The beautiful Douro Valley in northern Portugal has recently been recognized as the European City of Wine 2023 by RECEVIN, the wine cities network of Europe. This honour, usually bestowed upon a city rather than a region, highlights how a visit to the vineyards of this spectacular area is essential to any serious wine-lovers travel plans. I visited the region twice in 2022 to set the plans for my May 2023 wine tourism program “Port & The Douro – A Wine and Culture Tour”.
The valley begins at the mouth of the Douro river where the hillside towns of Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto face each other on either bank. These preserved towns are deserving of their World UNESCO Heritage Site status with much to offer the visitor. Just walking through the cobble stone streets offers spectacular sights of tiled facades, ancient buildings and gorgeous river views.
Porto & Vila Nova de Gaia
Port wine enthusiasts should begin their journey on the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the river. The Yeatman is the top hotel and one of the nicest in Europe. It offers first class accommodations with every room featuring an amazing view of the river and Porto. Owned by the Taylor Fladgate Fonseca partnership it is ideally located to visit all their properties. Be sure to pre-book your tours at Taylor Fladgate and Fonseca. Add on a stop at World of Wine to dive deeper into all things Port and enjoy one of the many restaurants that are part of the exhibits.
I also recommend a tour of the historic offices of Ramos Pinto where you will see world class tiles of a rather risqué nature at the Adriano Ramos Pinto Museum. Cálem has one of the busiest tourism centers and sits on the river close to several great restaurants. There are many other visits you can book. Graham’s and Sandeman both make Ports that are very popular in Canada and offer amazing visitor experiences.
Walk, bus or taxi from Vila Nova de Gaia to the Porto marina - a perfect spot for a grilled fish dinner. Book a local tour with a guide to visit Porto. Don’t miss a visit to the fishing town of Matosinhos and especially its fish market - Mercado Municipal de Matosinhos. Plan to have lunch here - the restaurants will allow you to select a fish from the market and cook it for you.
There are many restaurants in Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia but two of the best are Terreiro, a local favourite, and the Michelin recommended Semea, offering views of the Douro river.
Travelling up The Douro
The train to Pinhão offers stunning vistas. Once you arrive be sure to check out the tiles depicting the various stages of Port production at the tiny train station. Stay at either the Vintage House, LBV House or just slightly outside town, Quinta de la Rosa. All have lovely views of the river, comfortable rooms and great restaurants.
Right in town are Dow’s and Croft where you can enjoy tours, tastings and a meal. Book a tour of the river and visit a few of the Port Lodges accessible by boat. Taxis are available to take you to other port farms or Quintas. One of my favorites is the Fonseca property Quinta do Panascal in the Távora Valley and if you don’t mind heights, check out the amazing vistas at Quinta do Crasto. Full disclosure: the steep mountain road drive to Quinta do Crasto may be a bit unnerving for some.
Please reach out if you would like information regarding upcoming Porto & Douro Valley trips. We plan to return in 2026 but can also arrange private tours for groups of 8 to 15 people.
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