Valleys & Vineyards

Flying in to Porto, you’ll pick up your car and make the hour’s drive east to Amarante, famous for its beautiful Romanesque architecture. The town takes its name from the Portuguese verb amar – to love – and it’s certainly a romantic sort of place, with its photogenic bridges, churches and streets dating back to the medieval period.

The most striking corner of the town is its Ponte de Sao Goncalo, a dramatic bridge dating back to the 1700s which leads to the Sao Goncalo Monastery, even older and housing statues of ancient Portuguese kings. Be sure to also check out the Museu Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, dedicated to the work of one of Portugal’s most celebrated artists. Your home for two nights in Amarante is the suitably historic Casa da Calcada, a beautiful luxury hotel housed in a 16th-century mansion.

The next stop on your road trip adventure is Vidago, around an hour’s scenic drive to the northeast. You’ll spend the next two nights at the Vidago Palace, another five-star heritage property. The star attraction here, though, is the hotel’s setting in the lush surrounds of the Vidago Park, a collection of beautiful gardens, ponds and paths. If you’re the sporty type, there are tennis courts and a golf course to make use of here; alternatively, relax in the restorative waters of the resort’s natural thermal springs. Attractions nearby include the vineyards which dot the surrounding countryside and the town of Chaves, home to some stunning Roman ruins.

Taking to the road again, you’ll head into Portuguese wine country and the Quinta da Pacheca, around an hour’s drive to the north. Your home for the next two nights is The Wine House Hotel, a traditional, intimate hotel on the Quinta da Pacheca estate. Needless to say, wine is pretty high on the agenda here, and guided tours and wine tastings are included. You can even play a part in the production process itself, helping to harvest and tread the grapes. Of course, great wine goes best with great food, and you can learn to whip up some classic Portuguese dishes at regular cooking workshops. You’ll also have bike hire included in your stay, so you can leave the car behind and get to know the Douro region at a gentler pace.

Your journey ends where it began, back in Porto, but this time you’ll have two nights to explore the historic, cultural and gastronomic attractions of Portugal’s second city. You’ll spend the last two nights of your trip at The Yeatman, a lavish luxury hotel on the banks of the Douro. The hotel’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant is a great place to savour some of the very finest Portuguese cuisine, while the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, on the same side of the river, offer endless opportunities for port wine tasting.

Spend the rest of your time in Porto at your leisure, enjoying the acclaimed restaurants of beachfront Matosinhos and taking in some of the city’s beautiful historic architecture, such as the Se cathedral and the gilded church Igreja de Sao Francisco. After two nights of eating, drinking and seeing the sights in Porto, your road trip adventure comes to an end, and you’ll fly home.