Enter Portugal

The Douro flows from its source in the Soria Province of Spain, through 897km of the Iberian peninsula to reach the Atlantic at Porto. If you wish to take a river trip there are a variety of options, ranging from 1 hour long excursions taking in central Porto and the six bridges, to longer cruises into the heart of the Douro wine-producing countryside lasting several days.

Barcadouro

Barcadouro provides daily cruises throughout the River Douro.
www.barcadouro.pt

Douro Acima

Douro Acima offers a variety of Transport, Tourism and Catering services, including Douro river cruises.
www.douroacima.pt

Journeys through the city by boat take in the 6 historical bridges, the most famous being Dom Luis I, spanning the Douro between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Designed in 1886 by a disciple of Eiffel, this bridge has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Maria Pia bridge is a railway bridge built by Gustave Eiffel himself, and is named after Queen Maria Pia of Portugal.

Douro River
Photo: Jose Manuel

The steep, narrow, cobbled streets of Porto, with houses seemingly stacked upon each other can be a little claustrophobic. These local excursions by boat can be a great way to step back and take in the views of Porto.

The Douro vineyards lie some 100km upstream from Porto, sheltered from the winds of the Atlantic by vast mountain ranges.

This region experiences dramatic shifts in temperature from extreme heat in the summer to freezing cold in the winter, with the dry soil producing very light yields per vine. However, it is this unique climate that provides necessary conditions for producing such fine wines.

The vines are grown in terraces, with different grapes being grown at different heights. This use of a wide range of grape varieties is very different from the normal situation of famous wine regions. Even today there are over 150 different varieties of grapes grown within the demarcated region.