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Porto to the Douro Valley

Douro Valley, Portugal · 12 stories · 1 day

From Porto's port lodges over the Marão mountains to Peso da Régua, then along the N222 beside the Douro through terraced vineyards to Pinhão and the heights of São João da Pesqueira.

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Stories along the way

  1. 1. The Tail of the DouroIf you look out across the Douro River around Porto or Vila Nova de Gaia, you might spot sleek, dark wooden boats resting on the water, marked with the names of famous port wine…
  2. 2. Porto's Battle of IronAs you approach the deep granite gorge of the River Douro, a colossal web of dark iron sweeps across the valley, joining the city of Porto to the Port wine lodges of Vila Nova de…
  3. 3. The Story of Vinho VerdeAs you travel through the far north of Portugal, between the Douro and Minho rivers, you are entering the home of Vinho Verde — literally 'green wine', though it is best…
  4. 4. The Bridge of DefianceImagine standing on a riverbank in the spring of 1809, watching a makeshift defense of local priests, farmers, and soldiers hold off Napoleon’s invading army for fourteen…
  5. 5. The Palace Behind the LabelIf you have ever held a bottle of Mateus Rosé, you might already recognize the grand silhouette of the building around here. The famous Portuguese wine took its name and its image…
  6. 6. The Secrets of the DouroImagine coming into a valley where dramatic, almost vertical slopes of dark stone drop straight down toward the water. These are the terraced vineyards of the Douro River in…
  7. 7. The Golden River of IberiaCarving a grand arc from the high Spanish plains all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, the Douro River is the lifeblood of northern Iberia. Around here, you are traveling through a…
  8. 8. The End of the LineImagine a steel railway line curving through ninety-nine miles of northern Portugal, clinging to the contours of the Douro River valley. For over three hours, passenger trains…
  9. 9. Magellan's Relentless VoyageImagine a man walking with a permanent limp from a battle in Morocco, spurned by his own Portuguese monarch, walking into the court of Spain to pitch an impossible dream. His name…
  10. 10. Secrets of the Douro ValleyAs you travel into the Douro valley, sheltered from Atlantic winds by the high ridges of the Marão and Montemuro mountains, it is easy to feel as though you have entered a…
  11. 11. The Protector of the DouroIf you are travelling near the Douro River as it carves its way toward the coast at Porto, you are looking at a waterway that was once as treacherous as it was lucrative. For…
  12. 12. Wine, Kings, and Douro TerracesHigh above the Douro River, where steep terraced vineyards cling to hillsides eight hundred and fifty metres up, you are moving through a landscape shaped by human hands for at…