PortugalBike: Granitic Villages on the Mountains

Braga, Portugal Bike Tours

	Guided	Unguide	Notes
July, August	1,835 Euro	1,390 Euro	Per person/week

*Please contact advertiser for rates & availability for your travel dates.

Braga, Portugal Bike Tours

Active Adventure

Tour Highlights

1. Riding over 1000m altitude
2. Beautiful Granitic Villages in the North
3. Breathtaking Mountain sceneries
4. Pitões das Junias, the highest village in Portugal
5. The incredible 12th century monastery in Pitões
6. The limpid and clear water of the waterfalls
7. Riding on Roman roads that are 2000 years old
8. Delicious food and wines!
9. Riding in Portugal and Spain on the same tour
10. Riding a bike together with wild horses (Garranos) in the Mountains


Summary

This is a journey to authenticity in the most beautiful mountainous region in Portugal �" Minho and its green fields! It is a mountain bike tour along forest tracks, old paths and spectacular stone-paved roadways that link typical granitic villages in the North of Portugal, where we ride almost always at 1000m-high! The Tour will start near Braga, or Bracara Augusta as the Romans called it more than 2000 years ago. We will cross the amazing Hills of Cabreira, unique for the forest mantle where we can see oak-trees, Scottish pine-trees, poplars, plane-trees, chestnut- trees, pine-trees, birch-trees, cork oak-trees, cedars and even giant sequoias! We will spend the night in Agra, a small traditional village with its granitic buildings, and we will stay in Rural Tourism. Then we will ride on the Hills of Barroso and Larouco, the latter is the second highest in Continental Portugal and is about 1527m-high. We will cross many typical granitic villages with their medieval churches, we will ride along ancient stone-paved roadways and we will admire the land where the traditional farming and pasturing still prevail. We will visit the old castle in Carvalhelhos, an ancient village dated from the 1st century BC. Montalegre with its beautiful castle is the biggest town that we visit �" it has 1800 inhabitants. The last two days take place in a pure mountainous region; we will ride along high tracks crossing mountain ridges and meadows where we will see wild ponies. We will spend the night in Pitões das Junias, the highest village in Portugal (1100m-high) and we will visit its incredible monastery that is hidden in a valley and is dated from the 12th century. This Tour will end in Spain, Lobios, and we will stay in a thermal hotel which is perfect for our rest.

Typical Day

Programme

Day 1: Arrival - Welcome at OPORTO airport. 1H30 drive to Vieira do Minho, briefing about the tour followed by dinner. Lodging in a Bed & Breakfast unit, which is a granitic building very typical in the North of Portugal.

Day 2: Amazing views over Gerês Mountain and the granitic village of “Agra” - 36km (22mi), 760m alt. gain, level 3. Breakfast. We start near Braga; the views over Gerês hills are amazing! We cross Cabreira hills where we can admire oak trees, pine trees, poplars, plane-trees, chestnut trees, cork-oak trees, cedar and even giant sequoias. Picnic on the way. The day ends at one of most-well preserved granitic villages in Portugal. Dinner with the group. Lodging in a Bed & Breakfast unit; this is an 18th century house that was converted into a small hotel which harmoniously maintains the architectural authenticity of a house built in the ancient Minho.

Day 3: Villages in the Mountains - 57km (36mi), 1430m alt. gain, level 5. Breakfast. We ride along forest trails, ancient paths and stone-paved roadways which link the typical granitic villages in the north of Portugal. Our way is very hilly and we go to one of the highest villages in Portugal. Picnic on the way. We ride to the old castle in Carvalhelhos in a village dated from from the 1st century BC. Dinner with the group. Lodging in a 3* Inn located in a thermal village.

Day 4: Crossing typical Granitic Villages - 54km (34mi), 1170m alt. gain, level 5. Breakfast. We start along the river Beça, one of the most wild rivers in Portugal. The views are awesome! Picnic on the way. Old stone-paved paths take us to Montalegre and its castle. Dinner with the group. Lodging in a 4* hotel with a swimming-pool whose building was once the prison house and was recently renovated.

Day 5: Up to the highest village in Portugal, Pitões das Junias with its incredible 12th century monastery - 55km (34mi), 1450m alt. gain, level 5. Breakfast. We ride in a hilly region along amazing trails where we may see wild horses (“Garranos”). Picnic on the way. We will be at the highest point on this tour. Dinner with the group. Lodging in a typical Bed & Breakfast with amazing views over the Mountains.

Day 6: Crossing the Mountains to Galicia (Spain) - 70km (44mi), 1290m alt. gain, level 5. Breakfast. We cross the hills that separate Portugal and Spain and we are in Galicia riding along woods and villages. Picnic on the way. We cross around 30km in Xurez hills and after riding through a wild and isolated region we get to a fantastic spa region. Dinner with the group. Lodging in a 4* new hotel with SPA in Spain, which is very near to the National Park Peneda Gerês and some historical Portuguese small towns.

Day 7: Departure - Farewell at OPORTO airport. 2H30 drive to airport.

Age range, type of group

Technical Data

Type: mountain bike Tour
Class: LANDSCAPE TOUR
Version: Guided or Self-Guided
Regions: North of Portugal (Minho) and Spain (Galicia)
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights / 5 days cycling
Begin: Vieira do Minho (Braga)
End: Lobios (Galiza, Spain)
Difficulty level (1-5): 1 2 3 4 5
Expert. You are in very good shape! You are a winner!
Distance: 272km (169mi)
Average: 54km/day (34mi/day)
Trails: 83% off-road �" 17% asphalt

Sleeping and meals

The price includes:

- 7-day Mountain bike tour with a Guide (*)
- Mountain Bike rental with helmet and backpack
- Transfers from and to Oporto Airport
- Accommodations (6 nights): 1 four* Hotel (Historic building - prison house), 1 four* Hotel & SPA, 1 three* Hotel, 1 B&B/Rural Tourism (18th century Historic building), 2 B&B/Rural Tourism. Double bedroom occupancy.
- 6 Breakfasts
- 5 nourishing and energetic picnics (*)
- 6 Dinners (including our famous wines, our amazing cheeses and lovely desserts) (*)
- Daily energy-bars and water (*)
- Luggage transport from Hotel to Hotel
- Documentation about PortugalBike Tour
- Liability Insurance
- Personal Accident Insurance
- Techno-Mechanical Assistance
- First-Aid assistance on location
- Permanent Backup Vehicle (*)
(*) Not included in Self-Guided tours

Rates

Dates and Prices for 2012:

July 29 �" August 04:
Guided: Euro 1835 (Single Suppl. + € 130)
Self-Guided: Euro 1390 (Single Suppl. + €130)

August 12 - 18:
Guided: Euro 1835 (Single Suppl. + € 130)
Self-Guided: Euro 1390 (Single Suppl. + €130)


=> Prices per person, double bedroom occupancy, 4* quality Hotel.
=> If you want a different date, ask us about prices and availability.

Other Information

On this tour you will ride with this bicycle

MOUNTAIN BIKE: BH A60k Expert Disc
DETAILS:
Frame: Light alluminium
Fork: Front suspension 100mm with lock on the handlebar
Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes
Gears: Shimano XT/LX, 27 speeds
Pedals: Normal (with cages or not) or Shimano SPD
Tires: MTB 26"x2.1
Weight: 11,8kg
Other: Man or woman seat
(please see the picture #26)

Braga, Portugal Bike Tours

Braga, Portugal Bike Tours

Cristina Henriques (View My Profile)
Being a Portuguese-owned Company, we know our country better than anybody else and we want to expose people to places and curiosities about Portugal that only a Portuguese knows! Our goal is that you visit Portugal …riding a bicycle!

On PortugalBike Tours you have the opportunity to visit our historical, cultural and landscape heritage in our National Parks, enjoy the sun and the beaches, and at the end of the day you can recover your strength with an exquisite dinner. You can taste our famous wines, amazing cheeses and lovely desserts, and sample typical dishes of each region of Portugal.

Travelling with PortugalBike will connect you deeply with the country, becoming part of its everyday life, observing details that typical tourists miss and enjoying spontaneous encounters along the way. You will rest in cosy and charming accommodations. We always choose 4-star quality hotels whenever possible in each region or Bed & Breakfast units. Our accommodations are always the best offer of each region.

PortugalBike Tours are designed so that we begin at a certain point and we end elsewhere. You do not start and end at the same place. We think that is the best way to discover Portugal ...riding a bicycle! Read the specific information about each ride to learn more details.

PortugalBike Tours have a maximum of 16 participants, and a minimum of two. Larger groups are also possible upon request and according to our availability. Our Bike Tours are prepared for one week (7 days / Sunday to Saturday).

The dates of PortugalBike Tours are according to our calendar, or on request, according to our availability. The prices below are for the scheduled PortugalBike Tours. If you wish a different date, ask us for prices and availability.

WE ARE PROUD TO OFFER YOU A GOOD PRODUCT AND A QUALITY SERVICE