Manor Houses of the Minho

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.

The highlight of the holiday was the two nights at Paco de Calheiros. We arrived fairly early and sat in the sun until a car drove into the grounds. This was the Count who immediately sorted out our room, found our cases and explained the arrangements for the evening. Apertifs in the old kitchen, dinner in a grand Banqueting Room plus we had a quick tour of the house with the Count during the time we were taking the apertifs. The following night we smaller numbers we were entertained by the Countess and had our apertifs in their lounge followed by dinner in a smaller dining room. They were both very friendly and made all of us feel special. A wonderful spot to stay.

Overall this was a lovely holiday with easy walking and lovely Manor houses to stay in. One of our highlights happened when we found a little cafe/bar and with some difficulty and plenty of hand signals we ordered our drinks. We were just getting the money to pay when we were told that the little elderly lady near us had already paid for the four of us. She was smiling and wished us a good onward journey! We couldn’t decide who had the greatest pleasure from this meeting! The little shop at Calheiros is well worth a visit with its amazing range of stock in the tiny interior and its cafe at the back! We added an extra day in Porto and enjoyed exploring the steep cobbled streets as well as seeing the beautiful railway station. Walking across the Douro on the train bridge high over Porto was quite an experience too and is highly to be recommended.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: customers combined our walk Manor Houses of the Minho with our Porto City add-on

The chestnut harvest was underway at Quinta do Casal do Condado and it was a real treat watching the way everyone joined in and seeing how the pickers worked. Everyone was really friendly throughout the walk. The time we spent at Paco de Calheiros was very special, it is such a beautiful place and we really felt that we could make ourselves at home. Francisco had arranged some local folk music and dancing and everyone had fun taking part.

We enjoyed the walking routes and the camaraderie of meeting other people on the Caminho.

We learned alot about the agriculture of the area, especially the chestnuts at Quinta do Sobreiro.

The Quintas were all a bit different which added to the interest.

We had to find our own accommodation in Ponte de Lima as the Inntravel places were booked. We found somewhere very suitable just outside the town.

We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday. As the area is remote we would advise using the taxi transfers. 

Having done a number of Inn Travel holidays, would consider this a level 1 walk. The accommodation was historical and interesting whilst still being comfortable and the pools were great after walking. Our hosts were all extremely friendly and obliging and the two nights with the Count were highly entertaining. In general the food was not particularly good and we had duck rice three times. We got lost on the first day’s walk through the woods as did other Inn Travellers we met so perhaps those notes need some revision. The walks were generally attractive, interesting and not difficult and we thoroughly enjoyed the holiday. The only minor disappointment was some of the food, but nevertheless we would highly recommend the holiday.

We most enjoyed our stay in the delightful garret in Ponte de Lima and our conversations with the owner who told us all about growing up in the shop with his parents. It was also a pleasure to end our holiday as guests of the Count at Calheiros. Inntravel couldn't have been more helpful in booking a tour round Graham's Port Lodge back at Porto at late notice. Also we had expected to be walking alone but found ourselves in the company of two other couples doing the same route at the same time. We formed a wonderful team of six - an unexpected pleasure. 

Overall really enjoyed this walk. It is correctly graded as '1'.   The longest day is a lot longer particularly if you stay at Quinta do Sobreiro but relatively easy and the extra walk from there is pleasant.  We only had minor difficulties as it was very hot (30+) on all the days.   I would say to everyone make sure you take plenty of water as there are few if any places along the way to fill up (especially out of season, we did this trip at the end of September and many cafes/kiosks were closed).   

We stayed an extra night in Ponte de Lima and had a few nights in Porto both of which I would recommend.  In Ponte de Lima we did the recommended walk from Bertiandos a very pleasant easy walk, didn't see a lot of wildlife (a few herons and a large green lizard) but I guess that varies with the time of year.  We also did the day trip to Ponte de Barca,  I took the bus (was too hot for me to cycle) worked fine (was €3 each way and you pay on the bus) I got around 2 hours to look around.  My husband cycled which he thoroughly recommends, he thought it was the best section of the Ecovia. 

Ponte de Lima itself is a lovely town, we ate at all 3 recommended restaurants.  All good but our favourite of these was Taberna Cadeia Velha..lovely well presented food and wine... particularly recommend the rabbit with chesnut puree! 

I think that the accommodation is as much a part of this trip as the walking they really aren't hotels in all the right ways!  They are lovely places to just relax and enjoy your surroundings.  Our favourite walks were the first and the last days.   Best food at accommodation was Quinta de Malta,  best room Casa do Pinheiro,  Best welcome and best pool with a view Quinta do Sobreiro,   Best house, setting and dinner companion! Paco de Calheiros.  If you like bridges this walk is for you everything from small ancient stone ones to the Ponte Luis 1 by Eiffel (if you stay in Porto).

The holiday lived up to all my expectations although the weather was very hot and we needed far more changes of clothing than I had envisaged. The countryside was a delight full of vineyards corn fields and rivers etc.

All the Manor Houses we were fortunate to stay at were superb. Each one unique in its own way. The two nights in Ponte de Lima choosing our own restaurants added a change to the routine. In the other 3 Manor Houses I particularly enjoyed eating meals with other guests at a large table and hearing about their day's adventures.

Paço de Calheiros was fabulous and the passion with which the Count upholds his family traditions is great to see. He was an excellent host and his guided tours of the house and wine cellars were appreciated. 

This could arguably be the best Inntravel walking holiday we have been on. A perfect combination of activity and relaxation. Paco de Calheiros is a stunning conclusion to the holiday - find that vine sheltered terrace just below the Tower for uninterupted views down the valley all the way to Ponte de Lima and beyond. 

This area of Portugal is absolutely beautiful and the local people are extremely welcoming. It was a delight to walk through the countryside and feel that we were getting a true taste of the area and its people and traditions. The manor houses are a delight and provide an insight into the local history of the area. The communal meals facilitated a relaxed exchange of tales of experiences with other Inntravelers too, especially when the local wine flowed so freely!

We met with some great InnTravellers along the way to share our experiences with and a large number of Americans 'walking' the route to Santiago with the help of a fleet of buses. The Count joined us for dinner and breakfast at Calhieros and we were made very welcome. Brush up on your England / Portugal history before you go.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Ponte de Lima - the accommodation was wonderful. The town was characterful with loads to do for such a small place.

we really enjoyed Quinta de Casal do Condado - a stylish and quirky contemporary restoration of an ancient building and a very friendly host.

An unspoilt part of Portugal which is becoming more touristy due to the popularity of the camino. Varied and interesting accommodation. The walks weren't as interesting as expected and the route notes not as easy to follow as on other trips. It was disappointing that Inntravel didn't forewarn us about the festival in Ponte de Lima and tell us that all the museums and places of interest would be closed on our one day here! We only found that out on the day. One of the restaurants mentioned by Inntravel in Ponte De Lima was very disappointing and we would not recommend anyone to go there. The other restaurant, across the bridge, was excellent. 

Our highlights were the welcome and good food at the Quinta de Malta; the scenery in the later walks, especially the view from Paco de Calheiros; the charming town of Ponte de Lima, with a good meal at Resturant Pesticas and a very warm welcome at Mercearia da Vila, which was a nice contrast from the manor houses. Our stay coincided with the start of the music festival and we enjoyed the lights and the opening night fireworks - although were glad to be staying further away the next evening when we could hear the drums still at 3am!

Overall the walks were a little short on the whole and the longer Ecovia walk less intertesting than it sounded in the notes, but as it was very hot the chance to swim and read in the afternoons was welcome. Accomodation was varied and interesting - we felt the welcome wasn't as warm at Quinta do Casel Do Condado - so one night here is definitely enough.

Portugal is welcoming and beautiful. We loved the accommodations and our slow travel experience. Inntravel was professional and reliable. We loved our trip.

The highlights are the beautiful restored Quintas, bustling Porte da Lima and the pleasant countryside walks.  

Staying in these manor houses is like staying with a dotty maiden aunt. There is not a lot of service and you have to take whatever food or leftovers she has in the fridge. She goes to bed early and the house then closes up. Although you've paid for your holiday, it's her house and she calls all the shots, so it feels rude to complain or ask for anything after supper.  So bring a travel kettle, your own tea bags, and your own pre- and post-prandial drinks. Also family games like scrabble if you don' t want to sit in front of Portuguese tv.