Flavours of The Camino and Costa Verde
8 days | from €850
Get an unique insight into the history, gastronomy and landscapes of this little-known but richly rewarding corner of Portugal and walk some of the Portuguese Camino de Santiago.
1- Week self-guided Walking Holiday in Douro Valley through astonishingly beautiful World Heritage landscape and picturesque traditional villages.
Make your way from Porto into the very heart of the Douro region before exploring the picturesque slopes and valleys of this World Heritage landscape on foot.
Follow unpaved roads and footpaths as you walk from village to village, pausing for picnic lunches and visits to local wine estates where you can sample not only award-winning table wines but also port and moscatel wines.
Museums such as the Bread and Wine Museum in Favaios will give you a greater appreciation of local traditions and wine-production. You’ll also witness some of the year-round activities involved in tending the vines and terraces.
Relax after each day’s walk in Douro Valley at carefully selected country houses and hotels where you will receive a warm welcome, comfortable accommodation and delicious meals.
End your self-guided walking holidays in Douro Valley back in the fascinating historical city of Porto where you can visit the port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia as well as the exploring Porto’s many sights and views. You can choose to return by train or by river cruise.
Itinerary – Day by day
Day 1: Arrival in Porto
Your private transfer will be waiting for you at Porto airport to take you to your city centre hotel.
When you check into your Porto hotel, you will receive your Welcome Kit, which contains all the information you need to fully enjoy this self-guided walking holiday in the Douro wine region.
If you have free time in Porto, you may wish to explore the city’s historical monuments and revitalised areas such as Rua das Flores and the riverside Ribeira district. If you have time, cross the river and visit at least one of the port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia to see and smell where the barrels of aging wine are stored.
Accommodation: 4-star hotel
Day 2: Travel to Douro Valley
Today, you travel to the heart of the Douro Valley. You can choose between taking the train (approximately 2.5 hours) or spending most of the day on a river cruise all the way from Porto.
If you are travelling by train, we’ll pick you up at your hotel and take you to the station. Enjoy the river views all the way to the small riverside village of Pinhão, where the train station is decorated with painted tile panels depicting Douro wine production. Once there, you can take a boat upstream (optional, paid locally) for a different perspective of the valley.
Should you decide to travel by boat, in addition to the views, you’ll have the experience of going through two locks, a feat of engineering that has transformed the Douro River and enabled boats to travel safely between Porto and the wine region.
Accommodation: 3-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Walk from Pinhão to Provesende
Distance: 10.0 km (6.2 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +612m / -127m
Explore the western slopes of the Pinhão Valley today as you climb to the hillside villages of São Cristovão do Douro and Provesende. The views of surrounding vineyards more than compensate for your efforts. End this journey with a warm welcome and home-cooked meal at a charming country hotel. If weather permits, take a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool or simply relax in the comfortable guest lounge.
Accommodation: Country hotel
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 4: Provesende circular walk
Distance: 12.7 km (7.9 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +313m / -317m
This circular route encompasses the highest part of the Douro Wine region, offering plenty of opportunities for stunning views in between swathes of pine forest. The vistas vary from the small villages and towns scattered around the surrounding hills, such as Sabrosa, Provesende and Vilarinho de São Romão, to the terraced slopes of the Pinhão and Douro valleys and the farms and wine estates. You’ll have the opportunity to explore authentic villages filled with examples of traditional architecture and observe small-scale agricultural practices in the neighbouring plots of land.
Accommodation: Country hotel
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 5: Walk from Vilarinho de São Romão to Alijó
Distance: 16.4 km (10.2 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +626m / -569m
Shorter option: 9 km (5.6 miles)
Enjoy views across the valley on your way towards the pretty village of Sabrosa. Follow an ancient road between here and Favaios as you head down through the vineyard terraces to the river. Wend your way uphill again between grape vines and olive groves towards a distinctly different landscape.
Taste traditional wood oven-baked bread and Moscatel wine in Favaios, then continue to the small, historical town of Alijó. Settle into your comfortable accommodation for the next two nights. Explore the town or relax by the pool before having dinner at the onsite restaurant or in a nearby restaurant.
Accommodation: 4-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6: Alijó circular walk
Distance: 15.0 km (9.3 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +369m / -369m
Shorter option: Linear walk | 8 km (4.9 miles)
Today’s walk is a circular route from Alijó that undulates through an ever-changing patchwork of vineyards and fields towards the ancient village of São Mamede da Ribatua with spectacular views of the surrounding rock-strewn mountains and the glittering lake below. Leave the village via a different route to return to Alijó or take a taxi back for a more relaxing afternoon.
Accommodation: 4-star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Walk from Alijó to Casal de Loivos
Distance: 13.9 km (8.6 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +223m / -400m
Spend the day walking in Douro Valley through vineyards, perhaps calling in at a wine estate or two for a tour and tasting session before reaching the ridge at the top of the eastern slopes of the Pinhão Valley. Look back at the terraced slopes opposite to identify the villages you walked to earlier in the week. You’ll have magnificent views of the Douro River before reaching the last village of the day.
Spend the night in a 17th century country house with amazing views and a pool.
Accommodation: Country hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Walk from Casal de Loivos to Pinhão
Distance: 6.1 km (3.7 miles)
Elevation (gain/loss): +59m / -391m
Today’s short but glorious walk down to Pinhão leaves you with time for a final winery tour and tasting session (optional, paid locally) overlooking the River Douro. You could have lunch in the village or a picnic in the vineyards before taking the train back to Porto for your onward journey.
If you would like to add extra nights in Porto to explore the city more in-depth, just let us know.
Meals: Breakfast
Note:
- All the shorter options require a transfer that must be paid on-site.
Like what you see but it’s not quite a perfect fit?
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- Simply get in touch to tell us what you’re looking for. We’re happy to tailor the trip and create your ideal holiday.
Map
Heart and Soul of Douro Wine region
General Conditions
Prices (per person)
Base: per person, sharing a double/twin room. Single room supplement applies for solo occupancy. Local tourist taxes, if any, are payable on site.
- 1st March to 30th April | 16th October to 31st October
- In double room occupancy: €1,230 euros
- Single room supplement: €560 euros
- 1st May to 15th October
- In double room occupancy: €1,350 euros
- Single room supplement: €580 euros
What’s included
- 7 Nights’ hand-picked accommodation with breakfast
- 2 Dinners (without drinks) – days 2 and 3;
- Welcome Kit and pre-departure information;
- Pre-tour briefing;
- Detailed route notes (in English/German);
- App with trail information for use on a smartphone
- Transfer Porto airport → Porto hotel (day 1);
- Transfer Porto hotel → Porto train station (day 2);
- Luggage transfer between accommodations from days 3 to 7 and to Pinhão train station on day 8;
- 24-hour emergency contact number (English-speaking).
What’s not included
- Train transfer (round trip) between Porto train station and Pinhão train station; Transfer from Porto to the airport; Lunches and remaining dinners; Insurance; Tourist taxes; Gratuities; Personal expenses; Anything not mentioned in the “Included” section above.
Optional extra services
- River cruise
- Porto → Peso da Régua, with lunch included: €140 per person.
- Peso da Régua → Porto, with lunch included: €140 per person.
- Extra nights in
- Pinhão (3-star hotel): On request.
- Porto (4-star hotel): On request.
- Transfers
- Porto → Pinhão: €270 for up to 3 people; €370 for 4 to 7 people.
- Experiences
- Visit a winery and wine tasting in Pinhão: €40 per person.
PRATICAL INFORMATION
- Region: Douro Valley
- Duration: 7 nights | 6 walking days
- Tour type: Self-guided
- Nº of people: From 2
Season
- 1 March–31 October
Difficulty & distances
- Grade: Moderate
- Total distance: 73.9 km | 45.9 miles
Highlights
- UNESCO Porto, Douro wine region, wine estates, wine-producing villages, scenic train ride, vineyard hikes, boutique hotels, country houses, local produce, breathtaking views, wine tasting, port wine, moscatel wine, artisanal bread, wine-producing villages, local customs and culture, varied landscapes.
What you need to bring
- Most of this walking holiday is off-road on rugged terrain, so you will need proper walking shoes with cushioning and support.
- There is little shade, so adequate weather protection is also vital.
- We recommend you use walking poles.
OPTIONAL RIVER CRUISE
(Additional costs involved. See the General Conditions)
Day 2: Option 2 – Travel to Douro Valley by river cruise
Instead of traveling by train you can opt to spend the day on the water and take a river cruise upstream to Régua. This will involve the fascinating machinations of the Carrapatelo Dam (35 metres) and the Crestuma-Lever Dam (14 metres). The boat journey takes around 6 hours to reach Régua, with lunch on board, followed by a private transfer to your accommodation in Pinhão.
Day 8: Option 2 – Return to Porto by river cruise
Instead of walking from Casal de Loivos, you can take a river cruise downstream from Régua to Porto, as above, with a private transfer from “Casal de Loivos” in the morning to catch the boat in Régua and lunch on board.
Options for extending the standard Douro hiking programme by a day or more
Option 1: Instead of returning to Porto by train after walking to Pinhão on day 8, you could spend an extra night in Pinhão and take the train the following day.
Option 2: Alternatively, you could spend an extra night in Pinhão and take the river cruise the following day.
Let us know if you would like us to add one or more nights in a Pinhão or Porto hotel.
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?
At Portugal Green Walks, we firmly believe that travel should be a safe and rewarding experience for all concerned, including the destinations that you visit and the people you meet.
Please find out how we embrace sustainable and responsible travel.
Environment
Throughout this week-long walking holiday, clients will get up close and personal with a fascinating wine region, which UNESCO has classified as a World Heritage Landscape due to the combination of man-made terraces and the still mostly manual methods of wine production that this terrain demands.
The adventure begins with a scenic train journey through the Douro Valley from Porto to Pinhão. The journey includes views of the treacherous river that was once the main route for transporting goods, especially barrels of wine, from the vineyards to the port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia.
From the riverside village of Pinhão, our village-to-village and circular self-guided hikes follow rural backroads and paths through undulating countryside, vineyards, valleys, and villages. These hikes offer visitors a chance to enjoy the local flora and fauna with negligible environmental impact, especially since they receive a full briefing from us on how to respect the local wildlife and landscape.
We use some accommodations for multiple nights in order to reduce the need for luggage transfers. When these are necessary, we use local taxi drivers to reduce carbon emissions and support the local economy.
Since tap water quality is excellent in Portugal, we recommend that our clients bring a refillable bottle for their walking holiday.
We provide an app for clients to use during their tours with us to reduce the need for printing information. It is a simple and straightforward navigation tool that will give them all the directional information they need and peace of mind that they are on the right track. It also contains information about points of interest along the route and the location of useful services such as cafés and grocery stores.
Community
To ensure that tourism benefits the small local communities you visit, you will stay in a selection of charming small hotels and family-run rural lodgings. These welcoming accommodations offer an authentic insight into the region’s history, traditions and way of life, and the owners are always happy to share their local knowledge. Many also produce their own wine, olive oil and seasonal fruit, serving delicious home-made jams that can often be purchased as local souvenirs.
Although lunches are not included, we recommend purchasing fresh local produce from village grocery shops or bakeries in advance of the following day’s walk. Alternatively, your accommodation may be able to prepare a packed lunch on request (subject to availability and an additional charge). In the evenings, we encourage you to dine in welcoming local restaurants, where you can savour traditional regional cuisine, meet local hosts and, of course, enjoy the renowned Douro wines and Port.
Most walking days pass through small hillside villages, where you are encouraged to pause for a coffee, browse local shops or simply experience everyday life in the Douro Valley while supporting the local economy.
This is especially true in the village of Favaios, renowned for its traditional wood-fired bread. We highly recommend visiting one of the local bakeries to watch this centuries-old baking tradition and enjoy freshly baked bread straight from the oven. Many visitors also take the opportunity to sample the village’s famous Moscatel de Favaios, one of Portugal’s best-known fortified wines. The excellent Bread and Wine Museum provides a fascinating introduction to the history and traditions behind both of these local specialities.
The trail follows the heart of the world-famous Douro wine region, offering countless opportunities to visit family-owned wine estates and internationally renowned quintas alike. Here you can discover generations of winemaking tradition, meet local producers and sample wines at their source while learning about the unique history of each estate.
If your holiday coincides with the grape harvest, usually held in September, you will experience one of the Douro’s most vibrant times of year. The vineyards come alive with the excitement of the harvest, and, with a little luck, you may even have the chance to witness — or take part in — traditional grape treading or local harvest celebrations.
DIGITAL DETAILED ITINERARY
Click on the button below to download the itinerary with day-by-day details, highlights, prices and the respective general conditions.
