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.

As with all our VBT experiences Portugal did not disappoint. The trips are planned well from the time you take off from home until you land back at home. The transfers, the accommodations, and the in between are well thought out and planned. Any necessary changes are planned for. Portugal is tourist friendly, they are ahead of the curve with the pandemic, follow the rules. It is tough to find a bad meal, the weather was great; there is a lot of history. The cycling was easily doable for all who cycle 25 miles with some wind or hills. If you take only a few trips, make this one.

Beautiful scenery with many picturesque views along the coast. The hotels were top notch. We had hybrid 27-speed bikes which performed well. The Ride With GPS app was easy to follow & accurate 99% of the time.

It is such a beautiful country with some of the nicest people I have ever met.

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!

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 love VBT and the best part of this trip was our leader, Manu. He is awesome! All VBT leaders are great, and he is at the top. It was the initial offering of the trip, and some kinks will be addressed, I am sure. Coordinating the boat and the buses (there were A LOT of buses) and biking is complex. We enjoyed the chance to mix with other travelers on the boat. We enjoyed unpacking only once. The Douro is not a river where you can bike alongside, like the Danube--so there is a lot of bus transfer time on twisty steep roads (some complained of car sickness). It is a hilly area--definitely on the "moderate" scale, not the "easy-moderate" scale. Climate always a question-in late April we had both cold (40's) and wet and warm (70s) and sunny. The olive oil mill and winery were good experiences. The archeological site was sketchy.... If you like hills and don't mind the bus, a good trip to some less accessible areas.

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.

The Country Walkers Landscapes from the Camino de Santiago trip was outstanding. Country Walker guides Diego Del Barrio and Pol Roig Iniesta were extremely knowledgeable, organized, and capable leaders. On scale of 1 to 10, I rate both guides a 10. The various hikes and village tours were very interesting and completed as scheduled. The hotel or parador accommodations were all outstanding. Food was plentiful and exceptionally good.

This trip far exceeded our expectations. Everything was perfect, especially our guides Ana and Helene.

Portugal has been on our bucket list of destinations for years and it did not disappoint. The countryside, terrain, people, and cities were filled with beauty and history. Our Country Walkers Guides shared their knowledge and enthusiasm and of course made our trip that much more enjoyable. The other guests were all especially friendly and kind which added to our overall experience.