The origin of alheiras (pronounced ahl-yay-ras), a traditional Portuguese sausage, is intertwined with the history of Portugal’s Jewish community during the reign of King Dom Manuel I (1495–1521).
Dom Manuel sought to strengthen Portugal’s standing in Europe by marrying the daughter of the Spanish Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile. However, the union came with a condition: Portugal had to adopt Spain’s policies toward Jews, forcing them to either convert to Christianity and become “New Christians” or leave the country.
Jewish dietary laws forbid the consumption of pork, a staple of Portuguese cuisine. To avoid persecution, New Christians ingeniously created a pork-free sausage using bread, garlic, and other meats such as poultry or game. These sausages, known as alheiras (from alho, the Portuguese word for garlic), were smoked to resemble traditional pork sausages, allowing Jewish families to appear to conform to local customs.
Today, alheiras are a cherished element of Portuguese cuisine, particularly in the Trás-os-Montes region, where they originated. The town of Mirandela is especially famous for its alheiras. Although modern recipes often include pork, these sausages stand out for their distinctive flavor.
Preparing alheiras is far more complex than making traditional chouriços. To make chouriços, pork is marinated in vinha d’alhos—a flavorful blend of garlic, bay leaf, salt, olive oil, paprika, and wine—before being stuffed into casings and smoked until dry. In contrast, alheiras require meticulous preparation: a variety of meats are carefully cooked and then combined with bread and spices before filling the casings and smoking the sausages. Every detail is crucial in this labor-intensive process.
The finest alheiras we’ve ever tasted are crafted by Maria da Graça Gomes and her daughter, Rosário Buia, at Toca da Raposa in the Douro Valley. They are made with an exquisite mix of meats, including rabbit and pheasant, and seasoned with great finesse. Grilled, lightly fried in olive oil, or baked in the oven, these sausages are a culinary feast.
Toca da Raposa makes alheiras between November and January. You can place an order by calling 969951191.
“When my father came home from work, he would spend hours studying military maps,” recalls Jorge Rosas, the CEO of Ramos Pinto, a port wine house founded in 1880 by his great-grandfather, Adriano Ramos Pinto. “He was searching for the perfect farm in the Douro Superior, a region he believed could produce exceptional wines like the legendary Barca Velha.”
Sitting on the floor with an old magnifying glass that had lost its handle, Jorge’s father, José António, pored over contour lines in search of flat land. He wanted to find terrain that was easier to cultivate than the steep slopes that dominate the Douro Valley. From Friday to Sunday, José António drove through rustic roads, to visit locations he had marked on the maps.
One day, crossing a remote mountain path, he found his dream farm. “Shangri-La!” he exclaimed. The estate, then planted with cereals, was called Ervamoira. It was love at first sight—a love so strong that his wife often felt jealous of the farm. Determined to buy it, José António contacted the owners in Lisbon. Despite having little attachment to the estate, they hesitated to sell a property that had been in their family for generations.
An avid trout fisherman, José António donned his fishing gear to fish in the rivers that cross Ervamoira, the Coa, and the Douro, even though he knew they had no trouts. Fishing was merely an excuse to immerse himself in the landscape, imagining the vineyards he might one day plant.
In the aftermath of the 1974 revolution, many farms were nationalized. Fearing expropriation, the owners of Ervamoira agreed to sell. Despite his family’s concerns about buying an estate amid so much uncertainty, José António seized the opportunity. “My father is a cereal killer,” jokes Jorge, alluding to how the cereal fields were soon replaced with vineyards.
At Ervamoira, José António introduced innovative viticultural practices. He assigned each grape varietal to a separate plot. Instead of using traditional terraces, he planted vines on platforms that facilitate mechanization. High-density planting forced roots to delve deep for nutrients, enhancing quality through higher polyphenol content and increasing drought resistance.
But a shadow loomed over paradise. In the early 1990s, plans resurfaced to construct a hydroelectric dam that would flood the estate. Horrified, José António fought tirelessly against this project. The discovery of a Roman tomb and ancient coins on the property provided fleeting hope, but archaeologists deemed the finds insufficient to halt the dam project.
Desperate, José António entered his wines into international competitions, receiving numerous awards. But not even these accolades could stop the project. “What now?” he wondered. “Only a miracle can save the farm,” his cousin, João Nicolau de Almeida, remarked.
Then, a miracle happened. Archaeologists discovered prehistoric cave engravings near Ervamoira. An expert who secretly evaluated the site revealed that the engravings are about 30,000 years old. It was widely assumed that outdoor prehistoric art couldn’t survive millennia of exposure to the elements. Ervamoira proved otherwise.
The discovery attracted the attention of the Portuguese media but failed to sway the government. Deliverance came from an unexpected source. A Portuguese émigré, who had been Jacqueline Kennedy’s butler, read about the engravings in a local newspaper. He shared the news with an acquaintance at The New York Times, and the newspaper published an article titled “Vast Stone Age Art Gallery Is Found but Dam May Flood It.” The story sparked an international outcry that led to the abandonment of the dam project.
Today, Ervamoira thrives. Its grapes contribute to the iconic Duas Quintas wines, made from a blend of grapes from two farms—Ervamoira and Bons Ares. The schist soils of Ervamoira, at 150 meters altitude, lend structure, while Bons Ares, perched at 550 meters with limestone soils, adds refreshing acidity.
Ervamoira’s magic is unmistakable. Nestled in the remote Douro Superior beyond the Cachão da Valeira—a region inaccessible until Queen Maria I spearheaded efforts to make the Douro River navigable—it is a gem of the Douro Valley, a dream that a miracle made come true.
Please click here for information on how to visit Ervamoira.
The tomato is a South American fruit that traveled to Europe on sailboats in the 16th century and, over time, conquered the cuisines of the Old World. Like travelers who adapt to foreign lands, tomatoes developed distinct characteristics in different regions. In the Douro Valley, the warm days, cool nights, well-drained soils, and abundant micronutrients produce tomatoes with exceptional flavor, texture, and succulence.
Every year, on the third Friday of August, the Douro Valley comes alive with a festival dedicated to the heirloom tomato. Winemakers submit tomatoes grown in their vegetable gardens to this friendly competition, an opportunity to enjoy some light-hearted fun before the serious work of the harvest begins. Renowned chefs like Miguel Castro e Silva prepare the food and vintners pour their wines, creating a festive atmosphere.
The tomatoes are served at peak ripeness, blessed with a pinch of Castro Marim sea salt, and anointed with sacred olive oils from the Douro Valley. A panel of judges, composed of chefs and food experts, conducts a rigorous blind tasting to elect the finest tomatoes.
This year, a small producer, Casa da Quinta dos Ferreiros took first place. Wine & Soul, acclaimed for their iconic Pintas and Guru wines, received second place. Third place was awarded to the Mateus Palace.
The festival is open to the public. If you dream of mingling with famous chefs and winemakers at a picturesque Douro Valley estate, mark your calendar for the third Friday of August. You can email greengrape@greengrape.pt to join the mailing list. One word of advice: once you receive your invitation in late July, answer immediately—the event sells out in less than an hour!
You might not be familiar with António Magalhães, the chief viticulturist of the famed Taylor-Fladgate port house, but if you enjoy exceptional port wines, you’ve likely experienced the fruits of his labor. António has worked for more than three decades in the rolling terraces of the Douro Valley. Throughout this time, nature has gradually revealed to him some of its winemaking secrets. Patience has been essential in this apprenticeship. It can take many years to grasp the impact of viticulture choices on wine production.
António is known for his thoughtful character and gentle disposition. But beneath this demeanor lies a powerful intellect–he has the rigor of a scientist, the curiosity of a historian, and the eloquence of a poet. He believes in combining scientific methods with traditional wisdom and has a deep reverence for the mysteries of winemaking.
In collaboration with a statistician, António sought to unravel some of these mysteries, analyzing climate data since 1941 to identify weather patterns associated with vintage years, the finest for port wine production. They discovered that these years share three characteristics. First, the average temperature in July is less than 24.5 degrees Celsius. Second, two-thirds of the rain falls during the dormancy period (from November to February) and one-third during the growth period (from March to June). Third, there is less than 20 millimeters of rain in September. A small amount of rain at harvest time helps refine the grapes, says António, but too much rain in September fills the grapes with water and promotes fungal diseases. To António’s delight, they found that exceptional vintage years often deviate from the norm in unique ways, a testament to the magic of port wine.
Another facet of this magic is the art of blending. The Douro’s diverse microclimates provide winemakers with a rich palette to adapt to the annual variations in weather. They skillfully blend diverse varietals from vineyards with different locations, altitudes, and sun exposure. António has a profound understanding of the art of blending grounded on his comprehensive knowledge of the Douro subregions—the rain-soaked Baixo Corgo, the moderately wet Cima Corgo, and the arid Douro Superior.
He has studied how grape varietals were adapted to counter the crisis created by phylloxera, an American insect that decimated European vines in the second half of the 19th century. The blight reached the Douro region in 1862-63 and became a severe problem in 1872. Farmers noticed that Mourisco, a varietal with lackluster enological properties, was the most resistant to phylloxera. For this reason, Mourisco was crossed with Touriga Nacional, considered the finest pre-phylloxera varietal, to create Touriga Francesa. The name, which means French Touriga, was likely chosen to honor the French school of viticulture and its contribution to creating phylloxera-resistant varietals.
António also analyzed the various types of American vine roots brought from places like Texas to the Douro Valley to graft European vines and increase their resilience to phylloxera.
Since 1992, António has worked closely with David Guimaraens, the chief enologist at Taylor-Fladgate. Every year, António and David write several letters to the farmers who produce grapes for Taylor-Fladgate, offering insights into the vines’ current conditions and the most effective viticulture practices to respond to them. This educational effort is vital to the quality of the Taylor-Fladgate ports.
Concerned with the impact of heavy rainfall on soil erosion, António and David developed a new model for the terraces where the vines are planted. They had an epiphany while visiting the Benziger family, a biodynamic wine producer in California. It started to rain torrentially, and as they ran for shelter, they noticed that the rain was running with them. They realized that this kind of drainage, created by a three percent gradient, is what the Douro Valley needs.
António and David asked earthmoving companies to find a bulldozer narrow enough to fit in the terraces and capable of creating a three percent inclination. One of the companies found a second-hand machine used in rice plantations in the south of Portugal. The company’s manager called to say that the machine had an unusual device. “Bring it along,” said António. It turned out that the device was a laser that greatly simplified the task of creating a three percent slope. They later learned that the Benziger farmland had been graded by Chinese workers, who were likely to be familiar with the three percent inclination used in rice cultivation.
The Taylor-Fladgate farms stand out for their beauty because António is a sculptor of landscapes. He knows that cultivating a vineyard, planting a tree, or building a stone wall alters the scenery, and like an artist, he selects colors that harmonize, proportions that feel human, rhythms that please the eye.
António is passionate about researching the history of the Douro region. He often visits Torre do Tombo, a vast national archive with documents spanning nine centuries of Portuguese history. The writings of Álvaro Moreira da Fonseca (the creator of the vine quality scoring system still in use), the Baron of Fladgate, John Croft, José Costa Lima, A. Guerra Tenreiro, and many other Douro luminaries are his constant companions.
His extensive knowledge of history gives him a unique appreciation for the sacrifices made by generations of workers who have toiled in the Douro region. This understanding is evident in how António interacts with the people he manages. His sincere appreciation for their efforts earns him the loyalty and trust of his collaborators.
Today, António Magalhães retires as Taylor-Fladgate’s chief viticulturist. This milestone marks the beginning of a new chapter. We hope that António can now find the time to write a treatise on viticulture so that, as the climate continues to change, his erudition can illuminate the future of the Douro Valley.
Victorian novels describe picnics where friends have a grand time, enjoying delicious food in idyllic settings. But real-life picnics seldom measure up to these literary accounts. Sometimes, the sun is too harsh, and the shade is scarce. Other times, it is cold, the wind blows disagreeably, or the rain intrudes. Wine and beer are lukewarm by the time they are served. Sitting is uncomfortable, and troupes of insects join the party.
When our friend Abílio Tavares da Silva invited us for a picnic, we braced ourselves for the usual woes. But, as soon as we arrived at his Douro Valley estate, it was clear that this would be no ordinary affair.
It was a midsummer day with clear skies and a gentle breeze. Spacious wooden tables with comfortable benches awaited the lucky guests under the shade of two majestic linden trees. The view, with the Douro River stretching out in all its splendor, was worthy of being painted by Turner.
The picnic basket, prepared by the talented Rosário Buia at Toca da Raposa, was brimming with delicacies. There were farinheira tarts, shrimp rissoles, oranges seasoned with olive oil and minced garlic, chickpea salad, carrot and zucchini rice, olives, freshly baked bread, and a tortilla prepared with eggs so delicious that they were surely laid by the happiest of chicken.
The food was served in colorful pottery designed by the 19th-century master ceramist Rafael Bordallo Pinheiro. Abílio’s alluring Foz Torto white wine, made from precious old vines in Porrais, was poured into crystal glasses at the ideal temperature.
The conversation flowed as freely as the food and the wine. The meal ended late in the afternoon with slices of Toca da Raposa’s famous drunken cake (bolo borrachão) accompanied by glasses of chilled 20-year-old Fonseca tawny port. Not even Jane Austen could imagine such a perfect picnic.
One of the Douro Valley’s ultimate experiences is visiting Quinta do Vale Meão. While the estate is not generally open to the public, it does receive a few small groups each year. You can email in advance to inquire whether they can host you.
Vale Meão was the last estate planted by the legendary Dona Antónia Ferreira. It was a colossal endeavor: 300 hectares of wild bush were converted into vineyards and olive groves. Dona Antónia invested in the remote Vale Meão against the advice of her general manager because of its unique characteristics. It is located on a geological fault with three different types of soil: schist, granite, and sedimentary clay deposited by the river. The weather is dry, as clouds rarely cross the Marvão mountain, reducing the prevalence of vine diseases like oidium.
The best way to reach Vale Meão is by taking the train from Pinhão to Pocinho. There are usually few passengers, so you can choose a seat by the riverside and enjoy a glorious hour beholding the Douro river in all its splendor. The train rushes through bridges and tunnels carved into granite hills, but the river is seldom out of sight.
You go by Cachão da Valeira, a treacherous spot before dams regulated the water flow. Here, Dona Antónia and the Baron of Forrester, another eminent figure of the Douro Valley, fell into the river in a boating accident. Dona Antónia survived, but the Baron drowned. The locals say in jest that her voluminous skirt saved her, while the Baron sank because his pockets were filled with gold coins.
Maria Ferreira, a former teacher who oversees enotourism at Vale Meão, picked us up at the Pocinho train station in a vintage Land Rover. Though not related to Dona Antónia, Maria speaks about the estate with such passion it feels as though she is part of the family. An eagle followed the Land Rover as we drove through Cortes de Veiga, a village created to house the many laborers who worked at Vale Meão between 1885 and 1887.
The name Meão, which means “middle,” refers to the river encircling the property, making it feel like an island. The vineyards are planted on a magnificent plateau by the river.
Maria took us on an exhilarating safari through the vineyards. We then visited Barca Velha, a cellar built in 1892 named after an old rowboat used to cross the river. Here, Fernando Nicolau d’Almeida crafted the first Barca Velha in 1952, combining grapes from Vale Meão with those grown at higher altitudes in Meda to craft a table wine that became iconic.
Our tour concluded at the main house, constructed by Dona Antónia in 1894. We were warmly received by three of her descendants: Francisco Olazabal, known as Vito, his son Francisco, known as Xito, and his daughter Luísa. They welcomed us with a refreshing white Monte Meão, made from a blend of two grape varietals grown at opposite ends of the estate—Arinto in the sedimentary soils of the north and Rabigato in the schist soils of the south. This wine beautifully showcases the diversity of the terroirs at Vale Meão.
As we talked to Vito, Xito, and Luísa, it became clear that wine is a language to them. Soils and grape varietals are like words that can express human craftsmanship and the whims of the seasons to make wine as fine as poetry. Their passion for wine is only matched by the generosity with which they share the fruits of this extraordinary place with those who visit.
We tasted the Monte Meão Vinha da Cantina, a surprising wine made from baga, a red grape from Bairrada. While in Bairrada, baga produces tannic, robust reds; here, it yields a light (11.5% alcohol), vibrant wine.
Next, we enjoyed a remarkable Monte Meão Touriga Nacional from the granite soils of Vinha dos Novos. It has a crimson color, a delicate floral aroma, and a supine elegance on the palate. It was followed by a beautiful Monte Meão from Casa das Máquinas, home to the estate’s oldest vineyards that combines Touriga Francesa and Tinta Barroca.
The tasting of table wines concluded with two stunning Vale Meão vintages. The 2014 vintage is a complex, alluring wine, and the 2002 vintage is exquisite in its subtlety and refinement.
Then, port wines entered the scene. First, a 10-year-old tawny, which is all that a great tawny can be, offering notes of nuts, coffee, chocolate, and orange rind to enchant the palate. Then, a stunning 1999 colheita, that is richly satisfying.
In 1999, Vito took a significant risk by leaving his safe position as a director at Sogrape, the large wine company that acquired most of Dona Antónia’s properties, to start a new family project under the Vale Meão name. The many accolades earned since then, including inclusion in the Wine Spectator’s list of the world’s top 5 wines, show clearly that the risk paid off. From her celestial vantage point, Dona Antónia must be beaming with pride.
La Rosa was among the first estates in the Douro Valley to welcome guests. Over thirty years ago, several rustic houses were converted into accommodations, allowing visitors to stay amidst some of the region’s finest vines. The lodgings are simple, but the views are magnificent. Across the river, olive groves and vineyards ascend a steep hill. Below, the river flows without a care, its green waters sparkling in the sunlight like diamonds set in green turquoise.
In the morning, the sun casts a golden glow over the vines, gently evaporating the dew and steadily raising the temperature. This process helps maintain the freshness of the grapes, which contributes to the wine’s unique character.
We wake up to the sounds of boats gliding on the river and roosters singing, accompanied by a choir of birds. It’s wonderful to sit in the shade and enjoy the stunning landscape. The terrace of the breakfast room offers one of the best views in the Douro Valley.
At the turn of the 20th century, the estate was known as Quinta das Bateiras and belonged to António Reis, a local doctor. The Feuerheards, a family of German port shippers, bought the quinta as a christening present for their granddaughter Claire. Her father renamed it La Rosa after a successful brand of sherry his company had launched. He used the estate’s grapes to make port under the Feuerheard label.
In 1935, the Feuerheard shipping company went bankrupt, but Claire kept the estate because it was her personal property. When Claire divorced in 1946, she moved to La Rosa and lived there until she died in 1972. The beauty of the place compensated for the challenges of running an estate that was always in need of maintenance and repairs. To make up for the remote location, Claire hosted lively house parties for visitors and neighbors.
When, in 1988, Sophie Bergqvist, Claire’s granddaughter, took over the business with her father, the estate was in disrepair. Sophie started making port under the La Rosa name. In 1991, she enlisted David Baverstock, a famous enologist, to make one of the first Douro table wines. Since then, the fame of the wines has continued to grow. In 2002, another renowned enologist, Jorge Moreira, took over wine-making at La Rosa. Prizes and accolades continue to accumulate. If Claire were alive today, she would undoubtedly throw a grand party to celebrate the success of La Rosa.
Quinta de La Rosa, situated near Pinhão, is easily recognizable by its main entrance adorned with wooden statues of the eagles featured on the family crest. Click here for their website.
Because we were born 150 years apart, we did not have a chance to meet the Baron of Forrester, the British port wine trader who championed the Douro Valley. But we know Abílio Tavares da Silva, another outsider who became one of Douro’s best ambassadors.
Originally a tech entrepreneur, Abílio sold his company in 2000 and retired at the age of 40 to pursue his passion for winemaking. He does not believe in taking shortcuts, so he built his expertise from the ground up by earning an enology degree at the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro. He also began his search for the ideal vineyards.
In 2004, he acquired Foz Torto, a picturesque estate near Pinhão, close to the confluence of the river Torto with the Douro. Planted with old vines, it offers stunning views of the Douro Valley. Abílio teamed up with Sandra Tavares da Silva, a star enologist, to craft his wines. Despite having the same surnames, Abílio and Sandra are not relatives. But they share a passion for making wines that combine elegance with great aging potential. Their portfolio includes a lavish red from 80-year-old vines and a beguiling white from 40-year-old vines grown in Porrais, 600 meters above sea level.
Abílio describes his winemaking philosophy as simple, yet as he explained his process, we quickly filled a notebook with intricate details. The caliber of his wines reflects not just the superior quality of the grapes but also the meticulous attention to detail that his engineering mindset brings to every facet of production—from managing the vineyards year-round, harvesting the grapes when they reach the perfect balance of sugar and acidity, controlling fermentation temperatures, and choosing the ideal aging processes.
Every August, Abílio helps organize a competition to select the finest heirloom tomatoes in the Douro Valley. This event brings winemakers together and showcases the Douro’s uniqueness. The poor schist soil encourages plants to grow deep roots, resulting in not only extraordinary wines but also exceptional fruits, herbs, vegetables, and olive oil. A few drops of the olive oil Abílio produces at Foz Torto can turn a simple salad into a culinary offering worthy of Mount Olympus.
For us, Abílio is much more than a gifted winemaker. He is a source of inspiration and a role model. When we grow up, we want to be like him.
Perhaps it’s the way the sunlight falls on the steep hill that slopes down to the river or the breathtaking vistas of century-old vineyards. Quinta da Côrte has an enchantment all its own.
This 18th century estate in the Douro Valley once belonged to a family that supplied their prized grapes to renowned port winemakers. Philippe Austruy, a French entrepreneur and wine enthusiast, fell in love with the estate and purchased it in 2013. The boutique hotel opened its doors in 2018.
The restoration of the buildings and wine cellars was a labor of love, meticulously executed in the traditional style, featuring clay-tiled roofs and yellow-ochre trims around windows and ceilings.
The interior spaces were curated by Pierre Yovanovitch, a designer whose taste was honed during his tenure with Pierre Cardin. Yovanovitch created warm, inviting interiors that blend a sense of place with whimsical elements that surprise and delight.
Each of the eight rooms has a unique personality. All offer great comfort and sweeping views of the Douro Valley. The bathrooms in the main house are adorned with traditional tiles and ceramics that harken back to an era gone by.
Mornings at Quinta da Côrte start with a splendid breakfast served in the kitchen, right by the spacious chimney where sausages used to be smoked.
Then, there’s a world of possibilities waiting outside. Explore the many trails through the vineyards, take a dip in the granite swimming pool, rest in one of the lookout points, enjoying the spectacular landscape, or visit the cellars, where you can savor the estate’s precious ports and elegant table wines. The port wine cellar stores impressive chestnut barrels, too big to fit through the doors. How did they get in? They were assembled inside the cellar in 1938.
The dedicated staff attends to every detail. A stay at Quinta da Côrte isn’t a typical hotel experience; it’s more like being a guest at the home of a dear friend with impeccable taste.
Quinta da Côrte is located near Valença do Douro, near Pinhão. Click here for their website.
In Porto, we like to stay far from the commotion of the city center. One of our favorite choices is Freixo, an 18th-century palace converted into a luxury hotel. We’re also fond of the neighboring Pestana Douro Riverside, a perfume factory turned into a modern hotel with generous views of the Douro River.
Exploring Porto’s architectural jewels like the Bolsa Palace, the Lello bookstore, and the Majestic café is always a joy. And we never tire of the spectacular tile panels that decorate the São Bento train station and the Carmo church. If you’re a music lover, check out the schedule of Casa da Música, a concert venue designed by Rem Koolhaas. We like visiting Bolhão, a 19th-century farmers market that has been recently renovated. It is the perfect place to buy a present for a gourmet friend, while enjoying a glass of wine and some appetizers.
We also love visiting the Serralves Foundation, exploring its contemporary art exhibitions, strolling through the elegant Art Deco mansion, and wandering through the magnificent gardens adorned with striking sculptures.
Another favorite activity is to visit Gaia’s port-wine cellars. Port-wine merchants built these cellars to protect their precious wines from the scorching Douro Valley summers and allow them to age gently. Over time, the cellars expanded, often taking over adjacent buildings and even entire streets. The Ferreira cellars include the house that once belonged to the famous Dona Antónia Ferreira. A cellar visit is a unique way of experiencing the magic of port wine. The cellars of Taylor’s, Ferreira, and Ramos Pinto are all great choices.
For lunch, we like going to Matosinhos to feast on grilled fish (rodovalho is our favorite). It is always delightful to eat at Gaveto, a renowned traditional restaurant. For an enchanted evening, treat yourself to a sunset dinner at the luxurious Boa Nova Tea House headed by chef Rui Paula.
To enjoy panoramic city views while sipping an aperitif, head to the rooftop of DeCastro Gaia. Whether it’s a chilled dry white port, a port tonic cocktail, or the exquisite Soberbo vermouth produced by Poças, you’ll find the perfect drink to complement the breathtaking scenery. When you’re ready for a delicious meal, head down one floor to relish the culinary delights prepared by Miguel Castro e Silva at DeCastro Gaia.
There are many fine dining choices in Porto. Eskalduna, helmed by Vasco Coelho Santos, offers a gastronomic journey through Portugal’s finest produce. Pedro Lemos crafts refined versions of traditional Portuguese recipes, while DOP, led by chef Rui Paula, is another avenue to savor his elegant cuisine. At Casario, chefs Miguel Castro e Silva and José Guedes have created a menu full of tempting flavors. Guests can enjoy it in a warm, intimate interior or on a terrace with sweeping views of the Douro River.
There are also traditional eateries like Adega S. Nicolau that have stood the test of time.
After spending one or two days in Porto, it is time to head to the Douro Valley. You can opt to drive or take the train to Pinhão, a town in the heart of the valley, from the São Bento or Campanhã stations. Alternatively, you can travel from Porto to Régua by boat. The eight-hour ride offers an opportunity to admire the magnificent bridges designed by Gustave Eiffel and sail through the impressive locks which regulate the river flow at Crestuma-Lever and Carrapatelo.
In the Douro Valley, it is a privilege to stay at Ventozelo, a magnificent wine estate transformed into a luxury hotel. The houses once occupied by workers and two port-wine balloons have been beautifully converted into unique bedrooms. Other elegant accommodations include the riverside Vintage House in Pinhão, the luxurious Six Senses Douro Valley, and the meticulously restored Quinta da Corte.
As soon as we drop our bags at the hotel, we head to Foz Torto, a winery near Pinhão owned by our friend Abílio Tavares da Silva. Abílio, a successful engineer who sold his company to become a wine producer, is the ultimate guide to the secrets of the Douro Valley. We also make sure to visit Sandra Tavares da Silva and Jorge Serôdio Borges, the acclaimed Wine & Soul enologists. Their exquisite wines showcase the best the Douro has to offer. It is always a pleasure to visit the vineyard that produces the iconic Pintas or their splendid Quinta da Manoella.
Distances within the Douro Valley are short, but travel times can be long because the narrow roads meander through the landscape. There are two ways to enjoy the breathtaking views without worrying about driving. The first, is to board the historical, coal-powered train from Pinhão to Tua for a journey back in time. The second, is to travel by boat from Pinhão to the mouth of the Tua River. In the past, the aristocratic Douro families traveled by boat to visit each other. There were no restaurants, but every family had a talented cook who used traditional recipes to prepare culinary feasts.
One of these cooks is Dona Graça. Together with her daughter Rosário, she opened the delightful Toca da Raposa restaurant in Ervedosa do Douro. We love her cooking so much that we often have all our meals here.
There are two restaurants with beautiful views of the river. The esplanade of Foz do Tavora is the perfect spot to enjoy a simple meal. DOC, another Rui Paula venture, is one more opportunity to try his elegant food. If you’re in the mood for a sumptuous breakfast or brunch, you can satiate your desires at the Six Senses Douro Valley.
As our stay in the Douro Valley nears its close, it’s always hard to leave. Abílio reminds us that our restlessness reflects our “urbanoid” disposition – we constantly seek new vistas instead of embracing paradise. Why don’t you move to the Douro Valley?, he asks. Perhaps one day, we shall heed his wise advice.
Salt of Portugal 