Experiences in the Douro Valley

There is a large plethora of experiences and places to stay in the Douro Valley related to wine and wine production. One of these is the Vila Galé Douro Vineyards, a premium hotel with a variety of experiences on offer, such as: visiting the vineyards; visits to the wine cellar, where wines like the Val Moreira Tinto DOC (DOC meaning the highest quality) and the Porto Val Moreira Tawny 20 Anos can be enjoyed. Another great place to stay and partake in experiences is the Six Senses Resorts Douro Valley, which also provides some fun experiences: wine tasting, wine courses and during the vindimas, participating in the ancient grape stomping ritual.

Wine Valley Cruise

Enjoy a private sailing or yacht cruise along the Douro river, taste the best Port Wine or participate in a wine harvest. Do all of this with the Douro Valley vineyards as a backdrop, while staying at the loveliest boutique hotel on the river front or a luxurious resort hotel with an amazing river view!

Experience our Wine Valley Cruises!

Goumet experience aboard "The Presidential"

Meet "The Presidential": a luxury project that brings together the best Michelin chefs in the world, the best wines and the best local products. Come aboard on a beautiful train, that holds a lot of portuguese History, the Portuguese Presidential Train. Aboard this train have traveled Presidents, Heads of State, Kings and Popes. Come along the Douro line, in this luxury and gourmet train experience, that gathers emotion, Michelin gastronomy and breathtaking sights.

Food and Wine: the presidential train returns to Douro

In 2017, the event that puts the old presidential train in Douro’s Line rails grows in durantion, traveled distance and invited chefs. These are the news from The Presidential. 

Douro River

It’s rare, very rare, having a chef from a restaurant distinguished with three Michelin Stars cooking in national soil. But it’s precisely that what’s going to happen in this year edition of The Presidential, the event that, for the second consecutive year, will lead the old presidential train to go through the incredible Douro Line, with wine and gastronomy in the mix. The chef is the Danish Esben Holmboe Bang, from Maaeno, one of the youngest ever (and the youngest, currently) achieving the maximum distinction of the Michelin Guide. 

But that is only one of the news. The premiere edition lasted ten days and had the chef Dieter Koschina, from Vila Joya, in the cuisine. Well, this one will last 17 days, throughout May, and will have five chefs responsible for the tasting menu with 4 dishes that will be served in which tour, all of them with Michelin stars in the respective restaurants. Gonçalo castel-Branco, mentor and responsible for the event, advances that for now two names, the already mentioned Esben Holmboe Bang, that will cook in the first week (from 3 to 7) and from Porto, Pedro Lemos (cooking in May 10 and 11).

And the route also grows. If last year the tour was made between São Bento station, in Porto, to the Pinhão, already in the Vineyard Douro, now it continues to the beautiful Quinta do Vesúvio, where will happen a wine tasting with Porto’s wines from Graham’s. This means that, this time, the train will pass by the two banks of the river, allowing all the guests to enjoy the view to river.   

The trip back to Porto was also the target of reinforced planning: in the bar-carriage will be live music and another carriage will be transformed into tea salon. Moreover, the moto stills the same: “our objective number one is to promote the railroad and the romanticism associated with it”. 

It’s already possible buy tickets online in the event’s website. Which one costs 500€ per person – companies can acquire carriages or the full train – to the program that lasts from 10h45 am to 8h30 pm: it includes the tour São Bento – Quinta do Vesúvio – São Bento, the tasting menu with 4 dishes, the wine harmonization, the entrance in Quinta do Vesúvio, the wine tasting, bar with live music, tea salon and a gift bag with one autographed book from the chef responsible in that day. 

Source: Observador

MOST PHOTOGRAPHED SITES IN PORTUGAL #2 - CAIS DA RIBEIRA, PORTO

According to the website sightsmap.com, Portugal is one of the most photographed areas of the world.
We wondered if some of the photos are yours?

Located at the waterfront of Douro river and classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, Cais da Ribeira is a myriad of medieval narrow streets and alleyways, with old homes clustered in a chaotic order along side with bars and restaurants full of tourists.

From Cais da Ribeira you can also see the series of Port Wine houses across the river, as well as the attractive Cais de Gaia riverfront.

PORTUGAL'S BEST ROMANTIC HOTELS - BAIRRO ALTO HOTEL

At one of the most trendy districts of Lisbon, we can find the Bairro Alstar boutique hotel with 55 rooms overlooking Praça Luís de Camões or the sunny Rua do Alecrim.

Each room is elegantly decorated in a classic portuguese style providing an atmosphere of warmth and relaxation. The hotel is also within a walking distance to the major shops, theaters, bars and restaurants.

DISCOVERING OPORTO BY TRAM

Discover the city of Porto through a beautiful tram ride. 

The number 1 tram line runs along the waterfront into a tourist circuit that allows you to enjoy various points of interest - Tram Museum, Museum of Transport and Communications, Museum of Port Wine, Arrábida Bridge - the marginal Douro River combining the richness of program with the ability to travel to a means of transport centenary.

DOURO, GRAPE HARVESTING AND HISTORICAL VILLAGES

Hike through Port Wine vineyards and visit Portugal's Historical Villages, with its castles and stone wall houses that have kept the same appearanc for centuries. The hike down of the famous Calçada de Alpajares, also named the Devil's Trail, is a must of the trip. It will take you to Barca de Alva, with breathtaking views of vineyards.

Find out more in our complete program: Douro and historical villages .

We will spend a very special day in Quinta Nova.You can have fun harvesting grapes (September and October tours), try the winecaching game, try one of the hiking trails in the farm or just relax by the pool. Quinta Nova offers you several options of hiking trails with amazing views of the Douro river and valley. In the harvest season (Sep. 15th to Oct. 15th), you will have the chance to harvest grapes with the specialists, try the first wine in the cellars and have a typical vintage lunch. The harvesting experience will finish with some Port and Douro wine tasting.

If you don't feel like harvesting grapes, you can try Winecaching. It's basically like Geocaching linked to wine and involves the discovery of "wine caches" spread throughout the Quinta among the vineyards.

In the next days you will experience a short train ride up to the town of Pocinho on the famous Douro railway road. After a short van transfer, we will begin our walks in area. We will walk through an ancient trail still used by the local people that connects the Historical Villages.