{"id":9434,"date":"2025-02-26T10:53:07","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T15:53:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diningtraveler.com\/?p=9434"},"modified":"2025-02-26T10:53:08","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T15:53:08","slug":"porto-and-the-douro-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2025\/02\/porto-and-the-douro-valley.html","title":{"rendered":"No trip to Portugal is complete without a stop in Porto and the Douro Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
When I was a college student, I backpacked through Europe and stopped in Lisbon<\/a>. Fast forward twenty years, and I joined my parents and sister on a trip through Portugal, beginning in Lisbon, then visiting several small towns<\/a> north of Lisbon, and eventually arriving in Porto. After Lisbon, we explored Porto and the Douro Valley for three days, and it was nothing short of spectacular. I know now that no trip to Portugal is complete without a stop in Porto and Douro Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n We stayed in the Portobay <\/a>Teatro Hotel, an upscale, recently renovated building covered in a glass facade.\u00a0 It is conveniently located in the center of Porto; we did a walking tour of the city that kicked off just outside our hotel! We got ready for the day over a luxurious breakfast with fresh juices, a spread of fresh fruits, eggs made to order, granola and yogurt bowls, and freshly made loaves of bread served with jams, butter, and cheeses. Plenty of cafes, bars, and restaurants are also within walking distance, and you are within 90 minutes of Douro Valley, so you can do multiple days of wine-tasting day trips to the vineyards.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Walking tour of Porto<\/a>: A walking tour of Porto is a great way to get an orientation of the city. Walk along the many alleys that showcase its stunning architectural treasures. From the iconic Dom Lu\u00eds I Bridge to the colorful Ribeira district, you’ll discover hidden gems and historical narratives that bus tours simply miss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Visit the wineries in Douro V<\/a>alley! Since we were staying in Porto proper, we took a tour of local wineries starting at 9:00 am because it takes over an hour to get to the wineries in the valley. Here\u2019s where we went:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n Douro Valley Picnic + Boat Cruise<\/a>: A great way to see Porto and Douro Valley is by water! The tour company arranged a picnic after the wine tasting for us, complete with stunning vantage points of the Douro Valley and plenty of wine, followed by a boat ride on the water, of course with more wine. It was unreal. Being surrounded by the water and the mountains and the rows and rows of grapevines \u2013 it doesn\u2019t get much more beautiful than this.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n After each day of activities, we enjoyed dinner in the city at one of the following spots: <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere to Stay\u00a0in Porto and Douro Valley<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What to Do<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Where to Eat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n