5 Days Douro Valley Tour & River Cruise

Details

Itinerary

• Day 1 Delve into the authentic flavors of the Portuguese wines and gastronomy.

  After airport formalities (Porto International Airport), you will be collected outside customs, and transferred, by an English-speaking Chauffeur in a Deluxe vehicle Mercedes.

  Enjoy the scenic 2-hour road trip to the Pinhão in the Douro Valley.

  Drop-off at the Wine Hotel.

  Check-in at “The Casa do Rio” of Quinta de Ventozelo. The accommodation is the result of an intervention carried out some years ago, on a traditional Douro building near the river and the dock. You will have at your disposal the privacy of a cozy Villa with 2 double rooms arranged around a living room with a garden and terrace with unobstructed views to the river. Quinta do Ventozelo is one of the biggest and oldest estates in the heart of the Upper Douro wine region that recently opened its doors to the public. Ventozelo's Rural Hospitality Celebrates the Traditions, Flavors, and Natural Beauty of the Douro Valley. With one of the most beautiful pools in the Douro to lounge by, numerous walking trails to enjoy nature on and a range of agricultural activities to participate in, Ventozelo’s hospitality combines comfort with authenticity, allowing guests to experience Douro’s traditions, flavors and natural beauty.

  Then, you will visit Sítio dos Prazeres (Pleasures place). The Winery of Quinta de Ventozelo produces Port and Douro wines, Winery of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine in 2005, have received numerous awards since then. Enjoy an audio Guide visit to the center of the Quinta. It includes a visit to the interpretative center, to the cellar, warehouse, chapel, still, cereal store, fruit and vegetable garden. At the end of the visit you will enjoy a 5 Reserve wine tasting.

  Dinner is waiting for you at Cantina de Ventozelo Restaurant. The traditional flavors of Douro and Trás-os-Montes and the Quinta de Ventozelo products will be served. By the terrace, looking at Quinta de Ventozelo and Douro River, food has new flavor! Housed in the former workers’ dining hall, Cantina de Ventozelo with the help of Chef Miguel Castro e Silva combines traditional recipes with new techniques for a menu inspired by the comfort food that used to nourish farmworkers during the olden days, and a more refined dinner menu that can be paired with Ventozelo’s own Douro and port wines.

  End of day.

• Day 2 Wake up to the beautiful Douro landscape and recharge your batteries with a fantastic breakfast with a view.

  Breakfast at the Hotel.

  The Chauffeur is waiting for you in the lobby of the Hotel.

  You will discover the Douro Valley on an Exclusive cruise in a Vintage Boat, a 66 feet Classic Wooden Yacht, a English ship built-in 1957 in the shipyards of Christchurch, in England, with a double hull in mahogany from the Honduras, riveted with copper that gives her an added value both in safety and worth. The boat served the British Admirals on their travels to the high seas for the ‘exchange’ of officers on the battleships. Aboard the ship, you will enjoy a 4-hour cruise and an amazing lunch. Live moments of intimacy with nature while you travel with emotion along with the history until the times when the Rabelos boats moved by the force of the sails and be amazed by the scenarios that Douro has to offer.

  You will be transferred to Quinta Nova Nossa Senhora do Carmo. “One of the 9 must-see wineries in the world”, distinguished by American Airlines. This is a place of extreme beauty in the heart of the Douro, and it’s owned by the Amorim family since 1999. But this property is prior to 1764 and historical research confirms it as a great land belonging to the Portuguese Royal Family. The historic sites that are still preserved today and opened for visitors reveal all this: the creek, the gazebo, the stone mark of the Marquis of Pombal dated 1758, the cellar’s crest, two chapels, and three secular orchards. You will enjoy an exclusive guided tour through the vines, winery dated from 1764 and the underground cellar. The visit ends with a tasting of 5 wines Quinta Nova at the wine Shop: Grainha Reserve White, Quinta Nova Reserve, Quinta Nova Grand Reserve Referência, Mirabilis Grand Reserve Red and Quinta Nova Vintage Port.

  Enjoy a pedestrian circuit with 3 different routes, properly signed, in a certified total trail of 8km's. With a map and a list of conduct rules, clients are able to enjoy this activity, knowing a wine estate to detail, highlighting its historical points. And, crossing the orchards, make sure you pick some fresh fruit!

  Dinner will be served at Terraçu's Restaurant. Indulge yourself with the delicacies that Quinta Nova’s restaurant team has to offer. The menu appeals to the senses and emotions, in a relaxed and interesting way. The menu is defined by the day, guided by the inspiration of Chef José Pinto and the availability of the freshest, seasonal and locally grown ingredients. 

  Drop off at the Hotel.

  End of day.

• Day 3 Leave no stone unturned at the most emblematic wine states in Douro.

  Breakfast at the Hotel.

  The Chauffeur is waiting for you in the lobby of the Hotel.

  Near Pinhão, you will discover the Wine & Soul Winery. You will meet the owners, Jorge Serôdio Borges and Sandra Tavares da Silva “The Most Notable Female Winemaker in the World” distinguished by Jancis Robinson. They began their adventure in 2001, this young couple had no vineyards and no wine, but they shared a dream, a personal project to which they have devoted themselves body and soul, a tireless search for exceptional vines in the Pinhão valley -the historic heart of the great Port wines - and on giving them voice. Their first creation was a wine called Pintas, named after the couple’s restless Pointer. What was initially a garage wine is today the reflection of Douro history and tradition, using grapes from old vines of more than 30 mixed grape varieties. In it the grandeur, breadth and richness of this region find a faithful expression. Later came Pintas Character, Guru White wine, Pintas Vintage Port and the extraordinary 5G Port, made from a batch of very old wines, some of which are over one hundred years old. In 2009, these were joined by wines from the celebrated Quinta da Manoella, a beautiful property where vines century-old vineyards grow side by side with young vines planted 30 years ago and even more recent ones. Quinta da Manoella Vinhas Velhas was instantly hailed as one of the great Douro wines. Wine & Soul has become the image of the modern Douro, a Douro in which the nature and personality of each vineyard speak more loudly. Today Wine & Soul and its wines are living proof that the traditional vineyards where the great vintage Ports are made are equally capable of producing great Douro wines. Wine & Soul has an exceptional profile and the quality of its wines is recognized by the leading international wine critics. Your will have a private visit and 4 Premium wine tasting and the privilege of enjoying lunch at Quinta da Manoella accompanied with the Winery Owners, Sandra and Jorge, who will share with you the secrets of the wine production and unveil some of the reasons behind the success.

  After lunch, you visit Quinta das Carvalhas. Real Companhia Velha’s crown jewel and the largest wine-producing estate in the Douro region. A property of immense beauty and grandiosity whose oldest written reference date back to 1759. This is one of the most emblematic Douro properties and it is considered by many the “Douro image” because it allows a view of the territory and of the most beautiful Douro has to show. Nowhere else you can see so much in so little time. The mountain of Carvalhas, at 550 meters of altitude and from where you can enjoy a landscape in 360 degrees, is the site of “excellence” for the observation of the property and Douro. The Vintage Tour is a visit to the Vineyards accompanied by the Quinta das Carvalhas Agricultural Engineer. Join this tour and appreciate direct contact with nature in the vines, Mediterranean forests, and gardens, alongside the people who work them. We offer the chance to see the Douro through the eyes of a local and to relish the greatness of the region with a detailed explanation of everything happening at the Quinta. The tour finishes at the wine shop for a tasting of the top Wines of Carvalhas (White, Tinta Francisca, Touriga Nacional & Vinhas Velhas), partnered with a platter of cheeses and finishing with a glass of Port.

  Dinner is waiting for you at DOC Restaurant. A great restaurant, with modern and creative gastronomy, with Douro flavors. Designed by the architect Miguel Saraiva, in a place of enormous beauty, blending the grandeur of the vineyard-covered mountains and the serenity of the Douro river. The Michelin Star Chef Rui Paula Team organizes everything in detail, always adding an element of surprise, so as to make the celebration unforgettable.

  Drop-off at the Hotel.

  End of day.

• Day 4 A feast for the eyes, an energy boost for the mind.

  Breakfast at the Hotel.

  The Chauffeur is waiting for you in the lobby of the Hotel.

  Enjoy a cultural break in Lamego. The culture, architecture, heritage, historical center justify a visit. The Lamego Castel, within the urban area, Ex-libris of the town, from the top of its walls can be sighted the waters of the rivers Coura, Balsemão and Varosa. The construction of the castle began in the 13Th Century with the goal of protecting the city inhabitants. In the 17th century, a niche in homage to Our Lady Nossa Senhora da Graça was erected. Then, you should visit the Lamego Museum, an astounding collection of ancient art and artifacts, including a fully reconstructed chapel dripping with gold, is displayed within the walls of an 18th century bishop’s palace. Among the many highlights are the set of paintings by one of Portugal’s most renowned painters, Grão Vasco, 16th century Flemish tapestries that depict the Greek legend of Oedipus and colorful 17th Century panels Azulejos (painted tiles) and Lady of Remedies Shrine in Lamego. From one of the central avenues in Lamego, you can climb to the top of the hill up an imposing baroque staircase with 686 steps ending in a shrine built in the rocaille style in the mid-eighteenth century for the worship of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, although it was not completely finished until 1905. The same Nicolau Nasoni who painted the cathedral ceilings designed some of the baroque works that decorate this monument.

  Delight yourself with the delicacies that Castas & Pratos Restaurant has for you. Lunch will be served at a restaurant located in a historic space, in the old warehouses of CP, the Portuguese Railways, in Régua, luxuriously renovated with all the necessary comfort. Several are the awards, international and national, that prove the unique quality of this restaurant, among them the “Best of the Wine Tourism”, top award of the gastronomy with Port Wine, “The Best Wine List” and deserved reference in publications like The New York Times.

  Afterward, you will visit Quinta do Vallado. It belonged to the legendary Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira and remains to this day as the property of her descendants. For nearly 200 years the Quinta do Vallado was primarily engaged in the production of Port wine, subsequently marketed by Casas Ferreira (that belonged to the Family). After Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, her great grandson – Jorge Viterbo Ferreira and her great-great grandson – Jorge Cabral Ferreira – were responsible for the great development and growth of the Quinta. Built-in 2009, the new barrel cellar combines the latest technology with a high-quality architecture that makes this Quinta one of the places to visit in the Douro Valley. You will enjoy a private guided visit with wine tasting, white, red, and Port.

  At Six Senses activity center, you will have a Tile painting. Helena developed her art skills and learned her craft in Óbidos, a beautiful village with medieval walls north of Lisbon. From there she has ventured all over the world restoring, creating and teaching Azulejo, art for decades. She has accepted the challenge to set up her atelier at Six Senses Douro Valley, where she creates lots of exciting workshops for our clients, young and not so young, as well as carrying on her work on international commissions and restoration. You will learn and practice the traditional method to paint Portuguese ceramic tile “azulejo” and take home this personalized souvenir. In this workshop, each participant can paint two tiles (15 x15 cm – handmade tile): one using a traditional artistic tile painting technique with a template that showcases one local botanical species and the other using the actual flowers and leaves from the garden.

  After the experiences, it’s time to enjoy a unique Chef’s Table experience at Six Senses Restaurant. A very personal journey of food and wine. An open cooking station is complete with a wood-fired oven for bread baking and a Josper Grill. Join a small group at a 10 courses meal that is prepared and hosted by the Chef, right before your eyes. Follow the process and complete the experience with selected accompanying wines. This is the greatest gastronomic option at the Six Senses Douro Valley that is celebrating the region.

  Return to the Hotel.

  End of day.

• Day 5 Connect and savor the centuries-old tradition in Douro Valley, the oldest wine region in the world.

  Breakfast at the hotel followed by Check-out.

  The Chauffeur is waiting for you at the lobby of the hotel.

  The visit to Quinta do Bomfim is one of the Highlights of this Tour. Quinta do Bomfim Symington’s Visitor Centre is located in the heart of the world’s oldest demarcated wine region, a place of outstanding beauty. The vineyard (Quinta in Portuguese) is entirely family-owned and managed. The Symington family’s presence here over many generations translates into a profound knowledge of the land as well as a long-term vision. The incomparable heritage of this private family vineyard is tangible, and you will experience it whilst visiting the winery, the vineyards, the old wine cellar and when you taste the wines. The story of the family and of Bomfim is one and the same and is inseparable from the rich legacy of Port and the magnificent region in which it is made. You will have a private guided visit and a wine tasting: Dow’s LBV Dow’s 10-Year-Old Tawny Dow’s 1985 Vintage Port.

  Lunch will be served at Casa dos Ecos Restaurant, awarded with the 2021 “Best of Wine Tourism Restaurant” by Great Wine Capitals. Located on a ridge among the vineyards with a magnificent view of the Douro River at one of the Symington family’s most iconic estates, Quinta do Bomfim. The pop-up at Casa dos Ecos (Echo House) showcases the best of seasonal Douro produce, bringing together two celebrated names from Portuguese gastronomy and wine – renowned fine wine and Port producers, the Symington family, and Michelin-starred chef, Pedro Lemos. Pedro Lemos is using locally-sourced produce for a constantly changing menu over the course of four months – from summer through autumn, including the busy harvest period. The pop-up serves regional Douro dishes using traditional techniques, including wood-fired cooking. The menu is matched with the Symington family’s exceptional portfolio of Douro wines and Ports.

  Return to Porto or Porto International Airport (OPO).

  End of the Tour.