- self-guided hotel-to-hotel walking, luggage transported
- rugged walking in richly coloured landscape
- opportunities for wine-tasting
- classic rail journey
- explore Porto
Perfect walking country with spectacular views, the valley of the Rio Douro (‘river of gold’) is striking in its tranquillity - and its rich colours. Fertile hills neatly striped with green vines and silver olive trees are reflected in the mirror-like waters, as are the painted long boats which ply the river, and the region’s tiny, untouched villages of white houses with red roofs. It is here, at the quintas (wineries) dotted across the slopes, that port wine is produced, the late-September harvest bringing a pleasant bustle to the valley, when the workers sing late into the night as they pick the grapes and tread them by foot.
Each day’s walk has a different character, with plenty of climbing through vineyards to isolated villages with spectacular views of the river snaking far below.
Nick Haslam, Sunday Express
To set the scene, you begin with a night in Porto, friendly capital of the port-wine trade, before exploring the timeless landscapes where the wine originates, thus also showing the great contrast between the bustle of the historic sea port and the slow, traditional ways of life upriver. It comes as a real delight to discover what wonderful walking, delicious cuisine, truly welcoming hotels and intriguing insights into rural Portugal the Douro Valley offers.