This guide is for you if you are staying in Porto and want a day in the Douro wine country. It helps you pick the month, decide between the train and a driver, plan the tastings and lunch you pay for yourself, and judge whether a long day on winding roads suits everyone in your group.
What you are going to see
The Douro was the first wine region in the world to be formally demarcated, by a royal charter of 10 September 1756. That date is still marked every year as Port Wine Day. In December 2001 UNESCO listed the Alto Douro wine region as World Heritage, as a living, working landscape rather than a monument.
The vineyards for port are mostly planted on schist, cut into terraces on slopes that would otherwise be too steep to farm. The heart of it, the Cima Corgo, is centred on Pinhão, where many of the best-known quintas sit. That is why Pinhão is the middle of this day.
When to go
The valley has a continental climate: hot, dry summers and cold winters. The Marão and Montemuro mountains shelter it from the Atlantic winds that reach Porto. In summer, pack for heat even if the city is cool when you leave.
September and early October are the harvest. The terraces are full of pickers, the quintas are at their busiest, and the valley looks its best. Book further ahead for those weeks, because both the tour and the estates fill up.
Outside the harvest the quintas are calmer. If tasting matters more to you than the picking, a quieter month can mean more time with the people pouring.
By train, or with a driver
You can reach the valley on your own by train, on the Douro line. Five or six trains a day run from Porto up the valley to Pinhão and on to Pocinho. There are no reservations, so you buy your ticket at the station on the day. Check for engineering works before you go: there are periods when buses replace the trains on part of the line. The train reaches the river about an hour and a quarter after leaving Porto. Going east, sit on the right: the river is on that side all the way through Pinhão. The station at Pinhão is tiled with azulejos showing the harvest.
The train gives you the river and Pinhão. It does not take you to the quintas, which you would need to book and reach separately, and with five or six trains a day the timetable decides how long you stay. If anyone in your group wants to taste properly, the train has one clear advantage: nobody has to drive.
A private day takes you door to door from your Porto hotel, to the viewpoint at Peso da Régua, to two quintas arranged for you, and to lunch above the river. Your driver does not drink, so everyone else can. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
A good compromise: if you love trains, take the Douro line on a separate day, and keep the private day for the quintas. The two show you different sides of the valley.
How the day fits together
You are collected at 07:00 and back in Porto at about 17:00. There are about three hours of driving in total. The first hour is motorway; the rest follows the river on roads that twist.
The day has two quintas, not four. The first, mid-morning, is a working estate where you see how port is made. The second, in the afternoon, is usually smaller and family-run. In between there is Pinhão and lunch, which your guide books in the morning once you have said what you like.
Because the vehicle is yours, you can shape the day. Want a one-hour rabelo boat trip from Pinhão? Tell us when you book and we time the day around it. Prefer one long tasting to two shorter ones? Say so in the morning.
What to book or bring
- Money or a card for the tastings and lunch. Both are paid at each quinta and are not included. Tastings range widely, so you pay only for what you taste.
- Something for car sickness, if anyone in your group needs it. The valley roads bend constantly.
- Sun protection and water in summer. Summers in the valley are hot and dry.
- A way to carry bottles home. If you plan to buy wine, check what your airline allows in your luggage before you go.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits wine lovers, couples and groups of friends who want the valley without anyone having to drive, and anyone who prefers a slow day to a long list.
- Car sickness. Three hours of driving, much of it on bends, is the main reason to think twice. Sit at the front and tell your driver.
- Children. The tastings are for adults, and much of the day is spent in a car or at a table. For small children, a shorter day might work better.
- Arriving that morning. A 07:00 pick-up after a flight is hard. Take the tour the day after, and let us collect you with an airport transfer.
- Groups over 16. Two vehicles travel together on one booking. Message us with your numbers.
Questions people ask
Do we visit Pinhão station?
Yes. Pinhão is a stop in the middle of the day, and the station with its harvest tiles is part of it. Ask your guide if you want time there.
Can we choose the quintas?
Two quinta visits are arranged for you. If you have a particular estate in mind, tell us when you book and we will see what we can do.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Pick your month, book early for the harvest, and keep the tastings in your budget. The stops, times and what is included are on the Porto and Douro Valley private tour page, where you choose the size of your group and book.
