Premiere Ship
Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the View Scheduled Dates or Private Dates tabs.
AmaWaterways Ship
AmaVida (7 nights)
This beautiful ship envelops you in luxury, whether you're soaking up views from the balcony of your plush and spacious stateroom, relaxing with a massage or enjoying fine cuisine alfresco with new friends. (pool)
View the deck plans. See Dates & Prices for specific ship, stateroom category availability and embarkation/disembarkation details.
This Trip Is Rated Levels 2-4
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next—and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
Daily Route Options (drag to see full )
| Daily Route Options |
| 1 |
|
|
23* |
1100 |
|
|
44 |
1700 |
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
25* |
1100 |
33 |
2800 |
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
30* |
1700 |
|
|
47 |
2900 |
|
|
| 4 |
|
|
20* |
1500 |
|
|
40 |
3700 |
|
|
| 5 |
|
|
|
|
27 |
2700 |
42 |
4300 |
|
|
| 6 |
Porto Guided Walking Tour (2 Hours) |
| 7 |
17 |
600 |
|
|
|
|
53 |
1200 |
|
|
| 8 |
Disembarkation in Porto, transfer to Lisbon |
|
|
Note:
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity level and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies and other external factors.
Meals
All breakfasts, 8 lunches, 7 dinners
Available Bike Options
The key to a stellar day’s ride is a bike that’s perfectly in tune with your cycling style… Backroads has you covered with the best bike fleet in the world! Read on for your available bike options for this trip.
Backroads Titanium Bikes (Included in your trip price)
Our custom-built titanium bikes are specially designed for you—and we offer different models for varied terrain so your bike is ideally suited to the region. Our custom-made bikes are included in your trip price.
Touring Bike (Included)
Performance Road Bike (Included)
Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included in your trip price)
Wishing for a little extra assistance up those hills? Our custom Backroads Electric-Assist Bike lets you experience the thrill of exploring on two wheels while providing a boost when you want it. We've modified a selection of our great Titanium Bikes with the intuitive BionX "pedal-assist" system.
Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included)
Specialized S-Works Roubaix & Ruby ($400 rental fee) – Available until 11/15/18
Ride like a pro with the new top-of-the-line S-Works bike featuring ultrasmooth Shimano Di2 electronic shifting. Faster and smoother than any other bike out there, this race-ready carbon machine delivers phenomenal acceleration and handling in an ultralight, ultrapowerful package—perfect for experienced riders. The Specialized S-Works Ruby is a light, agile speed machine precisely designed for women. You can upgrade to a Specialized S-Works Roubaix or Ruby on your trip.
Specialized S-Works Roubaix (Upgrade)
Specialized S-Works Ruby (Upgrade)
Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem ($400 rental fee)
Do you prefer to spin in tandem with your partner? You'll love the Co-Motion Periscope Torpedo tandem on your Backroads trip. You can upgrade to a Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem on your trip.
Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem (Upgrade)
Also Included
- Expert Backroads Trip Leaders, on ship and on shore
- Off-the-beaten path exploration
- Access to all ship amenities
- Impeccable and personalized service from ship staff and Backroads Leaders
- Exclusive activities that amplify your appreciation and understanding of the local culture
- Exclusive biking routes with multiple options at varied paces
- Custom Titanium bike
- Gratuities on ship and on shore handled by your Backroads Leaders
- Exploring lesser known routes away from busy ports
- Dedicated support vans
- Easy-to-use route directions so you're free to explore independently
- Private walking tours with expert guides
- Access to all ship activities and excursions
- Wine included with all onboard meals
- Private cocktail/wine receptions
- Off-ship lunches in genuine settings
Get the Straight Talk about This Trip
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Accommodations & Group Size
The ships we sail on are your floating luxury hotel for the entire trip, letting you visit a new city or country each day without having to unpack and pack up your bags! These 50- to 150-passenger ships are custom‐designed with a variety of inviting common spaces so you'll have plenty of room for both relaxing and socializing.
Due to the unique nature of our active River Cruise trips, we welcome more guests (up to 60) on each departure than on our land-based trips, which are limited to 20 guests for Walking & Hiking and 26 guests for Biking and Multi-Adventure trips. This allows us to create our own robust active community with that special Backroads camaraderie during our week-long journey. Sometimes walkers and bikers—and occasionally families—will travel aboard the same ship, but participate in separate activities with their own dedicated leaders.
With our usual choice of fantastic route options each day, rest assured that you'll have plenty of like-minded travelers with whom to ride, hike or enjoy cultural interests. Our unique logistics model—which includes both onboard and onshore Backroads staff, plus additional leaders and vans—allows for meals and shore activities to be organized into smaller groups, ensuring the same unparalleled support and service as on any other Backroads trip.
Itinerary Flexibility: Going with the Flow
Our daily itinerary is based on scheduled sailing and port arrival times and as a result some days have more opportunities for exploring on land while other days have more sailing time. Every river has its own unique temperament and for centuries water levels have shifted due to rain, temperature and agriculture. High water levels may mean the ship cannot pass under a bridge, low water levels result in slower sailing, and a disabled lock can also lead to some extra cruising time. Should any unforeseen change happen during your river cruise, we will work closely with AmaWaterways' captain and staff, who are very experienced in going with the flow.
Stateroom Categories
In contrast to our usual land-based trips, which have similar room categories, the AmaWaterways ships offer a wide range of stateroom categories. The top-tier staterooms often fill fast so book as early as possible if this is important to you.
Why Travel with Backroads in Portugal
Perfect Biking Trip - Just Add Water
We've been bringing Backroads guests to Spain and Portugal for more than 20 years and know all the ingredients of a great biking trip – including the deep local connections required to craft the best possible routes and arrange the most fascinating personal encounters. And now we've succeeded in creating an experience no one else offers: an ideal blend of luxury cruising and explorations by bike along the historic Douro River.
A Variety of Routes Each Day
On our Douro River trip you head off each morning after choosing among several expertly designed routes—all with detailed directions, mileage and shuttle options. Unlike trips with one fixed daily route (or worse, one guide that everyone's obliged to follow), you're free to enjoy the best of the region at your pace, stopping wherever you want to explore further.
More Leaders to Support You
On our Douro River Cruise Biking trips we have two extra leaders supporting you along the road—for a total of four, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.
A Second Van When You Need It
Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Spain and Portugal—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.
We Reinvented the River Cruise
Backroads pioneered the active river trip, partnering with AmaWaterways, the leader in river cruising, to create a new kind of travel experience featuring biking and walking explorations from an elegant floating hotel. Read more about this ideal way to discover the heart of a region.
In Europe Since 1988
Backroads has been welcoming active travelers to Europe since before the Berlin Wall came down. Today it's virtually our second home. We know the perfect roads and trails, the most scenic valleys and hilltop towns, the hidden churches and gem-like museums, the up-and-coming vintners and celebrated chefs—and, of course, all the best places to stay.
