Portugal by Horse:Horse Riding,MTB,Hiking or just Relaxing in Portugal,Holidays

We offer economic prices in a
very original beautiful setting...

Small Tourism: For everybody we have something enjoyable: Horse riding, Mountain Biking, Hiking, Massages or just Relaxing and recharging your batteries in the warm atmosphere of a cosy Holiday House...

General | the Region | the Formulas| the Guest houses | How to get here

Horse riding ,Mountain Biking and Hiking or just relaxing in the Beira Alta. Beautiful nature in the region of Coimbra. Between the ´Serra da Estrela´ the highest point of Portugal Continental, the Caramulo mountains and the "Serra do Açor". Roman ruins, rock formations, Dolmen, rivers and small waterfalls, the atmosphere of the Portuguese countryside, sheep, goats, the friendly people...and the most beautiful sites.

You name it : Horse riding, renting a mountain bike, enjoying a massage, hiking? A course Natural horsemanship?
On Quinta Da Alegria we have many possibilities.

Imagine: Horses or Mountain Bikes, beautiful views , a romantic guest house, pure well water...millions of stars...dazzling nature...Relaxing

All the trails you can enjoy on horseback, mountain bike or on foot...we have 4 horses available with guide, 6 mountain bikes(VIPER)you can rent or you can bring your own Mountain Bike.

The horse riding and hiking activities are guided in English, French, Portuguese and Flemish(Dutch).
The kayak and rock climbing adventures are English and Portuguese spoken.The courses Natural horsemanship are in English.

The region

in the neighbourhood of Coimbra and the Serra da Estrela, the highest point of Portugal continental (2000 m) and the Caramulo mountains. It is a very typical zone with houses build in granite. These thick walls keep the heat out in the summer and the warmth inside in the winter time...

Here you can spend some unforgettable moments on horse back, with your mountain bike or hiking .

Enjoying all the beautiful sights from valleys and rivers like :Rio Mondego(the biggest in Portugal originating river), Rio dos cavalos (with it's Roman bridges), Rio Seia (with it's water turtles and otters)and many more little streams. In Summer they give refreshment to the body's of horse and rider , in winter they are spectacular eye catchers with mystical misty scenery.

Our little village Midões has some history. This you can see from the buildings .
The palace, the church, the houses of the Portuguese nobility, the Celtic graves.

Many of the walks are following the trail that João Brandão took to escape from his prosecutors. This Portuguese Robin Hood lived in the 19th century and fought for the rights of the poor. Only 130 years ago there was terror and poverty in this region.

Also the Romans left big marks of their culture. The buildings are obvious and once in a while we cross Roman roads and bridges. There used to be a real hippodrome in Midões.

At the distance of 80 km there is Europe´s oldest university city Coimbra with it's impressive library and beautiful churches, the ruins and archaeological treasures from Conimbriga. The traditional fishing at Praia de Mira. Sunbathing in Little or big coastal areas such as Tocha, Figueira da Foz or Aveiro. The woods and convent of Buçaco at a distance of 50 km, wine cellars in Santar Viseu. At less than 20 km you can visit different Dolmen and Celtic graves, Roman bridges. Lot´s of typical markets where you can taste the Portuguese food and enjoy the local ambience. Castles,Cathedrals, Museums, taste port wine in one of Portugal´s most beautiful city´s, Porto .

On horseback we will see : Beautiful rock sculptures, valleys and us forests, Roman bridges, little rivers, authentic villages, shepherds with their herds, etc...

The kayak and rock climbing events take place in the valley of the mondego River and are organized by Rock and River .

The guided walking tours take you into the beautiful mountains "Serra Da Estrela" or the "Serra do Caramulo" they are organized by Leen Van Melle.

This means, the participants will have unforgettable days of nothing but dazzling nature, lots of cultural information, relaxing body and mind on a trip to never forget.

The formulas

We only organize star formulas: The nights are spent in the Holiday house "Alegria" or in the"Wibbel Wobbel" Guest house on our Holiday Farm-Ranch "Quinta da Alegria", the horse riding is organized by Portugal by horse, the mountain bikes you can rent on the spot at our farm "Quinta da Alegria" .

Our farm has a beautiful Guest house "Alegria" with space for up to 6 people. It has its own little swimming pool, kitchen, bathroom and terrace. It is situated 1 km from the beautiful historical village of Midões. Midões has a church, palace and spectacular old houses of the Portuguese nobility.
The village has its own little supermarkets,
bank, gasoline station, restaurants, bakery and several bars. And lets not forget the beautiful views of the mountains.

Also the holiday house "Wibble Wobble "with space for up to 14 people, is situated in the same beautiful valley of Quinta da Alegria where the sun merrily tickles the surroundings in winter and in summer, encircled by magnificent cork oaks(which are typical from this region) with a dazzling view to the valley...The Holiday house is integrated in nature because of the finishing touch being done in fine granite and lime so it has a more rustic and natural emanation.

The Wibble Holiday apartment is a very spacious apartment with it's own typical atmosphere...we chose blue and green tints in this apartment, there- fore it has a sober and cool ambience.

There is the blue "surf room"which also can be rented separately with only a bathroom. In the morning you have the sun peeping in and oceans of peace.

In the "Green room" we chose for soft green colours...the warm wooden floors and rustic walls give a peaceful glow. The bathroom is, as in guest house Alegria, in a very original style.

The terrace underneath the cork oaks cools the bodies down in summer, the big window in the lounge let's you enjoy the winter sun, even when it is really cold outside. There is a wood stove so even in winter you can enjoy a beautiful holiday on our farm.

Holiday Apartment"Wibble", with 2 bedrooms (each with a double bed), bathroom, kitchen, lounge with view into the valley and possibility for 2 more people to sleep, also has the possibility to have an extra bedroom with double bed and fire place.
Like this you can stay with 8 people in this apartment.

The"Wobble"holiday apartment is the biggest apartment with lots of living space. Here we chose for more earthy colours like yellow, red, pink and lot's of wooden floors...like this we create a unique atmosphere of warmth and cosiness,
in winter this even has an extra accent with the wood burner that leaves you enjoying the spectacle of the dancing flames...
Here you don't need television...

The living-room is spacious and has 2 sofa beds. The rustic walls release occasionally the original granite rocks. Giving the look of a cave to this room and the "kinky room" that is on the same floor. The kitchen is overlooking the valley and pastures with the horses grazing, so doing dishes becomes pleasure.

The bathroom is spacious and also original in pink tones with a beautiful view in the valley while you are having a shower.

On the first floor is a mezzanine with Arabic influences with shades of pink, here the sun greets you in the morning. This lovely place sleeps 2-3 persons ...

In the open bridge-room,which gives pathway to the terrace, you can read a book on the sofa or with some magic, turn the sofa into a big double bed or 2 single beds. The red bedroom with it's double bed and fire place is of course the most pretty room.

If this were not enough we have a very big roofed in terrace with this apartment, it has a spectacular view overlooking the valley,like this also in winter or autumn when it is raining, you can still be outside because of the soft temperatures we have here in Portugal.

Holiday Apartment "Wobble" has on the first floor:1 bedroom with double bed and open fire ,a mezzanine with space for 2-3 people and sofa bed for 2 more people in the open bridge room. On the ground floor a spacious living-room with 2 sofa beds and a wood stove, kitchen, bathroom, extra room with also 1 sofa bed and
big private terrace.

Horse riding, Mountain Bikes, Hiking in Portugal:

Active or relaxing holidays...

General | the Region | the Formulas| the Guest houses | How to get here

The region

The formulas