Douro Valley Travel Guide - Best Hotels, Port Wine Houses & Things to Do

Today I want to share my Douro Valley travel guide with you. Located near Porto, this part of Portugal centers around the Douro River and is famous for its vineyards and wine.

Douro Valley Travel

After a great stay in Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, my press trip group hopped into a van for the hour-and-a-half drive east to the Douro Valley.

I couldn’t wait to get to Portugal’s most famous wine and port producing region.

When we arrived, I was amazed by the beauty of the landscapes. The Douro River was flanked on both sides by steep slopes covered in terraces with vineyards.

The vines were heavy with the grapes that would be made into the region’s famous wines.

Wine Tasting in the Douro Valley

The first stop on our Douro Valley travel itinerary was Quinta do Panascal. It was owned by Fonseca, one of the largest port wine houses in Portugal.

There we did a tasting of several wines and ports. We started with a rose port from their Croft label, Fonseca Terra Prima, which was their first organic port wine. Then we tried Taylor’s LBV 2007, one of their best-sellers.

After the wine tasting in the Douro Valley we enjoyed some sirocco almonds and cod and shrimp fritters.

Then we sat down for an amazing lunch under a wisteria pergola. The regional specialty was kid, and it was delicious as we dined in the afternoon sun.

After lunch we went on a tour of the vineyards at Quinta do Panascal. The winery opens daily for visitors, and offers an audioguide tour through the vines as well as a tasting of three ports for less than 10 euros.

As with Porto, the Douro Valley impressed me with is great value for money.

I was also impressed by how much infrastructure the region had for visitors. There were hotels, restaurants, tasting rooms, and everything else necessary to visit the area and learn about its wines and ports.

Douro River Cruise

After the tour our Douro Valley travel itinerary continued as we hopped on a water taxi and sped down the river in the afternoon sun.

It was a great way to get down the Douro River, and before we knew it, we were met on the banks by a driver from our hotel.

Douro Valley Hotels

He took us up the steep hill to our accommodation at Quinta Nova Winery House. The luxurious Relais & Chateaux hotel had stunning views over the valley and comfortable guest rooms with large bathrooms.

The lounge and library were filled with sumptuous furniture, and outside there were plenty of tables and chairs around the swimming pool.

Our time at Quinta Nova Winery House was spent in diverse ways. There was a sunset walk through the vineyards, a dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, a guided cellar tour, and a tasting of a range of the winery’s still wines.

Douro Valley Port Tasting

The next day we waved good-bye to Quinta Nova and drove to Quinta do Seixo, the home of Sandeman port. I wasn’t sure how impressed I would be with such a big-name winery, but I was pleasantly surprised.

The winery stayed true to Sandeman’s brand, with an air of mystery in the steely gray cellars and a sleek, modern tasting room with some of the most beautiful views of vineyards I’ve ever seen.

We tasted a range of Ports at Sandeman, including a white port, a 20-year-old tawny port, an LBV, and the popular Sandeman Founders Reserve Port.

We also tried a cocktail called a port tonic, which was made with two parts tonic water, one part white port, a slice of lemon peel, and a mint leaf. It was incredibly refreshing, and perfect for the hot summer weather.

DOC Restaurant in the Douro Valley

Leaving Quinta do Seixo, our Douro Valley travel itinerary took us back down the hill to the river for lunch at a restaurant called DOC. It was one of the best restaurants in the Douro Valley for good reason.

Our tasting menu wowed us with course after course of excellent food. The highlight for me was the classic Portuguese salt cod with Mozambican prawns, crayfish-and-broccoli cream, and gnocchi.

Douro Valley Train Ride

After lunch our Douro Valley travel itinerary took us to the city of Regua for a special treat: a train ride along the river to Pinao.

The 30-minute trip was one of the most beautiful train journeys I’ve ever experienced. The tracks sat right along the Douro River and offered breathtaking views of the vineyards in the hills above us.

If I sound like a broken record in this post, it’s because I can’t stop thinking about the stunning surroundings.

Quinta do Vallado Wine Hotel

When we arrived at Pinao, we traveled back through Regua by van and made our way to the next hotel on our Douro Valley travel itinerary: Quinta do Vallado Wine Hotel.

The building was modern and the rooms were spacious and decorated in great style. Outside there were gardens and a pool with views over the valley.

Our time at Quinta do Vallado was filled with fun activities, including a vineyard tour in the back of a 4×4, a cellar tour and tasting, and a great dinner of local Portuguese stew with delicious meat.

Six Senses Douro Valley

The next morning we were up early to tour a famous hotel and spa in the area called the Six Senses Douro Valley.

The hotel was housed in what looked like a castle, and the interior and grounds were certainly fit for someone who lived in one.

The huge swimming pool, manicured gardens, and tennis courts were beautiful to behold, and the breakfast buffet alone was enough to make me want to stay all day.

But I couldn’t. After our quick visit to the Six Senses Douro Valley, our Douro Valley travel itinerary came to an end.