Douro Valley: Unforgettable Small-Group Wine & Cruise Escape

Great trip. Very informational. We appreciated the small group experience. Only downside was the driver drove too fast. We were flying past every other car on the road. There was no need to drive this fast and risk the safety of the everyone. The guide was lovely, but the unsafe driving ruined it for us. He was driving 140-150 kilometers and I got sick in the back seat. It was so bad we contemplated taking a 200 euro uber back to Porto.

Well organized day with several different interesting experiences including several wine tastings with understandable explanations of the different wines and processes plus beautiful scenery

Excellent trip. Very well planned, beautiful area and wonderful wine. The tour had a casual, friendly feel and our guide, Alex, was exceptional.

A must for anyone staying in Porto is a visit to the Douro Valley vineyard region. Fair distance along the Douro from Porto, so a full day is needed for this. Our pick up was at 8.30 outside the Se cathedral in Ribeira, which was fine for us, as we were staying nearby. Quite chaotic trying to work out which coach was ours and the booking in procedure but got there in the end! Good to have a knowledgeable guide with us for the tour, so he talked us through the day as we made our way through the suburbs of Porto and onto the motorway towards our destination. Short stop off in a town (city?) called Amarante (wish we had more time there, really!) which allowed us to stretch our legs and find a coffee, before boarding the coach and on to Pinhao and the Croft vineyard. Guided wander around part of the vineyards at Croft with informative explanations of the various methods of vine growing over the centuries and also into the cask sheds (wonderful smells!) with explanation of the methods of maturing the wines, what makes a 'bumper' vintage year and why they use different sized vessels depending on the style of the port being produced. Tasting of 3 types of port before boarding the coach and a short trip to the river front at Pinhao for a 45 minute trip up the river valley and back, with commentary along the way. Great way to see why this region is so favourable for grape growing. Back to the coach and onto another vineyard, via a high vantage point to stop and take in the panorama over a wide expanse of the valley. Stop at Favaios and a moscatel producer for lunch and more tasting. Lunch was quite late, so much appreciated by then! Tour of the wine vat sheds and more explanation on the style of wine being produced. Back to the coach by about 4.30 and trip back to Porto for 6.30 deposit in town. We paid £105 each, which may sound a lot but when you add up the travel, tour guides, sampling, boat tour and the fact that it is all taken care of for you, well worth it, we felt. Quite full on day but well worth it!

Fantastic tour, Miguel was knowledgeable and fun! The wine and food were delicious. Boat ride was the perfect hour in between tastings. Highly recommended Miguel!

Our guide Marcelo was super- made sure everyone was comfortable and answered all of our queries and requests. The tour was well paced and the wineries we visited were outstanding. Loved everything about this tour.

Such a fun day in the Douro Valley! 🍇 We were only six in the group... small, relaxed, and full of laughs. Our guide was fantastic, friendly, funny, and made everything flow so smoothly. The views were stunning, the cruise was dreamy, and let’s just say… our hearts and livers were full after all that Porto wine 🍷🤣 Highly recommend this trip!

My friend and I had a great time on this tour. It was easy to see that our guide, Alex, loves his job! He was a wealth of information about the Douro River Valley. He kept our group entertained throughout the tour. The small group experience, in my opinion, is the only way to go. Gave us the opportunity to meet new and interesting people.

We spent the day with Joao as our guide. He was very informative of the area and gave us wonderful insight to the Portuguese way of life Made sure we were having a good time We would definitely book a return visit with him

My experience was exceptional! Sara was a perfect tour guide, she picked us up at our hotel first thing in the morning. Toured us through the Douro Valley and several Port Houses with ease. Had a tasty lunch along the way that was arranged by the tour company and finally got us back to the hotel at 10 hours from the time we were picked up. 10 out of 10 for Sara!! 🍷