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Porto & the Douro Valley

Douro Valley - in the heart of rural Portugal
 
UNESCO-protected Porto is a great place to start your break, but the best is saved till last: take a scenic train upriver into the vineyards where port wine is produced, and where we include a tour and tasting at a traditional quinta.
Porto & the Douro Valley. 4 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Porto & the Douro Valley. 4 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A break in Porto & the Douro Valley

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.
To set the scene, you begin with two nights in Porto, friendly capital of the port-wine trade, before discovering the timeless landscapes where the wine originates, thus showing the great contrast between the bustle of the historic sea port and the slow, traditional ways of life upriver.
 
Gallery

 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights. 
  • Arrival in Porto
    Night 1: at Hotel Pestana Vintage Porto (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of exploration.
  • Explore Porto
    With a day and a half in the city, you have plenty of time to explore. Porto's intriguing Old Town – designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site – clings to the steep north bank of the great River Douro, its jumbled streets seemingly all leading down to the quayside. Five bridges, including one by Eiffel and a spectacular two-tiered construction, link to Vila Nova de Gaia, the heart of the Port wine trade.

    The Old Town's two main landmarks are the cathedral (Sé) and the panoramic Clérigos Tower, and it is also worth visiting the Stock Exchange (Bolsa) and the church of São Francisco to admire their ornate interiors. Art lovers will like the contemporary art museum, and don't miss the wonderful shops, either – designer boutiques stand side by side with traditional emporiums and old-fashioned shops selling port wine and dried, salted codfish.
    Porto
  • Graham’s Wine Lodge, Porto
    Whether you love port or are simply interested in finding out more about Portugal’s most famous export, we can pre-book a tour and tasting at Graham’s Wine Lodge in Porto's Vila Nova de Gaia district for you. An experience not to be missed, our arrangements include an exclusive personalised tasting in the lodge’s wood-panelled tasting room at your own table with a selection of three special ports. See the Pricing section for prices.
  • Explore Porto then travel to Chanceleiros
    Today you have more time to explore Porto before catching the afternoon train eastwards through a colourful patchwork of olive groves, immaculate vineyards and cork-oak woods. The second part of the journey is a real highlight of the break, as the train makes its way along the impressively engineered railway which clings to the sliver of land between the River Douro and the steep slopes above. By the time you alight, you are in the heart of port-wine producing country, where you spend your final two nights at the Casa do Visconde de Chanceleiros in Chanceleiros.
  • Choice of walks from Chanceleiros: 9km or 12.5km

    Around Chanceleiros: 9km, 3.5hrs; ascent 550m / descent 850m
    Follow peaceful woodland tracks and quiet footpaths through vineyards uphill from Chanceleiros. A couple of short scrambles are necessary to get to the top of the hill, but are worth it for the views over the Douro Valley; there is a shorter version avoiding the hilltop if you prefer an easier walk. You then continue through vines and woodland back to Chanceleiros.

    Linear walk to Chanceleiros: 12.5km, 5hrs; ascent 520m / descent 830m
    Arrange a transfer to Vilarinho de Sao Romão, from where you head along woodland trails along a ridge before descending to Chanceleiros.

    Sightseeing options
    For a more leisurely day, you may like to visit the archaeological site in the nearby Cõa Valley, or take a ride on a vintage steam train along the valley with magnificent views of the River Douro (pay locally).
    Around Chanceleiros: 9km
    Vilarinho to Chanceleiros: 12.5km
  • Quinta de la Rosa, Douro
    Included in the holiday price is a guided visit (in English) while you are staying in Chanceleiros of the Quinta de la Rosa wine estate on the banks of the Douro. This family-run vineyard is unusual in that the grapes are still trodden by foot and its port wines are matured and bottled on the Quinta, rather than in Vila Nova de Gaia.

    Afterwards, you may like to continue into Pinhão either to have lunch at one of our recommended restaurants or to enjoy a boat trip along the river (pay locally in both cases). If you prefer not to walk back, you could take a taxi instead. (5km, 1.5hrs each way from Chanceleiros.)
    Quinta de la Rosa
    Enjoy a wine-tasting
 

Accommodation

Both hotels are comfortable and elegant.

In some places, we work with more than one hotel, as shown below. All are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation.

Wherever you stay in Porto, we recommend adding extra nights to give yourselves more time to explore this intriguing city.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 4 nights: 01 April 2024 - 31 October 2024 & 01 April 2025 - 31 October 2025

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 - 30 Apr 2024 £840 £420
    1 May - 31 Jul 2024 £950 £455
    1 - 30 Aug 2024 £895 £455
    1 - 30 Sep 2024 £945 £455
    1 - 27 Oct 2024 £880 £455
    1 - 30 Apr 2025 £875 £440
    1 May - 31 Jul 2025 £990 £475
    1 - 30 Aug 2025 £935 £475
    1 - 30 Sep 2025 £985 £475
    1 - 27 Oct 2025 £920 £475
    3rd & 4th person discount -£20 to -£21
    Single traveller supplement £20 to £21

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Included: return transfer between Pinhão rail station and Chanceleiros
    Pay locally for return rail between Porto and Pinhão (2h50 each way)

    Graham's Wine Lodge: add £26pp in 2023 or £47pp in 2024 for a tour and exclusive private tasting at Graham's Wine Lodge, Porto

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Hotel Pestana Vintage Porto, Porto
    'Plaza': 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2024 £18
    'Plaza': 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 £19
    'Vintage' with river view: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2024 £62
    'Vintage' with river view: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 £64
    'Vintage' with river view & balcony: 01 Apr - 30 Apr 2024 £73
    'Vintage' with river view & balcony: 01 May - 30 Jun 2024 £84
    'Vintage' with river view & balcony: 01 Jul - 31 Oct 2024 £79
    'Vintage' with river view & balcony: 01 Apr - 30 Apr 2025 £76
    'Vintage' with river view & balcony: 01 May - 30 Jun 2025 £87
    'Vintage' with river view & balcony: 01 Jul - 31 Oct 2025 £82
    Casa do Visconde de Chanceleiros, Chanceleiros
    Deluxe: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2024 £31
    Deluxe: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 £32
    Junior suite: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2024 £40
    Junior suite: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 £42
    Superior: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2024 £15
    Superior: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 £16

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Hotel Pestana Vintage Porto, Porto (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Apr - 29 Apr 2024 £165 £315
    30 Apr - 30 Jun 2024 £180 £350
    01 Jul - 31 Oct 2024 £195 £380
    01 Apr - 29 Apr 2025 £175 £335
    30 Apr - 30 Jun 2025 £190 £370
    01 Jul - 31 Oct 2025 £205 £400
    Casa do Visconde de Chanceleiros, Chanceleiros (with dinner) Double room Single room
    01 Apr - 31 Oct 2024 £180 £290
    01 Apr - 31 Oct 2025 £190 £304
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Porto (latest flight arrival time: flexible; earliest flight departure time: 1300)

    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Porto or Lisbon.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Porto (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Aberdeen - Porto (via Paris CDG) Air France,  KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Porto Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Porto easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Porto Ryanair 
    Edinburgh - Porto (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Edinburgh - Porto (via Barcelona) Vueling 
    Edinburgh - Porto (via Geneva) easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Porto easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Porto (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Porto Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Porto British Airways,  easyJet,  TAP Air Portugal 
    Gatwick - Porto (via Geneva) easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Porto British Airways,  TAP Air Portugal 
    Heathrow - Porto (via Lisbon) TAP Air Portugal 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Porto easyJet,  Wizz Air 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Porto Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Porto easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Manchester - Porto (via Brussels) Brussels Airlines 
    Manchester - Porto (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Porto (via Lisbon) TAP Air Portugal 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Porto (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Porto (via Brussels) Brussels Airlines 
    Newcastle - Porto (via Paris CDG) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Norwich - Porto (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Porto or Lisbon.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 2 dinners
    4 breakfasts
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • guided visit of Quinta de la Rosa
  • transfers from/to Pinhão station
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 12 reviews
  • 2 Geriatrics
    20 October 2023

    A very special holiday kindly adapted for us by the team at inntravel. Hotel Infante de Sagres was very good. The staff were so helpful and we enjoyed eating there. We found the area around it very busy at night (til 4am!!) and would have requested a quieter room if we'd known. 

    We enjoyed Gaia - the quieter side of the river in Porto. At Grahams Wine Lodge we found the old black & white film of transporting grapes down the river very moving and set the scene for the industry and our visit up river.

    But the best of all was the Casa do Visconde - what a location, such lovely, helpful staff and knock out food port and wine.  We really appreciated the extra night there to have a days walking and take a boat trip further up the Douro

    Our final night at Hotel Ribeira was good too (much quieter!) and we really appreciated the recommendation from the ever helpful staff to eat at the Ora Viva - a short walk along Rue Fonte Taurina. Great local food - booking esssential...

    Thank you Inntravel!

  • Anon
    05 September 2023

    There were two stand out highlights for us. Our visit to the Lillo bookshop not far from our hotel in Porto. The amazing train journey from Porto to Pinhao along the Douro river. The concierge team at the Infanta de Sagres Hotel were most helpful in every way.

     

  • Mrs J R
    17 August 2023

    An excellent holiday, and considering it was a pilgrim route, it was was suprisingly quiet. The boat trip was fabulous, not least because we were accompanied by a pod of dolphins! The Parador upgrade in Santiago was well worth it. It's like staying in a museum. The train journey up the Duoro Valley is exceptional - sit on the right as you head towards Pinhao.

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our short break orto & the Douro Valley with our walk Camino de Santiago, The Old Way

  • The Scriblers
    19 June 2023

    Casa do Visconde is exceptional. We'd recommend upgrading the room. Food here is also lovely. Walking routes set at the right level. Hotel Pestana is in a great location but is probably over rated. Get a room with a view and note that balconies are Juliet style. 

  • Anon
    07 June 2023

     Highlight was the stay at Chanceleiros.

     A tip : could your brief vocabulary include everyday expressions like 'hello', 'goodbye' and 'delicious'?

  • Ms E Hallford
    USA
    03 May 2023

    On the hike to Quinta de la Rosa, please make it clear that you will be walking down a long narrow fairly steep road with cars going by in both directions. It should be clear that if you choose to walk back up it would be very hot, strenuous and long with cars whizzing by you and no sidewalk. We felt it was well worth it to upgrade our room at both hotels. The river view room in Porto was spectacular and the junior suite at the Casa was delightful. 

  • Mr P Stern
    Wirral
    11 April 2023

    Another splendid Inntravel holiday. The Igreja de Santa Clara is now open and well worth a visit for the dramatic gilded interior. At the Mercado de Bolhao we enjoyed a splendid impromptu picnic with the locals sitting on the steps eating food bought from the stalls. The visit to Grahams Port Lodge was well worth the money. Very classy and interesting. We had an excellent dinner at the recommended Ode Porto Wine House. Postigo do Carvao just behind the Pestana Hotel was buzzing with locals enjoying good value traditional Portugese cooking. Casa do Visconde was wonderful in every way. Adelaide told us that her husband has sold the Cais da Foz in Pinhao which has now gone upmarket and is no longer patronised by the locals. Consequently we had lunch at the restauarant of the Quinta de la Rosa after enjoying the tour of their winery. Not cheap but nice food in a lovely setting overlooking the Douro. We were pleased that we added an extra night in Porto and at Chanceleiros, turning a short break into an excellent holiday.

  • Anon
    05 April 2023

    The highlight was the Casa do Visconde de Chanceleiros - everything was outstanding. The food, the facilities, the room, the location and the staff. After a hot and dusty walk through the vineyards around the Casa it was lovely to relax by, (and in), the pool. We were too late to book a tour at Graham's Wine Lodge. (Ironically we are not great lovers of port!) Instead we took a tour at Taylors Wine Lodge. This is self guided with an audio guide, so there is no need to book, with a well organised tasting of two ports (white and red) at the end. It's very informative and we recommend it. There is an indoor mercado (Mercado Beira-Rio) on the waterfront (near the cable car station) with a number of food outlets surrounding a seating area where you can eat, plus seating outside. A wide selection of traditional and other foods, plus beers/wines. A good spot for a light lunch after a tour.

  • Mr D Stewart
    Cupar
    13 September 2022

    We really loved the relaxing train journey from Porto along the Douro valley and the ambience of the Casa das Pipas and Quintal do Portal estate. The add on of Aveiro was also a big plus - a hidden gem!

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: This was a tailored itinerary with some accommodation taken from other holidays in northern Portugal

  • LD
    15 April 2022

    Great short break holiday which was very well designed and organised to provide a really good experience of both Porto and the Douro area, as well as sampling the local port and wines. Both of the hotels - Pestana Vintage Porto and Casa do Visconde were excellent, both in lovely settings and with great service, food and facilities. Highly recommend the whole trip and even considering having extra days.

  • Mrs M Baxter
    Maidenhead
    30 March 2022

    What a super holiday. Porto is a fascinating place and the hotel was in the perfect setting. The location of the hotel at Pinhao was spectacular and the food and wine was top notch! The walking was not too demanding for our 70s plus knees. What a great short break. 

  • Phil and Linda
    24 August 2021

    The combination of time in Porto and in the Douro Valley was perfect and provided an ideal variety of activities and a great introduction to the wines and food of the region. Casa do Visconde was a glorious place to relax and gently enjoy the surrounding area. The backstreets of Porto made for fascinating exploration and we particularly appreciated the superb food and service at Jimao and at Postigo do Carvao (try the flamed chourico!). 
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from A to B, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. If/when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation, meaning that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.

    For more detailed information, see our walking holidays in Europe page.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Portugal, Madeira and the Azores, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official language is Portuguese. The currency is the Euro. Portuguese time is the same as GMT/UTC. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on the same time as BST.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
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