Exploring the Rural Side of the Douro Wine Region on Foot

Douro Valley

If you’ve ever heard of the Douro Valley in Portugal, you’ll probably know that it is home to a unique wine region that’s famous for producing port wine. What you may not know is that within the Douro wine region, many other things are produced, including apples, cherries, figs, oranges, olives and almonds.

A walking holiday on the southern side of the Douro River is a wonderful way of seeing the variety of produce and a wide range of landscapes up close, with time to savour the sights, sounds, smells and tastes that abound.

The towns and villages south of the Douro receive far fewer tourists than the ones to the north and so they retain their authenticity and simple charms. This is the true rural Douro where families have lived off the land for centuries and small-scale agriculture is prevalent.

As you walk through the villages and surrounding fields, you’ll see ordinary people going about their business and tending their crops or gathering for a chat at a café or on a bench. There’s no rushing about, in fact time seems to have gone backwards in some ways.

So what’s it like to spend a week on a walking holiday in rural Douro? Read on to find out…

Getting to Peso da Régua

 

The first day of the programme involves taking the train from Porto to Peso da Régua in the heart of the Douro Valley. While the views are interesting throughout, they become spectacular once you reach the station of Mosteiró.

Tip: Try to get a window seat on the right hand side of the train for the best views of the Douro River.

Peso da Régua used to be an important hub for transporting wine barrels downstream to the port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia. Now it’s a low-key hub for river cruises and other visitors so there are plenty of great restaurants, wine tasting rooms and some wonderful nearby wineries you can visit if you want to, such as Quinta do Vallado and Quinta da Pacheca.

There’s also an interesting museum where you can learn about the history of wine production in this region. If you need to stretch your legs, you can take a stroll along the riverside path.

Walking from Peso da Régua to Armamar

 

You’ll very quickly forget the hustle and bustle of Peso da Régua once you cross the Douro River and start climbing through vineyards. The views across the Varosa Valley to the sanctuary town of Lamego are the reward for your efforts and they more than compensate.

Then it’s downhill to the village of Valdigem, backed by rugged, wooded slopes. You’re unlikely to encounter any tourists in these off-the-beaten-track villages so why not find a café and hang out with locals? Or book a wine tasting at one of the quintas (wineries) that you will pass by.

You’ll be spending the night in another tiny village not far from Armamar, the apple capital of the Douro! There are plenty of fruit orchards around so depending on the time of year, you might see blossoms, fruit or harvests in progress.

 

Walking from Salzedas to Armamar

 

Start the day’s hike outside the peculiar Cistercian monastery in Salzedas. This is one of the Douro’s 6 official wine-producing villages, although in truth, pretty much all Douro villages produce wine. They don’t all have impressive monuments like this though.

Salzedas Monastery looks odd because the bell towers were never completed but if you have time, it’s worth going inside to see the beautifully austere Cistercian architecture, which predates the facade.

This is a fruit-filled hiking trail, with a range of cherry, apple and olive trees in between small villages. There’s also a pretty patch of mixed woodland with chestnuts and oaks. Among the delights of this particular route are the magnificent views of the nearby mountains, including those of the Alto Douro wine region and the majestic mountains of the Alvão Natural Park in the distance.

Walking from Armamar to the Douro River

 

This is a day of change and transitions, as well as challenges! Starting from the apple village of Armamar, where you get to see the impressive Romanesque church, you’ll walk through gorgeous rural landscapes with quirky touches like stone crosses in the vineyards and onions growing between rows of vines.

The best views of the day begin near the village of Vacalar, from where you start to see the magnitude of the UNESCO World Heritage Landscape surrounding the Douro River, with its endless terraced hillsides.

The downhill track to Quinta do Tedo offers great views of the Douro Valley and the anticipation of the wine tasting experience that awaits you at this riverside winery. You don’t need to worry about walking any further today as you’ll be taking a taxi to the small town of Tabuaço, home to Rijomax, the world’s most complete clock!

 

Walking around Tabuaço

 

If you’ve found some of the hills so far to be challenging, you’ll be pleased to know that the circular walk from Tabuaço involves only a little climbing, at the beginning and end of the route. The rest of the day is spent in a kind of plateau that’s relatively flat, which may come as a relief!

That doesn’t mean you won’t see hills – there are plenty of boulder-covered hills surrounding the town but you don’t have to climb them.

You’ll get to see another of the Douro’s official wine producing villages, namely Barcos. There are some fetching examples of traditional architecture in the centre, especially near the church and pillory.

There are lots of small producers in this area, which creates a fascinating mosaic of patterns throughout the landscape. Notice also the shift from granite rocks to schist and back again.

One of the highlights of the day is the view across the Douro Valley from around the half-way point. That and the opportunity to visit a local winery that’s over 100 years old.

 

Walking from Valença do Douro to Pinhão

 

You’ll be back in the land of vineyards today, starting in the village of Valença do Douro. From here you can see the village of Pinhão below and the hilltop building of the Quinta das Carvalhas estate.

Quinta das Carvalhas is part of Real Companhia Velha, one of the oldest port wine producers in the Douro so it’s only fitting that, after walking through their vineyards, you could stop by their riverside wine lounge for a tasting experience at the end of the day’s walk.

Before that, you’ll walk through small villages and an intriguing patchwork of wine estates to reach the ridge that leads to the Carvalhas estate. It’s quite a climb to get there but the views over the Douro River and Pinhão are incredible and oh, so worth the effort.

 

Walking from Vilarinho de Cotas to Pinhão

 

On your last walking day in the Douro, you’ll be exploring the northern side of the river. As well as experiencing different villages and views, you’ll get to look back across the many slopes that you traversed in the previous days.

The route begins in a small hillside village and is mostly downhill. It passes by the viewpoint in Casal de Loivos made famous by the BBC – they declared it one of the world’s best views so be sure to stop for a photo before you wander through the Croft and Symington estates to return to Pinhão for another night.

Again, you can arrange to taste port wines at these famous wineries or visit one of the smaller producers in and around Pinhão, such as Quinta da Foz. Or take a short boat trip in a traditional wooden boat that was once used to transport wine barrels downstream.

 

Getting back to Porto

Although the hiking element of the walking holiday is over, the fun isn’t! To return to the amazing city of Porto, you get to choose between taking the train or spending the day on a river cruise that passes through two of the impressive dams on the Douro River.

Either way, you will have the opportunity to spend some time in Porto and stay overnight.

Want to experience this amazing Douro walking holiday for yourself? Find out more…