Vintage Port

DAY 1

We have flights from Bristol, Gatwick, and Manchester to Porto, from where we transfer to Regua, our home for the next five nights. Dinner in the hotel is included tonight.

DAY 2

In the morning, we catch the regional train east along the river to the railway's terminus at Pocinho. Until the late 1980s, the main line continued to the Spanish border at Barca d'Alva and at Pocinho the Sabor narrow-gauge line branched off. You can still see a steam loco from that line that was abandoned in Pocinho when the line closed. This is a superb scenic journey with stunning views, and we might catch sight of the rare Black Kite which still manages to survive in this remote area of Europe. From Pocinho, we will make a short road trip to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Archaeological Park and Museum near the small town of Vila Nova de Foz Coa. As well as visiting the museum, with its spectacular views over the River Douro, we will also visit one of the prehistoric rock art sites, travelling 6km through the countryside in an all-terrain vehicle with an easy walk for the last 600 metres. Note: due to capacity restraints at the rock art site, a maximum of 24 people will be able to go to the site itself, with places allocated strictly in order of booking onto the full tour. We end this exciting day with a short trip across the river to Quinta da Pacheca, another local port producer, where we will have a fine dinner and the opportunity to taste their wine and port.

DAY 3

This morning, our coach takes us to Casa de Mateus, famous as the palace that appears on the labels of Mateus Rose wine (though Mateus Rose is not actually produced here). The visit includes a guided tour in the house, as well as time to explore the beautiful gardens. We return to Regua by coach with free time for lunch before the afternoon's highlight of the tour, the Douro Historic Train. We join a restored vintage train, formed of five wooden bodied carriages dating from the 1920s. We travel up the river through breath-taking scenery of terrace vineyards and olive trees, to the riverside station at Tua (about a 90-minute run). En-route we stop for water at the picturesque riverside town of Pinhao. Use the time here to see the famous tiled pictures, dating from 1938, that decorate the station. Many of the most famous names in port production have quintas (port lodges) close to the railway station which are decorated with dazzling tile panels depicting scenes from bygone days of port production. On board, we are treated to traditional singing and served local delicacies and port wine. After a break, we return to Regua on the historic train. We end the day with dinner in a popular local restaurant.

DAY 4

We have the first of our two River Douro cruises, but to begin the day we once again catch the regional train with Schindler carriages east along the river all the way to the railway's terminus at Pocinho. At Pocinho we join our river cruiser and sailing down the river we pass through three of the five dams built in the 1970s and 1980s to tame this once wild river. One of the locks we pass through is 32 metres deep and is an unforgettable experience. This is a stunning part of the valley with steep terraced vineyards and dramatic rock cliffs and is probably the most beautiful stretch of the river. A full three course lunch with wine is served on board.

DAY 5

We have a chance to see the Douro from the train as we head back west to Penafiel. First, we visit the pretty riverside town of Amarante, one of the gems of northern Portugal. Rows of 17th-century mansions with their brightly painted balconies line the narrow streets. There will be time to visit the Monastery and other sites after our walk through the town. Meet back at our coach for the short journey to the vineyards at Quinta da Aveleda, one of the region's top Vinho Verde estates with its fine gardens. Before lunch, we have a guided walk through their beautiful gardens. Look out for the Goat Tower and the Old Wine Lodge. Then, we are taken to their dining room where we will be served an excellent three-course lunch with the chance to taste some of their popular wines. From here we transfer by road to Penafiel station to catch our train back to Regua.

DAY 6

This morning, we visit Lamego, an attractive town with Renaissance and baroque mansions overlooked by two hills. On one of the hills are the ruins of a 12th century castle, on the other is the monumental baroque Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios. A marvellous granite staircase decorated with tiles, allegorical fountains, small chapels, and statues leads to a baroque church with views over the town. Our coach will drop us at the top giving us the opportunity to walk down the steps and explore the town. We then travel to the excellent Quinta da Casa Amarela for lunch, including their own wines and port, and an explanation from the owner of the port-making process. The afternoon will be free in Regua, where you can explore the town. Do a sightseeing tour on the road train, visit the Douro Museum or perhaps walk along the pathways and cross the river via the original road bridge (now pedestrian-only) for a different view of the town.

DAY 7

Another of the highlights of the holiday, we sail down the River Douro to Porto. We pass through two dams, firstly the spectacular Carrapatelo Dam. The lock in this dam will take us down 35 metres, one of the deepest locks in Western Europe and an unforgettable experience. Later we pass through the relatively small Crestuma-Lever Dam, as we start to see more settlements and finally the city of Porto. The approach to Porto is spectacular as we pass under a series of bridges, including the iconic Maria Pia railway bridge and the Dom Luis I two-level bridge. Our coach will have collected our luggage in Regua and will be waiting to take us to our airport hotel. A full three course lunch with wine is served on board.

DAY 8

Short walk to the airport for return flights to the UK.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner