Porto & the Douro in 7 Days
A journey shaped around you: a private half-day discovering Porto, then a self-drive week into the terraced Douro Valley, your hotel, rental car and own MLH roadbook all taken care of.
You have a week; we will make you a connoisseur of both. From the moment we meet you at the airport to the moment you leave, the days are yours (the riverside lanes of Porto, a cellar door in Gaia, the quinta terraces climbing above the Douro), arranged so that all you have to do is turn up and enjoy it.
The shape of the journey
Arrival & Porto
We meet you at the airport and bring you into the old town, settling you into your hotel before the first wander. As the light softens, walk down to the Ribeira for a first glass of port on a terrace facing the Dom Luís bridge, the façades catching the last colour above the river.
Porto, in full
A private half-day guided tour through the old town: the Torre dos Clérigos for the view, the Art Nouveau shelves of the Lello bookshop, and the azulejo hall of São Bento station, one of the most beautiful in the world. In the afternoon, cross to Gaia at your own pace for a cellar tour and tasting, old vintages poured in a cellar barely changed in a century.
Porto, at your pace
A second day with no fixed hour. Cross the upper deck of the Dom Luís bridge on foot to Gaia for one of the loveliest views in the city, back across to the Ribeira, past the rabelo boats moored at the quay that once carried the wine downriver. Spend the morning among the stalls of the Mercado do Bolhão and the old Café Majestic on Rua Santa Catarina, then let the afternoon open onto the Atlantic: the gardens of the Serralves Foundation, or the seafront out to Foz do Douro, some of the way aboard the old tram n°1. End at sunset on the Jardim do Morro, Porto glowing across the water.
Guimarães & into the Douro
Collect your rental car and set off for Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal: cobbled lanes, wrought-iron balconies and the castle where the nation began. Stay for lunch in the old town, then take the wheel east, your own MLH roadbook riding along, on the N-222 as it climbs above the Douro's first terraces. A tasting at your first quinta of the journey, the schist terraces and the river's great bend spread below, before settling into your home for the next three nights, deep in wine country.
The Douro, deep
A day with no fixed hour. A traditional rabelo boat upriver from Pinhão if the light calls for it, once used to carry the region's wine down to Porto, or simply the terrace of your own quinta and the valley doing what it does best: nothing, beautifully. As the sun drops behind the hills, dinner among the vines.
The Douro, at your pace
A day with no fixed hour, free to do nothing more than enjoy the quinta. If the urge to drive takes hold, the N-222 between Peso da Régua and Pinhão is best savoured in the late afternoon, when the light rakes the terraces and the river turns silver, or climb to the viewpoint of São Leonardo de Galafura, said to hold the widest view in the whole valley. Peso da Régua's wine museum tells the story of the valley, and the small village of Provesende, close by, has kept its manor houses and its hush.
Until next time
An unhurried last morning: a final coffee on the terrace, one more look at the river. Drive back to Porto to return your rental car in good time for your flight, or continue on to Lisbon if your journey carries you further.
Everything taken care of
In your private journey
- A private half-day guided tour of Porto
- Airport transfer on arrival, direct to your hotel
- A rental car for the Douro leg, with your own MLH roadbook
- Three nights in Porto and three in the Douro Valley, breakfast included
- A cellar tour and tasting in a port lodge in Gaia
- One quinta visit with tasting in the Douro
- The days shaped to your style and pace
Three nights in the city, three among the vines
Three nights in a well-placed hotel in Porto's old town, then three among the vines: a quinta or a small hotel above the river, breakfast each morning and the valley on every side. Should you prefer something more refined, or a particular address you have in mind, simply tell us. We will tailor the stay to suit you.
Tailored to you
There is no off-the-shelf price, because there is no off-the-shelf journey. Tell us your dates, how many you are and what you love (wine, walking, or simply the view), and we will send a tailored proposal, accommodation, rental car and all.
Questions, answered
Is a week enough for Porto and the Douro?
It is the shape we see travellers return to again and again: three days to know Porto properly, three in the valley to slow right down, with the seventh for arrival and departure. Shorter is possible, but this is where the Douro tends to take hold of you.
Can we change the itinerary?
Of course. This is a private, tailor-made journey, yours to shape. Add a night, trade a quinta for a walk among the terraces, or slow the whole thing down. Tell us what you would love and we will build around it.
What kind of accommodation is it?
A well-placed hotel in Porto's old town, then a quinta or a small hotel above the river in the Douro, both with breakfast. If you would prefer something more refined or a particular address, tell us and we will tailor it to you.
How do we get from Porto to the Douro?
You will collect a rental car in Porto on day four and drive yourself into the Douro, your own MLH roadbook riding along: roughly ninety minutes along the river, with Guimarães a natural stop on the way. If you would rather not drive, we can arrange a private driver instead.
Can you arrange this for a family or a larger group?
Yes. Tell us your numbers and we will tailor the whole journey, accommodation and all.
Let's plan your journey
Tell us when you would like to come and who is travelling. Your travel designer will shape the week around you and send a tailored proposal.