Porto and the Douro Valley
Our expert host Teresa Ventura and driver Rui Viegas ensured we really got to experience a wonderful sample of Portugal during our all-too-brief visit. On arrival we were whisked to the Holiday Inn Porto Gaia and then out to dinner at the recently opened DOP Restaurant.
DOP is situated in an original 14th Century building and offers discerning diners a fabulous culinary treat - it's chef, Rui Paula, creates imaginative dishes they are truly amazing! And it was perhaps a little naive of me to think we'd leave the restaurant sober - seven courses, each accompanied by the perfect wine or port!
A damp start soon cleared (unlike my head!) and after breakfast we headed straight to the Calem distillery for some port tasting - what a great way to start the day! Before our tasting we had a tour of the distillery and learnt about the processing methods for the white, rose, tawny and red ports, this obviously improved our appreciation during the tasting session!
After an alcohol infused delicious lunch, this time at D.Tonho on the banks of the Douro we were driven, thankfully, by the sober Rui, around some of the interesting city sights. There are numerous interesting landmarks throughout Porto, such as Clerigos Tower, Porto Cathedral, Majestic cafe and Sao Benito Train Station, my favourite, its main atrium showcasing 20,000 tiles depicting important historical moments and life of Porto. Another must-see is Lello bookshop, if you are a Harry Potter fan you will appreciate how this bookstore inspired former Porto resident J K Rowling! Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take photos inside.
Guimaraes, now a World Heritage site and European Capital of Culture for 2012, is known as the cradle of the nation, its dominating castle being the birthplace of the first Portuguese king, Dom Alfonso Henriques. Away from the castle you will find the Medieval town with its winding narrow streets with their ornately embellished ancient houses and statues. Nearby, set on a hill overlooking the city is the Pousada de Santa Marinha, a former 12th Century Augustin monastery, now a luxury hotel with beautiful gardens and a lake. And it serves the best coffee!
The delightful Quinta da Pacheca was to be our resting place for the final two nights - a beautiful estate, home to the small deluxe hotel set amid the rolling hills of vineyards. A sumptuous dinner was enjoyed at Castas e Pratos nearby and needless to say, several glasses of fine wine and port accompanied our fare - and it's fair to say that by now we'd all agreed "it'd be rude not to"!
Our final day was a visual treat! From its lofty location, Quinta do Seixo affords the most impressive views down the terraced mountainsides to the winding Douro below. It is truly breathtaking and we were blessed with sunshine (and more port tasting!) before heading on to Quinta Nova Nossa Senhora do Carmo for our superb lunch (yes, more wine, rude not to!), site tour and hotel visit. Again, stunning vistas all around the estate and on the long (slightly nerve-wracking!) drive back down along the narrow road into the valley to Pinhao.
Pinhao station is considered one of the most emblematic train stations in Portugal with its 1937 collection of painted tiles and from here it is a short walk to the rather splendid Vintage House Hotel superbly situated on the banks of the Douro. From this beautiful hotel, if you could possibly tear yourself away, it is easy to arrange both boat and rail tours, either of which would provide you with majestic scenery as the railway runs along the banks of the river.
Whether you are looking for gastronomy, award-winning wines (and port!), a river cruise, outstanding natural beauty, city life, culture, escapism or a mixture of any of these, this part of Portugal will delight even the most discerning of travellers. The warmth and humour of the Portuguese people will only add to your own experience and I am delighted to have returned and encountered much more of this beautiful country.
O!Porto! and the Douro Valley - put them on your list of places to visit - satisfaction guaranteed!
Please let me know if you'd like any help planning your own Portuguese panorama.