Favorite Experiences in Portugal’s Douro Valley: Viking Cruises

To travel through northern Portugal’s Douro Valley is to immerse yourself in a landscape that has been carved by nature and man for centuries. Steep, rocky terrain is covered in terraced vineyards and orchards, such as cherry and almond trees, as far as the eye can see.

In recent years, the  Douro River Valley has emerged as one of the most desirable destinations in Portugal, in part due to its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Beginning in north-central Spain, the Douro River’s journey takes it through Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean.   

 

 

Wine production  and wine tastings are the top attractions in the Douro region, especially port wine. Though wine has been produced in the Douro Valley for 2000 years, it wasn’t until 1756 that the industry became organized and internationally known. 

 The further north you go, you leave the cities behind and discover small towns where people still live much as they have for centuries. The landscape becomes more dramatic and the distance between Quintas ( wine estates) grows farther apart. 

In May I experienced the Douro Valley with Viking Cruises on Portugal’s Douro River of Gold trip. 

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Viking Cruises Portugal’s River of Gold  

The cruise is a combination of travel by land and on the river. You arrive in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city and have a couple of days to take tours and explore Lisbon before boarding a bus to Porto, where you embark on the cruise ship. There is one stop along the way to Porto, Coimbra. 

 If you’d like to learn about another popular Viking cruise check out  Danube Rivers itinerary, read this article.

Of course, this itinerary includes many optional shore excursions, but I couldn’t do them all. In this article,  I’ll share some of my favorite places and best experiences on Portugal’s River of Gold. 

 

 Douro Valley and port wine

The Douro River Valley is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world. The heart of this region is Peso da Régua, the largest riverside town in the Douro Valley. In the 18th century, it was a major hub for the area, eventually connecting the railway, road, and river. 

From Régua, traditional wooden cargo ships called rabelos were loaded with barrels of port wine and set out on the rough waters of the Douro to Vila Nova de Gaia; the port was unloaded and left to mature before being exported on larger ships to Britain. 

In 1988, Régua was recognized as the International City of Vineyards and Wine by the International Organization of Vine and Wine, based in Paris. If you’re a true port wine lover, visit the Douro Museum while in Régua.

In a nutshell, port is a fortified wine created when 16th-century British merchants added brandy to the local wine to preserve it during the travel to Britain. Port wine comes in many styles, from dry to sweet, ruby to tawny. Note that the only grapes used to produce authentic port are grown in the Douro Valley. 

 

 

Favorite Experiences on Viking’s Portugal River of Gold Cruise

Flavors of Lisbon Tour

I enjoyed this tasty food tour of Lisbon’s Campo de Ourique neighborhood as much for the interesting neighborhood as the food. This is not a tour through a food market, nor is it in a neighborhood frequented by tourists. It’s a chance to get a glimpse of local life in a neighborhood with many older buildings, pretty tiles,  lots of trees, and a lovely shady park. By the time the tour was finished, I could imagine myself living there. 

If you’ve never tried Portuguese food, or even if you have, this tour is a nice introduction to some typical fare. It’s fun and educational, and each place is a unique, family-owned restaurant. There are no franchises. We also stopped at the revamped Campo de Ourique Market, a treasure trove of interesting local foods, spices, and gifts.

 

 

Portuguese food is known for its simple yet flavorful approach, using local ingredients, such as cod, cheese, and smoked sausage. We made four or five stops, and in addition to local foods like ham, cheese, and cod cakes, we tried some Portuguese wines, beer, and a special liquor called Ginga. Ginga is a sweet liquor made from sour cherries. It is around 20% alcohol, so don’t let the sweet taste fool you.

The tour is capped by a stop in an atmospheric old cafe for a delicious, sweet treat, Portugal’s famed pastel de nata—an egg custard pastry accompanied by coffee. 

 

 

Food tours are the best way to see a neighborhood and get the overall flavor, pun intended.  As we walked, our guide gave us insights into the residents of the neighborhood, and insider tips, like how much it would cost to rent an apartment.  This tour was an optional excursion offered by Viking.

Coimbra

Music is one of the best ways to share culture. Even if you don’t know the language, music conveys the emotions so that you can understand the story being sung. What I remember most about Coimbra is the Fado music. Fado is sometimes called the music of the Portuguese soul. 

You may have heard about Fado in Lisbon… it is not the same as the Fado of Coimbra. In Lisbon, women sing Fado. In Coimbra, it is sung only by men, usually students of Coimbra’s famous university. The style in Coimbra is taken from the medieval troubadours.

Learn more about FADO, check out Quarteto Coimbra on IG. Or my You Tube channel. 

 

 

Coimbra is one of the oldest cities in Portugal and was the birthplace of six Portuguese kings. In 1139, King Alfonso Henriques made Coimbra the capital city. The small historic center is colorful with cobbled narrow streets, many alleyways and steps, and side streets to explore. Everyone I spoke to on the ship said they wished we’d had more time in Coimbra. There are some interesting shops there, too. 

 

 

Coimbra is probably best known for its university. It is believed to be the oldest in Portugal and has been hosting students from around the world for 700 years.  A tour of the university includes the Baroque Library, which contains over 300,000 books. 

Fun fact: The university keeps a colony of bats to eat the book lice that attack the books. It is one of two libraries in the world with a bat colony. But don’t worry, you won’t see any bats!

 

 

Mateus Palace and Gardens

You may recognize the Mateus Palace from the hallmark label on the bottles of Mateus rosé wine. But the wine is not made here. This is a very interesting story, but I’ll leave it for you to discover when you visit on your own!

The Mateus Palace is now a private residence but was formerly the home of the last count of Vila Real. The entrance to this stunning Baroque palace was designed by an Italian architect who wanted to create a dramatic and memorable entrance…he did. 

I enjoyed the tour of the palace and gardens much more than I expected. With such a grand entrance, you’re set up to expect something pretty fantastic inside, and the palace interiors do not disappoint. A tour of Casa de Mateus reveals the incredible architecture and priceless art objects that today would be impossible to produce either due to costs or lack of rare materials.

Details about the furniture and artifacts collected by the family are fascinating, but a walk through the gorgeous gardens and the cedar tree tunnel is equally captivating. There’s even a small vineyard. A tour of the house is with a guide only, but you can wander through the gardens on your own. 

 

 

Quinta do Seixo

Quinta do Seixo is the home of Sandeman. Once you reach the winery, you’ll recognize the image of Zoro wearing a black cape and flat-topped black hat called a sombrero cordobés. It’s the branding for Sandeman, an iconic image in port wine country.

The scenic ride to Quinta do Seixo is one that you’ll not soon forget. It includes some hairpin turns and edge-of-the-road views that are hair-raising, but it’s worth it for the spectacular views of the terraced vineyards and Douro River. 

The tour takes you through the winery, explaining the process of making port wine, the grapes used, fermentation, and storage. It’s a very basic tour, but it’s good if you don’t know much about the winemaking process. The tour ends in the tasting room and shop. The wine tasting includes a red and white port wine and an opportunity to purchase wine to go.  

 

Castelo Rodrigo

Castelo Rodrigo is one of Portugal’s twelve historic parishes. Sometimes referred to as the original global village, it was a city that provided refuge for Jews, Arabs, and Christians. There is evidence that they all lived here peacefully for over one hundred years. I found this especially interesting in light of current events. 

The parish, located 2,200 feet above sea level, was under constant siege by the Spanish from the 11th to the 14th centuries. The ruins of a castle and the old church are evidence of the town’s bloody past. During the Spanish Inquisition, many Jews fled Spain for Castelo Rodrigo.

The little chapel is especially beautiful, and there are fantastic views over the countryside from the castle. Castelo Rodrigo makes a lovely day trip. There’s time to wander the narrow medieval streets and poke around the few shops that sell local goods made from cork.

This tour is a good way to see a lot of the countryside and learn some history. There’s also a stop on the way back for a scenic overlook of the beautiful landscape, and photo ops.

Salamanca, Spain

Founded before the rise of the Roman Empire, Salamanca is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is known as the Golden City due to the color of the light reflected off the stunning sandstone facades. 

Salamanca is a city, like many in Europe, anchored by an important plaza. In Salamanca, the Plaza Mayor is a meeting place for all occasions. Just as Piazza San Marco in Venice, it has become one of the living museums of Europe. Just being outside, people-watching, and sitting at a table with a ringside seat is a unique experience to savor. 

 

 

Aside from enjoying the spectacle in Plaza Mayor, my favorite experience in Salamanca was a visit to Casa Lis Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum. A former residence, it is an enchanting museum that houses an extensive collection of art nouveau art, stained glass, sculpture, paintings, pottery, and textiles. There’s a gift shop and cafe on site, as well. 

The other thing you must do in Salamanca is find a seat at a tapas bar and enjoy the delicious Iberian ham Spain is known for, along with a glass of the local wines, perhaps tempranillo from Ribera del Duero or white wine from Rueda.

Fun fact: The port for this full day excursion is Barca d’Alva, the last Portuguese town on the Douro River.

 

Quinta da Avessada & Favaois

During an excursion to visit the UNESCO-designated town of Favaios, you’ll visit the Favaois Co-op and taste the famous Moscatel de Favaois. 

Favaois, population 1,500, is also known for its bakery that still makes bread as it has been for centuries. During your visit, you’ll meet the sixth generation to carry on this tradition and you’ll get to taste the bread, fresh from the oven. They even give you butter and jam for it.

Part of the tour of Favaois is a visit to the Bread and Wine Museum,  which features both audiovisual and multimedia exhibits. Be sure to experience the exhibit which guides you through the aromatics of muscatel. 

Then, it’s on to the historic vineyards of Quinta da Avessada for a traditional Portuguese meal and more wine tasting. Take some time to enjoy the view over the vineyards and a sip of the sweet Moscatel wine. Made with Galego Muscat grapes and aged for eighteen months, muscat is a typical aperitif that can be drunk either before or after a meal. This was a really interesting excursion, and I wish we’d had a bit more free time in Favaois. 

 

Porto

Porto is one of the oldest cities in Europe…and currently one of the most popular. Located on the banks of the Douro River, Porto has been a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 and a European Capital of Culture in 2001.

The second largest city in Portugal, it is known as the City of Bridges. Six bridges cross the Douro River; two were designed by the same Eiffel as the famous tower in Paris. The most known is the Luis I Bridge, named for the Portuguese king at the time of the construction.

Like Lisbon, Porto has a rich history and many architectural treasures. A walk along the narrow cobblestone streets and the riverfront provides many opportunities to admire this romantic city.

 Distinctive azulejos (decorative tiles) are a key architectural and cultural feature. The perfect place to study these tiles is the Sáo Bento train station in Porto. If you get the feeling you’ve seen this railway station before, well, maybe you have. A one-way ticket to Hogwarts, anyone?

 

 

Excursions in Porto

As with each port, Viking offers multiple options for excursion. In Porto, Viking excursions included Porto on Foot,  Porto City Hike, and a tour of a traditional fish cannery. That last one may give you pause, but one of Portugal’s biggest industries is fish canning.

 I did the City Hike Tour, which included a ride in the funicular. The Porto on Foot tour does not include this. The panoramic views are worth it and honestly, how often do you get to travel by funicular? 

 

 

Viking offers an excursion with Graham’s Port wine to taste and learn more about Douro wines. I did not do this but I did try the wines on the ship and they are good! Many people who did take this excursion said they enjoyed it.

The ship docks on the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the Douro River, where all the big port houses store the wine before bottling and shipping. You can easily walk to many places for a tasting on your own if you prefer something less formal. I recommend Kopke, the oldest port wine producer in the Douro Valley.  I had a chance to meet one of the winemakers and experience a guided tasting of several vintages. They were all excellent. I’ll write more about that in a future article. 

Fun fact: Porto is the namesake of Portugal, not the other way around.

 

Ready to take a Douro River cruise?

The best time to take a Douro River Cruise is as soon as possible.  The scenery is spectacular offering unlimited breathtaking views. Due to the increasing number of cruise ships on the river in recent years, things are changing fast in the Douro Valley. And while all that tourism provides funds to keep some of these small historic places alive, it also irreversibly changes them. If you’re considering Viking Cruises Portugal’s River of Gold cruise, I suggest you go now. Go solo, go with someone else, just go.

Leave a comment if you’d like more information about any aspect of this trip.

All photos are copyright Penny Sadler unless otherwise noted. Viking Cruises sponsored my trip. All opinions and words are my own.