Printable destination guide
For more information and to book please visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or let us arrange your whole trip, by calling +44 (0)20 8987 4312 or from the USA dial 1 866 610 3867.
Douro Valley
Portugal
- Countryside
- Ancient vine-framed valleys
- Country life
- Traditional quintas, keen oenophiles
This north-western patch of Portugal is golden by name ('Duoro') and golden by nature, with sepia-tinged hills and amber-hued valleys.
A striking, sun-kissed mountainscape, neatly combed with vine-filled terraces, where the tranquil River Douro lazily winds its way from the Atlantic coast to Spain. On its gentle journey, it passes through the oldest wine-producing region in the world: little wonder these wild, earthy winelands have been awarded Unesco World Heritage status. Portugal’s second largest city, Porto stands proudly on Douro Valley’s oceanside edge; from here, you can follow the river into the fertile region once best known for Mateus rosé, but now celebrated as an epicurean paradise.
Pictured: Romaneira
We signpost you to the most special stays and best boutique hotels in the Douro Valley
more
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
more
Highlights the best the Douro Valley has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.
more
We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in Douro Valley.
more
Here is the map of Douro Valley; each Mr & Mrs Smith hotel is marked by a flag; click it for more details.
more
Local knowledge
- Taxis
- Ask your hotel to arrange transportation in a 4x4.
- Tipping culture
- A service charge isn't usually included, so the usual European 10 per cent is a suitable thank you.
- Siesta and Fiesta
- Most of Portugal favours a siesta between 12pm and 3pm, when many shops close.
- Packing tips
- Lightweight walking shoes and sunblock are the obvious packables, but maybe take your wilder fantasies including plans for owning your own vineyard; they're a darned sight more affordable here than in Tuscany or Provence, say.
- Recommended reads
- Football fans might find they have an excuse here to take a Jose Mourinho biography - his name is inspired by the city of Porto, meaning harbour or port. To soak up more of this region’s headline act, the Wine and Food Lover's Guide to Portugal by Charles Metcalfe and Kathryn McWhirter will whet your wine-tasting appetite.
- Cuisine
- In case we haven’t hammered it home enough, the wine in these parts is the star of the show: Douro reds are an elegant to the local rib-sticking soup and stew specialities. Whites are less abundant, but crisp and delicious and an excellent counter to the hearty fare. For finer dining, gourmets should insist on making a pilgrimage to Redondo, the gastronomic restaurant at Quinta Romaneira.
- Regional specialities
- In Quinta Romaneira they produce red and white wine and red and white port wine. The grapes for the wine and port wine are all the same, the difference is the production. For port, 77 per cent alcohol brandy is added to stop the fermentation of the wine, the second day after the harvest, this stops sugar in the grapes becoming alcohol and it’s why the port wine is sweet but at the same time high in alcohol. Put that in your fact pipe and smoke it.
- Currency
- Euro (€).
- Dialing codes
- Country code for Portugal: +351.
- Do go/don't go
- This is a great place to go off-season, especially as winters here are mild. August can be scorchio but never unbearable; June until September have less rain, and the latter is harvest time and an especially lovely month to watch the grapes being collected.
Douro Valley hotels
We signpost you to the most special stays and best boutique hotels in the Douro Valley
-
- Style
- Hidden high-concept quinta
- Setting
- Vine-studded Douro valley
Getting there
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
- Planes
- Porto is the main airport for the Douro Valley; Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies to Porto from London Stansted and Liverpool airport. TAP (flytap.com) flies from London Heathrow. If travelling by helicopter, there is a helipad at Quinta Romeneira.
- Boats
- A boat trip along the magnificent Douro River is essential – even if you only manage a small section. Stretching from the border with Spain down to the Atlantic Ocean, historically wine was transported along it in flat-bottom boats called rabelos, Romaneira has a pine rabelo available for private tours.
- Trains
- A visit to the Douro Valley provides a unique opportunity to ride a steam train through postcard-perfect countryside. Even if you don’t need to jump aboard, it’s worth visiting just to see pretty, azulejos-tiled Pinhão, one of the most charming train stations in the world, with the backdrop of the Douro River behind.
- Automobiles
- If you want to explore, a car is an advantage. The heart of the winelands, and the village of Cotas is about 150km from Oporto, 350km from Lisbon, 30km from Villa Real. It is easy to drive around and routes relatively uncomplicated, but the motorways aren’t for the faint-hearted as the lanes are narrow.
Worth getting out of bed for
Highlights the best the Douro Valley has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.
Definitively Douro Valley
Immerse yourself in the local industry and take a tour of a wine estate – culminating in a tasting of course. The Rota do Vinho do Porto is an official route organised by local tourist and wine authorities who'll tailor you a tour of the vineyards. Go to www.rvp.pt for more information.
- Viewpoint
- There’s no shortage of prime peaks to perch for a panorama, but São Leonardo treats you to a dose of the river valley and mountains of the Serra do Marão, all in one hit.
- Arts and culture
- The riverside historical train station of Pinhao is as pretty as can be. 18th-century Palácio de Mateus in Vila Real (www.casademateus.com) gives you a charming taste for the local architecture and Lamego Museum in Lamego is a former bishop’s palace from the same era and one of the country’s best museums (+351 254 600 230; www.ipmuseus.pt); works by 16th-century painter Vasco Fernandes are a must-see. Not open on Mondays.
- Perfect Picnic
- The grounds of Romaneira and the imaginative chefs at this stylish stay are a recipe for picnic perfection. Say the word, and let them create the magic.
- Walks
- Ask your hotel to arrange a hike around a wine estate. Maybe try and avoid mad dogs/Englishman hours and schedule a walk for earlier or later in the day.
- Activities
- Fans of outdoor action will thrill at the option of mountain biking, rafting, paintballing and hiking. For more information go to www.naturimont.pt
Eating, drinking and dancing
Where to eat, drink and be merriest in Portugal's winelands: we uncover the best restaurants in the Douro Valley
Restaurants
Redondo
Intimate and exceptional, this tiny all-glass restaurant overlooks Romaneira's sprawling estate, from vineyard to river. As for the out-of-this-world food, it comes care of an elegant marriage of local ingredients and Parisian expertise thanks to acclaimed chefs from France and Portugal.
Great for: Discerning food lovers, jetset celebrations, discreet honeymoons
Quinta Romaneira, Cotas, Douro Valley, Portugal
+351 254 732 432
Almapura at Aquapura
Designer setting for designer food. The sleek monochrome decor works perfectly to frame the views of the stunning rural setting.
Quinta Do Vale Abraao, Lamego, Douro Valley
+351 254 660 600
©2008 Mr & Mrs Smith