savvynomadadventures

A trip to Porto without visiting the Douro Valley is, quite frankly, sacrilegious. With all the cathedrals around, we didn’t want to anger the wine gods, so naturally, we booked a day trip to this legendary region.

I’ve spent almost 30 years of my career immersed in the world of fine dining, surrounded by truly fantastic wine selections. I have spent a lot of time sipping and tasting wines for our restaurant menus (all in the name of “research,” of course). As someone who lives and breathes wine, I’ve been incredibly lucky to visit vineyards across the globe—Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe, Argentina, Chile, France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and of course, the California staples: Temecula, Napa, and Sonoma. Oh, and let’s not forget Oregon!

But Douro Valley? That’s been sitting on my bucket list forever—and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. This place is something out of a wine lover’s dream, and if you haven’t experienced it yet, let me be the first to say you need to add it to your list ASAP. Our private tour group was small ( just how we like it), and we ended up befriending Ravi, a super cool dude from LA who now lives (mostly) in Cascais, Portugal (stay tuned for more Ravi stories later—he became a recurring character in our travels and we seriously love this guy- new bffs).

A Bit of History From Our Guide

The Douro Wine region, officially demarcated in 1756, is the OG of wine regions, is the oldest in the world. It’s where port wine was born, and they’ve been perfecting it for centuries. Driving through the Serra do Marão mountains, we were surrounded by steep, terraced vineyards that looked like they’d been carved out by the wine gods themselves, it seriously put Napa to shame…sorry, but true. Some of these terraces are thousands of years old, and you realize how much love, sweat, and time have gone into every glass of wine produced here.

After an incredibly scenic 1.5-hour drive, our guide, Ronaldo, dropped us at a boat for the next leg of the journey. A 2-hour cruise along the Douro River (also known as the “River of Gold” because it was the key route for transporting wine) was up next. The sun was shining, the vineyards stretched out for miles, and we were sipping on Vinho Verde—a crisp, slightly fizzy white wine that tastes like summer in a glass. Everything was perfect… until Taylor Swift started playing on the boat.

I mean, what the actual fuck? Sorry, Swifties (though I doubt you’re reading this blog), but that’s not the vibe we signed up for. We politely requested a music change, and that’s when things got super dramatic.

A 6-year-old boy on the boat (who even brings a kid on a wine tour?) started absolutely losing it because we turned off Taylor. Crying, screaming, throwing himself around (almost overboard actually)—the whole show. Meanwhile, I’m sitting there trying to give my best “please don’t ruin my wine trip” glare while also laughing hysterically on the inside. He cried, whined, and cried some more the entire cruise. Sorry, kid, no Taylor on my watch. Someone get him a glass of wine already—don’t they start young in Europe?

After the mostly epic boat ride, we enjoyed lunch at a fancy riverside restaurant. Portuguese food is interesting, being someone who doesn’t really eat meat—there were some hits and some misses. I was brave enough to try the “minnow” appetizer, which, weirdly, tasted like chicken. I can’t remember what is is actually called, but I grew up fishing wit my Dad, and what was on my plate certainly looked like a minnow we used for bait.

After lunch, we headed off to a wine and olive oil tasting (BONUS!) at D’Origem Vineyards. Nestled in the stunning village of Casal de Loivos, just 6 km from Pinhão, this place was awesome. D’Origem is all about producing top-notch wines, olive oil, honey, and even grape juice that captures the very essence of the Douro region. Our host explained the different types of olive oil making (hot vs cold press), and tons of wine making history.

We spent some time here soaking in the breathtaking views over the Douro River, surrounded by vineyards that have been passed down through generations. The reds, whites, rosés—all of it—is crafted with such passion, you can taste the history in every sip. The tasting was next level, and the views… let’s just say, this was a bucket list experience for sure.

The last leg of our trip was a train ride through the valley with sweeping views that take your breath away. The train ride was a highlight, and if you are ever in Porto, we highly recommend taking a day tour that combines the car, boat, and train. It was the hat trick of awesomeness. We used this company and loved it! 5 stars!

Words don’t do it justice, but I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. And no, I didn’t get a photo of the crying kid—that would’ve been a bit much, even for me.

Moral of the story? Don’t miss the Douro Valley if you’re in Porto. Just make sure to check the playlist on the boat. Up next- Aveiro & Evora, Portugal.