Heading to Portugal for two weeks in September. I need some thoughts about the Douro Valley. We are spending three nights in Porto. We are coming in from Coimbra. Two options I am considering; 1. Visit the Douro Valley on my way to Porto. I will have a car until I get to Porto. Leave Coimbra early. Visit a winery or two. Roam around and enjoy the scenery. Maybe get in a short river cruise. 2. Go to Porto and take a river cruise from there. From what I see they are ALL day tours. We are spending two nights in Coimbra so I hope not to short change my visit there.
Tour suggestions are welcomed!!!
Steve
Posted by
374 posts
Hi
Option 1 would be my choice, having a car offers great flexibility, just don't drink and drive and be aware of the twisty roads.
In Pinhão they have short cruises.
https://ctdouro.com/
In Porto you also have the option of a short cruise just to see the area around the bridges.
https://www.yellowbustours.com/en/porto/yellow-city-cruises-douro-river-cruise-porto-wine-tasting-and-bus-tour
Happy travels
Posted by
54 posts
We are heading to Portugal (also from Florida) next May, and are spending two nights in Coimbra (after four nights in Lisbon) before heading to Porto by car as well. I know you indicated you're traveling this month...unsure if that has been completed or if you're still there.
Anyway, we have currently planned our itinerary for only two nights in Porto, but have been seriously considering adding a third night, which would require us to take it from one of our planned stops in Northern Spain, where we head from Porto. Any thoughts on that, as it relates to two vs. three nights there? Otherwise, after Porto we were planning to spend a night in Galicia (specifically Cambados) to tour a winery (we're big Albarino fans), before heading to Asturias (to include Oviedo and Picos de Europa National Park), and then Basque Country (Bilbao and San Sebastian). If we add the third night to Porto, it would really need to be from Cambados ~ we've really wanted to tour the winery, but yet it's still a quick stop there, to where we feel there's a good change we may appreciate the third night in Porto more...especially after arriving in Porto.
Also ~ on our way from Lisbon to Coimbra, we plan to stop at either Obidos or Batalha, or perhaps both if we get an early enough start from Lisbon ~ want to make sure we still arrive in Coimbra in the mid/late afternoon, to get settled, and then have the following next day to explore Coimbra, before heading to Porto the day after that. Did you happen to pass through either Obidos or Batalha?
As far as Floridian to Floridian ~ hope you're otherwise staying safe and well with Hurricane Ian. We're in SE Florida (Miami), so have fared very well. But know that many others in our state unfortunately haven't.
Thanks!
Posted by
11611 posts
Jeff, reconsider your stops between Lisbon and Coimbra. Obidos is cute and quaint, lives for tourism, not very real. We made the mistake of staying there. Two hours max for a visit. We also went to Batalha and Acobaça, no comparison between the two. Alcobaça is beautiful in it’s simplicity and is the location of the Portuguese royals’ tombs. We didn’t care for Batalha very much.
Posted by
8331 posts
We loved the Douro Valley and Porto.
We did a 7 day river cruise of the Douro that was wonderful. You don't have time for that, but you could drive yourself, provided you don't drink much wine on the way.
You can take a short river cruise from Porto and you would see some of the lower part of the valley, which is the least scenic part.
You could, from Porto take the train and stay in Regua and Pinhao, which are faster up the river in very scenic areas.
If you stay in Porto, check out the In Patio Guesthouse, the most wonderful B&B ever.