Heading to the Douro Valley
On day seven of our Portugal adventure, Scott and I set off on a day-long tour of the Douro Valley — the heart of Portugal’s wine country. We booked a semi-private tour through a Viator partner, joining six other travelers. Our guide, José (who proudly called himself “Vin Diesel”), picked us up bright and early from our hotel in Porto.
A Terrifying Seat and a Smoky Start
The moment I saw the van, I should’ve known my day was going to be… interesting. Somehow, I ended up in the middle front seat between Scott and José — hands down, the most terrifying seat in Portugal. We left Porto around 7:30 a.m., heading toward the Douro region. The drive started on the freeway, then a highway, and soon we were winding through tunnels and up into the mountains.
As we emerged from one tunnel, the scenery changed dramatically — smoky skies and hillsides dotted with wildfires in the distance. It was beautiful but also eerie. We stopped in a small village, Peso da Regua for a quick break at the local train station café before continuing deeper into the valley.
Cruising the Douro River
Our next stop was the Douro River, where we boarded a traditional river cruise for about an hour and a half. We picked up the boat in a very small marina where the Tavora River intersects with the Douro. The boat was a custom build just for cruising the Douro River.
Gliding between the terraced vineyards was breathtaking — a living postcard of Portugal. We passed by historic port wine estates, some thriving and others long-abandoned since the phylloxera outbreak that devastated vineyards in the 19th century. Seeing those empty estates and some crumbling buildings reminded us just how deep the roots of winemaking go in this valley. It was also interesting to see a Sunseeker Manhattan docked along the Douro river.
Off to Croft Winery
After our river cruise, we made our way to Croft Winery, one of the oldest port producers in the region. The tour was mostly outdoors, and it was a warm day, but the views and the experience made up for it.
We walked through the vineyards, learned about the port-making process, and tasted three exceptional ports while soaking in the panoramic scenery. The winery was beautiful, but it was almost 95 degrees and it was not air conditioned, so the wine tasting session was extremely warm.
Back in the van, it was time for another white-knuckle drive — this time up winding mountain roads to a scenic lookout. The view from the top was absolutely worth it: rolling vineyards, the glittering Douro below, and villages tucked into the hillsides.
After our tasting, we continued to another small family-run winery, Casa Dos Barros for lunch. It was quite the event — about ten tables of ten guests each, all enjoying lunch under the garden’s shade.
Lunch Among the Vines
The meal was delicious, paired with endless pours of white and red wine, followed by yet another port tasting in the cellar. Portugal clearly believes that too much port is never enough!
The Ride Home and Dinner in Porto
By 3:00 p.m., it was time to head back — and yes, another terrifying ride down those twisty mountain roads. José (a.k.a. “Vin Diesel”) kept one hand on the wheel and the other on his phone, which didn’t do much for my nerves. On top of that, our van did not have A/C so it was a pretty miserable ride home. Thankfully, we made it back safely — though, for reasons unknown, they dropped us off ten blocks from our hotel, leaving us to finish the journey on foot.
After a much-needed rest, we got ready for dinner at the oldest restaurant in Porto, Flor Dos Congregados where we had made reservations through The Fork. The restaurant had a cozy, old-world feel, and the food was fantastic — mostly. Our dinner started off with a couvert of bread and three different olives. Scott even tried his first olive and didn’t like it.
I ordered fish, and despite asking if it was bony (they swore it wasn’t), it turned out to be very bony. It looked lovely on the plate, but it could kill you by choking you to death. Scott, however, had a perfect beef dish, and we ended the night laughing about the day’s adventures over a glass of wine.
We wrapped up the evening walking back to our hotel and enjoying the sites of Porto at night.
Coming Up Next…
In our next blog, we’ll spend the entire day in Porto’s Port District, with a visit to the famous Cockburn’s Port House and a few final tastings before wrapping up our unforgettable time in Portugal.
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