Archive for: January 2007

The Douro valley is the grape growing region for Port Wine and it has been producing wine since it was introduced into Portugal 2.000 years ago by the Romans.

The wine is taken to the Port Wine ‘caves’ at the mouth of the river in Gaia which is on the south bank facing Porto (Oporto). It used to be a perilous journey down the fast flowing river in the traditional ‘Rabelo’ boats but in the 19th. Century a railway was built along the banks of the river and its tributaries.

Now road tankers are used to transport the wine and the river is a series of dams with locks for boats to pass. Passenger trains are still running and the line is among ‘The Great Railway Journeys of the World’. These days the river is mainly used for tourist traffic including hotel boats taking a week to go across Portugal and return to Porto.

The Port Wine growing region is very attractive and has a hot, dry micro climate. The large Port wine Quintas are usually painted white and their estates go down to the rivers edge. A little known fact is that the walled terraces were built by black slave labour. The slaves were later replaced in the vineyards by labourers from Galicia in Spain. The slaves have left no trace behind, not even descendents of mixed race.

The Douro valley is an outstanding example of a traditional European wine producing region and has been declared a World Heritage Site. Further upriver is the Archaeological Park of Foz Coa which prevented the area being flooded when a proposed dam was built. It has also been granted World Heritage Site status by UNESCO.

The accommodation in the area is limited but very diverse. Many visitors stay at the Pousada Pousada Solar da Rede overlooking the river at Mesao Frio. Another popular hotel is the Regua Douro Hotel. A famous Port Wine Quinta which has guest accommodation is Casa de Casal de Loivos which has spectacular views of the river below. Another option is the riverside Quinta de Sao Jose. Nearer to Porto is the recently modernised Quinta de Cao.

An interesting self catering quinta for rent is Casa de Povoa which is an old Manor house looking down to one of the dams on the river. Near Pinhao is Casa Amarelo which is located at the rivers edge on one of the wine producing quintas.

Cottages with a shared swimming pool include those at Quinta de Santa Julia de Loureiro on a beautiful Port Wine producing quinta looking down the hillside to Regua. There is also cottage accommodation at Quinta de Sao Jose upriver from Pinhao.

This area is truly spectacular and is not yet overrun with tourists.

If you want to like on the beach in the hot sun, the Algarve is the place for you. Many people however go to other regions which retain the original way of life unaffected by the tourist invasion.

The Algarve is the most visited tourist region. It developed in a hot and arid region with spectacular beaches which was deserted before mass tourism by plane. I like to visit this area of concrete buildings in winter when it is less crowded and it is nice to speak English to everyone. Not being a golfer, I cannot enjoy the many courses for which the area is famous.

However this Paradise for tourists is not the true Portugal.

To the north of the Algarve, across the coastal mountains, are the vast hot roling plains of the Alentejo. The old towns on the small hillocks used to be defended by castles. The government has converted many of these historical buildings into Pousada hotels.

Furhter north is the vibrant capital city of Lisbon where the main inter continetal airport is situated. The city centre has many hotels and historical sights. The nearby old fishing town of Cascais with south facing beches is worth visiting. Not to be missed is Sintra to where the King’s Court used to move in order to escape the summer heat of Lisbon. It has many old palaces, some dating from the period when the Moors ruled most of south Portugal.

The road to Oporto can include a visit to the old walled town of Obidos. If the Pousada is full, stay and have dinner at the inn, Casa das Senhoras Rainhas. Other places to visit on the journey include the modern pilgrimage sanctuary of Fatima or the old university town of Coimbra.

Oporto, or Porto as it is known to the Portuguese, is an industrial town with many fine buildings. In spite of this it is well worth staying a couple of nights, The main tourist attraction are the Port Wine ‘caves’ on the south bank of the river. I like to stay at the Pestana Porto hotel which is in the old riverside area in an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Oporto has an airport with flights to most European capital cities.

Upstream from Porto is the area in which the grapes for the Port Wine (capital letters by tradition) are grown on terraces going down to the river Douro. In this region it is possible to stay at some of the beautiful quintas. One of my favourites is Casa de Casal de Loivos near Pinhao.

I like the Alto Minho in the far north, an area not known to many tourists. This is view is obviously shared by the Portuguese who chose the area to build their Manor Houses in previous centuries. Their are few hotels but some Pousadas and many of the manor houses offer accommodation for paying guests. They also have tourist accommodation in modernised cottages.

This area of small fields, green valleys, high hills, old towns and Celtic traditions has many villas for rent. One of my favourites is Casa de Olival near the old town of Ponte de LIma.

The old roads of ten years ago have now been replaced by fast new motorways and it is now possible to go from north to south of this interesting and beautiful country in a few hours.