Bairrada Vineyards Cycling Route

This full-day guided ride explores the vineyards of the Bairrada Wine Route from Coimbra, a region celebrated for traditional grape varieties (Baga and Touriga Nacional for reds; Bical, Maria Gomes, Arinto and Cercial for whites) and known as Portugal's sparkling wine capital, with Bairrada named best sparkling wine at Portugal's 2019 wine competition.

After pick-up in Coimbra, riders are driven with their bikes to Curia to visit the Bairrada Route headquarters before setting off on a 52 km circular ride of intermediate difficulty, mixing secondary roads and dirt tracks around wine estates for direct contact with the terroir, grapes and producers.

The ride includes a stop at a traditional winery for wine and sparkling wine tasting, a break for the regional dish Leitão Assado à Bairrada (roast suckling pig), and a visit to a second cellar for further tasting before returning by van to Coimbra.

Highlights:

• Cycle a 52 km circular route through the vineyards of the Bairrada Wine Route
• Visit the Bairrada Route headquarters in Curia
• Wine and sparkling wine tasting at a traditional winery
• Taste the regional speciality Leitão Assado à Bairrada (roast suckling pig)
• Visit a second cellar for further wine and sparkling wine tasting

Surface and terrain:

Circular 52 km route of intermediate difficulty, mixing secondary sealed roads and dirt/packed-earth tracks around vineyard estates.

Weather:

Bairrada generally has a cool, humid climate with strong maritime influence.

Suitable for:

Riders of moderate fitness comfortable with a 52 km intermediate-difficulty circular route on mixed sealed and unsealed surfaces, and keen on wine and regional food. Minimum 2 participants.