On a bike tour in the Douro valley, you'll get to explore the world's first demarcated wine country, cycling alongside it's trademark terraced vineyards. You'll be riding by winding roads, up and down the river, relaxing in charming wine estates, now refurbished into charm hotels, and experiencing the rich wine and gastronomy culture of this special region. The roads are just perfect for road cyclists and e-bikers to explore, with breathtaking views everywhere you look.
We booked the private bike tour of the Alentejo region for 8 people. Our Guides Luis and Joaquim were excellent! We absolutely loved everything. We used electric bikes that were brand new and top notch. The food was out of this world. The lunches and dinners were experiences we will never forget. The wine tasting was at beautiful wineries with amazing lunches and delicious wine! The 5 star hotels were fantastic! Live Love Ride exceeded all of our expectations and more. We highly recommend a private tour and the premium package! What a wonderful way to experience Portugal!
After we were picked up from the airport and driven to the hotel, the magical adventure began. Riding the Douro Valley was just magnificent. The scenery and landscape could not be compared to anything I've seen before. Riding consisted of 35 to near 50 miles each day with elevations of 3,000-4,500 feet gain at an average 5-8% grade. On the last day of riding, the most difficult of all, we experienced a 16% grade that seemed to go on forever. Every day presented itself with great challenges wonderful pleasures and fantastic downhills that would go for 6-7 miles at speeds of 25+ mph. WOW!!
Our group was small with 7 riders plus 2 guides. The locations we stopped at were local places giving you a sense of real Portugal.
The people running the tour couldn't be better. They address every need from the group. We used carbon bikes from Scott that performed flawlessly even when riding on cobblestone which was in almost every town or village.
I can't speak highly enough about this adventure. However, that said, be sure to come well trained with lots of hill climbing under your seat because it's challenging everyday.
