Bike: Land around Coimbra
We also offer 14 - and 6 days self guided cycling tours.
The 8-days Cycling Coimbra Portugal tour " Land around Coimbra" starts and ends at Quinta no Pinhal, in the center of Portugal, which is surrounded by a green landscape and has a lovely refreshing pool. Here you will get your bikes and maps.
Included
- 7x overnight stay with breakfast
- 6x lunchpackage
- route descriptions
- route maps
- GPS tracks
- personal information
- luggage transport
Day 1
You will be welcomed at the accommodation "Quinta no Pinhal".
You can try your rental bicycle. Overnight stay at Quinta no Pinhal.
Day 2
You will get acquainted with the landscape of Beira Litoral, in the middle of Portugal; hilly/sloping, lots of greenery and water. A drive of 39 km. The start is in Vila Nova de Poiares cycling direction Penacova. high above the Mondego with from here a beautiful view over this river. On the way you will pass 14 restored mills at Gavinhos, in some of them you can spend the night, here you can test your climbing skills. Halfway you will pass through the village of Lorvão which is known for its monastery and especially its beautiful church. In the pastelaria (bakery) opposite the monastery you can taste the delicacies made according to the ancient recipe of the monks. Overnight stay at accommodation: Quinta no Pinhal.
Day 3
46 km. Today you will cycle from Vila Nova de Poiares to Ceira dos Vales. The major part of this trip you will follow the river Ceira, during this trip you will pass by a Praia Fluvial at Casal de Ermio where you can take a refreshing bath in the river. At the end of this tour you will pass by Lousa, situated at the foot of the Serra de Lousa.
An area with beautiful green landscapes, a lot of trees, water, and the ruins of a Moors Castle from the 10th century surrounded by little chapels. Entering the village (coming from Gois) you will see two of the various luxurious ancient residences of the 17th and 18th century (casa de Cima and casa de Quinta do Cano) which Lousã possesses due to the industrial revolution of that time. Just outside of the village the most impressing residence Quinta da Santa Rita. Overnight stay:: `Quintal Álem do Ribeiro’.
Day 4
Today you can choose between a short ride of 14 km to a natural pool build of schists nearby a Moors Castle, a round trip of 35 km or you can pick the ’Queens’ tour (58 km) in the Serra de Lousã to a height of nearly 1200 m, where you can feel the overwhelming calmness and a superb view over a big part of middle Portugal, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Serra de Estrela. A trip passing the Aldeias Serranas, abandoned mountain villages with very old small houses build of flat natural mountain stones. This whole trip is rich of wonderfull ’ Miradouros’ (views). The descent brings you through an unpaved road back to the track Gois-Lousa. If you want to ride a part of the queen's ride, you can do that too, a route along slate villages. Overnight stay: ‘Quintal Álem do Ribeiro’.
Day 5
Today a ride of, 58 km from Ceira dos Vales to São Lourenço de Bairro. You drive along the village of Penacova, highly above the river Mondego, forward to the national Parc of Buçaco with its stunning hotel (see appendix) in manulinion style.
On the way you will pass numerous fountains, a lot of unspoiled villages and olive groves and orange orchards, surrounded by pineforests. In the National Parc of Buçaco you will find the Mata do Buçaco, a wood of 105 ha, surrounded by a wall of 5 km and 11 entrances. Via Luso, a spa well known for its therapeutic mineral water, you pass the wine region “Bairrada”. Your destination is Quinta do São Lourenço in São Lourenço. Overnight stay: ’Quinta São Lourenço’.
Day 6
70 km Today you cycle via Mira to Praia de Mira, wide sandy beaches and a fresh sea. Between the two places stretches a part of the wide pine forests with which one tries to counteract the sand drifts in the dunes - about 5000 hectares. For a change, a trip on flat roads in Praia de Mira, with its typical houses built on stilts (palheiros), where fishermen still practice traditional trawling, is a popular summer resort. Or a trip of 34 km in the wine region of Bairrada. Your visit starts at Quinta de Ortigão, founded by the man who first produced sparkling wine in this area, Augusto Brandão Alegre. Afterwards you drive on to Curia and visit the wine shop Bairrada where you can taste wine from this region. the visit ends at Caves de São Domingos. On the way back you can visit the winery Aliança in Sangalhos. Here is also a museum with African masks. *In the evening you can try the Leitão, the regional specialty of the Bairrada region.
Overnight stay: "Quinta São Lourenço".
Day 7
You start in São Lourenço for your last trip of 27 km or 67 km. The first part you will encounter ancients hamlets, some of them partly abandoned. Before you enter the famous age-old university town of Coimbra, you will pass various rice-fields nearby Gandara.You can also take your bike on the train to Coimbra, that will shorten your trip to 27 km.
Cycling along the river Mondego you will reach the historical town-centre. The ancient university and the cosy, narrow shopping streets worth to be visited.
By the southide you leave Coimbra and driving along the astonishing valley of the river Mondego you ’ll reach your final destination.Enjoy Cycling Coimbra Portugal Holidays with luggagetransfer and GPS along Schistvillages. Overnight stay: `Quinta no Pinhal’.
Day 8
After a benevolent breakfast your tour ends.
Equipment
Your rental bike is a hybrid bike with Shimano parts, front suspension and 21 gear, luggage rack, water bottle holder, bicycle pump, repair kit and bike computer. You can borrow bicycle bags for a small deposit on the spot. You can also rent a bike helmet. We recommend to wear a bicycle helmet.
Extra days
You can book an extra night at every Quinta. An extra day in Vila Nova de Poiares gives you the opportunity to canoeing on the Mondego River. You can also book a guided hike in the hills of the Serra de Lousã. In São Lourenço book an extra day to visit the wine cellars of Aliança (by bike, 14 miles back and 14 miles back) or the thermal baths of Luso (15 km and 15 km back by bicycle or by train). All accommodations have WiFi and a swimming pool.
Additional nights are always based on breakfast or half board, lunch package is not included on extra days. If you want to spend more time in the beautiful city of Coimbra, this is accessible by bus from Vila Nova de Poiares and Ceira dos Vales and by train from Sao Lourenço. You can also schedule an extension after the journey in Coimbra.
