Portugal May 2022 – Bike Tour Overview

In my opinion, the tourist package we purchased could not have been more exact for our needs and desires. We came with hight expectations, and we left feeling it was even better than our wildest dreams.

The lodgings, each night at a different location, were extraordinary and spectacular, each one in its unique way. Needless to say that they were all clean, well fitted, spacious and with an extremely friendly and helpful service provided by the owners or employees. Staying at each of these places was in itself a highlight.

The off-the-beaten-track bike routes took us through a collection of charming villages and varying, spectacular rural landscapes. They provided a degree of challenge that was pefectly in tune with our desires; not too hard, but nevertheless challenging and keeping us fit. We rode on dirt roads, minor local roads, foot and bike paths, short sections on regional roads with some vehicle traffic. Evidently the routes were carefully chosen by local bikers who are familiar and up to date with the local terrain.

We had the best possible weather; no rain, not too hot, mostly cool and agreeable, optimal biking conditions.

Early May, the countryside still had its green mantle, and the spring blooms ravishingly beautiful. Mainly purple and some yellow wild Irises and orange poppies welcomed us generously. Also predominant was the abundant yellow bloom of Spanish Broom (Spartium Gunceum) that Geno named in Spanish "Retamo", אחירותם החורש in Hebrew. Typical trees of the south European, Mediterranean region adorned the landscape: grape vines, olive, fig and almond trees, cork oaks. Judas tree כליל החורש was just starting its beautiful pink bloom. The most iconic landscape element in this famous wine producing region were the stone terraces on the steep mountai-sides, tenaciously built by local farmers over the centuries for their grape wines and olive groves.

Along the trip we encountered many aspects of the local culture. The Mirandes dialect, somehwere between Portugese and Spanish, yet incomprensible even for locals who don't speak it. Ancient farm buildings, gates, terraces. Portugal's unique traditions for cultivating grapes and producing wine and port. Churches and more churches, from Medieval, Renneisance, Baroque periods, some small and homely, others more imposing, all beautiful works of art. A brief encounter with the truncated presence of Portugese Jews – and of the Inquisition. Our encounters with the locals, predominantly older folk, were delightful.

My grade for this trip: 18 out of 10. It was very reasonably priced, and we most certainly got our money's worth.