Portu-gills Do Douro Valley and Porto

[Yes, I am a terrible procrastinator and am still catching up from November 2016…]

With Sintra in the rearview mirror, my dad drove my mom and me to Porto. We checked into our amazing apartment just in time for a late dinner. We stayed in Porto for three nights, which sounds like a lot; but I only wish we could have stayed longer!

We woke up early Tuesday morning to make the trek to the Douro Valley for a day of wine tasting. Our friends Laura and Will had just been to Porto and Douro, and Laura offered us some amazing recommendations. Thankfully, we took advice on the vineyard, the Quinta Nova Winery House.

As if the nearly two hour drive wasn’t exciting enough with the countless bridges and winding roads up and down gorgeous mountains, the Portu-gills added another layer of drama: running out of gas. By some wine country miracle, we made it to a gas station and to the vineyard in time for our wine tour.

We booked a full day experience with Quinta Nova; beginning with a tour, followed by a wine tasting and concluding with a gourmet lunch. Upon our arrival, we were blown away by the views! The grapes grow on rolling hills surrounding a valley cut out by the Douro River.

Known for its port wine production, the Douro Valley provides a poor soil full of slate, nine months of winter and three hot months. The unique climate creates full-bodied red wines, so the area became protected in 1756. To sell port wine, vineyards have to follow strict regulations, which keep the product historically authentic.

Back in the day, the vineyards would float/paddle their wine down the river to Porto to be sold. It took three days to get to Porto and three months for the boats/workers to make it back to the valley! In fact, the name “port wine” came from the fact that it was exported from Porto.

We walked around a small portion of Quinta Nova’s 120 hectares and learned about their technological adaptations over the years. Unlike many vineyards in the valley, Quinta Nova now produces red and white table wines in addition to the traditional port wines.

Then, we had our wine tasting (my favorite part of the day)! We tried three different wines, and we each had a different favorite. Cheers!

As we finished our favorite wines, we moved outside to soak up the view.

Our final activity at Quinta Nova was our tasting lunch. The downside of waiting almost four months to write about this experience is that I have no clue what we ate! I think there was a pork dish? I know for certain that my parents and I loved it and were so impressed with each course.

We drove back to Porto as the sun set. Naturally, my dad had us stop a few times for photos (you’ll see why!). I will never forget the stunning beauty of the Douro Valley!

Wednesday was a fully booked day of Porto exploring. We began the day with breakfast at Majestic Café. The restaurant dates back to 1921 and exudes history and charm. Since opening, it has attracted countless distinguished customers; J.K. Rowling wrote much of the first Harry Potter book there while teaching in Porto in the 90s.

For the remainder of the day, we employed a guide to show us around Porto.

Our first stop was one of my favorites of the day: the train station. The 20,000 hand-painted tiles depict stories of Portugal’s battles and its beautiful landscapes.

Later, he took us to the incredible Santa Clara Church (and former monastery). The church features the most intricate gilded woodworking you’ve ever seen, but photography is not allowed. Our guide explained that for many women, the choice came down to “Would you rather marry Joffrey or go to the monastery?” Monastery for me! Next to the monastery, we saw the only remains of Porto’s fortified walls (which led us to the river).

Here we could see where the port wine would come down the Douro River to Porto.

 

We worked our way to the Porto Cathedral, one of the oldest and most iconic landmarks in Porto. With construction beginning in 1110 and completing in the 13^th century, the cathedral has a Roman façade on the front and a Baroque patio on the side. The architecture could only be rivaled by the breathtaking views overlooking the city and river.

After breaking for a fabulous seafood lunch, our guide took us to quite an unusual sight: two adjacent churches. Built in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, the churches could not share a wall. In an effort to prevent fraternization between the nuns of Igreja dos Carmelitas from the monks of Igreja do Carmo, a 1-meter-wide house separates the churches.

At this point, we ditched our guide and went off on our own! We found yet another piece of Harry Potter history: the Lello Bookstore. J.K. Rowling also spent time writing the first Harry Potter book here. The unique staircase inspired the Hogwarts staircase that Rowling describes in the books. It’s been deemed the most beautiful bookstore in the world.

 

We walked towards the water to tackle the final item on our Porto wish list, San Francisco Church. It’s known for its Gothic exterior and opulent Baroque interior. I am not going to lie, my jaw hit the floor when I saw the level of detail and the shining gold. It was spectacular.

For our final night in Porto, we dined with José Avillez again! We loved Mini Bar Teatro in Lisbon so much that we tried his Porto restaurant, Cantinho do Avillez. Just like our first dinner, he didn’t disappoint; we loved our wine, food and dessert!

We got up the next morning and hit the road for the Algarve (south Portugal).

[A big shoutout to my dad for not only making this trip possible, but for also sharing his pics with me!!]