Overview
An eight day, self-guided walking holiday through the sumptuous Douro Wine Region, starting and ending in the famous city of Porto. Get your trip off to a tasty start by visiting one of the port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia. Continue into the heart of the Douro Valley, walking alongside the western slopes around Pinhão, and climb to the hillside villages of São Cristovão do Douro and Provesende on a veritable vineyard voyage. Fine Portuguese food and wines are a feature at all our chosen hotels on this holiday, some of which are on wine estates.
- Porto
- Douro Valley
- Pinhão Valley
- Local wines
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Porto
Private transfer from Porto Airport to your accommodation. Spend the afternoon exploring the historical monuments and the bustling areas of the city, such as Rua das Flores and the riverside Ribeira district. If time allows, cross the river and visit one of the port wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia.
- Accommodation: Neya Porto Hotel or similar in Porto
Day 2: Porto – Pinhão
Travel to the town of Pinhão in the heart of the Douro Valley. Choose between taking the train (approximately 2.5h, payable locally) or spend the day on a river cruise leaving from Porto (you can book this through us, the cruise is available between April and October), which features two locks along the River Duoro, Carrapatelo Dam and the Crestuma-Lever Dam. The boat journey takes around 6h to reach Régua, including lunch on board and a private transfer to your accommodation in Pinhão. If travelling by train, a private transfer will take you from your hotel to Porto train station in the morning (included). Upon arrival in Pinhão, there is also the option to take a shorter boat trip upstream, for a different perspective of the valley (payable locally).
- Accommodation: LBV House Hotel or similar in Pinhão
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 3: Pinhão – Provesende | 10km
Today’s route involves an ascent of the western slopes of the Pinhão Valley, to the hillside villages of São Cristovão do Douro and Provesende. The panoramic views of the surrounding vineyards make your efforts more than worthwhile. End the day of walking with a home-cooked meal at a welcoming historic country house, your accommodation for the evening. Take a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool or unwind in the comfortable guest lounge.
- Walking for the day: 10km, 2-3h, ↑612m ↓127m
- Accommodation: Quinta Manhãs D’ouro or similar in Provesende
- Meals included: breakfast, packed lunch, dinner
Day 4: Provesende circular walk | 12.7km
This circular walk encompasses the highest part of the Douro Wine region, offering views of 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, farms and wine estates. Explore authentic villages filled with examples of traditional architecture and observe small-scale agricultural practices in the neighbouring plots of land.
- Walking for the day: 12.7km, 4-5h, ↑313m ↓317
- Accommodation: Quinta Manhãs D’ouro or similar in Provesende
- Meals included: breakfast, packed lunch, dinner
Day 5: Vilarinho de São Romão – Alijó | 16km
You are transferred to Vilarinho de São Romão, where the walk starts. Take in the views across the valley, as the route leads towards the village of Sabrosa. Descend through vineyard terraces to the river, following the ancient road uphill, across more vineyards and olive groves, before reaching Favaios. It is highly recommended to take a break here to taste the regional specialties of traditional wood oven-baked bread and Muscatel wine. Continue on the route towards the small historic town of Alijó, where your accommodation for the next two nights awaits.
- Walking for the day: 16km, 4-5h, ↑626m ↓569
- Accommodation: Pousada Barão de Forrester or similar in Alijó
- Meals included: breakfast and packed lunch
Day 6: São Mamede da Ribatua circular walk | 15km
Today’s route winds through an ever-changing patchwork of vineyards and meadows, towards the ancient village of São Mamede da Ribatua. Take in spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the glistening lake below. Leave the village and return to Alijó via a different route, or shorten today’s walk by taking a taxi back (payable locally). Alternatively, walk down to the lake and take a taxi from there.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 4-5h, ↑369m ↓369
- Accommodation: Pousada Barão de Forrester or similar in Alijó
- Meals included: breakfast and packed lunch
Day 7: Alijó – Casal de Loivos | 14km
Walk through the Douro Valley, passing vineyards and perhaps stopping at a wine estate or two for a tour and a tasting (payable locally). Reach the ridge at the top of the eastern slopes of the Pinhão Valley. Look back at the opposing terraced slopes and spot the now familiar villages that featured in previous days’ walks. The last stretch of today’s route features magnificent views of the Douro River, before reaching Casal de Loivos. Spend the night in a 17th-century country house and relax in the pool after your day of walking.
- Walking for the day: 14km, 4-5h, ↑223m ↓400
- Accommodation: Casa De Casal De Loivos or similar in Casal de Loivos
- Meals included: breakfast and packed lunch
Day 8: Casal de Loivos – Pinhão/Porto and departure | 6km
Today’s short walk down to Pinhão allows time for a final winery tour and tasting session overlooking the River Douro (payable locally). Have lunch in the village or a picnic in the vineyards before taking the train back to Porto (payable locally), where it is possible to extend your stay by booking additional nights. Alternatively, we recommend booking a river cruise downstream from Régua to Porto (available between April and October), including a private transfer from Pinhão in the morning to catch the boat in Régua and lunch on board.
- Walking for the day: 6km, 1-2h ↑59m ↓391
- Meals included: breakfast
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses, as well as country inns set on wine estates. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- Neya Porto Hotel (Porto)
- LBV House Hotel (Pinhão)
- Quinta Manhãs D’ouro (Provesende)
- Pousada Barão de Forrester (Alijo)
- Casa De Casal De Loivos (Casal de Loivos)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days, as well as five picnic lunches and two dinners. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated moderate, with a daily average walking distance of 12km. The terrain is hilly, but there are no steep ascents and descents. The routes are clearly waymarked, and are generally easy to follow. Most of the walks are on rugged terrain and sure-footedness and a good level of fitness is required to get the most out of this tour. There is little shade, so adequate weather protection is also important (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from the beginning of March until the end of October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date during the season.
The months with the most pleasant weather for walking are April to June and September to October, with September also having the advantage of being the grape harvesting month. During the summer months, temperatures average 26C during the day, so we recommend early starts for your walks. For more information, see our blog on the Best time to go to Portugal.
Getting there
FCO up-to-date travel advice for Portugal
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival and departure airport for this tour is Porto (OPO).
If you are able to travel to Portugal without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with a railway station in Porto. For more details, please see CP or use the Omio planner above
Arrival: airport transfer from Porto Airport to your hotel is included
Departure: luggage transfer from your last accommodation to Pinhão railway station is included. For Porto Airport, take the train from Pinhão to Porto. From Campanhã (Porto) railway station, take the metro line E for the airport. For more details, see CP or use the Omio planner above
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- 5 picnic lunches (days 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
- 2 dinners (days 3 and 4)
- Private transfer from Porto Airport to accommodation on day 1
- Private transfer from accommodation to Porto railway station on day 2
- Private transfer from Provesende to Vilarinho de São Romão on day 5
- Luggage transfers on all walking days, including day 8 to Pinhão railway station (one piece, up to 15kg per person)
- Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions and navigation app (please note, that the information pack for this tour is digital only and will be emailed to you prior to departure. Physical documents are not able to be mailed or provided locally)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and departure airport transfer
- Public transport
- Lunches and dinners not mentioned, drinks and snacks
- Wine tastings
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Local tourist tax and entrance fees (payable locally)
- Personal expenses
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- We regret that this tour is not open to solo travellers
- In-person welcome briefing in Porto
- Private transfer from Porto to Pinhão
- Optional river cruise on day 2 or day 8 (available between April and October)
- Departure airport transfer
- Extra nights in Porto and Pinhão
