The Ancient Medieval Villages

Whithin a five-day cycling tour discover the castles and the land of ancient fights and battles | Road Bike tour | Historic Tour | Guided or Self-Guided.

Tour Highlights
1. The medieval town of Castelo de Vide
2. Narrow roads rounded with old stones
3. The Natural Park landscape of S. Mamede Hills
4. Majestic Marvão Castle from the top
5. Visit to the Marble Museum
6. Visit to the winery and wine tasting
7. Arraiolos - famous for its tapestries
8. Fields of Cork trees, Olive trees and vineyards
9. Évora city - classified as World Heritage by UNESCO
10. The amazing landscape in Alentejo and the charming accommodations.


Technical Data
Type: Road Bike Tour
Class: HISTORIC TOUR
Version: Guided or Self-Guided
Region of Portugal: Alentejo (inland)
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights / 5 days cycling
Begin: Marvão (Alentejo)
End: Évora (Alentejo)
Difficulty level (1-5): 3
Intermediate. You must be in good shape.
Distance: 278km (173mi)
Average: 56km/day (35mi/day)


Summary
You’ll start your tour in Marvão, a small medieval town on the top of the hill, surrounded by walls and with a majestic castle that defended this small town from the Spanish people many times. There you can admire a spectacular view and then ride down along a medieval narrow road with ancient stone walls. You will climb to Senhora da Penha, a little chapel on the top of a hill where there is an amazing view over Castelo de Vide, another medieval town, and its rows of whitewashed houses. You will ride along narrow roads, either sided by cork trees or stone walls and now you will get to Castelo de Vide, a beautiful town in Alentejo located in the cool mountains of the Natural Park of São Mamede, among dense olive groves and chestnut trees. The town is full of monuments, fountains and ancient houses. You will see medieval monuments, dozens of churches, enchanting alleys and some of the best Gothic porticos in Portugal. Then you will go to Elvas, a typical border town with its castle, again surrounded by walls. Elvas also has a star-shaped fort, several churches, the monumental Amoreira Aqueduct, a unique pillory dating back to the 16th century and many interesting details. The ride continues to Vila Viçosa, the capital of marble, where you can visit the Museum of Marble and learn how this industry began. You will visit Estremoz which is one of traditional wine regions in Portugal. On the next day you will visit Arraiolos which is famous for its rugs. This PortugalBike Tour ends in Évora, a wonderful walled town with many Roman vestiges, medieval churches and buildings, fountains, the aqueduct, charming streets, etc. You can visit a winery and taste the world famous Alentejo wine. Évora is a city classified as World Heritage by UNESCO.

(+351) 214783153

Itinerary / Highlights

7 days / 5 days cycling

Day 1:
Arrival – Welcome at Lisbon airport. 3H00 drive to Marvão. Briefing about the tour followed by dinner. Lodging in a cosy 3* Hotel in Marvão, the highest medieval village of Portugal.

Day 2:
The beautiful village of Marvão and its castle – 48km (30mi), level 3.
After breakfast we ride down from the medieval village of Marvão on the top and we ride into the Natural Park of São Mamede Hills. Here Nature and History embrace each other. It seems time has stopped! …Everything is quiet. We have our picnic at a place with a dazzling view over another medieval village, Castelo de Vide. Dinner with the group. Lodging in a classic Manor House (Bed & Breakfast) that was built in the 17th century.

Day 3:
The Natural Park landscape of S. Mamede Hills – 76km (47mi), level 4.
After breakfast we leave Castelo de Vide and its castle, its churches and the Jew quarters and we ride on into the Natural Park. We have our picnic and the day ends in Elvas, a beautiful border town with its castle, walls and an aqueduct built in the 16th century. Dinner with the group. Lodging in a 4* Hotel that was built conserving the old architectonic structures of the convent.

Day 4:
Vila Viçosa and its marble. – 62km (39mi), level 4.
After breakfast we ride towards Vila Viçosa, the capital of marble in Portugal. This is a quiet small town where even the sidewalks are made of marble. There is marble everywhere. We have our picnic in the garden and then we visit the Marble Museum where you can learn how marble was extracted in the past and how it is extracted nowadays. The day ends in Redondo where we visit a pottery workshop. Lodging in an impressive Convent built in 1182 by monks, recently converted in a 4* hotel, with its impressive private collection of eighteenth century Portuguese tile work.

Day 5:
Cork trees, Olive trees and Vineyards. – 66km (41mi), level 4.
After breakfast we leave the Convent where we spent the night and we ride towards Estremoz, land of marble and wine. We have our picnic on the way and we end our day in Arraiolos, the land of the famous rugs. Visit to a tapestry workshop. Dinner with the group. Lodging in a 16th century convent converted into a Pousada where you find the perfect harmony between the traditional and modern concepts of Portuguese architecture.

Day 6:
Towards Évora – 26km (16mi), level 1.
After breakfast we ride towards Évora, a city classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. We visit a winery and taste the wine and then we have the afternoon free to wander around in this historic city where we can find evidences of 2000 years of History. Dinner with the group. Lodging in a 4* Hotel, located in the historical centre of Évora, next to the 14th century city wall.

Day 7:
Departure – After breakfast we drive 2H00 to the airport. Farewell at Lisbon airport.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

Accommodations (6 nights): 1 Pousada (16th century Convent), 2 four* Historic Hotels (one 12th century Convent and one Military Convent), 1 four* Charm Hotel, 1 three* charming Hotel within a fortress, one 18th century Manour House. Double bedroom occupancy.

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

Dates and Prices for 2012:
February 12 - 18:
Guided: Euro 1780 (Single Suppl. + € 210)
Self-Guided: Euro 1350 (Single Suppl. + € 210)

March 04 - 10:
Guided: Euro 1780 (Single Suppl. + € 210)
Self-Guided: Euro 1350 (Single Suppl. + € 210)

March 18 - 24:
Guided: Euro 1780 (Single Suppl. + € 210)
Self-Guided: Euro 1350 (Single Suppl. + € 210)

August 05 - 11:
Guided: Euro 1860 (Single Suppl. + € 240)
Self-Guided: Euro 1440 (Single Suppl. + € 240)

September 09 - 15:
Guided: Euro 1860 (Single Suppl. + € 240)
Self-Guided: Euro 1440 (Single Suppl. + € 240)

October 28 - November 03:
Guided: Euro 1830 (Single Suppl. + € 220)
Self-Guided: Euro 1410 (Single Suppl. + € 220)

November 18 - 24:
Guided: Euro 1780 (Single Suppl. + € 210)
Self-Guided: Euro 1350 (Single Suppl. + € 210)

December 02 - 08:
Guided: Euro 1780 (Single Suppl. + € 210)
Self-Guided: Euro 1350 (Single Suppl. + € 210)

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

(+351) 214783153