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Inspirations 2022
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  • Walking
  • Cycling
  • Journeys by rail, boat & car
  • Plus... Why you can book and travel with confidence
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Aveiro – Lagoons & the ‘Silver Coast’

North-west Portugal’s timeless Atlantic hinterland
 
Discover a splendid natural habitat with abundant birdlife and a fascinating maritime culture, as you cycle self-guided along traffic-free trails close to the Costa de Prata, while your luggage is transported between stylish, beach-front hotels.
Aveiro – Lagoons & the ‘Silver Coast’. 6 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Aveiro – Lagoons & the ‘Silver Coast’. 6 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A cycling holiday in Aveiro

You might not have heard of the Aveiro region of northern Portugal, but therein lies much of its charm.
Lying quietly between the cities of Coimbra and Porto, it has a proud maritime heritage, and a landscape – characterised by shallow lagoons, salt flats, lakes and traffic-free cycleways – that is a joy to discover on two wheels. Even the name  (from the Roman aviarium  – 'place of birds’) hints at the bird-spotting opportunities on offer, and the legacy of a nautical past – from seaweed harvesting in colourful wooden boats, to candy-striped former fishermen’s homes and tales of salt-cod-seeking derring-do across the Atlantic – makes this a compelling area to visit.
 

Book with confidence

What we’re doing so you can book and travel with confidence >
Our flexible booking policies >
Check the destination entry requirements >
 
Gallery
 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.

We have not provided elevation profiles for any of the routes on this holiday because it is largely on the flat.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 14 15 17 19 20 22 23 23 23 21 17 14
    mm 142 127 81 93 77 40 12 16 53 114 138 134
  • Arrival in Praia de Mira
    Night 1: at Maçarico Beach Hotel (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night's accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of cycling.
  • Circular route from Praia de Mira: 21km
    After collecting your bikes, enjoy a warm-up circuit. You head inland along dedicated cycle ways via peaceful lakes which are home to a variety of species of bird (don’t forget to bring your binoculars!). You can then call in at the town of Mira for a spot of lunch before looping back to your hotel, perhaps to relax in the rooftop pool and take in some fine sea views before heading out for dinner.
    Circular route from Praia de Mira
  • Praia de Mira to Costa Nova: 22km
    Today you head north, perhaps diverting to the fabulous white-sand beach at Areão, then cycle alongside a narrow finger of the lagoon to reach Costa Nova and its eponymous hotel, for an overnight stay. Depending on what time you arrive, you could explore the renowned fish market facing the lagoon, or head to one of the fine beaches nearby.
  • Costa Nova to Aveiro: 26km
    Leaving Costa Nova, you make a short detour to visit the lighthouse at Barra – tallest in the whole of Portugal! – before meandering via another finger of the lagoon to Ílhavó, calling in at Vista Alegre, whose stunning surroundings are as beautiful as its celebrated porcelain. It is also worth pausing at the Maritime Museum, where you can learn about the hardships endured aboard long-line cod-fishing boats. You then continue to the Hotel Moliceiro in Aveiro itself, known as ‘Portugal’s Little Venice’ for its network of canals and small bridges. You could perhaps take a tour on one of the high-prowed moliceiros  boats before dinner. Suckling pig is worth seeking out among the many good restaurants here, as is the deliciously delicate egg-yolk-and-wafer confection, Ovos Moles de Aveiro.
    Barra lighthouse, on the route from Costa Nova to Aveiro
  • Aveiro to Furadouro: 40km
    The day begins with a short train ride (pay locally) to Salreu, from where you pedal along quiet roads, cycle ways and dirt tracks to reach the lagoon once more. Here you loop languidly along its edge, as an Arcadian tableau unfolds before you, dotted with flamingos, egrets and the occasional patient fisherman. Your destination is Praia do Furadouro, where you can admire the expansive golden-sand beach before checking into the Furadouro Boutique Hotel for your last two nights.
    Cycle from Aveiro to Furadouro
  • Circular route from Furadouro: 47km; shorter option: 35km
    Your last cycle ride takes you north along the ‘Silver Coast’ and is a real highlight – offering fabulous sea views and the chance to visit Porto, picturesque capital of the Port-wine trade. Take your time to explore the iconic Port houses, perhaps even venturing inside one for a tour and tasting, before catching the train back to Furadouro. Be sure to stop off at the iconic, ocean-facing Capela do Senhor da Pedra (Chapel of the Lord of Stones) along the way – the chapel's long history of worship makes it an ideal spot to reflect on the subtle charms of this quietly evocative corner of Portugal.
    Capela do Senhor da Pedra
 

Accommodation

Your four hotels are all located close to water, be it the sea, a lagoon or a canal.
 

Options to extend or shorten your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 6 nights: 01 April 2022 - 31 July 2022 & 01 September 2022 - 31 October 2022

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 Apr - 21 May 2022 £885 £380
    22 May - 9 Jun 2022 £930 £410
    10 - 29 Jun 2022 £975 £445
    30 Jun - 25 Jul 2022 £995 £485
    1 - 11 Sep 2022 £995 £485
    12 - 30 Sep 2022 £975 £445
    1 - 25 Oct 2022 £930 £410
    3rd & 4th person discount -£90
    Single traveller supplement £90

    Includes accommodation, meals, bike hire, luggage transfers and any other services integral to the holiday as described, plus cycling notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Electric bikes available: add  £180 per person

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Furadouro Boutique Hotel Beach & Spa, Furadouro
    Deluxe with ocean view: 01 Apr - 31 Jul 2022 £14
    Deluxe with ocean view: 01 Sep - 31 Oct 2022 £14

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Prices include an extra day’s hire of a standard bike. If you are upgrading to an e-bike, add a further £40pp per day.
    Hotel Moliceiro, Aveiro (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Apr - 31 May 2022 £80 £128
    01 Jun - 31 Jul 2022 £90 £145
    01 Sep - 15 Oct 2022 £90 £145
    16 Oct - 31 Oct 2022 £80 £128
    Furadouro Boutique Hotel Beach & Spa, Furadouro (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Apr - 13 Apr 2022 £94 £162
    14 Apr - 18 Apr 2022 £110 £198
    19 Apr - 14 Jun 2022 £94 £162
    15 Jun - 31 Jul 2022 £110 £198
    01 Sep - 15 Sep 2022 £110 £198
    16 Sep - 31 Oct 2022 £94 £162
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Porto
    ALTERNATIVE AIRPORT(S):
    Lisbon
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Porto or Lisbon. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Lisbon (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Aberdeen - Porto (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Aberdeen - Porto (via Paris CDG) Air France,  KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Lisbon jet2 
    Birmingham - Porto Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Lisbon easyJet 
    Bristol - Porto easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Lisbon easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Edinburgh - Porto Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Lisbon Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Lisbon easyJet 
    Liverpool - Porto Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Lisbon TAP Air Portugal 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Lisbon Air Europa,  Azores Airlines (SATA),  easyJet,  TAP Air Portugal 
    Gatwick - Porto British Airways,  easyJet,  TAP Air Portugal 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Lisbon Azores Airlines (SATA),  British Airways,  TAP Air Portugal 
    Heathrow - Porto British Airways,  TAP Air Portugal 
    Heathrow - Porto (via Lisbon) TAP Air Portugal 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Lisbon easyJet,  Wizz Air 
    Luton - Porto easyJet,  Wizz Air 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Lisbon Ryanair 
    Stansted - Porto Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Lisbon easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TAP Air Portugal 
    Manchester - Lisbon (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Porto easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Manchester - Porto (via Brussels) Brussels Airlines 
    Manchester - Porto (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Porto (via Lisbon) TAP Air Portugal 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Lisbon (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Porto (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Porto (via Brussels) Brussels Airlines 
    Newcastle - Porto (via Paris CDG) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Norwich - Lisbon (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Norwich - Porto (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Porto or Lisbon. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above except those operated by Ryanair. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Porto

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    direct taxi Porto airport to hotel (1h20) £95 flexible
    rail Porto Campanha to Aveiro (0h30), taxi station to hotel (0h30) £52 1800
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    direct taxi hotel to Porto airport (0h45) £82 flexible
    taxi hotel to Ovar station (0h15 + 0h15 to buy tickets), rail Ovar to Porto Campanha (0h40, pay locally) £12 1100

    Connecting travel options - flying via Lisbon

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Lisbon Oriente to Aveiro (2h), taxi station to hotel (0h30) £64 1730
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to station (1h), rail Aveiro to Lisbon Oriente (2h) £64 1230
What is included
  • 6 nights
  • 2 dinners
    6 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • high-quality bicycle
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 10 reviews
  • Mr R Eastell
    Chichester
    24 September 2021

    We really enjoyed this holiday.  The cycling was very relaxed, with almost no hills, through some great countryside and in particular, alongside miles and miles of beautiful beaches.  The area is quite rural but we stayed in some lovely hotels overlooking the beach.  We particularly liked the Macerico Beach Hotel in Praia de Miro.

    Two highlights were the cycling north of Espinho on boardwalks built over the dunes, and meals out at the Bronze Beach bar in Costa Nova and Bamboo in Furadouro.

  • Mrs L Charlesworth
    Crowthorne
    13 September 2021

    A great holiday and the recomendation of Bronze Restaurant in Costa Nova was a highlight, a great evening, beautiful beaches, stunning sunset and great food in an easy contemporary setting.

    Food/eating recommendations all very good. The Portugese, their hotels, restaurants and those wonderful beaches impressed us greatly.

  • Mrs G Taylor
    Stockport
    10 September 2021

    We really enjoyed the chance to see a part of Portugal we have never visited before. The cycling and bird watching opportunities around the lagoons was lovely. We especially enjoyed the ride from Salreu to Furadouro through the nature reserve. It was worth having an extra night in Aveiro as it is an interesting city to explore. Worth getting a booking for O Bairro which is a justifiabley popular restaurant. 

  • Mr B Hargreaves
    London
    09 October 2019

    HIGHLIGHTS: Flamingoes, fish (to eat) and vinho verde. In Oporto the upstairs room giving on to the chapel where the 49 decorative panels are in the former Dominican convent - I think you need to say these panels are in a separate upstairs room.

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our Porto city add-on with our cycling holiday Aveiro – Lagoons and the ‘Silver Coast’

  • David & Kate
    01 October 2019

    Magnificent Atlantic coastline & lagoons. The city, beach & river views rounding the corner from the Atlantic coast & along the Douro were spectacular and provided a wonderful finale to our week's cycling. Our small travel kettle, cups and preferred teabags worthwhile. Make sure that you have lots of time at railway stations.

  • Ms C Martin
    St. Albans
    01 September 2019

    HIGHLIGHTS: Cycling along back routes, cycling along the boardwalks, cycling along the lagoon edges.

  • Mrs J Hafer
    Canada
    27 June 2019

    This trip was fantastic!  We were all very impressed with how well organized the trip was and how much of Portugal we experienced on our bike tour. Inntravel tailored our trip to our desires, building extra nights in certain places and making knowledgeable suggestions for side trips along the way. Even though we are not massive cyclists, we found the tour very enjoyable and a fabulous way to see "true" Portugal. The selected bike routes were well thought out and easy to follow (we used the GPX maps, with the written notes as a back-up and for the suggestions of where to eat or what to see). Each day brought us a new adventure and scenery to explore. We loved that we could determine the pace of our day routes; meandering sometimes, stopping when we wanted for a beverage or to wander the area, or powering through the cool pine forests at other times. The accommodations were great and well appreciated after a day of cycling. Everything went seamlessly! We will definitely recommend this trip and Inntravel to our friends and family!

  • Mr B Baker
    Brentwood
    12 June 2019

    Delightful gentle cycle rides on a flat landscape. As there is a prevailing wind from North West and it is a fairly exposed area we think cycling North to South would have been a gentler option. The wind, however, only made us suffer on the fourth (longest) day of the 5. The hotels were excellent and the staff exceptionally helpful and friendly and the suggested restaurants almost always offered fine regional food at good value. Would definitely recommend other cyclists stopping off in possibly unlikely looking  cafes and cake shops for an expresso coffee and a pastel de nata or even a light lunch. We were never disappointed doing so.

  • Miss H Stirling
    Worthing
    15 May 2019

    A lovely journey, with easy cycling except for headwinds (unfortunately our holiday started the week that all of Europe had poor weather). Our favourites were the lagoons between Salrue & Furadouro and the last day, cycling along the coast to Porto.

  • Dr K De Pauw
    Leeds
    28 March 2019

    Highlights were seeing the daily catch being brought in on the beach at Praia de Mira and the many storks nesting near the station at Salreu.
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • If your holiday plans go awry because of Coronavirus, rest assured that we’ll do right by you. Since the start of the pandemic, our flexible booking policy and prompt issuing of refunds to customers who prefer not to defer their holiday have earned us high praise in the national press.
  • We sincerely hope that your holiday experience will be as enjoyable as it would have been before the pandemic – cycling holidays are ideal in these times of social distancing, and we’re not operating holidays if the key highlights can no longer be delivered – but, naturally, there will be some changes to ensure your and other people’s safety, not least taking tests before and after your holiday for many destinations.
    Your holiday experience: what to expect >
    Safety measures being taken by hoteliers & others >
    Entry requirements for non-UK destinations & for re-entering the UK >
  • Our chosen bike rental shop will provide you with a bike with 21 gears; a waterproof map case on handlebars; pannier/saddlebag; pump; puncture repair kit; and a lock.
  • While we would always recommend that you take your own well-fitting helmet, they can be hired locally for a small fee. Please let us know at the time of booking if you would like to hire a helmet.
  • Yes, we will provide GPX tracks for this holiday prior to departure so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. (We also provide maps and our tried-and-tested route notes, which remain the principal means of navigation).
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. On mornings when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation so that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.
  • You are responsible for damage to or loss of the rental bike while it is hired to you. Always be careful to lock it up, ideally to an immovable object, and remove all easy-to-steal accessories whenever you leave it unattended.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines (but not, currently, with Ryanair). As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to take out our recommended travel insurance policy (if you live outside the UK you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    We'll ask you for the details of your policy (insurer, policy number and medical emergency phone number) so that we can help out if the worst happens while you are on holiday. It's up to you, though, to check that your policy covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs; we don't check alternative policies.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Portugal, Madeira and the Azores, but not a visa. If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official language is Portuguese. The currency is the Euro. Portuguese time is the same as GMT/UTC. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on the same time as BST.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.

    At Inntravel we work in close partnership with our hoteliers, taxi drivers and other local suppliers to provide our self-guided holidays directly to you. We are entirely confident that you will continue to receive the usual warm welcome from them, regardless of what is happening in the European political sphere.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.
    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
Last fetch time is : 1/29/2022 5:01:25 AM