Visiting the Douro Valley, what to see and where to stay
The Douro Valley is a beautiful region about 60 miles from Porto. The terraced hills above the Douro River are the only place in the world that can produce Port wine.
It’s a very popular day trip from Porto or you can stay a few days to visit more of the area’s Quintas or wine producers.
There are wonderful views throughout the Douro Valley
How to tour the Douro Valley
Organized tour
Given the proximity to Porto a day trip with a tour company is perhaps the most popular way to visit.
On our recent trip to Portugal, we relied on trains to travel between Lisbon and Porto. Since we didn’t have a car taking an organized tour was our best bet.
Our entertaining and informative young tour guide drove us to a very small winery where we learned about the process of making Port wine followed by a tasting of their various wines.
During our winery tour the owner removed wine samples from a vat.
I’m not a big wine connoisseur so I learned a lot. If you are more advanced in your wine knowledge you’ll learn a lot also since the wine producers love to talk about the process.
Our second stop was another small wine producer across the river from Peso da Régua. The view of the Douro River from the hilltop building was amazing. From here we had a really good view of terraced hills.
A hearty lunch with a fantastic view was followed by more wine tasting.
Our final stop was an hour-long river cruise from the town of Pinhão. It was nice to view the region from the water since the river is such a vital part of the geography.
I would highly recommend taking a guided tour. It will allow you to relax on the scenic drive instead of keeping your eyes on the narrow, twisting roads.
Our young enthusiastic guide majored in tourism in college, the Portuguese take this seriously. He studied the history of Portugal and Port wine so we all became experts during our 8 hours together.
Here’s a link to the tour we took.
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Driving
Driving in the Douro Valley gives you great flexibility to explore.
If you enjoy driving then you’ll enjoy the winding roads of the Douro Valley. The scenery is so beautiful the hardest part will be keeping your eyes on the road.
A car will give you the most freedom to pick which winemaker you’d like to visit plus where to spend the night if you are making a multi-day trip to the Douro Valley.
If you are driving from Porto you’ll take the iconic N222 road which is a fantastic experience.
Tasting some great Port wine at a small winery.
Douro Historical Train
The Douro Historical Train is a unique way to visit the Duoro Valley. The steam train runs between June and October. The steam engine was built in 1925 and it is hitched up to the five classic, wooden carriages.
Passengers are entertained by local musicians and are served local port wine.
The train runs between Régua and Tua with a stop in Pinhão.
Grapes are grown in terraced vineyards in the Douro Valley.
Towns to visit in the Duoro Valley
Peso da Régua
Régua is perfectly positioned for travelers visiting the Duoro Valley.
The Museu do Duoro is a major site in the town chronicling the region’s winemaking history.
There are plenty of great restaurants and places to stay.
Pinhão
Pinhão is a tiny town directly on the Duoro River. It is best known as a departure point for river tours.
We took a one-hour tour from Pinhão and really enjoyed the perspective from the water.
A variety of tour boats at a dock in Pinhão.
Lamego
Lamego has existed since Roman times. The town is best known for its baroque stairway leading to the beautiful Nossa Senhora dos Remédios church.
The Lamego Museum is also a worthy stop.
River Cruises
View of the beautiful and peaceful Douro River.
A river cruise is a fun and very popular way to explore the Douro Valley. Some feature just a river tour while others add lunch or a wine tasting.
Here are a few well-reviewed river cruise options:
The terraced vineyards along the Douro River.
Best Douro Valley vineyards to visit
Port is a sweet wine that also comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties. The wine is fortified by the addition of a neutral grape spirit to stop the fermentation.
The residual sugar makes the wine sweet and increases the alcohol content.
Other countries around the world create similar wines but only wines created in this region can be called “port".
The wine is then taken downriver Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Porto, and aged in barrels. We toured the Sandeman facility in Vila Nova de Gaia and really enjoyed the experience.
There are many vineyards to visit, below are a few excellent ones.
The Douro River winds through the vineyards.
Quinta das Carvalhas
Quinta das Carvalhas began producing wines in 1759.
As we learned on our Douro Valley tour elevation of the grapes makes a big difference. Quinta das Carvalhas grapes start at 80 meters above sea level all the way up to 400 meters.
They host tours ranging from 45 minutes to 2 hours. There is also a wide variety of vineyard tours.
Of course with so many years of history, there is also a museum on-site.
Quinta do Seixo
Quinta do Seixo, with a massive 100 hectares, is one of the region’s most traditional vineyards. The vineyards, owned by Sandeman, have been producing grapes for over 100 years.
They offer a wide variety of wine tastings and tours to match your taste.
We took a tour of the Sandeman facility in Porto and loved it.
The Sandeman wine produced in the Douro Valley are aged in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Porto.
Where to stay in the Douro Valley
Quinta da Pacheca
Quinta da Pacheca is one of the oldest estates in the Douro Valley with references going back to 1738.
They host a wide variety of activities on their stunning grounds including winery tours and tastings, food tasting, art workshops, and cork workshops.
Quinta da Pacheca also operates a restaurant, a stunning hotel, and a spa.
Casa do Rio Wine Hotel
The Casa do Rio Wine Hotel is a beautiful boutique hotel styled with Scandinavian decor. A remarkable infinity pool overlooks the Douro Valley.
The hotel only has eight rooms so there is never a crowd.
Quinta de la Rosa
Quinta de la Rosa is situated right on the banks of the Douro River featuring a local cuisine restaurant, a fantastic hotel, and a variety of wine tastings and vineyard tours.
A trip to the Douro Valley is a great way to see the beautiful countryside of Portugal. A guided tour from Porto is wonderful, so is driving a car and staying overnight.
We hope you enjoy your Douro Valley visit as much as we did.
This post was researched and written by John of the Empty Nest Explorers. You can learn more about the Empty Nest Explorers here.
Some well reviewed Douro Valley attractions:
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