I generally don’t love tours but figured that it was really the only way I could get to the Duoro valley, especially in the available time frame… so today was the day. And we’d been really looking forward to it. 

The Douro Valley is one of the most stunning areas of natural beauty in the whole of Portugal and the breathtaking landscapes have earned it a UNESCO’s World Heritage listing. It runs from Porto all the way across to the border of Spain and is the oldest wine region in the world. The Valley has a spirit of its own and is renowned for its outstanding wine culture and wine tours, the Quintas and wineries. It’s also the origin of port wine and in order for a wine to be labeled a true “port,” its grapes can only come from the Douro region.

And I think that the Douro Valley could easily be called the Enchanted Valley, because of the beauty and magic of its landscapes and I clicked away, mostly unsuccessfully, as we drove as it was all so stunning. The hilly landscape is peppered with sleepy rustic wineries…

… small villages, century old family run vineyards with hand tended terraced hillsides…

… large Quintas and scenic miradours everywhere we looked… with the Duoro river snaking through it all. 

We were given the opportunity to visit two emblematic places in the Duoro, learning about the wine production methods that make valley’s wines unique in the world… and of course enjoyed partaking in a little port tasting or two… or three. We took a guided tour of the first winemaking cooperative with an expert guide and learned about the rich history of the estate and the intricate processes that have been passed down through the generations.  

As a bonus, it was full of cool art.

Afterwards we sat down for a traditional lunch where the wine flowed and our glasses were never empty… maybe because apparently the Portuguese drink more wine per capita than any other country. 

Then back on the bus for a very funny almost dance party sing-a-long led by our fantastic guide Ricardo… all the way to our next stop where we boarded a small boat for a few moments of relaxation along the calm waters of the Duoro river.

We wound down and took in the stunning landscapes…  Quintas perched on the verdant hillsides covered in their terraces, a constant breeze working its way between the hills, the occasional rural train chugging along the riverside tracks.

The boat trip was only an hour, but we would have been happy to stay there all day. But alas, there was port to be drunk,  and more of the region to explore on our Douro Valley tour.

We then followed a part of the famous ‘Miradouro da Estrada Nacional 222’ road; known as one of the world’s best drives. We were driven up a very narrow winding road with steep dropoffs down to the river… to the very top where we stopped at a vineyard for one of our tastings…

… and to see their spectacular view of the river. 

From there, the birthplace of port stretched out in front of us in every direction, and the Duoro River, which had been up close and personal just moments before, was now just a glistening ribbon snaking between the slopes.

A long but wonderful day with some lovely people from all over the world… a great and really fun guide who was knowledgeable and made a huge effort to make sure everyone had a great time… food to fill the bellies and more wine than was probably wise… and the stunning landscape in every shade of green you could imagine and more.