Exploring the spectacular Douro Valley in Portugal – Porto to Douro Valley day trip

Last Updated on February 28, 2024

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Portugal has many beautiful places, but Douro Valley might just be the most stunning region of the country. The UNESCO recognized wine region is one of the world’s oldest with wine production going back to 2,000 years ago. Even if you are not a wine drinker, Douro Valley is a must visit, whether as a day trip from Porto or a stop on a longer trip through Portugal. A couple of days would be ideal, but if you are short on time, Porto to Douro Valley day trip will give you a chance to get a nice overview of the area.

Visiting Douro Valley from Porto is very easy and you have several options on how to get there. From self driving, joining an organized tour to taking a train or even a river cruise. While each option has its own advantages, I personally think, that taking a tour is the best way to visit Douro Valley for the day. And that’s coming from someone who prefers to explore independently and rarely joins the tours.

While having your own car gives you the most freedom and the drive itself is quite scenic, this is not ideal, if you’d like to indulge in all the Port wine tastings.

As you explore the area, you’ll also be able to spot quite a few a cork oak trees, which is considered Portugal’s national tree. As it happens, Portugal is the leading producer of wine cork, accounting for 50% of cork sold worldwide. The majority of the cork trees grow in the South of Portugal, but it’s not unusual to see them up North as well. It takes about 25 years for the first layer of bark to be ready for stripping. After that it’s every 8-10 years for the new layer to develop.

Where is Douro Valley

The spectacular Douro Valley is located in Northern Portugal, about 100 km ( 62 m ) from Porto. It’s home to close to 5,000 Quintas, ranging from really small, family run places to big estates.

While grape vines dominate Douro Valley’s landscape, olive trees are also a common sight. The soil and climate in the Valley is very suitable for growing olives, and many wineries produce their own olive oil, along with the wine.

About Port wine

Port is a sweet, fortified wine that is produced exclusively in Douro Valley. What that means is that for the wine to be called Port, it has to be produced in Portugal’s wine region. If sweet is one word to describe it, strong would be the other. For the wine to be considered Port, it has to be 17-21%. What makes the alcohol content higher than other wines, is the fact that brandy is added during the fermentation process.

The process of Port making is what makes Douro Valley a truly special and unique place. A lot of it happens the same way as it did years ago. Because the terraces are too narrow for any machines to fit, when harvest season comes, the grapes have to be hand picked. It’s a tough job, as it’s often still really hot in Douro Valley in September. It takes about 1.5 kg of grapes to produce 1 bottle of wine.

After they get picked, the grapes are then ready to be crushed. While larger estates use machines, many smaller places stick to the traditional method that’s been around for thousands of years: foot treading. The grapes are put in large tanks called lagares and stomped by workers’ feet in a steady and synchronized way. This method is still favored in many estates over other methods, as it’s a much gentler process. Stomping the grapes with your feet avoids seed crushing, which prevents releasing the bitterness into the juice.

Porto to Douro Valley day trip highlights

Pinhão 

With just 500 residents, the lovely Pinhão is a very sleepy town. This was just a quick stop for us, but Pinhão’s central location makes for a great base for exploring the vineyards. The town, even though very quiet, has just enough accommodations, cafes, stores and even a couple of wineries within walking distance.

One of the highlights in Pinhão is the beautiful train station. Like a lot of buildings in Portugal, it’s covered in white and blue azulejos, depicting the process of Port wine making and life in the Valley.

Quinta do Jalloto

Quinta do Jalloto is a small estate that has been in the family for generations and where we stopped for the first tasting of the day. After experiencing large wine lodges in Porto, it was great to visit a small, family run business. It didn’t hurt that Quinta do Jalloto happens to be in one of the most stunning locations, which alone is a good enough reason to pay a visit. The nearby Casal de Loivos view point offers some of the most spectacular views of Douro Valley.

Before trying some of their delicious wines, we learned more about the estate and what goes into port wine making. Quinta do Jalloto is one of the places, that still practices the foot treading method of crushing grapes.

Delicious wines were not the only thing we got to sample during our visit. Like many other wineries, Quinta do Jalloto also grows olive trees and produces their own olive oil, as well as honey. We got to taste all that in the most beautiful setting, from the estate’s terrace overlooking grape vines and olive trees.

Douro river cruise

Once the wine making process is complete, the wine makes its way to Porto ( Vila Nova de Gaia to be specific ) to age in one of the lodges. Back in the day, wooden Rabelo boats were used for carrying barrels of Port, all the way to Porto down Douro River. The journey took about 2 days, but much longer getting back up the river’s stream. It’s much quicker these days, but the boats are still around and mostly used for leisurely cruises.

If you visit Douro Valley as part of an organized tour, this will be an optional activity, but I would encourage you not to skip it. Not only you will be able to spend an hour aboard the traditional Rabelo boat, but you will get a taste of what transporting wine looked like years ago. Not to mention, the views surrounding you will take your breath away.

Quinta das Lamelas

This family owned and operated Quinta has been producing Port wine since 1836. Just like Quinta do Jalloto, this small winery practices the traditional method of stomping grapes. Something you will be able to witness if you visit Douro Valley during harvest season.

Best time to visit Douro Valley

While Douro Valley is a great destination year round, best time to visit is between Spring and Fall. Spring means the temperatures are just warm enough without being oppressive and the surrounding landscape is lush green.

Summer is a great time to visit, but that’s also when the temperatures are at their highest. One thing to keep in mind is that if you’re coming from Porto, Douro Valley will feel significantly hotter. You can often hear people say “ in Douro Valley we have 9 months of winter, and 3 months of hell “. It’s a testament of how hot it gets there during summer months.

Fall brings not only slight changes in temperatures, but also in the landscape. The colors shift from green to orange and yellows, which means one thing: harvest season. This is an exciting time to be in the Valley, making September one of the best months to visit. You get to witness all the activity, that takes place during harvest season, from grape picking to traditional foot treading.

How to get to Douro Valley from Porto

With just a 100 km ( 62 miles ) between Porto and Douro Valley, it’s very easy to escape the city and visit the stunning wine region. There are many ways to get there, depending on how much time you have.

Douro Valley Tours from Porto

If one day is all you have, an organized tour from Porto to Douro Valley is your best option. That’s coming from someone who almost never takes such trips. There are many companies offering small group tours, limiting to 7-8 people which makes for an intimate experience. Most of them include a stop in Pinhão, Port tasting at a couple of Quintas, lunch and an optional cruise down the river ( which I highly recommend doing ).

By choosing an organized tour you get the most out of your day. You don’t have to worry about navigating the winding and narrow streets in the Valley. And most importantly, you don’t have to worry about driving back after indulging in many Port tastings. The average cost of those tours is around $100.

I chose to take a day trip with Cooltour Oporto and I highly recommend it. Alex, our tour guide and Douro Valley native, was very engaging and informative. Having grown up in the region, he has vast knowledge of the area and Port wine production.

Most of the Porto to Douro Valley tours offer a similar experience. Here are some other highly rated tours:

• Douro Valley w/ Boat Tour, Wine Tasting & Lunch
• 3 Douro Valley Vineyards Tour with Lunch
• Private Wine Tasting and River Cruise

Porto to Douro Valley by train

The train ride from Porto to Douro Valley is often described as one of the most scenic in the world. Linha do Douro runs from Porto’s São Bento station reaching Pocinho in 3.5 hours. Because of the length of the ride, it’s not the best option for a day trip. Mostly because taking the train back and forth in one day will leave you with very limited time in Douro Valley.

If you do decide to get to Douro Valley by train, it’s a good idea to plan to stay overnight. This will give you more time to explore the region. Here you can check the up to date Linha do Douro schedule and pricing.

Also, between June and October, there’s a historical train traveling along Douro River between Régua and Tua.

Driving to Douro Valley

Driving from Porto to Douro Valley takes approximately 1.5-2 hours. Having your own transportation gives you freedom to explore the region at your own pace. That, of course if you don’t mind navigating the hilly and narrow streets. However, driving for the day might not be a good idea if you plan on indulging in wine tastings.

Douro Valley River Cruise

Another option is taking a boat from Porto all the way to Douro Valley. The boats leave from Vila Nova de Gaia for a relaxing cruise down the river. There’s a variety of options ranging from one day to multi day cruises. If you are looking for just a Douro Valley day trip, this Douro River Cruise, Winery Visit & Lunch is a perfect choice.

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READ MORE:

• Best day trips from Porto, Portugal
• Best things to do in Porto, Portugal in 3 days
• 10 days in Portugal – the perfect itinerary by train

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