Guide to the Douro Valley, Portugal- Lonely Planet

One of the world’s most fabled wine regions, Portugal’s Douro Valley is perfection in a bottle.

Yet you don’t need to drink a drop to savor the sweeping scenery along the snaking Rio Douro. Steeply terraced vineyards that climb mountainsides; seasonal cherry and almond blossoms; rejuvenating hotels in vine-hemmed quintas (wine estates); prehistoric rock art; and an acclaimed food scene ensure this is one of Portugal’s best destinations for non-drinking travelers and wine aficionados alike.

The course taken by the Rio Douro consists of three sub-regions – the Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douo Superior (the first two being easiest to access and most popular with first-time visitors) – before spilling out into the Atlantic Ocean in Porto, which loaned its name to the region’s signature wine and shipped it to connoisseurs around the world.

Have questions about where to (figuratively and literally) start on your Douro Valley journey? Here’s how to plan the perfect first visit.

The branches of an almond tree with white blossoms, with a view of a river valley and hills in the distance — Early spring in the Douro Valley can be on the cold and wet side – yet does offer moments of beauty. Shutterstock

When should I go to the Douro Valley?

Unlike along Portugal’s northern coast, summer isn’t the go-to answer. The temperatures inland can become uncomfortably hot in the warmest months, especially east around arid Vila Nova de Foz Côa; still, even the warmest summer days are ripe for lazy wine tastings. On the other extreme, cold and downpours set in between November and February – yet Foz Côa witnesses pretty almond blossoms in late February. And riding the rails to relish the landscape is a joy year-round.

The ideal time to visit is spring or autumn. The latter is especially magical from late September into October thanks to lively grape-harvest celebrations (or vindimas), as the landscape shifts from green to a carpet of crimson, copper and gold. Spring’s calling cards: Resende’s cherry blossoms (usually late March into April) and blissful hikes. Whenever you come, a mid-week stay will be more relaxing.

How much time should I spend in the Douro Valley?

It’s easy to visit the Douro Valley on a day trip from Porto, squeezing in spectacular scenery, wine sampling and a hearty lunch around one (or both) of the most popular towns, Peso da Régua and Pinhão. If that’s all the time you have, you won’t be disappointed, especially as the journey is panoramic by rail or river. Staying the night will elevate your experience to no end – especially if you check in at a quinta – as the streets quiet for the night and the valley returns to its natural stillness.

Plan at least a three-night stay to immerse yourself in the valley’s varied terrain, and to take detours from the Rio Douro. This will give you time to venture to Lamego’s staircase-topping sacred sanctuary, seek out scenic miradouros (panoramic viewpoints), and, if you’ve rented a car, stop at some of the more intimate wine-making settlements like Favaios or Provesende. Not in a hurry? Spend a week on the road to string together all the big hitters, followed by prehistoric cave art, offbeat trails surveyed by birds of prey and hearing Portugal’s co-official second language on the Rio Douro’s frontier with Spain

A train with four passenger cars crosses a viaduct bridge in a river valley, with terraced vineyards on a hillside slope — There’s no more scenic way to reach the Douro Valley from Porto than by train. Armando Oliveira/Getty Images

Is it easy to get in and around the Douro Valley?

Getting to the Baixo Corgo and Cima Corgo is straightforward and outlandishly scenic no matter how you do it. The nearest international airport is Porto; from Portugal’s second city, you can rent a car, cruise the river upstream on a full-day return voyage or arrive by rail.

Traveling by train to the main river towns along the Linha do Douro is affordable and (beyond Barqueiros, roughly where the Douro Valley begins) incredibly scenic, thanks to the expansive, openable windows of the cute vintage carriages. The journey from Porto to Pinhão takes 2½ hours; add an extra hour to reach end-of-the-line Pocinho. Special services are scheduled seasonally, including the Historical Train and the pricey, gourmand-geared Presidential Train.

Rede Expressos operates coaches from Porto to Lamego (direct) and Foz Côa (change in Viseu). Getting around the rural villages and eastern depths of the Douro Valley can be challenging without a car. Still, it’s usually possible with patience, planning and Rodonorte’s local bus services.

Yet having your own car does bring its rewards. The EN222 and N313-2 boast some of Portugal’s showiest stretches of road, and you’ll cross countless miradouros as you approach the valley from above. Of course, the downside to winery-hopping by road is you’ll need a designated driver.

Top things to do in the Douro Valley

Learn all about demarcation and the history of port at the Museu do Douro

With panoramas like this, it’s almost criminal to stay inside. Still, I always suggest starting at Peso da Régua’s Museu do Douro. The clear, colorful and engaging exhibitions here, in an 18th-century building where regulators once administered the world’s oldest demarcated wine region, set the Douro scene. For a couple of euros more, you can round off the visit with a glass of port in the upstairs tasting room bar with river-framing views.

Harvest workers tread port grapes using their bare feet in a traditional stone lagar, Douro Valley, Portugal — Visit the Douro Valley for the fall harvest, and you may get the chance to prepare the grapes the traditional way: with your own bare feet. David Sawyer/Getty images

Go tasting, touring or trampling

With your homework concluded, it’s time to get tasting. Many Douro Valley wineries offer enotourism (wine tourism) experiences, ranging from simple sips and vineyard tours or picnics to autumn’s vindimas activities – including traditional treading of the grapes by foot – and year-round bottling and blending master classes led by winemakers. Vintage ports are always a highlight of any winery visit here – yet award-winning reds, whites and rosés from the 75-plus cultivated grape varieties in the Douro DOC (Controlled Denomination of Origin) have become more prevalent since the 20th century.

Quinta do Bomfim, part of the fifth-generation Symington estate that produces Dow’s and Cockburn’s ports – is a short distance from Pinhão’s train station. Tastings are slick and scrumptious here, especially if followed by lunch on the riverview terrace of Bomfim 1896, helmed by Pedro Lemos, one of Portugal’s most celebrated chefs. In Régua, the Quinta do Vallado team has been hard at work since 1716 – a tradition you can experience through delicious daily tastings or pre-bookable workshops. Stray further afield, and you’ll stumble upon numerous adegas (cellars), with more rural, small-batch wineries often affording the most wholesome experience.

A traditional wooden boat called a rabelo cruises on the river with trees and terraced vineyards rising along the slopes leading up from the riverbank — Cruising the Douro in a traditional wooden rabelo provides a delightful way to take in the glorious scenery. Heracles Kritikos/Shutterstock

Meander along the magnificent Rio Douro by rabelo

The enabler of viticulture and a previously critical port shipping route, the Rio Douro is the valley’s star – and getting out on this gorgeous river is practically a Portuguese rite of passage. From Porto, full-day, upstream return cruises depart from Vila Nova de Gaia (just across from Porto via the Dom Luís I Bridge) and usually include lunch onboard, passage through several locks and a wine-town visit. Taking the train in and returning downstream on a one-way sailing is also possible.

For a more intimate encounter with this natural wonder, board a rabelo boat in Tua, Régua or Pinhão for a one-to-two-hour trip. These traditional wooden vessels were historically used to transport barrels to Vila Nova de Gaia’s port houses. Magnifico Douro’s solar-adapted boat provides even more subdued sailings than the standard crafts. You can also pick up a kayak from their office on Pinhão pier for a slower, self-paced stint on the waters.

A view from the top of the terrace of Santuário Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, with trees, a village and misty hills in the distance, Lamego, Portugal — You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment after climbing the hundreds of stairs leading to Santuário Nossa Senhora dos Remédios in Lamego. Kerry Murray for Lonely Planet

Snack on cured ham and climb some serious stairs in Lamego

With their stellar river views, Pinhão and Peso da Régua tend to get most of the attention of Douro Valley travelers – yet Lamego is arguably the Douro Valley’s most impressive settlement. Dominating the city is an almost-herculean, sculpture-embellished staircase leading to the 18th-century Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios.

Count each step as you go, and you’ll reach 686 as you arrive at the twin-towered church. Once back down, reward yourself with a platter of the city’s outstanding presunto (cured ham) on the terrace of A Presunteca. If you fancy a taste of something other than port, opt for a sparkling wine from the neighboring Távora-Varosa wine region before touring the palatial Museu de Lamego.

Explore to the east for paleolithic rock art and offbeat experiences

Most first-time visitors don’t venture to the eastern end of the Douro Superior. But those who do are rewarded with more-intimate wineries, a taste of local life and the phenomenal prehistoric rock art of Foz Côa. The excellent Museu do Côa tells the story of the thousands of etchings of animals, some more than 22,000 years old, found on the valley’s rocks. (The museum’s cafe’s miradouro overlooking the confluence of the Douro and Côa Rivers is one of my favorite coffee-with-a-view spots in the country.) To see the ancient rock-face artwork, which is protected and closed off, book a guided tour of the Parque Arqueológico do Vale do Côa in advance.

Trace the Rio Douro north – now forming the border with Spain – towards Trás-os-Montes; beyond Barca de Alva, the valley becomes the vulture-swooped Parque Natural do Douro Internacional. Eventually, you’ll twist into Miranda do Douro, an isolated and time-honored frontier town where Mirandês, Portugal’s co-official second language, is still spoken.

My favorite thing to do in the Douro Valley

I love slowing down and spending a few nights in a river-view quinta. Savoring the stillness of the moonlight-bathed Rio Douro and vines from a bedroom balcony – an on-site produced port in hand, of course – is a highlight of my many indelible Portugal memories. As most quintas are working wine estates, any stay is also an excellent opportunity for in-depth conversations with the farmers and vintners that produce the wines, as you stroll from the vines to the panoramic pool.

I particularly love the traditional renovated schist workers’ cottages at Quinta de Ventozelo, which also has a small museum, swoon-worthy pools and farm-to-table restaurant. Arriving on a rabelo transfer from Pinhão all add to the magic. There are quirkier options, too – like Quinta da Pacheca, where you can sleep in a giant wine barrel.

A set of glasses filled with wine are set out for a tasting by a couple, who are visible in the background — Tastings of vintage port and Michelin-starred dining can quickly add up in the Douro Valley, yet with some planning you don’t have to splurge to enjoy its pleasures. Kerry Murray for Lonely Planet

How much money do I need for the Douro Valley?

Though splurge-worthy experiences quickly add up, the Douro Valley can be surprisingly fair-priced for such a famous wine region. If you take the train to Régua, opt for a hike, picnic and Douro Museum ticket with a three-wine tasting included, a DIY day trip can cost as little as €45 (US$48). For the same sum, you can usually secure a double room in a local guesthouse (mid-week, in the off season), which is worth considering as there are no savings in buying a same-day round-trip train ticket.

Of course, prices quickly soar if you splash out on a boutique quinta stay, vintage-only wine tour or Michelin-recommended restaurants – though tascas (family-run restaurants) can keep dining affordable as they mainly cater to locals. Carry cash if you plan to use public transport, eat in rural restaurants, or buy drinks (or bottles) onboard certain boats or from smaller wineries.

Basic room for two: from €40 (US$43)
Self-catering apartment (including Airbnb): €50–120 (US$53–126)
Double room in a river-view quinta: from €100 (US$105)
One-way train ticket from Porto to Pocinho: €14.50 (US$15.25)
One-hour rabelo trip: from €12 (US$12.60)
Museu do Douro ticket: €7 (US$7.40)
A glass of wine in a low-key bar: €2.50 (US$2.60)
Winery tasting and tour: from €20 (US$21)
Typical tasca lunch for two: €30 (US$31.50)
Upscale tasting menu with/without wine pairing: from €100/160 (US$105/168) per person

A series of wine bottles with paper labels is lined up on a counter, in front of a stone wall with a framed poster — Hiring a guide can get you access to smaller vineyards not open to the general public. Kerry Murray for Lonely Planet

Should I get a guide in the Douro Valley?

Arranging a DIY visit to the Douro is easy – but hiring a private guide can be a worthy investment. Some have special arrangements with wineries, making for easier access to smaller vineyards, including those that sell to the big producers. This is especially true if you hire a driver-guide.

Is the Douro Valley family-friendly?

As in all of Portugal, children are made to feel welcome just about everywhere in the Douro Valley. While some wineries have minimum age requirements, others offer family-friendly activities, including Monverde, where children can taste and blend juices as parents work the grapes. Boat tours are usually half-price for under 12s, and free for toddlers.

Can I swim in the Douro?

Absolutely: Portugal’s Atlantic Ocean beaches aren’t the only place to take a dip. Inland, you’ll find plenty of praias fluviais (river beaches), including sandy swimming spots in Porto Rei, Lomba and Praia do Castelo.