Douro River E- Bike & boat
Portugal Bike + Barge Tours
Explore the beauty of the Douro River Valley by boat & electric bike!
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length8 days
- Prices from€2594 Rates
- Book This Trip
Overview
On its way to the Atlantic, the Douro meanders through a dramatic landscape. It flows through deep gorges and passes steeply terraced slopes that bear witness to its 2,000-year-old wine culture. The mild climate not only allows vines to thrive, but also olive and almond trees.
Discoverers, kings, and port wine were born here in the green north.
On this electric bike and boat tour you do not have to worry about the terrain. Just enjoy the unfolding vistas!
Highlights
- Beautiful and historical Porto
- Régua, heart of wine country
- Protected wine-growing region of the Alta Douro
- Port wine tasting
- Marao Natural Park
- Accommodations on the Alva, state of the art small cruise ship
- Stress-free battery-assisted cycling with support vehicle
Please take a look at all of our tours in Portugal! We have both hiking and biking itineraries to offer!
Itinerary
Day 1: Porto
Day 2: Porto - Pinhão, 17 mi. (27 km)
Day 3: Pinhão - Douro Natural Park, 20 mi. (32 km)
Day 4: Douro Natural Park - Barca d'Alv, between Portugal and Spain, 33 mi. (52 km)
Day 5: Barca d'Alva - Pinhão, through the Alta Douro, 18 mi. (29 km)
Day 6: Pinhão - Bitetos, panoramic ride from the Lamego Wall Point to the Douro, 18 mi. (22 km)
Day 7: Bitetos - Porto, on the Atlantic Shore, 27 mi. (43 km)
Day 8: Departure or extension in Porto*All distances are approximate. The itinerary is subject to change, at times without prior notice. Some waterways may be subject to occasional closures due to drought, storms, floods, canal or lock repairs, or other unforeseen circumstances that make navigation unsafe or impossible. The captain reserves the right to make any changes deemed necessary.
Day 1: Porto
Arrival in Porto where your ship awaits, moored on the banks of the Douro. The airport is approximately 18 km north of the center of Porto. You are asked to book a flight that should arrive no later than 4:00 p.m. At 5:00 p.m. your tour guide will welcome you onboard the A-ROSA ALVA, the newest ship in the A-ROSA fleet! The river cruise ships are located on the southern bank of the Douro with a wonderful view of the monumental old town and the impressive Eiffel Bridge Ponte Dom Luis I., a symbol of Porto.Porto is ancient and was already a metropolis in Roman times which was once an important trading port due to the favorable location at the mouth of the Douro. Enjoy the picturesque view of the colorful, stacked houses climbing the steep slopes.
Before dinner, a local city guide will show you Porto.
Day 2: Porto - Pinhão, 17 mi. (27 km)
Before breakfast, the ship leaves Porto and sails upriver. Around noon you will reach Peso da Régua, which is the main town in the “Alto Douro”, the oldest protected wine-growing region in the world. The river valley is overwhelmingly beautiful with its steeply terraced slopes. After lunch on board, you will be transferred a few kilometers into the hilly hinterland, from where the first bike tour starts. The route down to the Douroufer is mainly downhill after a rolling start. In the second half of the bike stage, you have a broad view of the winding river valley. Once back on the riverbank, you will board a traditional rabelo boat. These boats were once used to transport all of the region's wine to the port city of Porto. You moor in Pinhão, a small wine-growing town, and the geographical center of the port wine region. Many big names in the port wine trade have quintas (manor houses) in the area. The ship is moored in Pinhão overnight.Day 3: Pinhao - Douro Natural Park, 20 mi. (32 km)
Before the ship sets sail again during lunch and heads east, you will enjoy a morning bike tour north of the river valley. In the mountainous hinterland of the river, you cross the small hamlet of Sabrosa, the birthplace of Magellan. Through vineyards, you return to the ship along the river loops of the Rio Pinhão, which flows into the Douro River.In the afternoon, when the weather is nice, you can enjoy the river landscape on the sundeck as the ship approaches the Spanish border. The Douro is the most water-rich river in the Iberian Peninsula and navigable up to 14 km into Spain, where a 60m high hydroelectric power station prevents the continuation of the journey from Vega de Terron. Barca d'Alva is the last place before the Spanish border.
From here the Douro separates the two Iberian nations in the middle of the river. The railway line that connected the remote Douro valley to the rest of the world ended in Barca until 1985. Since then, the place has sunk into a sleeping beauty and you almost feel like you are at the end of the world. A wonderfully remote location in the Douro Natural Park.
Day 4: Douro Natural Park - Barca d'Alv, between Portugal and Spain, 33 mi. (52 km)
Today your ship is anchored in the Spanish-Portuguese border region and you can enjoy a longer distance in this lovely, remote region and visit two historic fortress towns. After breakfast, your guide will transfer you south to Almeida (44 km).For centuries Almeida was fought after between Portugal and the Muslim Caliphate of Cordoba and was, therefore, well-fortified early on. The city walls are arranged in a star shape around the city center and are still impressive and well preserved. On the way back to the Douro, you cycle through lonely valleys and small farming communities. Lying impressively on a hill, you can already see another fortress on your route, Castello Rodrigo. On the last kilometers of cycling, you cycle downhill parallel to the Spanish-Portuguese border, formed by the Águeda river. You will enjoy magnificent distant views of the Douro Valley before you reach your ship again in Barca d'Alva. The ship moors overnight in Barca d'Alva on the border between Portugal and Spain.
Day 5: Barca d'Alva - Pinhão, through the Alta Douro, 18 mi. (29 km)
During breakfast, the ship leaves the Spanish-Portuguese border and heads westward downstream. Shortly before noon, disembarking in Pocinho you will be transferred to the heart of the Alta Douro wine region (approx. 42 km by minibus/taxi). South of the Douro, you bike to Pinhão, through the hinterland mostly on two-lane roads. The tiny town of Pinhão at the mouth of the Rio Pinhão is lovely.The train station here is a must-see. Inside and out, it is almost completely adorned with blue-tiles (“azulejos”) depicting folk scenes, women at the grape harvest, men with headband-held boxes, wine barrel-loaded ox carts and sailing barges, whose glamorous times have long passed. Overnight in Pinhão.
Day 6: Pinhão - Bitetos, panoramic ride from the Lamego Wall Point to the Douro, 18 mi. (22 km)
In the morning you will leave Pinhão and the ship will return to Régua after breakfast. From here you will be driven with our minibus to the famous pilgrimage site Lamego south of the Douro Valley (18 km).
Lamego became a bishop's seat as early as the 7th century and flourished in the 18th century when the wine trade flourished.On a hill on the outskirts of the city, a monumental, baroque double staircase leads up to the “Nossa Senhora dos Remédios” church, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and attracts many pilgrims. The view is unbelievable. From here you start cycling through the old town of Lamego and back to the river bank on a wonderful panoramic route to Peso da Régua, where the ship awaits. During lunch, the ship continues the journey to Porto. The ship lies overnight in the small river port of Bitetos.
Day 7: Bitetos - Porto, on the Atlantic Shore, 27 mi. (43 km)
By bus transfer (45 minutes) you arrive to the endless sandy beaches of Furadouro on the Atlantic by bus (43 km). After a coffee break on the beautiful beach of the seaside resort, your bike route leads through pine forests and dune landscapes, always parallel to the sea, back to Porto, and to the pier in Vila Nova de Gaia (southern Douroufer).The route leads along the sea. Many seaside resorts line the way to the outskirts of Porto. On the last few kilometers back to the jetty you have to be careful as you will encounter a bit more traffic. If you prefer not to bike, you can opt to ride with the support vehicle.
You have the rest of the afternoon to stroll through Porto's old town on your own or to stroll along the banks of the Douro.
In the evening, your guide will walk with you to a renowned port wine cellar in the Vila Nova de Gaia district. The traditional wine producers' bodegas are true “cathedrals of wine”. Here in the district of the wine barons, you stop at a winery to taste “Port” and to finish your journey there in the evening with a stylish ambiance. Overnight in Porto.
Day 8: Departure or extension in Porto
After enjoying the lavish breakfast buffet, you are offered a free transfer to the airport. The bus transfer takes place once in the morning at approximately 9:00 a.m. The distance is 20 km and it takes 25 minutes.Of course, it is advisable to extend another night (or two) in Porto in order to experience this lively and fascinating city even more extensively.
Boats
You will be accommodated onboard the Deluxe vessel, the Alva
- Alva
Deluxe Class Boat
Relax in luxury aboard this state of the art ship built in 2018. Offering luxurious cabins, outdoor pool, spa, fitness center, bar, cafe, and lounge, your floating accommodations will be as comfortable as the scenery along the Douro is spectacular! Read More
Inclusions
What’s Included
- Accommodation for 7 nights in selected category of cabin
- Breakfast
- Lunch as a picnic buffet or as a buffet on board according to the program
- 7 multi-course dinners in buffet form
- All drinks are included on this trip, with the exception of champagne, bottled wine, and exclusive rarities
- Support vehicle
- Electric bike
- Fully guided cycling itinerary
- All visits and admissions as indicated in the itinerary
- All transfers as indicated in the itinerary
- Visit to a port wine bodega with tasting
- Departure airport transfer
What’s Not Included
- Helmet
- Gratuities
- Bike protection
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates & Pricing
2021
Wednesday departures
April 14, 2021
Cabin A: $ 4173 £ 2352 $ 4,097 € 2594 NZ$ 4484 kr 26711 $ 3,219 Cabin C: $ 4817 £ 2715 $ 4,729 € 2994 NZ$ 5175 kr 30830 $ 3,716 Cabin D: $ 5139 £ 2896 $ 5,045 € 3194 NZ$ 5521 kr 32889 $ 3,964 Cabin A/single-use: $ 5718 £ 3223 $ 5,613 € 3554 NZ$ 6143 kr 36596 $ 4,411
April 21, 2021
Cabin A: $ 4173 £ 2352 $ 4,097 € 2594 NZ$ 4484 kr 26711 $ 3,219 Cabin C: $ 4817 £ 2715 $ 4,729 € 2994 NZ$ 5175 kr 30830 $ 3,716 Cabin D: $ 5139 £ 2896 $ 5,045 € 3194 NZ$ 5521 kr 32889 $ 3,964 Cabin A/single-use: $ 5718 £ 3223 $ 5,613 € 3554 NZ$ 6143 kr 36596 $ 4,411
May 12 & September 1, 2021
Cabin A: $ 4495 £ 2534 $ 4,413 € 2794 NZ$ 4829 kr 28770 $ 3,468 Cabin C: $ 5139 £ 2896 $ 5,045 € 3194 NZ$ 5521 kr 32889 $ 3,964 Cabin D: $ 5460 £ 3078 $ 5,361 € 3394 NZ$ 5867 kr 34948 $ 4,212 Cabin A/single-use: $ 6521 £ 3675 $ 6,402 € 4053 NZ$ 7006 kr 41734 $ 5,030
October 13 & October 20, 2021
Cabin A: $ 4173 £ 2352 $ 4,097 € 2594 NZ$ 4484 kr 26711 $ 3,219 Cabin C: $ 4817 £ 2715 $ 4,729 € 2994 NZ$ 5175 kr 30830 $ 3,716 Cabin D: $ 5139 £ 2896 $ 5,045 € 3194 NZ$ 5521 kr 32889 $ 3,964 Cabin A/single-use: $ 5702 £ 3214 $ 5,598 € 3544 NZ$ 6126 kr 36493 $ 4,398
Deck 1: Cabin A, 12 m²
Deck 2: Cabin C, 13 m²
Deck 3: Cabin D, 13 m²Extra Options
Helmet rental: $ 16 £ 9 $ 16 € 10 NZ$ 17 kr 103 $ 12 CO² compensation, approx.*: $ 48 £ 27 $ 47 € 30 NZ$ 52 kr 309 $ 37
*CO² compensation with Atmosfair
Atmosfair is a non-profit climate protection organization with a focus on travel. Air passengers voluntarily pay a contribution to climate protection that is dependent on emissions, which Atmosfair uses to expand renewable energies in countries where they are scarcely available, especially in developing countries. Atmosfair thus saves CO² that would otherwise have been generated by fossil fuels in these countries. If you would like CO² compensation, please let us know when booking.Please Note
- Rates are based on double occupancy
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Extra Info
Skill Level — Easy–Moderate
Rating a tour is one of the most difficult things we do. The bike route takes you through the picturesque wine-growing landscape of the Douro Valley along the steeply terraced slopes. The total distance by e-bike is 205 km. Although the north of Portugal is very mountainous, the routes are not particularly strenuous as you often start with the e-bike above the river valleys and ride a lot more downhill than uphill. Mostly you cycle on rural country roads with light traffic. On an electric bike, we are giving this tour an easy to moderate rating. On your premium pedelec equipped with Bosch or Shimano mid-mounted motor, you can decide how much assistance you require. The difficulty rating will be entirely up to you.
Airport Info
Fly to Porto (OPO) or Lisbon Airport
Local Travel
If you fly to Porto (APO), the airport is located about 6 miles from the city center of Porto and is accessible via public transportation. If you fly to Lisbon, the airport is located quite close to Lisbon center. You can take a taxi or train into the city. Lisbon airport is now connected directly to Lisbon center (Saldahna) by underground metro. If you are continuing onward from the Lisbon airport to Porto, you can take the Airport metro to Orient station and from there, train to Porto with 0 transfers.
Climate
With a pleasant climate without large temperature extremes and a sun that shines all year round, the Douro Valley offers good conditions for exploring by bike.
Remarks
This tour offers an optional CO2 compensation program for a supplement through Atmosfair, a non-profit climate protection organization with a focus on travel. Your voluntary contribution will provide for the expansion of renewable energies in countries where they are scarcely available. See pricing.
Important to know
Travel Documents
It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, visa requirements and acquisition, blank passport pages required for your destination (s), etc.
US citizens: A good website to research the requirements of the Schengen Agreement and entry into other countries is travel.state.gov.
Non-EU and EU residents: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and your destination country or countries.
*Important note: Please check on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) status as once implemented, this will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa..
Tour Operator
This tour is run by Terranova.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.Would you like to learn more About Us? How about What Makes Us Different than other companies?
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