Visiting the Douro

The Douro valley is visited by river, by rail and by road, from Porto upstream to Peso da Régua, Pinhão and Pocinho. The Alto Douro Wine Region, the part of the valley classified by UNESCO, lies between Mesão Frio and the Spanish border.

This page covers river cruises, the railway, the wine estates, the river beaches and the food of the region.

By river

• River cruises: boats run from Porto and from Peso da Régua to Pinhão, Pocinho and Barca d'Alva, on day trips and longer cruises.
• Locks: five dams on the Portuguese Douro, Crestuma-Lever, Carrapatelo, Régua, Valeira and Pocinho, have locks that lift boats up the river. Carrapatelo has the largest difference in level, about 35 metres.
• Navigation: the river is navigable from Porto to Barca d'Alva, on the Spanish border.

By rail

• Douro line: trains run from Porto São Bento to Pocinho in about 3 hours and 20 minutes, along the river for most of the route, through Peso da Régua, Pinhão and Tua.
• Historic train: a steam train pulled by locomotive 0186, built in 1925 by Henschel, runs between Peso da Régua and Tua on set dates.
• Pinhão station: the station at the centre of the wine region, with tile panels of the Douro landscape.

Wine estates in the Douro

Many estates of the Douro open their cellars for visits and tastings, from Peso da Régua to Tabuaço and Sabrosa.

River beaches in the Douro

Food in the Douro

• Presunto de Lamego: the cured ham of Lamego.
• Cabrito: roast kid, served in the villages of the valley.
• Bola de Lamego: a bread filled with meat, from Lamego.
• Cavacas de Resende and rebuçados da Régua: the glazed biscuits of Resende and the boiled sweets of Régua.

Wine of the Douro

Port wine has its own page. The region also produces table wines under the Douro designation of origin.

Places to visit in the Douro

Douro, Portugal

Alto Douro Wine Region

Alto Douro Wine Region

Pinhão (Douro heart)

Pinhão (Douro heart)

Mateus Palace

Mateus Palace

Lamego & Santuário dos Remédios

Lamego & Santuário dos Remédios

Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley

Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley

History of the Douro

History of the Douro

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Visiting the Douro

Port Wine

Port Wine