Portugal: Walking and Wine

Walking information

Grade: 1 (Leisurely) Each day, we walk for 2 to 5 hours (excluding the sightseeing or free afternoons). The terrain and type of path will vary from manmade paved tracks and tarmac to dirt roads. The walks are easy and taken at a leisurely pace, although some short ascents and descents should be expected. Please be aware that the Douro region can also be very warm, often reaching 30 degrees in the summer months between June and September. Walking hours stated in the itinerary are given as approximations only. Timings stated include lunch and photo stops and will vary depending on the pace of the group. Some of the drives, although short, follow winding mountain roads.

Day 1: Start at Hotel Douro Scala in Mesao Frio.

The transfer to Hotel Douro Scala in the Douro Valley takes approx. 1.5 hours. A single group transfer from Porto airport to the hotel will be provided for flight-inclusive clients, and land-only clients may also join this transfer by meeting the group at the airport. Full joining instructions will be provided prior to departure, but the transfer usually leaves Porto airport at 3pm. If you are planning to join this transfer, please contact us prior to departure to request it.

The first trip briefing will take place in the evening, along with a welcome dinner.

Hotel Douro Scala (5*)

Day 2: Walk along the Corgo River; visit Baroque-era Casa de Mateus

This morning we take a private transfer of approx. 40 minutes to the start of today's walk in Povoação, driving along the beautiful roads on the north slope of the Douro Valley and its tributaries. The Corgo walking trail is located in the heart of the Douro wine region and here we will walk along terraced vineyards with unique views of the Corgo River. In the afternoon, we transfer to Vila Real (approx. 20 minutes) to visit Casa de Mateus, a palace set in beautiful gardens that is considered to be one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in Portugal. After the visit we transfer back to the hotel (approx. 50 minutes).

Hotel Douro Scala (5*)

Day 3: Drive to Quinta do Tedo winery for short walk and wine tasting; visit Douro Museum and transfer to hotel in Regua.

We start the day with a short transfer (30 minutes) to Quinta de Tedo, an 18th century winery in the centre of the Douro region. We will have a guided tour of the grounds, following a walking trail that offers beautiful views of the Douro and Tedo Rivers, vineyards and olive groves and offers plenty of opportunities for bird watching. After lunch and an included wine tasting at the winery, we take a 20-minute transfer to the town of Regua, where we visit the Douro Museum to learn about the history, culture and identity of the UNESCO World Heritage Douro wine region. In the afternoon we transfer back to our hotel (approx. 20 minutes).

Hotel Douro Scala (5*)

Day 4: Maronesa walking trail; transfer to Mondim de Basto

After breakfast we transfer to the region of Mondim de Basto (approx. 1 hour). On our way, we’ll pass through the Alvão Natural Park, a protected area of land that offers majestic landscapes. This region, set on the mountain of Alvão, marks the transition from the coastal and humid regions to the dry and hot regions of Trás-os-Montes.

We start our walk in Bobal, one of the four villages we’ll pass through today. We’ll find a countryside that reflects the carefully-maintained balance in which man and nature coexist. For this balance to be preserved, the Maronesa cow is of the utmost importance. A Portuguese native breed from this region, there are still genes from the ancestral Auroque in its genetics. The fields are cultivated for subsistence farming, with seeds passed down from generation to generation.

After lunch we transfer to our hotel (approx. 30 minutes) and there is free time to enjoy the hotel's amenities or explore nearby, before a group dinner.

Água Hotels Mondim de Basto (4*)

Day 5: Walk in the green wine region of Mondim de Basto and taste organically produced 'vinho verde' at Quinta das Escomoeiras

Our walk today takes us to the surroundings of Mondim de Basto in the green wine (vinho verde) region, along the banks of the Cabril River. Here, we are welcomed with uninterrupted views of the forested mountains, side by side with the fertile lands and vineyards of the Terras de Basto region. We finish our walk at the medieval bridge of Vilar Viando, which is still used by pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago.

We will then go to Quinta das Escomoeiras to sample their wines and appreciate the organic vinho verde. In the afternoon on our way back to the hotel, we visit one of northern Portugal's main shrines to the Virgin Mary: the Senhora da Graça, also known as Chapel of Monte Farinha. The chapel is perched in front of a granite mountain range almost 1000m high.

Água Hotels Mondim de Basto (4*)

Day 6: Walk via the Levada de Vilarinho; free afternoon.

This morning, we transfer by minibus (approx. 20 minutes) to the village of Vilarinho to start our walk along the Levada de Vilarinho, a waterway dating back to the 13th century. These rural constructions were indispensable for the irrigation of the fields of the Terras de Basto region due to water scarcity in the past. After 1.5 miles/2.4 km, we leave the rebuilt waterway and meet the old levada as it enters a forest of oaks and pines, with a stream running alongside.

The afternoon is free to enjoy the hotel amenities and surroundings.  

Água Hotels Mondim de Basto (4*)

Day 7: Transfer to Porto; visit the historic city and the famous Port wine cellars for wine tasting; optional boat tour.

In the morning we return to the vibrant city of Porto (approx. 1 hour 15 mins). After a guided visit of the historic centre and Port wine cellars (wine tasting included), the rest of the day is free for further individual sightseeing or optional activities, such as a boat ride along the Douro River.

Neya Hotel (4*) or Vila Galé Porto Ribeira (4*)

Day 8: End Porto.

Our trip ends in Porto in the morning of day 8.