The Granitic Villages on the Mountains

Discover the ancient granitic houses

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


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): 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


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.

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Itinerary / Highlights

7 days / 5 days cycling

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 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 – After breakfast transfer to OPORTO airport. 2H30 drive to airport.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

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.

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

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, 3* or 4* quality Hotel.
=> If you want a different date, ask us about prices and availability.

(+351) 214783153