Northern Portugal | The Ultimate Hidden Gem

The team just wrapped up a couple of weeks in northern Portugal — first for our first Women’s Escape of the year, and then to scout some new routes for our 2026 trip. And wow… it blew us away. We may have found a hidden cycling paradise tucked right between the Spanish and Portuguese borders.

Arriving in Portugal

It’s Tuesday when our group of 15 arrives at our gorgeous hotel nestled on the north coast of Portugal. Most of us are renting bikes, so after a relaxed lunch, we get fitted and sorted. The rest of the afternoon? Spent poolside, soaking in the calm before the big ride ahead. We’re taking “rest up” seriously — tomorrow’s going to be a big one.

The Spanish Loop

Our first big ride takes us across the border into Galicia, Spain — a 130km loop packed with adventure.

We roll out early and cruise through quiet, green countryside on gentle climbs to warm up the legs. Soon, we reach the Rio Minho, where a tiny local taxi boat ferries us (and our bikes) across to the Spanish side adding a true feeling of adventure to the day.

Once in Galicia, we tackle the climb up to Santa Tecla and instantly get rewarded with panoramic views across both Spain and Portugal. Then of course comes an epic descent into the seaside town of A Guarda, where lunch is waiting. We feast on fresh octopus, a Galician classic, and grilled fish in a tiny turquoise cove.

Our friends from last year (a group of retired locals who claim to swim here every day) are indeed in post and treat me again to a glass of local wine and homemade empanada!

We then cross back into Portugal via the main bridge and stop for coffee and pastries in Caminha, giving the legs a little love before the final stretch. The ride back along the coast is easy and breezy - the perfect way to kick off the trip.

Bolhosa & Ponte de Lima

The sun’s out and waking up to that view from the balcony never gets old. After a hearty breakfast, we hit the road, warming up through peaceful pine forests.

The highlight? The Bolhosa climb — 12km of steady gradient through open landscapes, wildflowers, and the occasional wild horse. No cars, no noise, just us and the mountains. The views over the Geres National Park (that we will visit the following week) made it all super special.

We roll into Ponte de Lima for lunch — one of Portugal’s oldest towns with medieval vibes and riverside charm. As always, lunch is a feast! Portuguese gastronomy definitely contribute to makings this trip the perfect one: huge portions that, for very little money, will send your tastebuds to heaven.

*Pro tip: in the north of Portugal, starters are pretty much the size of a main course.

We are then back on the bikes for an easy 25km spin home, just in time for a sunset stroll on the beach. A picture-perfect day!

The Rest Day

After logging 250km in 2 days, everyone is pretty cooked so this rest day is most welcome! We sleep in, then indulge in the full buffet breakfast — fresh fruit, local pastries, cheese boards, eggs… it's for sure one of the highlights of our stay here.

At 11am we head to our surf lesson, which you can argue does not really qualifies as rest, but it's super fun. The waves are not too big either so it's the perfect place to learn!

We then demolish a big lunch, and some of us wander into town whilst others have planned an afternoon full of TLC - massage, sauna, yoga... you name it!

We are all fully reset, ready to attack some serious climbing on the next day...

Into Serra de Arga

We start early to avoid the heat today. We made the executive decision last night to flip the route — avoiding the dreaded Cerquido climb. Last time both me and Melissa did it sick and in 36 degrees, making it the worst climb of our lives...

So instead, we tackled the other side of Serra de Arga, which was still spicy but oh-so beautiful: punchy gradients, empty roads, and mountain views for days.

The descent down Cerquido? Steep. Vey steep. Everyone’s glad we didn’t make them climb it — although we’re still low-key tempted to try it again next week…

We’re back at the hotel early afternoon for cocktails by the pool and a final sunset beach stroll before our last dinner on the terrace. What a trip!

Cerquido

With the girls gone, me and Melissa squeezed in some work and enjoy local evening spins — but mostly, we can’t stop thinking about Cerquido. Was it really that bad?

Only one way to find out.

It’s 6km at a 10% average gradient, so we go easy on breakfast and ride a steady 30km warm-up to Ponte de Lima. A banana and a deep breath later… we’re climbing.

Pain hits fast. Within 500m, we’re questioning life choices. But the views — switchbacks cutting through Serra de Arga, wild terrain all around — make it worth it.

Although the first thing I said at the top was: never again!! ... after the descent I said "maybe next year"

Verdict? Still the hardest climb we’ve ever done. But honestly, if you’re into steep roads and scenic suffering, you’ll love it.

Note to self: good to know that both directions are stunning — having options is key for future trips.

Geres National Park

This big National Park spreading across Spain and Portugal has been calling our names for a while so on the second week we took a day off to explore (totally justified as a recce for next year).

We rented a car to drive to Ponte de Barca (30mns away) where we started our 110km loop from - and within minutes we were on a beautiful scenic road, cycling by lakes and pine forests.

But things started to get truly epic just after crossing the border with Spain, when we attacked our second big climb of the day: 13km across the most stunning valley on a winding road surrounded by waterfalls and rock pools.

After 55km we could not resist and picked a beautiful waterfall to go for a dip - probably the highlight of the ride! We left our bikes at the top and managed our way down the rocks to access the turquoise pools: here I can only let the photos speak for themselves!

After the swim, we get back on the bikes and the ride just keeps delivering. The road climbs again, winding through open stretches lined with yellow wildflowers, with views opening up over lakes and hydro dams in the valley below. It’s quiet, wild, and the kind of place that makes you wonder why no one else is riding here.

The rest of the loop throws in a few more climbs — twelve, to be exact — and they’re no joke. But the scenery keeps us going, and by the end, we’re tired, buzzing, and already plotting how to add this ride to the 2026 trip.

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