More about the route
Here you can see a map of the routes
Reiseplan
Her kan du se programmet for turen.
You arrive at your first hotel in Porto. After arrival, you have the rest of the day to look around. Tomorrow you can choose how to arrive in the Douro Valley.
Hotel (example): Hotel Porto Trindade
Today you'll head for the Douro Valley and you can choose how to do this. There is no hiking today. Here you can see the different options:
- You will be picked up at your hotel in Porto and taken to the train station with your luggage, where you will take the train to Pinhão at about 13:25 (takes about 2½ hours). The train station is decorated with painted tiles and depicts wine production in the Douro Valley. You walk the 500m or so (or take a taxi) to a winery with lovely rooms, stunning views of the Douro Valley and an outdoor swimming pool. (The train ticket is not included and is bought at the station).
- You will be picked up at your hotel in Porto and driven to the port, from where you will take the boat down the Douro River to Régua with your luggage. Departure from Porto is at 8:30 or 9:00 and you will arrive at approximately 16:30. Lunch is included on the boat. On arrival in Régua you will be picked up and taken to the hotel in Pinhão. This tour is optional when you book the tour.
- You will be picked up by a private transfer and driven all the way to the first hotel.
Hotel (example): LBV Hotel
Today you'll explore the western slopes of the Pinhão Valley, hiking to the villages of São Cristovão do Douro and Provosende. The views along the way make it all worthwhile. You'll finish today's hike with a home-cooked meal (included in the price) at the historic country house where you'll stay today. Weather permitting, you can also hop in the swimming pool.
Hotel (example): Casa de Vilarinho
Today, you'll base yourself in Vilarinho de São Romão as you hike the circular route down to the Pinhão River along small winding paths with a few villages and wineries along the way. The views are stunning!
You'll enjoy your picnic lunch in the beautiful surroundings before hiking back up to the village of Celeirós, where you can stop and sample the wines at Quinta do Portal before hiking back to your lovely accommodation. It is also possible to take a taxi up the hill if you prefer.
Hotel (example): Casa de Vilarinho
Enjoy the view of the valley as you hike to the small, cosy village of Sabrosa. From here, follow an ancient dirt road to Favaios, then descend along the terraced vineyards to the river. From here it's up through vineyards and olive groves to a very different landscape.
Taste the local charcoal-baked bread and Muscat wine in Favaios before hiking on to Alijó for two lovely nights. Explore the town or relax by the pool before dinner at the on-site restaurant or dine in town.
Hotel (example): Pousada Barão de Forrester
Today's walk from Alijó takes you through ever-changing vineyards and meadows to the ancient village of São Mamede de Ribatua, where the views of the surrounding mountains and lake are stunning. You leave the village and take a different route back to Alijó - it's also possible to take a taxi if you want a shorter day. You can also choose to walk down to the lake before hailing a taxi.
Hotel (example): Pousada Barão de Forrester
You'll spend the day on the trails of the Douro Valley, wandering through vineyards and perhaps stopping at a few wineries along the way to book a tour and wine tasting. You finally reach the ridge on the eastern side of the Pinhão Valley. Look back and enjoy the view of the terraced fields and the villages you have passed through. Also enjoy the view of the Douro River before reaching today's destination in the village of Casal de Loivos, where you spend the night in a country house built in the 17th century. Of course, there's a swimming pool to relax in while you take in the views.
Hotel (example): Casa de Casal de Loivos
Today's short and magnificent hike to Pinhão means you'll have plenty of time to visit another winery and possibly have a wine tasting overlooking the Douro Valley. You could have lunch in the village or enjoy a picnic in the vineyards before collecting your luggage from the office just by the station and taking the train back to Porto and the journey ends.
If you would like an extra night in Porto after the tour, this can be selected on the booking form.
Note, on the booking form you can choose to take the boat back to Porto or a private transfer. If you take the boat, it is not possible to hike today. Instead, you will be picked up at 9:00 and driven to Regua, from where you will take the boat at approximately 10:00. The boat arrives in Porto around 18:00.
Pictures from the trip
Prices and dates
Prisen inkluderer
- 7 nights in 3- and 4-star hotels and country houses
- Breakfast every day
- 5 Packed lunches (day 3-7)
- 2 evening meals (day 3 and 4)
- Luggage transport between hotels in the Douro Valley
- Carefully elaborated route descriptions maps and other materials
- Private transfer from Porto airport to first hotel in Porto on arrival
- Private transfer from hotel in Porto to train station or port (day 2)
- Access to the route in our GPS-app which works offline while you walk
- 24-hour local and international service hotline for the duration of the tour
- This is a packaged holiday and is therefore covered by The Travel Guarantee Fund - See which benefits this means for you - click here
- Wine tasting in Pinhão
- Extra night in Porto before or after the tour
- Boat trip from Porto to the Douro Valley on day 2 and/or day 8
- Transportation to and from Porto
- Tourist tax (if due)
- Handling fee (€20)
Practical information
The price is based upon two people sharing. For safety reasons, this tour cannot be booked for solo travellers. There must be min. be two participants.
On this tour you will be on your own supplied with maps, route descriptions and luggage transfers. That means that your time is your own and you have plenty of time to enjoy the stages in your own pace.
Check the price quickly
You can quickly check the price of your desired trip without having to fill in anything. Here's how:
- Choose your desired start date
- Click on the green button "See price and reserve your holiday" and go to the booking form
- Select number of people, add any optional extras and see the price at the bottom of the page (you don't have to fill in anything on the form).
Get a quote
For example, if you want a flight included or changes to the trip, you can order a quote for this using the "Get a quote" button. Remember to describe in detail what, if anything, you want changed.
The process of your booking
When you book, we will start booking hotels and arranging all the practical details of the trip. This process typically takes 2-5 working days, but some bookings may take longer. If you are arranging your own transport, we recommend that you wait until we have confirmed your booking before arranging this.
Dates
If you can select the date in the tour calendar at the top of this page, this is a possible start date. We continually update the tours with sold-out dates, after which those dates will turn red and cannot be selected.
The flights to/from Porto are not included in the price. You can easily find a suitable flight via a flight booking engine such as Momondo or Skyscanner.
Notice: we recommend that you book with us and wait for the confirmation before you book your flights.
It works like this:
- You book your chosen holiday with us
- We confirm your holiday (usually within 2-5 working days)
- You arrange your transportation
Getting there
Here is a link for the perfect tool which will help you get an overview of how to get to the starting point of the tour: Rome2Rio
On this trip you will stay in 3- and 4-star hotels and resorts. Breakfast is included in all places.
In the itinerary you can see examples of the hotels we use most often on this trip. If there are no vacancies in the hotels when you book the trip, we will book hotels of equivalent quality.
The standard package includes breakfast, and it is possible to opt for half board (5x dinners). There are dining places in all the towns where you stay overnight.
The breakfast offered will depend on the hotel. A continental breakfast is the norm. A typical solution will be a breakfast buffet that includes fruit, bread, pastries, cheese, cold cuts, coffee, tea, and juice. If there is a particular breakfast item you are used to, we recommend that you bring it or buy it at the local supermarket. The time hotels serve breakfast varies, but many start breakfast service at 7:30 or 8:00 AM.
If you choose half board
Dinner is not included in Baiona and Santiago de Compostela. The dinner will usually be a "Pilgrim menu" where you can choose between three starters, three main courses, and dessert. The starters typically include soup, salad, or fish. The main courses are usually fish or meat with fries, potatoes, and bread. There is usually a vegetarian option available. For dessert, for example, cheesecake, crème caramel, or ice cream. The food will vary depending on the area, as each region has its own seasonal and local dishes and specialties. For example, fish will be more common in Galicia, the northern coast, and the Portuguese coastal regions than in other inland areas.
Lunch
Regarding lunch, we recommend that you either shop at the local store in your overnight town or stop in towns along the route to buy basic supplies, including water, snacks, fruit, etc. You can also eat at small cafés along the way. Your hiking notes will include guides to water stations and dining places.
Luggage transfer is included on this tour. Upon arrival at the first hotel you will be given luggage tags along with the rest of the welcome package. You fill out the luggage tags and put them on your bags where they will remain for the duration of the tour.
Your luggage is picked up from the hotel lobby around 9am every morning and will arrive at your next hotel at 6pm at the latest (often long before that). If there are any special exceptions to the luggage transfer you will be notified upon arrival.
Luggage transfer includes one bag per guest and the bags can weigh 15kg each.
The day trips described in the program are a mix of grade 1 and the easier end of grade 2.
Grade 1
Easy hiking that anyone in generally good health can participate in. Short hikes of 2-4 hours a day. The trails are good, without significant climbs. Luggage is transported, and the trip does not require special equipment.
Grade 2
Easy hiking on reasonably good trails. The day walks will last 4-6 hours in hilly terrain. Anyone in good physical condition can participate. Your luggage will be transported and you only carry a light daypack. Requires comfortable footwear such as trekking shoes or hiking boots.
Read more about our grading system here.
On this tour, you will receive the following documents:
Upon booking
Immediately after booking this trip, you'll recieve a pre-booking-email where you can get a complete overview of your booking. Once the tour is confirmed you get a confirmation email from us along with practical information about the tour.
One month before departure
You will receive a hotel list and final travel documents.
Upon arrival at the first hotel
You'll receive the welcome pack, which contains everything you need for the trip. There will be route descriptions, maps, luggage tags and specific local vouchers. The documents are in English.
Notice: On some tours it is necessary to either print the documents yourself or to bring them electronically.
We recommend taking out travel insurance that covers at least illness, accident, repatriation, lost holiday, luggage and liability. As a customer, you are responsible for taking out the necessary travel insurance to cover these costs.
Before taking out insurance, you should check whether you are already covered by travel or cancellation insurance through your home insurance company, credit card or similar - please note that there may be differences in insurance coverage.
After booking this trip, you get access to various discount schemes.
A hiking holiday in the Douro Valley from Porto to Pinhão offers varying weather and temperatures during the spring, summer, and autumn months. In the spring months of March, April, and May, you can expect mild temperatures between 12-20 degrees. Here, rainfall will be moderate and wind conditions mild. The summer months of June, July, and August bring rising temperatures between 26-35 degrees. Here, we recommend that you, especially on hot days, start your daily stages early in the day to avoid the midday heat. In the autumn months of September and October, you can expect temperatures between 16-25 degrees, with rainfall slightly increasing compared to other periods, and wind conditions remaining mild.
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"We look forward to making your holiday dreams come true"