Overview
Portugal has gorgeous rural landscapes, from rolling vineyards and lush mountains to meandering rivers, including the renowned Douro. Our trails bring us across rock-built villages, through the terraced Douro wine country, into the forests of Peneda-Gerês National Park, and even along sections of the famed Camino Portugués pilgrim route. We balance our hiking with cultural experiences along the way, tasting wine in a family-owned quinta, exploring 13th century castle towns, and sampling regional cuisine and velvety port wines. We end in Porto, a World Heritage Site of centuries-old lanes and classic wine cellars. Our lodging includes a former wine warehouse in picturesque Pinhão and the 17th century Paço de Calheiros, where we are welcomed by the Count of Calheiros himself.
This was my first Wilderness Travel adventure and what a rich, enlightening, varied, educational, fun experience it was. Every aspect was managed to the detail and the trip was perfectly balanced with an emphasis on hiking but so many additional learning, cultural, and historical opportunities. It was one of the best trips of my lifetime and I have been on ~20 active, adventure trips with other organizations. I am a huge fan of Wilderness Travel. I especially enjoyed and appreciated the quality and challenge of the hikes and in particular our guide David. Great job! Great company! Amazing experience.
— Pam F., Hermosa Beach, CA
Itinerary at a Glance
Days 1-2
Porto / Mantiegas / Serra da Estrela
From Porto, we head into the Serra da Estrela (“Mountains of the Stars”), where our trails bring us across terraced meadows and past shepherds’ huts into deep glacial valleys. The rich pastures here sustain hardy sheep famed for their Queijo Serra da Estrela cheese, and we may see the local breed of sheep dog, the cão da Serra da Estrela, while on our hikes.
Days 3-4
Belmonte / Pinhão / Douro Wine Tasting
Castle-topped Belmonte’s medieval Jewish Quarter is fascinating to explore, and a classic rail journey along the Douro brings us to the wine town of Pinhão. In the Douro Valley, our vineyard hike ends with a visit to a historic family-run estate for a tasting. On the tranquil Douro itself, we take a late afternoon ride by traditional flat-bottomed boat.
Days 5-8
Pilgrim Path to Peneda / Peneda-Gerês National Park
An ancient pilgrim trail leads us to the revered sanctuary at Peneda. As we hike in Peneda-Gerês National Park, with its craggy peaks, wild Garrano horses, and long-horned Barrosã cattle, we’ll probably meet no one else on the trail, except perhaps a herder and his castro laboreiro (Portuguese watchdog), a breed that originated in this area.
Days 9-10
Camino Portugués / Ponte de Lima / Porto
Our last hike is across a beautiful stretch of the Camino Portugués, which has brought pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela since medieval times. We end our journey in Porto’s historic quarter, listening to soulful fado songs. Depart on Day 10.
Hiker's Journey to Portugal
Highlights
Highlights
Details
9 hiking days on moderate to strenuous trails (some steep sections), 3-6 hours a day with two longer days, van support (for luggage or if you wish to skip a day's hike)
