7 Day Dao, Douro Valley & Porto Discovery

Dão Wine Discovery

This morning after breakfast, enjoy some free time to visit the Parador’s gardens. The 18th-century gardens, which recreate the aura of the Romantic period, stand out on account of their originality and the variety of species (some quite rare in Portugal) the Albuquerques brought back from their trips. The French-style garden exhibits luxuriant vegetation and a continuous succession of different coloured flowers throughout the entire year. This garden also displays an extremely rare Indian lotus flower and a monumental magnolia which dates back to 1842. The English Garden presents a vast variety of centennial tree species, such as the monumental sequoias or the Brazil-wood tree.

Later, set out for a day of discovery in the Dão wine region this morning with your private driver-guide.

You will be welcomed this morning to a producer such as Quinta do Soito Wine Estate for a privately guided visit with wine tasting and picnic at the estate. Soito Wines, created in 2013, is one of Dão’s youngest and most promising projects. At Quinta do Soito, with an already long wine tradition, two teachers gave wings to the dream of transforming the family farm into a reference producer, with wines of exceptional quality.

After lunch, enjoy a guided visit to the Village of Santar and its award-winning gardens. Santar is a wonderful aristocratic village situated 25 minutes away from Viseu at the heart of Dão. It stands out for its cultural heritage and the beauty of its landscape marked by large vineyards, surrounded on the horizon by the Serra da Estrela mountain to the south and by the Serra do Caramulo mountain to the north. The heart of Santar is made of granite and noble buildings, but also several fountains and walls, behind which are terraced gardens.

During your tour, stop for a visit with wine and cheese tasting at the wine mansion Casa de Santar. This magnificent manor house was built between the 17th and 18th centuries and is surrounded by lovely gardens and fenced by hedges that lead through a maze of flowers to the imposing wine cellars. The wine cellars are built of granite, with beautiful antique ceramic tiles and an ambience of the past, enclosing the most modern, and advanced wine making equipment. There are written records that establish that grape was first planted here in the early 17th century, giving this impressive property a history of 400 years of wine making. Your will have the opportunity to taste the famous Serra Cheese, a world class raw milk DOP sheep cheese and a top delicacy in Portugal.

As your charming day comes to an end, you will be transferred back to your accommodation.

Dão to the Douro Valley

After checking out this morning, you will be joined by your driver-guide as you depart towards the Douro Valley wine region.

Arriving in the Douro, you’ll head to the town of Lamego to meet with your local guide. Together
you’ll set off for a guided hike along the vineyard paths and backroads of the Douro Valley, while
being dazzled by the gorgeous view of the river below.

Your hike will come to an end at the family manor house and wine estate Casa dos Varais. Here you’ll
be welcomed in for a visit and traditional lunch.

Following your visit, you’ll be picked up and transferred to your Douro Valley accommodation.

After check-in and time to freshen up, you’ll enjoy a guided visit and tasting at the wine estate of your
accommodation.

Douro Valley

The Douro Valley, located in northern Portugal, is one of the oldest and most renowned wine regions in the world, famous for producing some of the best port wine. The valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, characterized by terraced vineyards that slope down towards the meandering Douro River, surrounded by rugged landscapes and historic towns. Along with the wine, the Douro Valley offers stunning scenery, traditional cuisine, and a warm and welcoming local culture.

Douro Valley Exploration

After breakfast this morning, you’ll be rejoined by your private guide as we set out for a charming day in the vineyards and rolling hills of the Douro Valley.

Depart this morning towards the top of the hills and vineyards of the central Douro, where you’ll be treated to a visit and tasting at a Sparkling Wine producer. In the high slopes of the Douro, where the summer breezes already blow too cold for the growing of Port Wine and where the granite soils give a distinctive aroma to table wines another notable creation would confirm the Alto Douro’s reputable vocation. Fruit of the genius alliance between the classical transition of natural sparkling wines (Métode Champenoise) and the oldest demarcated wine region in the world, Douro, the
Sparkling wine Vertice was born.

Next, you will be welcomed at Quinta do Crasto wine estate, considered to be one of the top wine producers in Portugal.

A member of the famous Quinta do Crasto will be pleased to receive you for a visit to the vineyards and wine cellars, followed by a taste of its red Douro wines and Ports (Late Bottle Vintage and Vintage). This ancestral Quinta with 130 hectares is located in the Cima Corgo area of the Demarcated Region of Douro in the right bank of the Douro River. It is planted with 60 hectares of excellent vineyards, some almost eighty years old. This special visit will allow you to discover one of the mythical wine estates of the Douro Valley, considered to be one of the 3 top Portuguese wine producers.

A private lunch will be set outside by their house and vineyards, with an astonishing view of the river and valley. The main dish is the famous country duck rice with Crasto wines.

Continue with a transfer in a classic Bedford farm truck from the estate, down to the river dock. On arrival, embark on a private cruise on the Douro river aboard a typical “Rabelo” boat (50min). One of the most interesting ways to discover the Douro Valley is in an enchanting cruise. The boat is a replica of a traditional Rabelo boat that, for centuries, carried casks of young wine from the Douro Valley downriver to the lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia.

Disembarking from your cruise, you will be have some time to explore the charming village of Pinhão and its historical train station. The Pinhão train station dates back to the early 20th century, a time when the Douro railway was used in good part to transport wines down to Porto, and no longer by river boats. It is craftfully decorated with Portuguese Azulejo tiles, in total 3047 tiles compose 24 panels that illustrate “Scenes of life in the Douro”.

After the visit, your guide will return you to the hotel. (This service is on a private basis.)

Today, you will be picked up at your accommodation in the Douro Valley and transferred to your accommodation in Porto. After checking in, enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure settling in to your new surroundings.

Porto

Capital and gateway to the North of Portugal, Porto is both the city that provided a nation with a name and a fortified wine famous world-wide: Port Wine. With its splendid geographical location on the mouth of the river Douro and an architectural heritage of exceptional quality, the historic centre of Porto is a World Heritage Property declared by UNESCO. Its hard-working inhabitants are noted for their commercial enterprise, always standing firm against outside impositions and foreign invaders, which explains why Porto has become known as the “unvanquished” city. When discovering Porto, you will find a traditional welcoming and conservative environment, but also a contemporary and artistic city. This is shown in the streets, in the architecture, monuments and museums, and in the lively terraces, restaurants and leisure areas.

Day at Leisure

The day is yours to walk around Porto at your own pace. We will be happy to provide some guidance for the day.

Today, you will be picked up at your accommodation in Porto and transferred to your accommodation in Lisbon.