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Portugal walking and wine : Porto wine trails and Douro river cruise
    • Portugal - Mainland Portugal
    • 6 days
    • Walking
    • Self-guided
      • From January to December
    • 2 - 10 travellers
      • Simple
      • Comfort
      • Charming
      • Superior
      • Trip code : K1103
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About the Portugal walking and wine : Porto wine trails and Douro river cruise trip

About the walking trip in Portugal

The city of Porto and the Douro valley go hand in hand with the great wines of Porto. Long stone cellars stand proudly along the river and the rabelo boats that were once used to transport the barrels adorn its banks, a symbol of a golden age and prosperity, largely linked to the international wine trade. 

Inland, the Douro valley with its centuries old terraced crops is classified as a World Heritage Site. It is the very first distinctive wine region in the world, from as early as 1756. Its history is carved in the stones of the schist terraces or on the facades of the Quintas, the estates of the Great Wines of Porto.

You visit Porto and the Douro valley on foot, by boat and by train, taking the time to stop and admire, explore, discover and taste... The warm hospitality of Northern Portugal will make your encounters wonderfully authentic and sincere.
A Portugal walking holiday in a region where culture and nature are totally intertwined and tell the same story of an exceptional land. 

Highlights of the trip 

  • Explore Porto, Unesco World Heritage city
  • Guided visit of the wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia and tasting the great wines of Porto 
  • 2 boat cruises along the Douro, with 1 lunch on board included between Pinhao and Porto
  • Walking through the famed vineyards of the Douro Valley
  • The small town of Pinhão, nestled in the river bank



    Go private or go guided ! Customize your holidays with a local specialist here 

From the blog

Portugal walking holiday, Porto and the Douro valley : Day by Day 

Day 1 - Arrival in Porto

walking tours porto portugal

  • Meet and greet and transfer to your accommodation in Porto, the capital of Northern Portugal. 
    Porto has a unique charm and fascinating culture. Some free time to explore this beautiful granite city built on the hills above the river. A dynamic and contempory city with a rich history, Porto is one of the most interesting cities on the Iberian Peninsula. You will enjoy the colourful buildings jostling for space among baroque mansions and crumbling medieval churches, while underneath parts of the town lie the cellars which store the city’s most famous export: port wine. 
  • Night in Porto

  • We recommend :
    Have an extra night in Porto  : 
    . Enjoy a sweet treat in the cake shop 'Confeiteira do Bolhão' in front of the market in Porto. 
    . Climb the 240 steps of the Clerics tower 
    . Visit the famous Lello library or the stock exchange palace (one of the most beautiful buildings in Porto) or enjoy some grilled fish on the port in Leixoes in Matosinhos 

  • Access:
    . From Lisbon, regular trains 
    . From Porto airport - info here

Day 2 - Walking from Porto to the wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia

walking wine tour portugal holiday

  • Loop Walk - Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia
  • 4 hours / 14 km - 8.6 miles / Ascent: + 500m - Descent: - 500m
  • An intimate itinerary, carefully put together to enable to you explore the narrow streets, small squares and belvederes of the Invicta – the nickname given to the city to represent the pride and courage of the people of Northern Portugal. This city trek leads you to the cathedral and the Clerics tower, taking in the baroque style monuments along the way. You then cross the majestic Douro river to discover the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, where ripens the precious nectar of the great wines of Porto. After a guided tour of the many cellars and some tasting, the famous Vintage, LBV and Colheita will hold no secrets with you!
  • Night in Porto
  • MEALS included: Breakfast

  • We recommend :
    . Have a private  guided tour of Porto - Contact us for details

Day 3 - Train to Douro and the wine estates

self guided walking tour in portugal

  • Loop Walk - Quinta Nove > Douro vineyards 
  • 2 hours / 8 km - 4.9 miles / Ascent: +250 - Descent: - 250m
  • A taxi will take you to the train station in São Bento, with its entrance hall covered withfrescoes of azulejos, where you will enjoy a 2h15 journey on the Douro train. This 19th century train line passes through towns and countryside before rejoining the riverbed with its landscapes sculpted by human hands for centuries. You arrive in the charming small town of Pinhão where you will stay for the next 2 nights. An afternoon transfer (20 mins) will take you to the Quinta Nova. Stroll through the wine estate following a marked out didactic itinerary which allows you to admire the characteristics specific to the quintas of the Douro: vines, chapel, orchards, outbuildings, cellars, and terraced crops, before enjoying sampling the Port wines.
  • Night in Pinhão
  • MEALS included: Breakfast 
  • We recommend :
    . Exploring the frescoes of Azulejos that cover the facades of the train stations in São Bento and Pinhão. 
    . Have a look inside the butchers at the exit of the train station in Pinhão and discover the secrets of the local cuisine.
    . Enjoy a port wine on a café terrace along the Douro river. 

Day 4 - Walking from Provensende to Pinhao & cruise to Tua

best walking tours porto douro portugal

  • Walk - Provesende > Pinhão river & Cruise Pinhão > Tua
  • 2 to 3 hours / 6 to 9 km - 3.7 to 5.5 miles / Ascent: + 0 to + 500 - Descent: - 100m to - 600m
  • A 20 minute transfer from your hotel to the typical perched village of Provensende boasting stunning panoramic views. Descent among the high schist terraces covered with vines, olive trees or almond trees to reach the Pinhão river that runs along to reach the village of the same name. You can choose to visit the Quinta de la Rosa estate at the end of your walk (add an extra 3km).
  • In the afternoon, enjoy a cruise from the port of Pinhao to the Tua (about 2 hours, round trip), one of the most famous tributaries of the Douro with magnificent landscapes. Upstream, the rocks, the lights and the atmosphere change. A great & unique discovery along the waters of the Douro !
  • Night in Pinhão
  • MEALS included: Breakfast 

Day 5 - A cruise from Regua to Porto along the river Douro

wine cruise on river douro portugal

  • Boat cruise Regua port > along the river Douro > Porto
  • Please note : the Douro cruise is doable from April 1st to October 31st.  If the cruise is not running or not possible because of bad weather, then the way back to Poryo will be by private transfer ( with supplement ) 
  • Transfer (30 min) to the Regua river port. From there, you cruise downstream for 6 hours, descending the Douro all the way to Porto. Treat yourself to a leisurely day on the water admiring the landscape of terraced vineyards that this region is so famous for,  experience the thrill of passing through two locks, (one 14 metres the other 35 metres deep!) and  enjoy lunch on the boat's panoramic deck.  You head to Porto along the wine route where boats used to transport barrels of wine and arrive in Porto under its impressive bridges.  A taxi awaits you upon arrival at the port in Porto to take you to your hotel in the city centre.
  • Night in Porto
  • MEALS included: Breakfast & Lunch 

  • We recommend :
    In Porto:
    . Visit the Interpretive Centre of the Porto Wine Institute, open Monday to Friday from 11am to 7pm
    . Walk through the gardens of the Cristal Palace
    . Go and see the ocean in Matosinhos ( Il Metro ou taxi - environ 20€)

Day 6 - Bye bye Porto

walking holidays douro in portugal

  •  Transfer from your hotel to the airport (planned 2h30 before your flight departure).
    Depending on your flight time, you can enjoy some free time to stroll through the city. 
  •  End of your trip in Porto
  • MEALS included: Breakfast 

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    Trip details
    Portugal walking and wine : Porto wine trails and Douro river cruise
        • Portugal - Mainland Portugal
        • 2 adults (2x950€)
        • 0 children (0x950€)
      • 6 days
      • Simple
    Total 1900€
    Deposit 600€
    Book now !