Walking Holiday Northern Portugal Minho

Walking holiday in Northern Portugal, Minho – a inn to inn holiday in hidden Portugal.

Our walking holiday shows you the highlights of Northern Portugal and provides all the conform to relax after each walk!

This is a wonderful mix of landscapes: the wild mountains of Peneda Gerês National Park, Minho and Lima rivers, valleys and the coastal walks by the sea.

The trip starts in the Peneda-Gerês National Park, the only National Park in Portugal.
The National Park is home of wild horses and Iberian wolves. The first two days you will walk through traditional villages and wonderful landscapes.
On third day, you walk on the banks of the Lima river. During the walk you have time to spot somel wild birds and discover the green wine region.
The last two walking days you will explore the coastal trails walking along the Atlantic coast part of the Portuguese Coastal way to Santiago (Camino de Santiago).
A path through history, windmills, fishermen´s trails and sandy beaches.
On last day you have the option to cross the border by taxi boat and explore Galicia, Spain: a loop in A Guarda, Spain where you can visit a Celtic settlement that dates from between 600 and 200BC.

Itinerary

On arrival at Porto Airport a private transfer (included) will take you to Soajo, Peneda-Gerês National Park (1h30).
The transfer is also possible from Porto’s Campanhã train station or city centre.

After check-in in Soajo you can explore the local granaries (storehouses for corn), check the local restaurants and visit the local groceries.

If you arrive earlier you have the option to do a loop in Soajo village, a walk to explore the local watermills and beautiful viewpoints (5km / 3.1 mi, 2 hours walking).

Meals: None
Accommodation: country house, Soajo

Ascent: 350m. Descent: 500m. Distance: 7 miles I 12km. Walking time: 4 hours.

9h30 – we offer a private transfer from Soajo to Lindoso castle (20 min).

Starting the walk by Lindoso castle you have time to walk around castle and visit the 50 granaries around the castle.

Leaving Lindoso you descend to cross the Alto Lindoso dam – the border between Portugal and Spain.
On the way you will see the Spanish mountains and some villages on the far distance.

This route takes you through ancient paths, traditional villages and many viewpoints.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: country house, Soajo

Ascent: 590m. Descent: 380m. Distance: 6.8 mi I 11km Walking time: 4 hours.

Leaving Soajo you will walk uphill through historical villages and ancient trails.
During the walk you will enjoy breathtaking views over Peneda-Gerês National Park.

The last part of the hike takes through a magic forest in Peneda-Gerês National Park.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 3* Hotel, Ponte da Barca

Ascent: 100m. Descent: 150m. Distance: 11 mi I 17 km. Walking time: 4 hours.

Leaving Ponte da Barca, you walk alongside the peaceful Rio Lima and through vineyards.
The path is great for birdwatching lovers, you may see different birds.

During the walk you have the option to stop and visit a local winery, where you can learn about the green wine / vinho verde.

You will finish your day arriving in the oldest town in Portugal, Ponte de Lima but you have the option to end the walk at the winery just relaxing by the vineyards.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 4* Hotel, Ponte de Lima

Ascent: 80m. Descent: 30m. Distance: 8.68 mi I 14km. Walking time: 4 hours.

Leaving Ponte de Lima you walk on rural tracks, through fertile agricultural land and woodland.
On the way you can explore different landscapes from the flat areas by Lima river and you enjoy the nive views to Serra D´Arga Natural Park.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 4* Hotel, Viana do Castelo

Ascent: 150m. Descent: 150m. Distance: 12 mi I 19 km Walking time: 4.30 hours.

This walk is another complete contrast, as you walk along the Atlantic Coast northwards from Viana to Vila Praia de Âncora. On this route you walk nearby sandy beaches and you can see some of old windmills at the coast.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 4* Hotel, Vila Praia de Âncora

Ascent: 350m. Descent: 350m. Distance: 11 mi I 18 km. Walking time: 5 hours.

Today´s walk is in two distinct sections. The first takes you to the charming town of Caminha where your last night’s accommodation is located.

You can then extend the walk by taking a taxi boat and crossing the Minho river to reach Galicia, Spain and walk up Monte de Santa Trega (Galicia, Spain), the hill opposite Caminha, where you will explore a wonderful Celtic settlement.

The settlement, 341 metres above sea level, was home to about 5,000 people during its heyday, the first century BC, and was one of the largest in the whole northwest Iberian Peninsula.

The majority of its dwellings were oval in shape, but there are some rectangular ones, with rounded corners, proof of Roman influence.

If you don´t like the idea of a taxi boat you can contact us to arrange a private taxi to take you direclty to the walk in Spain.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 4* Hotel, Caminha

After breakfast it´s time to say good-bye or you can extend your holiday booking our short walking holiday in the Douro Valley or our walking holiday on the Portuguese Coastal way to Santiago de Compostela (starting in Caminha and ending in Santiago).

Map

What’s Included

7 nights B&B at handpicked 3* & 4* hotels and country houses;
Private transfer from Porto (Campanha train station, OPO airport or hotel in the city centre) to your first accommodation in Soajo, Peneda-Gerês N. P (Day 1);
Private transfer from Soajo to Lindoso (Day 2);
Private transfer from Mezio to your hotel in Ponte da Barca (Day 3);
Baggage Transfers each day from hotel to hotel (Days 3-7);
Welcome briefing by one of our tour leaders and delivery of all the documentation and hiking maps (Day 1);
Handpicked Hotels – 4 star, 3 star – plus B&B;
Holiday Pack with comprehensive route notes, 1:25,000 local maps and recommendations about restaurants, groceries and attractions,
Mobile app to navigate during the tour,
24/7 local telephone support.We are available to customize this program to your wishes.

Optional / Extras

On request:

Winery Visit & Wine Tasting in Geraz do Lima;
Extra Nights: in the National Park, in Viana do Castelo or in Porto.

Accommodation

This itinerary is based on bed and breakfast accommodation in hand-picked 3* and 4* hotels, and traditional country houses.

Location details are provided in the itinerary and will only be changed if unavailable at the time of booking.

Packed lunches are not included from your overnight accommodation. You’ll find it easy to pick up supplies from local bakeries, groceries and markets.