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 has unexpected beauty! An incredibly clean country with incredibly gorgeous surroundings. The accommodations were average, not as nice those we had on other guided tours from VBT. We missed not having daily insights to the culture and the surroundings that come with a guided tour. The Portuguese food we had was bland and average at best, but their bread and pastries were exceptional. The route was mostly easy, except for the last two days were moderate to difficult, which should be outlined in the trip description.

Portugal is a beautiful country with spectacular scenery as well as many historical sites. We generally road south along the coast line with excursions inland into farm land and orchards. We traveled through small towns and villages, many of which had cobblestone streets, castles, and very old churches. The hotels were all nice and clean, although the rooms in some were quite small. The rides were generally easy to moderate, although the final day was quite challenging with many hills. Both Porto and Lisbon are worth spending some extra time visiting. The "Ride with GPS" app generally worked pretty well, although traveling through some towns it was easy to miss turns and have to backtrack. Our group of 12 got along really well and we would cross paths frequently during the day. While this was a self-guided tour, there is a need for at least some level of support. One of our group had a low tire, and the small pumps on the bikes are not adequate to inflate a road bike tire to the recommended pressure. It took some cajoling to get the local support person to provide us with a floor pump. I would recommend that a floor pump be included with each group. Alternatively, a CO2 inflater with each bike would be helpful, at least for road bikes. The bikes were nice, and several in our group road e-bikes, which they enjoyed. Overall, we enjoyed the trip, particularly the people, although I am not sure I would do another self-guided trip.

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!

Good route, and the ship, with unpacking once, makes it better. The guides were very good, and the food on the ship was excellent. The group of 18 were very enjoyable people.

This trip was the perfect combination of biking and cruising. The Emerald Radiance was a top-notch level Riverboat with a crew that felt like family by the end of the trip. The rooms were small but had every important amenity. In the evening were entertained by local dancers and singers that were an excellent representation of the local culture. This trip should be on everyone’s list.

Outstanding guides who make the days and evenings fun, stunning and variable terrain, lovely paradors - and beautiful, beautiful Northern Spain.

I loved this trip. The group was so compatible, no "problem people". The hotels were top rate! The meals were great, albeit too much food. The guides became friends! The bus driver rocked! And the path/trails well thought out. Totally enjoyed it!!! Hope to do another country walkers trip again in near future. Jean

We had an absolutely fabulous trip through the Minho & Douro Valley with Helene & Rita as our guides. This was our second Country Walkers tour and our expectations were very high based on our experience with the first trip. This tour far exceeded our expectations. Portugal is a beautiful country and the itinerary for this trip truly showcases just how beautiful it is. We feel as though this was a perfect way to visit Portugal. Our accomodations were amazing. From a Manor House in Calheiros, to a 5 start hotel in the Duoro Valley, to a medieval village among castle ruins in Marialva, all were very unique. They were places that we never would have thought to stay at and they suited the itinerary very well. The hikes that we did were somewhat challenging at times as Portugal is a very hilly country. The itinerary accounts for this and is very well planned out so that it is all in all very manageable. The upside of the hilly terrain is that the views are just spectacular! Last but not least, our guides Helene & Rita were the best. They, along with Oscar our driver, made the trip as seamless as possible. They were so knowledgable about the country and it was clear that they are very proud Portuguese gals who are very enthusiatic about sharing the love for their country. They were always one step ahead of us and would answer any questions you may have had before you could even ask. While we were on the trip, we experienced the power outage which could have been very difficult to handle. Helene & Rita handled it like pros and it didn't effect us at all. If you are thinking about booking this trip, do not hesitate. Book now! It was absolutely one of our best vacations.

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!