After talking to a friend in Aljezur who grew up in the Douro, we booked a package to discover this magnificent region. Our mode of transport was a boat with lunch along the river from Peso da Régua to Pinhão, followed by the highly recommended Thomas the Tank Engine-style steam train back to Régua. The whole experience exceeded our expectations.
Shortly after boarding the boat, we entered a lock during the first leg of our two-and-a-half-hour lunch cruise on the river. As our boat was cleverly manoeuvred into the middle of a concrete lock, we started to ascend rather quickly as the water filled up below us. Everyone on the boat seemed in awe of the engineering that made the rapid upward movement possible.
Once we regained our composure from this experience, we spent much of the cruise gorging on a delicious three-course meal and unexpected full bottles of red and white (from the Douro, of course) to ourselves – there were only two of us!
We did manage to grab a glimpse of all the vineyards reflecting on the river as our eye-level sat right on the water. On the boat, there were mostly Portuguese families having a day out with their children, making it feel less like a tourist trap and more of a real local experience.
When we reached Pinhão, we were pleasantly surprised by the whole town. Pinhão is very well maintained and gives off a Riviera-style ambience. If you can afford it, The Vintage House Hotel offers a kind of colonial New Orleans-type feel, right on the waterfront and is within walking distance to wineries and the train station with services back to Porto run by CP-Comboios de Portugal (timetables available on their website).
After exploring a little, we boarded the steam train back to Régua. Meandering along the edge of the river and noisily screeching round bends, some moments felt like we were in a mid-western film; honestly, it was surreal. The inside of our cabin was wooden – you do feel transported back in time for an hour or so. If you can bear the smoke, wind and noise, standing outside between the cabins as the train rocks and rolls over the track is so worth it. Unfortunately, we didn’t have our children with us on this ride, but I would highly recommend this journey for youngsters.
The steam train ends in Régua. If you have a car, head to Lamego where you can see the breath-taking baroque stairway and then to Paraiso Do Douro, a wedding destination hotel with an air of tack mixed with elegance. The grounds are immaculate and set up high in the hills overlooking the valley and river down towards Régua and beyond, showing the Douro from a different angle. The seven bungalows offer breathtaking views over the valley and a drive further up the hill takes you into the middle of a wind turbine farm that goes on for miles and, for us, ended at a picturesque dam.
We drove from the Algarve to the Douro, which allows for a lot of spontaneity. However, in the valley itself, the roads have sharp bends and are narrow, meaning the designated driver misses out on the magnificent views.
On reflection, we would take the train from the Algarve to save on tolls and petrol, not to mention sharing your holiday experience with the sometimes extremely unreliable Google Maps! From Porto, the train into the Douro Valley will give you a spitting distance journey on the river and will allow you to relax and enjoy the scenery together with whoever you choose to travel with.
In Porto, we luckily secured a last-minute deal with Vincci Ponte de Ferro, on the edge of the Ponte Luís I, the iconic metal bridge that crosses the Douro. This 4-star hotel is a must-visit, just for the location and cocktail bar with pool. There is no other place like it in Porto. If you visit their main website, you will find plenty of offers to be had.
It was raining in Porto in early July, and the cobbles were slippery, but the greys contrasted with the vibrancy and optimism of visitors’ bright summer clothes, making the scene around the river magical. The scene made skidding around the streets worthwhile – though seriously be mindful. Wear proper shoes, hold your core muscles in and hope for the best – I nearly fell on my face quite a few times, nothing to do with the port tasting!
On the last day of our week-long adventure, while looking for brunch, we discovered a centre called WOW. There, we experienced an art exhibition by Dali – original works from private collections. For anyone interested in publicity or Art Direction, this is a must-visit and is open until October 2024.
The WOW centre itself contains seven museums, 12 restaurants and bars, shops and even a wine school!
Near the WOW centre is a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-style museum aptly named The Chocolate Story Museum. Here, you can eat award-winning Portuguese chocolate and learn all about the extraordinary story of where chocolate originated.
With the Douro offering scenes similar to the Danube in Austria, the Riviera in Italy and France, and the hilltop stations in Switzerland, I would really encourage you to travel from the Algarve and explore the region. Hotel accommodation is relatively cheap considering the setting, you’ll avoid airport queues and will be supporting local tourism. Travelling north also brings you some much-needed cultural experiences outside the same old surf, retreat and yoga holidays mindset that we are accustomed to here in the Algarve. And, if you’re still hesitating, the wine and port is out of this world.
Photos courtesy of Nirali Shah-Jackson & Robert Anthony Hawcroft
