Sports

The area around Ponte de Lima is excellent for sports. The climate is suitable for physical training and outdoor activities most of the year. There are many active sports clubs in the region in various sports. You will often meet cyclists and runners on the streets, windsurfers and surfers on the beach, people riding horses in the forests, and canoeing on the river. If you want to travel abroad to practice and improve your skills in your sport, this is the right spot for you. 

Cycling

There are excellent opportunities for cycle training around Ponte de Lima. Both for road bikes and mountain bikes. Numerous small roads cover the countryside. The region is hilly, which makes it suitable for training. You can find many tours that take you from sea level up to 1 200 m height. The traffic is usually low, and drivers seem to be used to cyclists. There are paths and tracks perfect for mountain bike training in the forests and along the river. Close to Ponte de Lima, there is also a huge bike park with good sloops for downhill.

Windsurfing, Kite and Surfing

Viana do Castelo, 20 km from Ponte de Lima, offers one of Portugal's best spots for windsurfing and kiting. 2018 even the PWA Windsurfing World Cup was arranged here. Two beaches are very popular for windsurfers and kites. The northern beach is smaller but is protected by the massive pier of Viana. The water here is mostly flat, and because of this, it is crowded by windsurfers on slalom and speed boards. Just south of this, the main beach starts and continues many kilometers. The further south you get, the bigger waves you will find. The wind is often very good. Both north and south of Viana, there are several other good spots for windsurfing and kiting.

If you are interested in surfing, Viana do Castelo is a great place for learning. There are also many spots good for more advanced surfers. If you are a very professional surfer, you can travel further south to Nazaré, which has the highest waves ever being surfed in the world. Maximum wave height is around 35 meters, and when the circumstances are rough, you will meet the best surfers from Hawaii and Australia on the beach…

Running

Numerous small roads and paths cut through the countryside. This creates a perfect environment for running. You can find flat tracks or very demanding tracks over hills and mountains. Along the Lima river are well-prepared and beautiful running and walking tracks.

Horse riding

Ponte de Lima is an internationally recognized equestrian destination and a center for horse riding in Portugal. Most famous is the Horse Fair, organized in July every year, which has earned national and international recognition. During the Horse Fair, numerous competitions, such as the official competition that provides points for international rankings, can be watched.  In addition, several other horse competitions are organized yearly in Ponte de Lima. The International Show Jumping Competitions in May and Dressage Competition in June are two.

If you are into horse riding, there are many opportunities to practice in Ponte de Lima. You can find anything from advanced training clinics in dressage to horse riding tours in the mountain.

Golf

Ponte de Lima Golf Course is a paradise for a golfer. It offers a fantastic atmosphere, surrounded by mountains, vineyards, and historic mansions. From the course, you have a great view over the Lima valley and close contact with the typical Minho countryside. The course has two rounds of nine holes each. The first nine holes are hilly, and the second nine level. Hole number 3 is, with its 622 meters, among the longest in Europe.

Canoeing

Ponte de Lima Nautical Club is one of the best canoeing clubs in Europe, having won medals in the World Championships, European Championships, and Olympics. The club has also arranged numerous competitions and championships in Ponte de Lima. This made Ponte de Lima a center for paddlers that offer unique possibilities for training on the highest level. For less extreme paddler recreation, canoes are also available for rent.