Douro River E-Bike & Boat
Portugal Bike + Boat Tours
Explore the beauty of the Douro River Valley by boat & electric bike!
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length8 days
- Prices from€3520 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 olive and almond trees as well.
The Douro Valley has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage region. The Portuguese people and others claim it is the most beautiful wine region in the world. Walls of schist support the climbing, gravity-defying vineyards, constructed over the centuries with each stone laid by hand to create an astonishing and unique landscape.
Though the terrain is difficult, on an electric bike you can enjoy this region with ease.
Explore the land of discoverers, kings, and port wine!
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 a 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, 16 mi. (25 km)
Day 3: Pinhão - Douro Natural Park, 15 mi. (23 km)
Day 4: Douro Natural Park - Barca d'Alv, between Portugal and Spain, 37 mi. (59 km)
Day 5: Barca d'Alva - Pinhão, through the Alta Douro,10 mi. (16 km)
Day 6: Pinhão - Bitetos, panoramic ride from the Lamego Wall Point to the Douro, 14 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 pm. Check -in starts at 2 pm. At 4:30 pm your tour guide will welcome you on board 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, enjoy a tram ride and guided city (walking) tour around Porto.
Day 2: Porto - Pinhão, 16 mi. (25 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, 15 mi. (23 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, 37 mi. (59 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, 10 mi. (16 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, 14 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.
Before the last dinner on board, 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 traditional winery to learn more and of course to taste Port. 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.
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Map
Boats & Bikes
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
- 6 sit down dinners
- 1 dinner and Portuguese evening at “Quinta” (Manson)
- All Inclusive drinks from renowned brands are included on this trip with the exception of champagne, bottled wine, and exclusive rarities
- Departure airport transfer (fixed departure time: 9 am)
- Electric bike (standard bikes are not possible)
- Support vehicle
- 6 guided bike tours
- All visits and admissions as indicated in the itinerary
- All transfers as indicated in the itinerary
- Visit to a port wine bodega with tasting
What’s Not Included
- Helmet
- Gratuities
- Bike Protection
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates & Pricing
2024
Season A
April 10, April 24, July 17, July 24, & August 14, 2024Season B
May 1, May 8, May 15, June 12, & August 21, August 28, September 18 & October 16, 2024Season A Season B Cabin A - Deck 1 (12 m²) $ 5955 £ 3092 $ 5,258 € 3520 kr 540390 ₪ 14389 ¥ 591716 Mex$ 65462 NZ$ 6486 NOK 42164 zł 15471 S$ 5209 kr 41815 $ 3,827 $ 6378 £ 3312 $ 5,631 € 3770 kr 578770 ₪ 15411 ¥ 633741 Mex$ 70111 NZ$ 6947 NOK 45158 zł 16569 S$ 5579 kr 44784 $ 4,098 Cabin A/single-use $ 7563 £ 3926 $ 6,677 € 4470 kr 686234 ₪ 18273 ¥ 751412 Mex$ 83129 NZ$ 8237 NOK 53543 zł 19646 S$ 6615 kr 53100 $ 4,859 $ 8561 £ 4445 $ 7,558 € 5060 kr 776811 ₪ 20685 ¥ 850591 Mex$ 94101 NZ$ 9324 NOK 60611 zł 22239 S$ 7489 kr 60108 $ 5,501 Cabin C - Deck 2 (13 m²) $ 6632 £ 3443 $ 5,855 € 3920 kr 601798 ₪ 16025 ¥ 658956 Mex$ 72901 NZ$ 7223 NOK 46955 zł 17229 S$ 5801 kr 46566 $ 4,261 $ 7055 £ 3663 $ 6,229 € 4170 kr 640178 ₪ 17046 ¥ 700981 Mex$ 77550 NZ$ 7684 NOK 49950 zł 18327 S$ 6171 kr 49536 $ 4,533 Cabin C/single-use $ 8578 £ 4453 $ 7,573 € 5070 kr 778346 ₪ 20726 ¥ 852272 Mex$ 94287 NZ$ 9343 NOK 60730 zł 22283 S$ 7503 kr 60227 $ 5,512 $ 9644 £ 5007 $ 8,514 € 5700 kr 875064 ₪ 23301 ¥ 958176 Mex$ 106003 NZ$ 10503 NOK 68277 zł 25052 S$ 8436 kr 67711 $ 6,196 Cabin D - Deck 3 (13 m²) $ 6971 £ 3619 $ 6,154 € 4120 kr 632502 ₪ 16842 ¥ 692576 Mex$ 76620 NZ$ 7592 NOK 49351 zł 18108 S$ 6097 kr 48942 $ 4,479 $ 7394 £ 3839 $ 6,528 € 4370 kr 670882 ₪ 17864 ¥ 734601 Mex$ 81269 NZ$ 8053 NOK 52345 zł 19207 S$ 6467 kr 51912 $ 4,751 Cabin D/single-use $ 9086 £ 4717 $ 8,021 € 5370 kr 824402 ₪ 21952 ¥ 902702 Mex$ 99866 NZ$ 9895 NOK 64324 zł 23602 S$ 7947 kr 63791 $ 5,838 $ 10185 £ 5288 $ 8,992 € 6020 kr 924190 ₪ 24609 ¥ 1011968 Mex$ 111954 NZ$ 11093 NOK 72110 zł 26458 S$ 8909 kr 71512 $ 6,544 Because of rising fuel costs, prices are subject to change.
Extra Options
Helmet rental $ 17 £ 9 $ 15 € 10 kr 1535 ₪ 41 ¥ 1681 Mex$ 186 NZ$ 18 NOK 120 zł 44 S$ 15 kr 119 $ 11 Transfer from Porto Airport to boat* $ 42 £ 22 $ 37 € 25 kr 3838 ₪ 102 ¥ 4203 Mex$ 465 NZ$ 46 NOK 299 zł 110 S$ 37 kr 297 $ 27 *Subject to change due to rising fuel costs
Please Note
- Rates are per person, based on double occupancy
- Tour prices are based on the fuel costs at time prices are set, often months or years in advance. In rare cases, additional fees may apply for fuel cost increases.
- 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. On an electric bike, we are giving this tour an easy to moderate rating. 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 208 km. You decide how much assistance you require! 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 the 6th day, at the beginning of the stage, you bike through the village of Lamego, and will encounter more car traffic. On the 5th day, there can also be a little more traffic than usual.
Airport Info
Fly to Porto (OPO) or Lisbon Airport (officially known as Humberto Delgado Airport) (LIS)
Local Travel
Porto (OPO)
Located about 11 mi. (18 km) from the city center of Porto, the airport is easily accessible via public transportation.
The metro - line E (purple)) connects the airport with the center of Porto every 20 minutes (26 minutes to the Trindade metro station, where you have to change in the direction of Sao Bento station.) From this station in the center of the old town, it is approx, 5 km to the pier.
In addition, there are several bus routes that run very cheaply from the airport to the city center.
If you prefer a taxi from the airport, the journey time - depending on the traffic flow - is between 30-40 minutes.Lisbon Airport (LIS)
The underground metro provides a direct link to the city center. 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.
Taxis are readily available at the airport.
Please book your flight so that you arrive in Porto no later than 4 pm, otherwise, you may arrive too late and unable to take part in the panorama tour.Climate
You will travel through a climatic region between mountains and sea, where the weather can be very changeable! It can often be quite cool in the mountains. Temperature fluctuations between morning and evening are the rule. You need clothing for hot and fickle/cool weather. You shouldn’t travel without a warm jacket/sweater and rain protection! Weather changes and bad weather periods are not uncommon in northern Portugal in spring and autumn!
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.
Important to know
Travel Documents
Before you travel, please check your passport expiration and the passport and visa requirements of the country/countries you plan to visit. For US citizens, the US Department of State website is a good source of information. The Country Information tab in the International Travel section provides details about passport validity, blank passport pages required, etc.
*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
Extra Stay
You will want to spend some extra time in Porto for sure! We advise Booking.com for researching and reserving your extra nights. You can read a detailed description of the hotels offered, including a clear listing of amenities, customer reviews, and ratings.
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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