Duoro Valley Cruise - ANY ADVICE?

Hey Sargent Pepper,
We are looking for the same info.
Hope to see some posts.
Thanks,
Jim and Monica

If you aren’t in a rush, I would recommend taking the train to Pinhao and spending at least one night before returning to Porto. The lovely views are a bit out of Porto and staying at a Quinta is great. From Pinhao, you can take a two hour cruise on the Douro, which has always been enough for me. About an hour out of Porto, the views from the train are very nice, also.

Full disclosure though - I’ve not done a cruise from Porto so it may be better than I think. I’ve done a day tour in a small van and stayed in Pinhao twice. I much prefer staying overnight. That way, there is time for tastings, tours of wineries and just enjoying the views.

We are also trying to work through a good way to do the valley. We don't necessarily need to cruise. We can take a tour, drive, etc. We have limited time though and need to do it in a day.

We did a day trip -- train from Porto to Pinhão, then walked to a nearby Qunita (reservations recommended), hopped on one of the boats for a one-hour ride, then took the train back to Porto. It's a long day but very doable. I would think that a boat ride all the way from Porto to Pinhão would be boring.

In September, we also did the train from Porto to Pinhao (€20.15 return) and then the 50 minute river cruise in a rabelo (€12.50). We also took a taxi to Casal de Loivos Miradouro viewpoint (€20 round trip) to get a panoramic view of the valley from above Pinhao. IMO, after a while, the views became very boring. I would not want to be on an all day cruise from Porto.

While this does not directly answer your question as to a cruise trip from Porto, you might be able to work something out starting from a train station in the Douro Valley area. It's a beautiful area, and an overnight there could be well spent. We just came back from Portugal yesterday and we took an all day private tour through the Douro Valley with a young man who picked us up at our Airbnb, took us to a private port tasting, lunch (with wine) at a lovely mountain top restaurant, afternoon boat ride, a second wine tasting, dinner (with wine), lots of conversation, and beautiful drive in the country throughout the valley. At the end he safely returned us, stuffed to the gills and well subscribed with wine, to our Airbnb. He is quite intelligent, speaks very good English, and has a wealth of knowledge about wine, port, the area and its history. We had a truly wonderful day with him. While we had him curate our itinerary, you could certainly give him input as to what you would like to do and I believe he would do his absolute best to meet your requests. The entire day, including lunch, dinner, two tastings, an hour boat ride on the river (which is actually plenty of time), and lots of driving was 179 euro per person, which was very reasonable considering all that we did. He also does partial day tours if that fits better with your schedule or budget. I would highly recommend reaching out to Daniel to book a day with him, I don't think you will be disappointed, it truly was one of our best days in Portugal. Daniel Ferreira and his email is [email protected].
I hope you enjoy Portugal, we had a wonderful time there.

Strongly advice against taking bus or conducted tour by bus.

They go on Highways whereas boats and trains go along the river

It's 2.5 hour train ride to Pinhao with low frequency.

And yes, views do get boring after a while.

Not many Quintas, let you roam through wineries. As far as tour of storage facility and tasting is concerned, Gaia across the river from Porto offers plenty of options.

You need to monitor weather and go when rain is not expected as valley can become foggy and rebalo boat trips are no fun in chilly rain.

If you have a whole week in Porto, you should certainly consider doing at least one of the nights in Pinhao

H.denton, I have a question. How did you hear about your guide Daniel? Does he have a website? Just trying to do some research before reaching out to him. Thank you!

Sounds like you're in for a fantastic time exploring the Douro Valley! Here are some suggestions based on your queries:

• Reputable Cruise Company: For a reliable and enjoyable experience,
  consider companies like Douro Azul, Douro Exclusive, or Tomaz do
  Douro. They have a good reputation for providing excellent service
  and memorable cruises through the Douro Valley.
• Cruising Itinerary: Both options, cruising from Porto to Pinhão or vice versa, have their merits. Here's a breakdown:

Porto to Pinhão: This option allows you to relax and enjoy the scenery as you cruise deeper into the valley. You'll get to experience the changing landscapes and vineyard-covered hillsides along the way.
Pinhão to Porto: Cruising from Pinhão back to Porto might offer a different perspective, and you'll have the chance to see some sights you may have missed on the journey up. Plus, cruising downstream can sometimes feel more leisurely.

• Single-Day vs. Overnight Cruise: If you have the time and want to
  fully immerse yourselves in the Douro Valley experience, consider an overnight cruise. This way, you can take your time, enjoy wine
  tastings at local vineyards, and relax without feeling rushed.
  However, if you prefer a quicker trip, a single-day cruise can still offer a delightful glimpse into the beauty of the region.

Ultimately, the choice depends on your preferences for pace and the depth of your exploration. Whichever option you choose, I'm sure you'll have an unforgettable time discovering the breathtaking landscapes and delicious wines of the Douro Valley.

bjohnston9093, He was recommended by our Airbnb host. He has a google site, but he is pretty low on the radar.

The following link shows his 'canned tours', but I am sure he will do what ever works for you. We really had a wonderful time with him.

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/11idtF598AyhzO0LhTNet1zPhOzXcyzod

There is also this website:
https://www.getyourguide.com/terra-d-alma-s354225/

H.denton. Thanks, and I have been corresponding with Daniel who seems extremely nice and accommodating. We are going to go with his tour to two wineries and lunch. The wineries are Quinta de Tedo and QuintaBarqueiros. We told him that we would enjoy a family owned, friendly, and intimate setting rather than a ” corporate” environment. Hope these are good choices.

He took us to Quinta de tedo and it’s a lovely place. You will enjoy it.

naalehuretiree - are those one-hour cruises you mentioned easy to find? Do we need to book ahead? I've looked at various recommended companies for cruises from Porto to Pinhao, but not seeing anything for early Sept. Wondering if cruises stop during the harvest season?? So considering doing a train trip to and from, with the shorter cruise.
Any info appreciated. Thanks everyone for the good info above.

H.denton, thank you SO MUCH for recommending Daniel Ferreira as a guide through the Douro Valley. We just returned from a 10-day stay in Porto, and hiring Daniel was the highlight of our trip. Such a knowledgeable, engaging, intelligent young man, with a genuine passion for the beauty, history, and significance of his Douro Valley homeland. He tailored a perfect day for us, which included roundtrip transportation to/from our hotel in Porto, lunch, photo ops, two quintas, wine tastings, a one-hour river cruise, and dinner... plus an abundance of laughter and fellowship. Although we hadn't met him prior to the tour (though we did communicate via email) Daniel immediately treated us like friends, not tourists. I highly recommend him to anyone who wants a truly meaningful experience in the Douro Valley.

Daniel's email: [email protected]

Daniel's website: https://terradalma.com/