gauvins

axolotl suggested that I ride across the Douro region. One possibility would be to follow the GR14, which seems to be a multi-purpose trail under development. This wikipedia entry suggests partial markings; OTOH Trailforks plots the entire route (but for the life of me, I can't find a "download gpx" button!).

My currently planned route looks like this. If you know something about the segment west of Valladolid, please share :}

imi

After Valladolid and Zamora you get to Pocinho where the train route to Porto starts through the Douro valley. The train stations connect the dots for a bike route.


edit: There’s a campsite in Mogadouro between Zamora and Pocinho that cost €3.50!
https://www.mogadouro.pt/pages/549?poi_id=47

gauvins

Do you mean that there's a bike route alongside the track?

imi

No, just as a general idea of the route through the Douro valley at least as far as Mosteiro

CMAW 

I've ridden from Salamanca to Porto, crossing the border around Saucelle and roughly following the Douro valley to the ocean. Don't remember my exact route, you go up and down from the hills into the valley and back as there is no continuous road along the river. There's a lot of climbing involved, all that you can see on the map of course. In the east, it's a fantastic trip, scenery, villages... but it gets less interesting the further west you go. I remember being disappointed about the greater Porto region (not the city itself): densely populated, at times hectic traffic even on the smaller roads to the point that it got stressful (witnessed a few car crashes). So if it were me I'd turn south about halfway the Douro valley (say Vila Nova de Foz) and head in SW direction through the Sierra de Estrela national park and 'old' countryside, which is really lovely in Portugal. Best part along the ocean IMO is under Lissabon anyway, SW Alentejo NP (look up rota vicentina).

imi

^^^ Good advice from CMAW 👍