Porto and Douro Valley Portugal Suggestions Please

Heading to Portugal in September. First time we’ve been there. It will mainly be a hiking/treking trip. Some of the places we’ll visit are:

Porto
Ponte de Lima
Pin Hao
Quinto Nova
Coa Valley
Mariaboa
Lisbon

Any must see Porto or Douro Valley wineries?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

If you’ll be in Lisbon for more than a couple days, I’d make a day trip to Sintra. That place is a fairy tale.

Check out Roy Hersh’s site, WWW.ForTheLoveOfPort.com. There’s a travel section in the forum.
How are you traveling about the Douro? Distances are short, but the long winding roads make for long travel times. Are you planning on visiting the Quintas in the Douro or the lodges in Gaia (across the river from Porto). Are you a fan of Vintage Ports or Tawnys and Colheitas? I love Colheitas and so love Kopke and Wiese&Krohn in Gaia. Burmester has a new visitors center just next to the Bridge in Gaia with great views. Grahams has just opened a new visitors center and restaurant at their lodge in Gaia. I’ve not been there but hear great things about the new Taylors hotel/restaurant The Yeatman.
Tedo is a great visit on the Douro and very welcoming to visitors. DOC is a great and well known restaurant on the Douro.

We’re going as part of a hiking group so motorcoach and train will be the major forms of transport.
We like all ports and really just would like to experience the best of what the region offers. No expectations, just absorb as we go.

Went to the Douro for four days last year. I recounted the experience here: Douro Valley and Porto trip (Tedo; Niepoort; Portal; Vallado; Graham's; and more) - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers

A read through what I wrote in that thread will reveal the places I would recommend of the wineries we visited. You will love the time you spend in the Douro — it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited.

Also of note: Do NOT drink the tap water there — I failed to remember this on the final day of our vacation, and caught a nasty stomach parasite as a result. Still love the place, though — just have to drink the bottled water!

Awesome! Thank you.

Just returned from Porto. The tasting and tour at Graham were really nice and the best we found in town. Favorite casual lunch was at Mercearia Das Flores and favorite nice dinner was at Rui Paula DOP.

may be going to Portugal this summer. We will be in Lisbon for three nights so any hotel recs appreciated.

Are you staying at Quinta Nova in the Douro? I ask as it’s really remote despite it’s physical close location to Pinhao and Regua. It will take about 40 minutes by car (longer by coach) to get from Quinta Nova to Pinhao for example. But a good place to visit/stay and some nice hiking trails around the Quinta. There is no easy way to get around in the Douro as Eric mentioned. Everything will take FAR longer than you think it will as there are few direct roads anywhere. If by motor coach it will take longer so plan accordingly.

As for other places to visit in the Douro, there are some open to the public now. Most are by appointment only. Good public ones are Sandeman’s Quinta d. Seixo, Fonseca’s Quinta d. Panascal, Quinta do Tedo, Quinta d. Portal, and Quinta de la Rosa.

depending on the dates you are there it may be harvest time (mid to later Sept). Lots of big trucks on very narrow windy roads so be careful. Weather can be anywhere from really hot to cold and rainy later in the month.

Martin, could you report on your trip?

Here’s a quick overview.

We were stunned by Portugal. My wife and I think it is a hidden gem of Europe. With that said, it is also probably one of the poorest nations in Western Europe with noticeable decay and urban areas in decline.

We started in Porto. The old city center is fun to walk. The riverfront has just about every Port house in Portugal represented with tasting rooms. You could spend a week just visiting each house. I would go back to Porto in a heartbeat. Lots of interesting hole-in-the-wall places to eat fresh seafood. My avatar is the riverfront in Porto.

Our trip then went inland focusing on hiking in the National Park and hitting many tiny, tiny towns. We hiked a spur of the El Camino de Santiago and drank lots of white and red Vinho Verde. I never knew a young red could be so good. Most of the wines were from the local co-op and served in pitchers.

The trip then took us to the Douro which was one of the most amazing places I’ve been. It is a World Heritage site with it’s generations of terraced vineyards. We stayed at the Quinta Nova which is a working vineyard/winery and Inn. I would highly recommend it. Very hard to get to, but worth the effort. http://www.quintanova.com/

Our group was given access to the Ramos Pintos’ vineyard deep in the Douro where we saw pertroglyphs and Roman ruins. I also had the best white port with potato/carrot soup served in the old chapel in the center of the vineyards.

The trip ended with a few days in Lisbon, which while nice, is very similar to most other large Euro cities. It seemed more affluent then elsewhere in Portugal, but lacked some of the “specialness” we found in the Douro and Porto.

So there you have it. Let me know if I can answer any questions. I love Portugal.

Thanks, Michael: I’m pleased to learn that you had a wonderful time. I will be there in early October. As much as I would like to get some trekking in (other than on a tred mill), it will not be on this trip. Because of some limitations within our group, we will be cruising up the Duero River with a bus jaunt into Salamanca for a day. I am looking forward to the trip!

Unfortunately, this trip will not work but Portugal remains on our travel list.

I will be taking a trip up the Duoro in October by small ship.One of the identified wine tasting opportunities scheduled is in Pinhao at Quinta da Avessada. If anyone is familiar with this Quinta, please let me know about your experience there.

I have bumped this only because my departure date is coming up. Douro River suggestions welcome? TIA

Returned to Portugal last Spring for a 4 day stopover on our was to Paris. 25 years ago spent 2 weeks driving Portugal from top to bottom. I don’t usually stay in chain hotels, but stayed at the Sofitel in Lisbon for 2 reasons for 2 nights. It was located 2 blocks from my rental car return location and metro stop right out the front door. It was great. Great staff, large modern room, great central location. Perfect for a short stay. As an aside, my wife and I love Portugal. Easy to get around, diverse scenery, the most friendly people, fine food. Very enjoyable. If you are traveling the coast or countryside, the Pousadas are nice to stay in.

We spent 5 nights in Lisbon last year, booked at Avenida Palace Hotel. The location was suitable for everything we wanted to do, whether walk in and around the old city or take a cab to get to restaurants and sites that are not within the old city. The hotel seemed to be one of those previously-grand hotel with all the old glorious ambiance and decor. Great service with a large room (for European standards) for two.

Thank you! Favorite restaurant (group of 6)?
Did you get to Porto?

Porto and Lisbon are night and day different and I encourage anyone to visit both.