Alvao Natural Park by bike

Cycle tourism in Portugal

The area chosen for our bike trip It is located north of the Duero River, in the provinces of Alto Douro and Tras-Os-Montes, and more specifically in the district of Vila Real, it is a Natural Park located in a transition zone, between the Atlantic Sea and the rural interior, between the rich Douro and the Tras os Montes area, between the granites and slates and above all between development and the past.

The high areas of the mountains are characterized by their large granite formations, while in the lower areas fertile plains open up. It is in these valleys where we find the most valuable heritage of the park: its villages. In them we find remains of traditional mountain architecture and residents who seem to resist the passage of time, dedicated to grazing with native breeds and forestry work.

Accommodations

Our accommodation will be in the city of Vila Real. A quiet university city, full of pastry shops and baroque monuments, where we will be surprised by the abrupt landscape of the sickles that have fortified the city since ancient times.