NOVEMBER 2021
On our road trip this past summer we decided to do a little detour and visit the Douro valley when we were driving back from Porto to Spain. And I am so glad that we did! The Douro valley is relatively unexplored compared to other wine regions and I have no idea why, as it is much more beautiful than its famous colleagues. In the Douro valley you will find one of the most scenic drives in Europe, with breathtaking views along each corner. Luckily, the wine is pretty good too and you can have delicious food in the wine houses. I predict that the Douro valley will become more popular in the coming years, as people are exploring closer to home, so I advise to plan a trip as soon as possible, to have this beautiful area all to yourself!
Practical information
The Douro valley is named after the Douro river, which flows in the middle of the valley. The Douro valley is located about an hour driving to the east of Porto. It is possible to visit on a day trip from Porto, by hiring a car or joining a tour which will visit several wine houses. However, I very much recommend to stay a few nights in the Douro valley, so you can enjoy it to the fullest. The Douro valley produces several sorts of wine, red, white, bubbly and port. The weather in the Douro valley can be quite extreme, when we visited in August it was 40 degrees during our winery visit. Lamego and Peso da Regua are larger towns in which you will find plenty of accommodation. We did a last minute visit with our campervan and stayed at a camperspot in Lamego. However, if you make reservations on time you can stay at the angelic campsite “Quinta das Corujeiras” and sleep between the vines. If you prefer a more luxurious stay, you can stay at a winery (called Quinta in Portugese). We were recommended Quinta de Ventozelo by a local friend. And if you really want to splurge, you can book a stay at the idyllic Six Senses Douro Valley. There is something to accommodate all budgets.
Lamego
We found a nice camperspot in Lamego (Camping Lamego) and the privilege of staying at this campsite is that you get easy access to the pilgrimage church Nossa Senhora de Remédios. From the town you can access the church by climbing 613 stairs, but as Camping Lamego is located in the high part of town, they have a shortcut route to the church, so you don’t have to climb all stairs. The church lits up beautifully at night and having this shortcut made it possible to visit it at different times of the day. I particularly loved that the terraces of the stairs were decorated with Portugese tiles (azulejos). I am sure the church is even more beautiful when you visit it before August, as we were too late to watch the surrounding trees in bloom.
Douro valley – things to do
Scenic drive: Even if you don’t like wine, I recommend to visit for the beautiful drive. You will find the most beautiful part between Peso da Régua and Pinhão, the road is located next to the Douro river and everywhere you will look you will spot terraced vineyards. The Douro valley reminded me a bit of Sri Lanka, as the vineyards looked like the tea plantations as the wineries indicate their land with black and white signings. We couldn’t get enough of this drive and Hielke found a way to extend it by taking the M357 to Barro.
Take the train: From Pinhão you can take the train even further into the Douro valley, in a part where you will not find roads. Make sure to check the timetable as the train doesn’t continually run.
Visit a Quinta: You will get even more beautiful views if you decide to visit a Quinta. Most of them are located higher up between the wine terraces, offering even more stunning views. Most of the Quintas have a restaurant and we decided to visit Quinta do Sexto of the Sandeman brand. We had seen stunning videos of the Sandeman property during our Port tasting in Porto, so I knew I had to see it in real life. And wow, it did not disappoint! As we still had to drive, we had a lunch at Sandeman, instead of a tasting. The terrace of the restaurant was located in the olive tree garden, creating a super romantic setting. The food was absolutely delicious and very good value. They rather have you spending your money at Port afterwards. We even received a free digestive of a very old port, which was divine!
Visit the miradores: If you don’t want to visit a winehouse, you can still visit several lookouts, to enjoy the views over the valley. They are indicated very well on google maps.