The wine region of Porto and the Douro Valley are a must visit for plonk fans
Douro is “Tuscany before the crowds”, a land forever locked in an annual cycle of wine making, olive picking and almond harvesting, a rural idyll that became electrified only after the 1950s.
Leave Porto, whose historic centre is a Unesco world heritage site, and cross the Serra do Marão mountain range, and the city gives way to steeply terraced vineyards and ancient white-washed and red-roofed quintas.
The agricultural splendour of northern Portugal’s Douro River Valley was a wine lover’s secret bolthole until savvy luxury hoteliers eventually cottoned on. It’s the land where the grapes for all port wine are grown, where harvesting is done by hand and treading by foot. From here you can leisurely visit the multitudinous quintas and wineries to sample some of the best Portuguese wines and ports, which represent exceptional value compared to the grand maisons of France. At this year’s International Wine Challenge tasting, Portugal was third in the world for gold medals after France and Australia, and two-thirds of these were for port.
My base here was The Vintage House, a former manor and wine store on the banks of the river, in the hamlet of Pinhão, just 90 minutes from Porto’s historic cafés and restaurants. The hotel has an iconic location, sandwiched between the river and up-country railway, both once key routes for getting the wine and the workers to and from Porto. My suite was double-facing, to the river one side and to the white-picket fenced station the other, with its vintage Portuguese tiles depicting rural life. Each of the 47 south-facing, river-view rooms and suites has its own garden terrace or balcony, so you can throw the doors wide open and step out to views of the magnificent river and the steeply terraced vineyard on the opposite bank.
I soon situated myself by the pool with a glass of Croft pink port, fortifying myself before a glass of Taylor’s Chip Dry, which serves as a welcome aperitif.
You can tell a hotel takes its booze seriously when the entrance hall encompasses a tasting room; in-house tastings can be booked and the hotel will help you plan excursions to any of the local country estates. The concierge will arrange bike rides (though bear in mind that the roads are steep), plot out self-guided walks and organise glorious trips along the river. The Vintage House even has its own private mooring pontoons directly outside the hotel. FeelDouro offers private charters, or PipaDouro has a two-hour trip for around €25 per person.
People talk about the ease of getting around Portugal by car, and as we glided along pristine tarmac of a brand new road back to Porto, it’s clear why (it shaves 20 minutes from the former journey-time).
Porto is an excellent counterpoint to the wine country of Douro, brimming with culture, history, food and… Well, more wine. The Yeatman is the place to stay for visiting VIPs and, like The Vintage House, stretches along the riverbank to give views over the bridges and the city.
It includes a Michelin-starred restaurant, the Vinothérapie Spa by Caudalie, and an outdoor pool set amid the gardens and terraces.
Wine tastings and dinners featuring Portuguese wine producers speak to the passion of Porto for its produce. Port is the lubrication that helps you appreciate why this region is so special.
The Yeatman doubles from €415. Visit the-yeatman-hotel.com
The Vintage House doubles from €150, vintagehousehotel.com
Packages to both hotels on request.
TAP Portugal flies from Gatwick to Porto 12 times a week. Return fares start from £121. Visit flytap.com or call 0345 601 0932