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.
AMA Waterways
AmaVida (7 nights)
A luxurious custom-designed ship featuring stylish private staterooms, panoramic windows, expansive outdoor decks, an onboard team of classically trained chefs and inviting areas to socialize with fellow passengers. (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)
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
- Gratuities on ship and on shore handled by your Backroads Leaders
- Exploring lesser known routes away from busy ports
- Dedicated support vans
- Custom Titanium bike
- 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
- Off-ship lunches and dinners in genuine settings
- Private tastings to partake in the region's best
- Exceptional dining experiences
- Private cocktail/wine receptions
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.
Group Size
Backroads has booked the entire ship for this special sailing. This trip is a unique celebration of cycling and it's a much different Backroads experience with up to 150 guests (compared to an average of 16 guests on a typical Backroads trip). We anticipate couples, solo travelers, multigenerational adult families and perhaps some small groups traveling together. You can look forward to a very social atmosphere with active travelers who share a common interest in seeing the world in the most interesting way possible.
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.
Activity Options
Each day you'll have your own exclusive Backroads Trip Leaders, shuttles and fantastic biking routes, in addition to the AmaWaterways staff and activities. This trip is designed to be flexible, so if you prefer to take a day off from riding, you're always welcome to shift gears and relax on the ship, explore on your own or check in with your Backroads leaders regarding one of the many AmaWaterways shore excursions.
About the Ship
The AmaWaterways ship is your floating luxury hotel, letting you visit new cities or countries without having to pack up your bags! This 150-passenger ship is custom-designed with a variety of inviting common spaces so you'll have plenty of room for both relaxing and socializing. All dinners are prepared by the ship's classically trained chefs and are served on board in the ship's dining rooms.
Double-Docking
Some port conditions require that ships tie up alongside each other, in which case you may need to walk through another ship to access our ship. This is a perfectly normal part of river cruising due to its popularity. You may occasionally experience obstructed views from your stateroom when the ship is double-docked, but rest assured that as soon as we set sail again your beautiful views will be restored.
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
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.
The Best Leaders in Portugal
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Portugal, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
Everyone at Their Own Pace
We design and support our Portugal trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
A Variety of Routes Each Day
In Portugal 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.
We Know Where We're Going
Tom Hale has been keeping Backroads on track, with one eye on the horizon, since 1979. His passion for active travel, and for ensuring the highest-quality travel experience, is evident in every detail we add to make a guest's trip unforgettable—and the fact he's right there in the office, making it happen. To hear Tom describe his vision, watch our video.
We've Set the Standard
For nearly four decades we've worked to earn and maintain our right to call Backroads the world's #1 active travel company. In pursuing that vision on behalf of our guests, we believe we've set the standard for our industry—captured in the Backroads Quality Guide, which clearly sets out the benchmarks of excellence, choice and support that we live by
