Going up the river Douro by boat is far more than just a trip its a feast for the eyes.

To start with an bit of advise: the region is of extreme climatic differences: in the summer temperatures, mostly east of Tua Valley can reach up to 40ºC, so consider this travel earlier in Spring or late Summer. Ideally you’d visit this region between September and November, where the wine harvest takes place , you might get the chance to see the traditional way of pressing the wine: rhythmically legs and feet go crushing the grapes.

The departure takes place in Porto or in the opposite city V.N. Gaia early in the morning you enter the boat. Please remeber to book well in advance as it is a requested event. You can go as far as Régua, at about 100 km from Porto but then you’d miss the wonderful quintas with the vineyards strenuously cut on the stony hills  that reach almost as far as the Spanish border to Barca d’Alva. In between you can also stop in Pocinho.

As the boat sails off you see on your left all the Port wine brands and on your right the beautiful city landscape of Porto. One can’t stop thinking of the apparent contradiction of the Port wine: it growths in the Douro valley, it is shipped in V.N.Gaia, but it’s name is Port. The choice over Gaia had to do with the sun protected hills of Gaia to the sunnier Ribeira.

After the city there’s the bridges, the bridge of the Infant,  the D. Maria, S. João and Freixo, and next to it the lovely palace of Freixo, now a Pousada where you can stay. By Ribeira do Abade one still amazes at how wide the river is; then the first Dam and the first difference of level. These modern technologies hide the old violence of the river, which used to be very dangerous having a high record of accidents. After Melres, the river is followed by the marginal road coming from Porto, and after a succession of villages the most imposing Dam comes: Carrapatelo. Here the boat feels more like a nutshell going up 35m.

From now on everything changes: from the now strongly winding river we see the forest turning slowly into vineyards. Barqueiros ist the beginning of Baixo-Corgo area with about 51% of the grape-vines. Then the wine capital Régua, where most boats stop their tour, but if you decide to go on then the fascinating river will show its huge power in the scary gorges and guts. Around Pinhão you’ll see some fine manor houses with vineyards and you’ll have been travelling for about 12 hours. Should you have the possibility to go as far as Barca d’Alva, do it! It’ll be an unforgettable cruise.

Here some of the companies that have cruises in the Douro (I remind you, you’ll leave this site when clicking the links below): 

• Douro Acima
• Douro Azul
• Cruzeiros Douro
• Barcadouro

Related posts:

1. A Flat in Porto