Experience the Douro Valley by river, and taste some its finest wines
The Douro Valley is one of the most gorgeous wine regions in the world, and one of the best ways to fully appreciate it is to travel through it by river cruise. We have created this exceptional private tour for wine lovers looking for a luxurious wine tasting day excursion from Porto. The Douro river is one of the most important wine rivers in Europe, on a par with the Rhine, the Loire, and the Mosel. The river begins in Spain (where it is known as “Duero,” and indeed, the Ribera del Duero wine region stretches along its banks), and it stretches for over 200 kilometers into Portugal, exiting out into the Atlantic Ocean from the city of Porto. The most beautiful part of the Douro is the Portuguese stretch between Mesão Frio and Pinhão, where the vineyards precariously cling to the steep terraces on either side of the river.
The landscape looks like giant steps, and the views are truly majestic. This is where Port wines are produced in historic Quintas (wine estates), and the region is a magnet for wine collectors as Portugal’s most famous cult wines are made here from Barca Velha to Quinta do Noval. Many excellent small estates like Quinta do Crasto, Quinta da Pacheca, and Quinta do Infantado make both port wines and super concentrated and powerful dry wines. On this fabulous day in the Douro wine country, you will visit one of the finest cellars (enjoying a private tour and tasting). Explore the Douro River in your private yacht, and enjoy a spectacular lunch of regional cuisine and wines with the most beautiful view over the river. If you are looking for a luxurious river cruise and wine tour from Porto, then contact us for more information on this tour.
Douro Valley River Cruise Highlights:
- Private Luxury Yacht Cruise on the Douro
- Winery Tour & Tasting of Top Wines
- Fantastic Wine Lunch over looking the River
- Mercedes Chauffeured Tour
Below is a suggested Itinerary for your private Douro Valley River Cruise
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Porto - Douro Valley - Porto
Douro River Cruise, sit back, relax and enjoy the view!
- None
- Lunch with wines
- Privately Chauffeured Mercedes
At 9 am your friendly and elegant chauffeur will collect you from your hotel in Porto, and you will be swept away to the Douro Valley! Enjoy the drive taking in the fabulous scenery. You will arrive at Pinhão quay, where your luxurious yacht will be moored with your attentive and knowledgeable hostess and skipper waiting to welcome you on board. You will enjoy a splendid cruise, sipping chilled white port along the way, and admiring the views of the terraced vineyards and the beautiful pastel-colored wineries. This charming cruise meanders through the heart of the Douro Valley, in the Cima Corgo region. You will disembark in one of the most beautiful estates, Quinta da Gricha. This Port wine “Quinta” and vineyard residence for the renowned Churchill’s Port and Douro wines. You will stroll through the vineyards, discovering the importance of its terroir on the resulting wines and take in the Gricha Fountain, after which the estate is named. Then back to the lodge, which dates back to 1852 and houses the historic granite Lagares still used today. You will taste, sample, and savor the range of both Dry Douro and Port wines, including their single variety Touriga Nacional and Grande Reserva, 30 year old Tawny and Vintage Port – exquisite!
By now, you will almost certainly have worked up an appetite, at least we hope so because lunch is a spectacular feast of some of the best, mouth-watering regional dishes and desserts, perfectly paired with more Churchill’s wines. Weather permitting lunch is served under the orange trees on the beautiful “Patio das Laranjeiras,” enjoy the explosion of flavors while making the most of the magnificent view. After lunch, your boat and crew will be waiting at the dock to help back on board, relax, soak up some rays, and watch the world go by, the cruise ending back at Pinhão. Here your chauffeur will be waiting to take you back to Porto where your tour will conclude. We hope you had a fantastic day in the wine country, and we look forward to seeing you again!
