Northern Portugal’s Atlantic Coast Walking Holiday
8 days | from 890€
Experience Portugal's breathtaking Atlantic Coast with our self-guided walking holiday. Explore scenic trails, charming villages, and the vibrant culture of Northern Portugal.
1- Week self-guided walking holiday in northeast Portugal. Journey through prehistoric lands to witness dramatic rock formations, endangered wildlife, historical villages and ancient cultures.
Starting in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, you will venture along the Douro River to the Spanish border by train, surrounded by mesmerising scenery including the amazing Douro Valley and its renowned wine region.
About as far as you can get from the madding crowds, you’ll be staying on a working wine estate and olive farm for the first few days while you explore the dramatic countryside, history and local traditions of the Douro International Natural Park.
In the Côa Valley area, you’ll be staying in a shepherding village and get to visit a local cheese producer. A highlight of the experience is a night visit to the Palaeolithic rock art site on the banks of the Côa River.
You’ll have the opportunity to see remarkable medieval architecture in the small town of Freixo de Espada à Cinta and pass through smaller villages as you make your way along trails that are over a thousand years old.
There are plenty of opportunities to notice how the main crops of grapes, almonds and olives are cultivated in this remote part of Portugal.
If you’re lucky enough to do this walking tour in late February or early March, you will see the countryside transformed by the pink and white puffs of almond trees in blossom. You may even catch a festival dedicated to the almond blossoms in Vila Nova de Foz Côa towards the end of your adventure. Wait a little later in the year and you’ll be surrounded by colourful spring flowers.
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival in Porto
A private driver will meet you at Porto International Airport and take you to your hotel in Porto.
When you check into your Porto hotel, you will receive your Welcome Kit, which contains all the information you need to fully enjoy this self-guided walking holiday, including your train tickets to the Côa Valley Archaeological Park.
Depending on your arrival time, you should have some time to explore this wonderful city, full of history, charm and experiences. (We can add a guided tour of Porto to your programme if you like.)
Explore the architectural highlights of the UNESCO World Heritage city centre or pop across the river to Vila Nova de Gaia to visit one of the port wine cellars.
Accommodation: Charm hotel in Porto city centre
Day 2: From Porto to the Côa Valley Archaeological Park and Douro International Natural Park
Take the train from Porto along the Douro River all the way to the end of the line at Pocinho. At times, the train passes so close to the Douro River that you could almost reach out and touch it.
About a third of the way into the journey, you will pass through the remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Landscape of the Alto Douro wine region. After that, the countryside becomes wilder and more rugged.
Spend the night in a beautifully converted stone farmhouse in the Douro International Natural Park where, as well as grapes, they grow olives and almonds. Your host will prepare delicious meals from local produce during your stay.
Accommodation: Country farmhouse
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 3: From prehistoric lands to a Manueline town in the Douro International Natural Park
Walk from Mazouco to Freixo de Espada à Cinta
Distance: 16.8 km (10.4 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +268m / -458m
Hike a linear trail through the open countryside around Mazouco village and on to Freixo de Espada a Cinta. You’ll have fabulous views of the Douro River, with Spain on the other side of it, and the steep cliffs of the Douro International Natural Park known as the “grand canyon” of the Iberian Peninsular.
This wild, rocky landscape is a sanctuary for endangered bird species, such as the Egyptian vulture and the griffon vulture.
There is evidence of prehistoric human activity in this area in the form of a 10,000-year-old rock engraving of a horse, located near the river. You will get up close and personal with similar rock art later in the week.
Towards the end of the walk, you will enter the medieval village of Freixo de Espada à Cinta, where you can marvel at the surprising amount of Manueline (Portuguese Gothic) architecture, especially around the entrance to the parish church.
Return to your farmhouse accommodation via Margarida’s vineyards and olive groves.
Accommodation: Country farmhouse
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner
Day 4: Roman road, geological treasures and local culture and practices
Walk from Ribeira do Mosteiro to Freixo da Espada à Cinta
Distance: 15.8 km (9.8 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +611m / -239m
A scenic drive takes you through a dramatic landscape of impressive rock formations that were created over 500 million years ago. You’ll get even closer to these wonders of geology as you follow what’s left of the Calçada de Alpajares Roman road.
This ancient path zig zags up the dramatic cliffs that are home to endangered birds of prey including Egyptian and griffon vultures.
Then wend your way through the countryside and the village of Poiares, noticing the typical crops of the region and learning about some traditional agricultural practices.
Return to the farmhouse for one more night.
Accommodation: Country farmhouse
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner
Day 5: Rota do Jornaleiro
Trail from Barca D’Alva to Vilar de Amargo
Distance: 15.2 km (9.4 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +635m / -153m
Stop driving to Barca D’Alva to witness the incredible views of the International Douro and Arribes del Duero Natural Parks with the peneplains of Castelo e Leon and the impressive Saucelle dam.
From Barca D’Alva, you will explore the landscape to the south of the Douro River on foot, following a route that was frequently used by day labourers (called jornaleiros) who worked for the local farms as and when needed.
During the day, the landscape changes from vineyards to olive groves then wheat fields before you reach the magical rocky landscape nearer the village of Vilar de Amargo, your base for the next two nights.
Accommodation: Village cottage
Meals: Breakfast and packed lunch
Day 6: Villages, views, cheese and rock art
Trail from Vilar de Amargo to Castelo Melhor
Distance: 16.1 km (10 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +147m / -386m
Leave the village to walk through the rocky plains where the local sheep graze – you may see local shepherds taking their flocks there at the start and end of the day.
Walk through the village of Algodres, which dates back to pre-Roman times, and on to Almendra. This village originated with an Iron Age settlement in the 1st century BC and was clearly an important place in the 15th and 16th centuries and up to the mid-19th century, as you can tell from the impressive buildings and monuments throughout.
After Almendra, continue walking through the highlands, and you’ll see the village of Castelo Melhor nestled in the hillside ahead, surrounded by olive orchards and some vineyards. After your walk, return to your country cottage to freshen up before the rest of the day’s activities.
Visit a local cheese producer and taste regional produce before going on a journey through time to the Upper Paleolithic era, approximately 25 thousand years ago, to see prehistoric rock art in situ on the banks of the Côa River.
Accommodation: Village cottage
Meals: Breakfast and packed lunch
Day 7: From medieval to Paleolithic times
Walk from Castelo Melhor to the Côa Museum
Distance: 12.5 km (7.8 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +381m / -423m
Start your final walking day from Castelo Melhor and hike through largely uncultivated countryside, noticing the transition from granite stones to the schist that was the ‘canvas’ for the Paleolithic rock art all those years ago.
Admire the fabulous views back across the landscape and ahead to the Côa Valley. You’ll descend to the confluence of the Côa and Douro Rivers through beautiful vineyards then hike up the opposite hill to the Côa Museum.
Celebrate with lunch at the museum restaurant. The menu is extensive and includes traditional Portuguese fare as well as more contemporary dishes.
Give yourself time to visit the museum and see more engravings while learning about the people who made them.
End the day in the medieval town of Torre do Moncorvo, your base for the night.
Accommodation: Boutique guest house
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Return to Porto
After your immersion in the lands of the Douro International and Côa Valley Parks it’s time to return to Porto.
A short transfer takes you back to Pocinho train station from where you will take the scenic train in the opposite direction, savouring the views that are now more familiar to you.
When you arrive in Porto, you can make your way to your next destination or ask us to add an extra night or two in the city centre to your walking holiday package (additional costs apply).
Meals: Breakfast
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Map
Highlights of Douro International Park and the Côa Valley
GENERAL CONDITIONS
Duration: 7 nights | 5 walking days
Tour type: Self-guided
Nº of people: From 2
Walking grade: Easy to moderate
Total walking distance: 76.4 km | 47.5 miles
Region: Upper Douro Valley
Highlights: Douro International Natural Park, visit to prehistoric rock art, local culture and traditions, visit to a cheese producer, Calçada de Alpajares Roman road, see endangered birds of prey, stay in a shepherding village, stay on a farm, Alto Douro wine region, 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Côa Valley Archaeological Park, Côa Museum, medieval villages and towns, scenic train rides.
Available:
- From 01st February to 30th June
- From 15th September to 15th November
Price per person:
- In double room occupancy:
- 2 pax: 1.290 euros
- 3 to 6 pax: 1.080 euros
- Single room supplement: 390 euros
What’s included?
- 7 nights’ hand-picked accommodation with breakfast
- Packed lunches on days 3-6
- Dinners (without drinks) on days 2, 3 and 4
- Welcome kit and pre-departure information
- Pre-tour briefing
- Visit a cheese producer and taste regional products
- Guided visit to Penascosa rock art site
- Detailed route notes
- App with trail information for use on a smartphone
- Private transfer from Porto airport to Porto hotel on day 1
- Private transfer from Porto Hotel to Porto Campanhã train station on day 2
- Train tickets from Porto to Pocinho
- Luggage transfers
- Transfers to/from trails on days 3-7
- Transfers from and to Pocinho train station
- 24-hour emergency contact number (English-speaking)
What’s not included?
- Meals not mentioned above; Côa Museum entrance fees and other optional expenses; Train ticket from Pocinho to Porto; Insurance; Tourist taxes; Gratuities; Personal expenses; Anything not mentioned in the “Included” section above.
What you need to bring:
- Most of this walking holiday is off-road on rugged terrain, so you will need proper walking shoes with cushioning and support.
- There is little shade, so adequate weather protection is also vital.
- We recommend you bring walking poles.
Optional extra services:
- River cruise from Porto to Peso da Régua, with lunch included: 110 euros per person.
- Extra nights in Porto (4-star hotel): On request.
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?
At Portugal Green Walks, we firmly believe that travel should be a safe and rewarding experience for all concerned, including the destinations you visit and the people you meet.
Please find out how we embrace sustainable and responsible travel.
Environment
Our self-guided hikes follow rural backroads and paths through a fascinating landscape with undulating countryside, vineyards, valleys and villages, offering you the chance to enjoy the local flora and fauna with negligible environmental impact.
We use some accommodations for multiple nights in order to reduce the need for luggage transfers. When these are necessary, we use local taxi drivers to reduce carbon emissions and support the local economy. Encouraging public transport from Porto is another way of doing our bit for the environment.
Since the quality of tap water in Portugal is excellent, we recommend that our clients bring a refillable bottle to use during their walking holiday.
We provide an app for clients to use during their tours with us to reduce the need for printing information. It is a simple and straightforward navigation tool that will give them all the directional information they need and peace of mind that they are on the right track. It also contains information about points of interest along the route and the location of useful services such as cafés and grocery stores.
Community
To ensure that money stays within the small local communities where you spend time, you will stay in a combination of small, unique hotels and family-run rural lodgings. These accommodations offer an insight into local history and culture. Some of these accommodations produce their own wine, olive oil, and fruit, from which they make and serve home-made jams that can also be purchased as gifts/souvenirs.
The daily lunch pack contains fresh, local produce, and we encourage you to dine at hospitable local restaurants to sample traditional regional dishes, engage with the owners, chefs, or servers, and, of course, taste local wines.
Most of the walking days involve passing through small hillside villages. You are welcome to stop at local cafés, bakeries, and grocery or craft stores to get a sense of local life and interact with the residents. You will also get to see cheese production in action.
This trail is in two very special parks near the border with Spain, where rural traditions and agricultural practices are still evident. You’ll probably see shepherds with their flocks in Vilar de Amargo, and you’ll be staying at a farmhouse for a few nights where Margarida will be happy to share her local knowledge. Marco, your host in Vilar de Amargo, is also a font of information about the local history, culture, flora and fauna and he’ll be taking you to the cheese factory and the rock art site.
DIGITAL DETAILED ITINERARY
Click on the button below to download the itinerary with day-by-day details, highlights, prices and the respective general conditions.
