s not quite a perfect fit?
Simply get in touch to tell us what you’re looking for. We’re happy to make changes to create your ideal holiday.
Map
Lima Valley Cycling Tour
GENERAL CONDITIONS
Duration: 8 days | 7 nights
Tour type: Self-guided
Nº of people: Minimum 2
Cycling grade: Easy
Total cycling distance: 176.1 Km | 109.4 miles
Region: Minho
Highlights: Romanesque and medieval monasteries, Gorgeous Lima Valley, Ponte de Lima historical town, Lagoas de Bertiandos nature reserve, Estorãos watermill and bridge, Typical Minho villages, Viana do Castelo medieval city, Atlantic coast and seaside windmills, Views from Santa Luzia, Delicious local dishes, Vinho verde wine.
Available: From 1st March to 31st October
Price per person:
Low season: 01st March to 30th June | 16th September to 31st October
> In double room occupancy: 870 euros
> Single room supplement: 320 euros
High season: 1st July to 15th September
> In double room occupancy: 890 euros
> Single room supplement: 340 euros
What’s included?
- 7 nights’ hand-picked accommodation with breakfast;
- 6 days bike rental (MTB TREK Marlin 6 with 29” wheels + panniers + helmet);
- Luggage transfer between accommodations;
- Detailed route notes;
- App with trail information for use on a smartphone;
- Private transfer from Porto to Ponte da Barca (day 1);
- In-person welcome briefing;
- 24-hour emergency contact number (English-speaking).
What’s not included?
- Lunches and dinners; Insurance; Tourist taxes; Private transfer from Viana do Castelo to Porto; Gratuities; Personal expenses; Anything not mentioned in the “included” section above.
Important notes:
- The route is a combination of 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 some steep climbs and descents, so good advance physical preparation is necessary in order to do this trip.
- It is essential that you have previous experience with mountain bikes and basic bicycle repair knowledge, especially how to change a tire 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.
- Extra nights in Viana do Castelo (4-star hotel): On request.
- Transfer from Viana do Castelo to Porto city/airport: 120 euros for up to 3 people; 160 euros for 4 to 7 people.
- 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.
