Walking in the Minho and Douro Valley
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WALKING IN THE MINHO AND DOURO VALLEY A walking holiday in the Minho and the Douro Valley, two of the most famous wine growing regions of Portugal Walk the on the Atlantic Coast, Portuguese Way and stay in historic Ponte de Lima Visit the Mateus Palace and enjoy a Rabelo boat ride down the Rio Douro to Pinhao 3 stunning day walks amongst the vineyards and terraces of the Douro Valley Sample delicious wines from the Minho and Douro at family run quintas 2 nights in Porto, including a port tasting in the cellars of Vila HOLIDAY CODE PMD Nova de Gaia Portugal, Trek & Walk, 8 Days 7 nights hotel, 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, max group size: 16, 6 days walking VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE www.keadventure.com UK: +44(0) 17687 73966 US (toll-free): 1-888-630-4415 PAGE 2 WALKING IN THE MINHO AND DOURO VALLEY Introduction This walking holiday in the Minho and the Douro Valley, two of the most famous and stunning wine growing regions of Portugal, is ideal for those who enjoy good food, culture, wine, and fantastic day walks. We begin in with 2 nights in Ponte de Lima, the oldest town in Portugal. From here we wander along the beaches of Minho's wild Atlantic Coast, explore the historic streets of Viana do Castelo, and walk a short section of the ‘Portuguese Way’. As we transfer east to the Douro Valley, we’ll break our journey with a long lunch at a family run quinta in Guimaeres, where we can sample some delicious Vinho Verde, and visit the baroque Casa de Mateus and its gardens. During our 3 nights in the Douro we will be based at a stunning 4* Pousada in the hillside town of Alijo. Here we explore on foot the magnificent vineyards and terraces that, over 2000 years of wine making, have transformed the landscape. This is the birthplace of port and, accompanied by our knowledgeable guide, as we walk we will begin to discover its story, from the cultivation of the terraces, the grape harvests, fermentation and bottling process, and its journey to the cellars of Porto. As a special treat one of our walks concludes at a riverside quinta owned by one of our guides, where we enjoy a delicious picnic lunch, with a range of accompanying wine, before taking a Rabelo boat downriver to Pinhao, famous for its railway station decorated in hand-painted blue tiles. We complete our journey with 2 nights in stunning Porto, where we will discover it's historic centre, before finally crossing the Rio Douro to end the holiday with a port tasting at one of the world famous port cellars of Vila Nova do Gaia. Is this holiday for you? On this holiday we will explore the Minho and the Douro on a series of good day hikes and walks, any of which can be considered as optional. The walks are on good trails and we will be walking around 4 – 6 hours a day on average, carrying just a small day pack. The nature of the Douro Valley means that we will have to be prepared for some ascent and descent on our day walks here, and we do have one day of around 800m descent; however, it is possible to join this walk half way if you would prefer. Our accommodation each night is in well-appointed and comfortable hotels and our evenings are free to relax, explore the surroundings, sit in the lounge and read a book, enjoy the great food produced in Northern Portugal and, of course, sample some of the local wine! Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Meet in Porto. A single timed transfer to the group hotel in Ponte de Lima is provided. The group will meet at a designated meeting point at Porto Airport and will transfer together to Ponte de Lima in the early afternoon. This means you are free to book a wide range of different flight options from various different UK airports. If you are arriving early in the morning, Porto is easily accessible via the Metro and it will be possible to leave luggage in the lockers at the airport and head into Porto for some free time to explore ahead of rendezvousing at the designated meeting point for the group transfer to Ponte de Lima. Nestled amongst the Minho countryside on the side of the Rio Lima, Ponte de Lima is the oldest town in Portugal and will serve as our base for the next two nights. The town is perhaps most famous for its stunning 31 arch bridge, the Ponte Romana, which is in part Roman and part Medieval. ACCOMMODATION HOTEL Day 2: Walk along the Atlantic coast from Carreco to Vila Praia de Ancora and visit Viana do Castelo. After breakfast we transfer the short distance out to the Atlantic Coast at Carreco, where will walk a section of the Atlantic Way following the coastline north towards Vila Praia de Ancora. We follow a mix of good path and wooden boardwalks as we stroll along the beautiful beach and past a series of abandoned stone windmills which, motionless without their sails, look forlornly out to sea. We also head slightly inland through patches of forest and agricultural fields, ending our walk in the pretty coastal town of Vila Praia de Âncora. Busy local fishermen ensure that there is a regular supply of fresh fish and seafood on tap here, so we can indulge ourselves over a long lazy www.keadventure.com UK: +44(0) 17687 73966 US (toll-free): 1-888-630-4415 PAGE 3 WALKING IN THE MINHO AND DOURO VALLEY lunch. Being so close to the wine region there is sure to be a glass of delicious local wine to accompany our food. After lunch we transfer to the pretty town of Viana do Castelo where we will have a short guided tour of the town's medieval centre, with its narrow lanes flanked by colourful tile fronted houses and hidden squares dominated by impressive rococo palaces. We will also have a little free time to look around under our own steam before we transfer back to Ponte de Lima. The rest of the day is free for us to relax or explore Ponte de Lima at our own leisure. ACCOMMODATION ASCENT 160M DISTANCE 11KM MEALS BL HOTEL DESCENT 153M TIME 4 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 3: On the Portuguese Way. Lunch at a quinta near Guimaraes with wine-tasting. Visit Mateus Palace. Transfer to Douro Valley. This morning we will walk straight from our hotel and, crossing the Ponte Romana, join a section of the Portuguese Way, one of the many pilgrimage routes leading to Santiago de Compostela, the burial place of St James, in Northern Spain. This short walk takes us along quiet rural farm tracks and we will pass shrines, as well medieval bridges and stone crosses. We will also get an insight into agricultural life in the Minho as we wander through small villages surrounded by orchards, vineyards and farmland. We end our walk at the tiny chapel of Senhora Das Neves (Our Lady of the Snow). We then begin our 2hr drive to the Douro Valley. Naturally, we cannot leave the Minho without sampling some of the fresh and delicious Vinho Verde (green wine) for which the region is famous and so we will break our journey near the historic the town of Guimaraes where we can do just that. We will enjoy a 3 course lunch at a traditional quinta, where we will be able to taste several different wines. The owner of the quinta will also be on hand over lunch to talk to us about the different wines produced here. After lunch we continue our drive to the Douro, stopping to enjoy a guided tour of the Mateus Palace and gardens, a true baroque masterpiece, as we pass by. Our drive ends in the wine producing town of Alijó on the northern edge of the Douro where we will stay for the next 3 nights in a fully renovated and centrally located 4-star pousada with a pool. We have the evening at our own leisure. Evening meals are not included whilst in Alijo and you may dine at the restaurant at the pousada each night, or head out into the town to sample some local delicacies in one of the small family run restaurants in town. ACCOMMODATION ASCENT 219M DISTANCE 8KM MEALS BL HOTEL DESCENT 150M TIME 2 - 3 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 4: Circular walk from Alijo, via Sao Mamede da Ribatua with views over the Tua Reservoir. Our first day of walking in the Douro Valley takes us on a circular journey through an ever changing landscape from our base in Alijo, we walk through vineyards and down through the cobbled streets of Sao Mamede da Ribatua, a picturesque small village with a blue tiled baroque church at its centre. From the edge of Sao Mamede we have stunning views down over the Tua reservoir, an ideal spot to enjoy our picnic lunch. After lunch we have an uphill pull back up to the ridge where we make our way back through the vineyards to Alijo. As we walk through the vineyards our guide will be on hand to answer any questions we may have about the cultivation of the vineyards, and how the grapes make their journey from vine to bottle. Returning to the hotel the rest of the evening is at leisure. www.keadventure.com UK: +44(0) 17687 73966 US (toll-free): 1-888-630-4415 PAGE 4 WALKING IN THE MINHO AND DOURO VALLEY ACCOMMODATION ASCENT 457M DISTANCE 14KM MEALS BL HOTEL DESCENT 457M TIME 5 - 6 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 5: Walk from Alijo to Pinhao on the banks of the Douro River.