From Porto, the proud capital of northern Portugal, on the banks of the majestic Douro, this route follows the Atlantic coast southwards, skirting the ocean, its beaches and cliffs, as well as the rivers, estuaries, lakes, lagoons and canals of this beautiful region. You cycle through majestic pine and mimosa forests, dunes and salt marshes, rice fields, and orchards. The coastline of northern Portugal is unspoilt and picturesque. Rural life, fishing and tourism seem to have found a balance that allows travellers to experience both authenticity and hospitality.
Porto, Aveiro and Coimbra are beautiful stopover towns of exceptional heritage, highlighting the different periods in history of this small Iberian country. The small coastal towns and picturesque villages are also ideal stop-off points during this immersive trip into the Portuguese art of living.
Arrival in Porto airport. Optional airport meet & greet and transfer to your accommodation in the centre of Porto. Depending on your arrival time, you can explore the « capital of the North ». With its modern flair, Porto's medieval alleyways, squares and quaysides boast monuments and buildings of exceptional architecture, a leisurely stroll for an ideal start to your trip !
Meals included : none
Night : Porto
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Bikes delivering to your accommodation in the morning. You reach the Douro, cross the Eiffel Bridge and cycle along the quays of Vila Nova de Gaia, where the cellars of all the great Port Wine houses stand on the banks of the river. You can visit one of these impressive cellars and taste a Ruby, Tawny or Vintage Port. You cycle along the Douro Estuary Natural Park and small port before reaching the ocean and its long beaches where huge blocks of granite emerge. You follow the coast southwards along a seafront cycle path as far as the charming ocean side village of Furadouro.
After setting off along the seafront, you travel along the Ovar canal, which leads to the picturesque São Jacinto peninsula. An itinerary between land and sea, by the lagoon or in the countryside past fields, orchards and hamlets. A detour via the pristine beaches of the São Jacinto Dunes Nature Reserve is highly recommended. From São Jacinto, take a ferry across the Ria d'Aveiro to the port of Aveiro. You can then cruise along the harbour with the spectacular cod-fishing boats that are so important to Portuguese gastronomic culture, before following Aveiro's famous canals which have given it it’s nickname « The Venise of Portugal ».
You leave Aveiro via the salt marshes, pass the port and cross a bridge to reach a strip of land between the Canal de Mira and the ocean. The cycle path runs along the water's edge, passing through Costa Nova and its multicoloured striped wooden houses, crossing dunes and wetlands frequented by many birds. The route passes through a beautiful seaside pine forest before reaching the small seaside resort of Praia de Mira, nestling between a pond and a superb beach.
From a beautiful little chapel by the sea, the route then follows canals, rivers, lakes and ponds, in a setting worthy of the best Impressionist painters. A beautiful winding cycle path passes through forests of mimosas and tall maritime pines. You then return to the waters edge and follow the small road along the coast of Cape Mondego, with its lighthouse and spectacular cliffs, before descending to the vast beach of Figueira da Foz, between the Boa Viagem massif and the estuary of the River Mondego.
The cycle path follows the River Mondego upstream, leaving the estuary and port area for a fertile alluvial plain. From tributaries to canals, water is always present as you cross this fertile plain, passing rice paddies, cereal fields, hedgerows and wooded avenues. The bell towers of the small villages and hamlets punctuate the route as far as the Choupal national forest, whose plantation began in the 18th century on the outskirts of Coimbra. The arrival in Coimbra on the banks of the Mondego is a superb finish to this journey. The old town on a hill, boasts monuments including the famous Joanina Library and the university buildings, one of the oldest in Europe.
On the last day, you can choose your train (ticket included) : 