Manor Houses of the Minho

The Quinta De Malta was excellent (save for the very hard mattress!). We didn’t mind having an unscheduled extra day there as they were so nice and the home cooked food excellent all round, including picnic. Paco de Calheiros was superb all round.
An excellent long awaited walking holiday. Thank you Inntravel. The Pandemic created circumstances of the last 18 months are unprecedented and you have all coped admirably. We are grateful that the holiday could run, in spite of three airlines rescheduling/cancelling flights and accommodation changes after the holiday had started! When you told us of these various alterations, which were completely beyond your control, there was always a solution presented. This is the gold standard way of coping with these sorts of problems.
Well done to everyone concerned. We will definitely be back travelling with Inntravel.

Probably the best pure walking holiday we have had for a few years, but  accomodation apart from Ponte de Lima was disappointing. Paco de Calheiros could be outstanding but I suspect the Count is immune to change! Spend more time in Ponte de Lima. The gardens are fabulous and it is such a great City. For us, the treat at the end of a walk is a beer/glass of wine in a village square. Maybe the Manor Houses are too remote?

We enjoyed immensely the itinerary in northern Portugal despite a week of very poor weather which made walking impossible on one day and unpleasant on a few others.  However our very helpful and supportive driver from the Limiana taxi company made sure we made good use of our time by taking us places when walking was not possible - thank you again to Antonio!
Accommodations were all good, with the standout being Quinta do Sobreiro at Facha, due to our host Ruth who, apart from being charming and generous and a good cook, was eager for us to make good use of non-walking time by driving us to Viana do Castelo whilst she had an appointment there.  Ponte de Lima was a highlight and a good place to visit in poor weather as so much to see.  The Calheiros visit at the end of the week was beautiful and atmospheric but our hosts were much less interested in providing comfort and good food than in talking about themselves.
The walking itinerary showed us wonderful country but we did find the conditions of the tracks which were not part of the Caminho to be quite deteriorated due to rain and erosion and we had great difficulty deciphering instructions for the walk around Durraes before the formal itinerary began.  We got seriously lost on paths which were under water and where the alternative route provided was most unclear to us. We did wonder how recently the tracks and instructions had been checked and reviewed for accuracy and suitability. We are aware that your walking holidays cater for all levels of walkers, but as relatively inexperienced walkers we were not equipped with multiple pairs of walking boots and full-length wet-weather gear which I would recommend in order to be able to keep to the itinerary which we were not at times.
The transfers and luggage arrangements all went smoothly and we would recommend this holiday to friends who want to get up close to the environment in which they choose to walk. Thank you for putting it all together for us - but please consider reviewing the instructions for currency and wet-weather suitability.

I have now walked each year (bar 2) with Inntravel since 2002 - so you must have got it right. My friends continue to want to walk also until age & infirmity prevents it. An interesting and varied selection for accommodation adds to the joy and interest. Friendly welcomes and good meals are the norm and the walking is seldom anything but most enjoyable.

A lovely walk from characterful manor house to characterful manor house. Blessed relief from brexit with like-minded people.

This was our first experience of Inntravel but we were thoroughly won over by both the character of the places we stayed, the detail of the routes, and the efficiency of the arrangements. An added bonus was the conversations we had with people on the routes (especially the sections of the Camino) and in the evenings at the Manor Houses. For me the very best of the route was walking through the vineyards, the stretch along the Ecovia less so.

Our first walking holiday - and we were looking at options for next year on the way back. At 69 apiece, we were flattered by our abilities, indeed some days could offer longer options - we went daringly off-piste three times, even nipping up a 700-metre summit on the last day. Meeting fellow walkers, other guests at communal tables, and pilgrims on Camino was a treat.  All our hosts were welcoming and very helpful. Travel via Porto proved simple. Do highlight the routes on the maps, to save wrestling with the copious notes!  Food and wine wonderful - but we would like to have seen inside more than two manor houses!

A very relaxing ramble through beautiful countryside, staying in unique and unusual accommodation. Particular highlights were our visit to Ponte de Lima a beautiful town on the river Lima, lots of history, things to do and good places to eat. Plus our stay at Paco de Calheiros, a large and grand manor house presided over by the slightly eccentric Count of Calheiros. A great trip thoroughly enjoyed by our whole party.

Wonderful holiday. Beautiful countryside and lovely people. We were made welcome wherever we went. Highlight was being given a bunch of freshly picked grapes by the pickers during their harvesting.

Excellent holiday. Lovely scenery, fantastic people, no pressure! Would highly reccommend.

We had a wonderful holiday and enjoyed every moment. The area is so unspoilt with the vines and chestnut groves all around on our walks. All our hosts were amazing and very friendly. We were lucky to have 2 evening meals, just the 4 of us, with the Count of Calheiros who we saw on and off during our stay. We would recommend visiting the Toy Museum in Ponte de Lima, also the information building in the parc de Arnado, right next to the Toy Museum. The park is beautiful but in the information centre for 50c you can see a museum and videos of the areas culture - wine making, flax growing for linen etc. - well worth a visit. The International Garden festival was also an interesting visit in Ponte de Lima. Do spend time talking to the owner of the Mercearia de Vila - he is such an interesting man and is so keen to tell you about all the artefacts on display. We stayed in the Cha Verde themed room which was fabulous.

We loved the variety of the accommodation and the friendliness of all the owners and their staff. We particularly loved Ponte de Lima as we arrived just at the end of their fiesta. We also enjoyed relaxing in the swimming pools at the end of the walks. The quality of the food at Quinta de Malta and Quinta do Sobreiro was exceptional.

The highlights for us of the Douro holiday were the train journey from Porto to Pinhao and the lunch at Manuel's restaurant in Pinhao. Also the circular walk whilst staying at Casa Vilarinho via Sabrosa. By amazing chance, we hit the very day the village was celebrating 500 years since Magellan circumnavigated the globe. We saw acrobats and tumblers performing in the little square and later had a beer in the central bar when players from the band piled in. What an atmosphere!  A local was trying to tell us something but it was too noisy to hear him. It was a lovely walk too, especially going through the pine woods. Made a change from vines!

The wine & port tasting and tour at the Quinta de la Rosa was excellent and well worth the 5km walk down there.

We enjoyed the Minho part of the holiday and felt the highlights were staying at Quinta de Sobreiro and accidently walking to Cruz where we were treated to the church bells at 12pm (Westminster Chimes) and at 12.03 (Ode to Joy, twice round!) while we sat in the bar opposite.

As always, it was good meeting the other Inntravelers and eating at a large table together.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our Valley of Gold and Manor Houses of the Minho walking holidays.

This was by far the most wonderful walking tour we have taken. The information provided was excellent and the routes were all perfect for us both in distance and sights. We really enjoyed the historical and interesting notes. The routes were well thought out for going through interesting sites. Except for the downpours on the first day the weather was glorious.

The manor houses of the Minho was a very good way to find out about northern Portagual. We had no idea what a beautiful, verdent part of the country it is. The villages you walk through are well populated but truly rural and the valleys support mixed small scale farming which creates the perfect environment for wildlife. This is where all the house sparrows have gone! We are not really bird watchers but we also saw hoopoe twice, heron and also swifts in Ponte de Lima. Often you are walking along the Caminho de Santiago following in the footsteps of hundreds of years of pilgrims. You really can step away from the busy life we all lead and relax. 

We enjoyed staying in the manor houses and meeting the owners who made us very welcome and mostly spoke good English so that you could really learn about the region. This is less impersonal than staying in a hotel but also a bit different. For instance there is no bar if you want a drink before dinner, but we asked for a glass of the local white wine and it was willingly provided. So really the best of both worlds.

In Ponte de Lima - which is absolutely charming - we hired bikes and rode to Ponte da Barca where we had the most delicious lunch in a restaurant called Via a Fava. We  would highly recommend the trip if you have time. Duarte at InMountain bikes speaks very good English and they do offer electric bikes if you want to make the trip easier. In Ponte de Lima we would particularly recommend the Taberna Cadeia Velha where we had a delicious meal one evening with a beautiful view of the river too.

Although we have suggested to Inntravel some extensions to the walks - which are mostly not quite as challenging as those we have completed on other holidays (2/3 star), we still enjoyed this holiday very much. The Portuguese are very welcoming and will definitely return to the area again. I was slightly concerned from other reviews that the food would disappoint, but actually we ate some delicious dishes and especially fish - both the traditonal salt cod and also plenty of fresh fish. If we had wanted to eat meat or vegetarian the options were usually there too. We extended for two days in Porto which was a good contrast.

Tips: Sakurana (restaurant) in Ponte de Lima for delicious sushi (freshly prepared on the spot) also very tasty noodles and prawns. Best walk - around Calheiros (Day 6).

An excellent holiday, in a marvellous part of the world. So much nicer than the Algarve. The villages we walked through could not have been more beautiful, the food was wonderful and the people we met were genuinely friendly.

This was our second trip to Portugal with Inntravel and it won't be our last. The Portugal we have experienced is still unspoilt and has a distinct character. The people are warm and welcoming and language is not a problem - smiles, a mixture of bad Spanish and English work well. Ponte de Lima was charming and Porto did not dissapoint either, fantastic for just people watching. It was easy to see why the Ribeira is deemed a UNESCO site. The food on the whole was good and plentiful, if not the most exciting and the wine, again although not spectacular, was very quaffable and relatively cheap. To be recommended.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers added on a two night stay in Porto after our Manor Houses of the Minho walking holiday.

The combination of the well-prepared walking notes and the excellent detailed maps ensured that we did not get lost, while still presenting us with the challenge of finding our way through unknown territory. For part of our route we coincided with walkers on the Caminho de Santiago and were grateful for the relative slowness of our walk which allowed us the better to enjoy the surroundings. The four houses differed in scale and degree of grandeur, but in each we were warmly welcomed and treated as if our presence mattered. The chance to dine with others on most evenings added an unexpected dimension and interest to our holiday, not least dining with the Count and his guests at his Paco de Calheiros. Walking round the vineyard in the evening sunlight, among the orange and lemon groves, was unforgettable.

A very pleasant walking trip, not difficult but nonetheless rewarding as you tour this beautiful part of Portugal. The walking directions were excellent. Our hosts along the way were generally delightful and attentive, and the accommodation in Ponte de Lima was especially good at Mercearia da Vila. Our fellow walkers that we met for meals were delightful, and a good time was had by all. 

This was much enjoyed, highlights being the Quinta de Malta packed lunch bag, the view out of the room in Calheiros, the wine (oh and the port tasting - we did the add on and the Graham's tasting was very good - might be useful to give an expectation as to how long they take 90 mins+ we had to rush the port having booked a meal at a restaurant in Porto.) Very hospitable accommodation!

INNTRAVEL NOTE: This customer enjoyed our Manor Houses of the Minho self-guided walking holiday followed by our Porto City add-on.

Highlights for me:

The profusion and variety of wildflowers everywhere (in late May),

Arriving at Paco de Calheiros and discovering we could see the Roman bridge at Ponte da Lima from the terrace outside our room!

Sitting on a shady terrace at Quiinta da Malta on a hot afternoon with a bottle of the (unlabelled) Vinho Verde

Difficult to pick out individual highlights from the walks, all were enjoyable and interesting. The final walk, aroung the hill behing the Paco de Calheiros, had the most splendid views.

The old manor houses were lovely, although they could get cold at night and the plumbing sometimes left a bit to be desired.

The holiday was excellent and everything we had hoped for. A beautiful unspoilt area and the accommodation in the manor houses really special and very welcoming. The walking was easy and interesting which was what we wanted, and the walking notes very accurate - as usual with other Inntravel holidays we've been on. Ponte de Lima is a really lovely town.

The perfect Spring weather made the whole experience very enjoyable. Meandering through the dappled light provided by chestnut, olive, orange and eucalyptus trees, along rivers, over stone bridges and through vineyards was at times quite magical. The valley filled with arum lilies was another highlight and the scent of wildflowers and gardens was everywhere. Having walked extensively in the Alps, Pyrenees, all over France and England, the Minho had something very special as it is so unspoilt. One of the best walks ever?   

We were overall quite disappointed with this holiday. The accommodation and food in the manor houses was very good, but the walks between were not very exciting with a lot of road walking. The best walk was the final day around Calhieros. The accommodation in Ponte de Lima was exceptionally good. The owners could not have been more hospitable.