About the trip:
Antonio and I coordinated on an itinerary that suited our wish for an active and cultural trip. It was a 15 day journey that started out in Lisbon and had us staying for 5 days in Ericeira and then traveling up north through several towns and ending up in Porto. We planned this trip for mid-October because we didn’t want to be there in the heavy tourist season and I’m really glad that we made this decision: while much more relaxed, there were still lots of people and tourists around to make everything feel lively. Four meals were included in the trip and all transportation were provided (while in Lisbon and Ericeira, Antonio had a van to drive us around; we rented a car to head out to Porto for just my husband and I). While Antonio had recommendations for hotels, restaurants, he was also very accommodating in helping us book places that we had wanted to visit.

About the activities:
Ericeira is a great surf town and was well suited for us beginners. We went to mostly one beach to practice (it was the designated beginner’s beach) and the conditions were mostly good with one rough day. We had two private lessons from Vitro and two group ones from Action Waves. There are lots of surfing schools practicing out there and at time it could feel a bit packed, even in the off-season so I can only imagine what it’s like during peak. If I had to re-do anything, it may have been to try out different beaches but part of that was also due to our beginner level. With more intermediate or advanced I don’t think this is an issue. It was a good mix of activities (yoga, surfing) and we did two day-trips in between our surf lessons to go check out some wineries and museums. There are also lots of fun bars and restaurants in the town and just a beautiful area to walk around and enjoy yourselves. Would highly recommend a stay here. We also loved Porto and as this was towards the end of the trip, it was good to have more free time.

About Antonio/Ride351:
Antonio and his crew did a fantastic job of making us feel welcomed and part of the family. They were so warm and really embraced showing us Portugal. Vitro and Antonio are the founders of the company and they have a different philosophy about providing tours, which is that they want to make every guest feel like they are visiting friends. In a way it was like an exchange program where they were your hosts and welcoming you into their lives. So hospitable! It’s a much more customized approach and made us feel very special. Thank you Ride351! We definitely felt like we became friends and I would reach out to them instantly when we go back to Portugal (because we will!). Also, since it was our honeymoon, we did have some time for just ourselves towards the end of the trip so I think it was a good balance of being with new friends and having some alone-time. Again, easy to customize depending on your needs.