Porto & the Douro Valley

Flying to Portugal’s second largest city, a private transfer will bring you to your choice of accommodation, a modern hotel overlooking the city or a 19th-century palace hotel overlooking  the Douro River. It's a view showcased by its luxury rooms, indulgent spa and delightful pool. Back inside, you’ll be treated to a tour de force of Portuguese Baroque beauty, with gilded furnishings, colourful frescoes and a grand façade leading to the hotel being recognised as a National Monument. With the use of a complimentary shuttle service, you’ll also want to head out and explore Porto itself. A terracotta tumble of narrow alleyways, you’ll lose yourself in a heady mix of medieval cathedrals, palatial gardens and sombre Gothic churches that hide golden interiors. It’s all host to a spectacular gastronomic scene, with everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to cosy bistros offering the best in Portuguese cuisine – washed down with a glass of port, of course. 

Stay: Douro Royal Bridges (Superior), Pestana Palácio Do Freixo (Deluxe)

After breakfast, you’ll set off along the Douro Line. An engineering marvel of the late 19th century, its skipping bridges and plunging tunnels trace green contours to follow the Douro River into its vineyard-lined valley. Here, you’ll alight at Mosteiro or Aregos Stations, and be transferred to your chosen hotel. A considered contrast to your last stay, both with contemporary architecture at its finest, with designer notes throughout each room and private balcony views of its river neighbour. You’ll spend your time here enjoying gourmet dining, poolside relaxation and bar-terrace views, perhaps booking onto a cooking class or port-tasting workshop if you’re feeling inspired. There’s also the chance to explore the valley’s majestic landscapes, stopping off at pretty whitewashed villages for a hearty boar stew in between tasting your way through the region’s beautifully terraced vineyards.

Stay: Douro Palace (Superior), Douro Royal Valley Hotel (Deluxe)

After breakfast, begin your journey home. Catch the train back to Porto and to make your onward connection to the airport as you finish your Portugal holiday.