Portugal

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.

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.

Well organized, great equipment, nice hotels, easy to follow directions app

A wonderful adventure exploring cities, rural and costal areas of Portugal.

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!

It was wonderful to visit rural parts of the Douro Valley on e-bikes. I was impressed with the challenging and scenic rides mixed with local tours to olive press, winery, port warehouse, and medieval city tour. We liked not having to pack our bags every morning for a hotel move and it was nice getting to know the service staff on the boat. Well done!

Great trip! Manu and Matt made sure everything went well. The rides were beautiful. The winery visit and the olive oil tasting were terrific. The cruise and VBT worked well together to make sure the trip was flawless. Highly recommend

The trip was VERY Good, but it should be noted that it is not a walk on one Camino, it is a taste of the areas around several camino routes. We walked, but we also were able to learn about cities in various locations, from excellent local guides, and we experienced visiting a cheese farm and a pottery Artist at work. If you are looking for a CAMINO hike with spiritual significance, this is not it, BUT if you want truly wonderful experience of Camino and the beautiful Northern Spain, this is a trip you should make a must do.

This trip was perfectly balanced with a variety of activities. The walking sections were stunning! There were magnificent coastlines, ancient pathways into medieval villages, expansive mountain vistas, charming towns and beautiful moments under the canopy of verdant forests. Along the way you had the pleasure of greeting pilgrims or experiencing your own version of being a Camino pilgrim. Enhancing this walk with visits to local crafters and cultural activities was the highlight for me. The lodging was exceptional as it continued the theme of history with its location and the buildings itself. How fascinating to stay in a rectory or castle where centuries of stories now live. Finally our guides Manu and Diego were amazing. I have been on many guided trips, these two were the best team I have ever had on a guided tour. Their knowledge was excellent, they were attentive to everyones needs and took care of details with a happy and positive attitude. They bring humor and delight to a group dynamic, which made all of us comfortable, resulting in true bonds and friendship for our group. Essentially they created community. I give them 10 ⭐️ stars! By the end of the trip, I felt like I had been on an epic journey with friends that became family. Thank you Country Walkers Team for planning, creating and building a wonderful trip. I will be back for more next year.

Portugal is very beautiful and interesting. The trip was lead by superb- very accommodating, very knowledgeable, wonderful guides. The hiking was not what I hoped for. Sometimes not great trails and some days too little walking. The accommodations were very nice, unique and high quality. The options for meals when we were “on our own” we’re limited and not always great. We had an excellent group of travelers and really enjoyed the meals, conversations and walking together.

This was our third Country Walkers / VBT walking vacation and it did not disappoint! Superb guides (thank you Ana and Helene!), a thoughtful itinerary, excellent food and gorgeous landscapes, plus two extra days in beautiful Lisbon. We had a great trip - highly recommended!