July 1-3
Porto sightseeing and bike building.
July 4
Ride from Entre os Rios overnight Peso de Regua.
July 5
Ride to lunch in Pinhao and biking through UNESCO-heritage wine region with terraced vineyards high above the river. Stopping and sightseeing Mateus Palace.
July 6
After-lunch cycling destination is a guided tour and tasting at a hilltop “Quinta” famous for award-winning ports. Back aboard, our pre-dinner adventure passes through a scenic gorge to find yet another tall lock.
July 7
Our ship arrive at dawn and reachs Portugal’s final lock. Today’s morning rides start from Pocinho or Barca de Alva. Either way, the Douro above this final Portuguese port forms the border between Spain and Portugal. On both sides of the border our scenic rides of 22-55 miles pass through nationally protected wilderness areas. In Spain we plan to savor a nationally-famous cervesa (beer). In the afternoon our ship will untie and cruise downriver from Vega de Terron, Spain’s only port on a long and illustrious wine river the Spaniards call the Duero, which explains the origin of prized reds labeled Ribera del Duero.
July 8
We hope to be ready for the beautiful climb from Ferradosa, where the Douro has carved a deep canyon. Unlike most of this adventure’s extended climbs (that average a bit more than 4 percent) the toughest five miles of the vacant-road climb from Ferradosa are a constant 6%. We hope to enjoy the mostly downhill 20-mile continuation to our onboard buffet in Folgosa. Our ship will move and overnight in Peso de Regua (the fabulous port that merits our return visit).
July 9
Today, we have six ways to reach lunch. Most options, including the one with the fewest miles of pedaling, stop for a professionally-guided walking tour of Lamego, a medieval wine town with churches, art, and a pilgrim’s trail that served as the coronation sight for Portugal’s first king.
July 10
After lunch we ride a mostly downhill finish to Caldas de Aregos and then bike packing. The ship reachs Porto this same evening securing the last scheduled passage through the Douro’s final lock.
Porto sightseeing and bike building.
July 4
Ride from Entre os Rios overnight Peso de Regua.
July 5
Ride to lunch in Pinhao and biking through UNESCO-heritage wine region with terraced vineyards high above the river. Stopping and sightseeing Mateus Palace.
July 6
After-lunch cycling destination is a guided tour and tasting at a hilltop “Quinta” famous for award-winning ports. Back aboard, our pre-dinner adventure passes through a scenic gorge to find yet another tall lock.
July 7
Our ship arrive at dawn and reachs Portugal’s final lock. Today’s morning rides start from Pocinho or Barca de Alva. Either way, the Douro above this final Portuguese port forms the border between Spain and Portugal. On both sides of the border our scenic rides of 22-55 miles pass through nationally protected wilderness areas. In Spain we plan to savor a nationally-famous cervesa (beer). In the afternoon our ship will untie and cruise downriver from Vega de Terron, Spain’s only port on a long and illustrious wine river the Spaniards call the Duero, which explains the origin of prized reds labeled Ribera del Duero.
July 8
We hope to be ready for the beautiful climb from Ferradosa, where the Douro has carved a deep canyon. Unlike most of this adventure’s extended climbs (that average a bit more than 4 percent) the toughest five miles of the vacant-road climb from Ferradosa are a constant 6%. We hope to enjoy the mostly downhill 20-mile continuation to our onboard buffet in Folgosa. Our ship will move and overnight in Peso de Regua (the fabulous port that merits our return visit).
July 9
Today, we have six ways to reach lunch. Most options, including the one with the fewest miles of pedaling, stop for a professionally-guided walking tour of Lamego, a medieval wine town with churches, art, and a pilgrim’s trail that served as the coronation sight for Portugal’s first king.
July 10
After lunch we ride a mostly downhill finish to Caldas de Aregos and then bike packing. The ship reachs Porto this same evening securing the last scheduled passage through the Douro’s final lock.