Portugal

This was our first VBT vacation. We were very impressed with the planning, accommodations, and route. It was a wonderful experience to bike along country roads with guides who knew the area. The hotels were lovely and the meals were delicious. Everything was top-notch.

Portugal was our 11th VBT trip and 12th biking trip. It was the best or at least equal to our other great trips. The guides were the best ever and the hotels , especially the Farm House, were excellent. The biking was challenging at times but very good overall. We highly recommend the trip and very much want to return to Portugal. Great food, great wine and a beautiful country. We felt very safe on the roads and highways as Portugal drivers are very courteous to bikers. Absolutely nothing to complain about and as with all VBT trips, a great value.

Portugal offers super routes for biking - coastal, plus quiet inland ag areas and small villages. The roads are not busy and there were bike paths too. Our equipment more than met my expectations - comfortable, reliable, always plenty of charge. Our tour was mid-Sept with perfect weather. The GPS riding app took all the worry out of our self-guided tour. The points of interest were very helpful. All in all, I'd love to do more rides with VBT!

What an amazing bike trip with my sister! We were blown away by all the incredible sights we have seen along the way. The quaint beach towns, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, and the beautiful fruit farms. The tranquil challenging routes that VBT chose have been so nice and peaceful and then arriving in a great town for lunch and shopping. VBT thought of everything--they chose perfectly placed hotels and towns along with great riding routes. My sister had an e-bike and I had a hybrid, additionally, we met the most interesting women from all around the world to have breakfast and a couple of dinners with. A++

We loved this trip! Beautiful and varied biking routes; knowledgeable, competent and engaging guides, top-notch hotels, delicious food and interesting cultural activities. I wish I could do it all over again!

We thoroughly enjoyed our first VBT experience. The tour route was very well laid out and we cannot not say enough about how impressive our tour leaders, David and Frederico, both of whom are natives of Portugal. Kudos to VBT for the way they planned and conducted our tour!

Thus was our 13th VBT trip and the combination of biking and a small cruise ship was wonderful. I had not anticipated the great food options on the ship. The guides, Manuel and Matayas, were amonst the pantheon of great VBT guides. The biking was challenging, but the electrics were appreciated by my 80 year old body.The roads were mostly low traffic. loved the lunches in the small towns on the daily rides.The bus rides to the rides were like a thrill ride at Disneyland-big bus-little road.

What an amazing trip! The Douro Valley was nothing short of magical. Cannot recommend this trip highly enough. The bike-boat experience was phenomenal (Emerald Cruises was top notch) and the Portuguese VBT leaders and entire boat crew made it an unforgettable experience. The exposure to the historical culture and centuries-old commerce along the Douro were a highlight. Bravo VBT

Landscapes of the Camino de Santiago was a great experience. I always thought "Seize the Moment" but this trip gave me a new perspective, "Let the moment Seize You". The beautiful scenery of this trip was amazing.

Enjoyed the trip. leaders were great as always with Country Walkers.Just the right amount of hiking and difficulty. scenery beautiful.

This was our 4th CW tour. It was fun, but not the best tour we have been on. I don't think Portugal is quite ready for tourists outside of Lisbon and Porto. The scenery is beautiful, but the towns we visited had mostly closed shops and were too small for more than a day stay. We wasted too much time hunting for own meals which should have been arranged in advance. The first hotel in Ponte de Lima, while in a beautiful setting, was very musty and the beds were tiny. I felt like I was breathing in mold spores all night. I had to dry out my entire suitcase at the next stop. The hikes were fine and our guides were knowledgeable and were very solicitous.

Our trip to Portugal was all we expected and so much more. Our guides, Helene and David were excellent! They had it all, trail knowledge, historical stories, restaurant recommendations, current affairs, etc. All with big smiles and lots of laughter. Our hotels, manors, and castles were top notch accommodations and each stop on our trail had a special treat for us. Be advised, their swimming pools are freezing! But felt so good after a warm day of hiking, especially with a white port and tonic after a few laps to stretch out the muscles. The hiking was as described with a short option every day for those who wished to take it easy. Our guides set a nice pace, not too fast nor too slow and plenty of time to stop and take pictures or hear a little talk about something interesting along the way. We have been with Country Walkers before and have already booked our 2025 trip.