ALTO DOURO VINHATEIRO
(WORLD HERITAGE)
41° 16′ 34″ N; 7° 28′ 30″ W
The Alto Douro Vinhateiro or Wine Region of Alto Douro is an area in the northeast of Portugal with more than 26 thousand hectares, classified by UNESCO, on December 14, 2001, as a World Heritage Site, in the category of cultural landscape, being surrounded by mountains that give it particular mesological and climatic characteristics.
This region, which is bathed by the Douro River and is part of the so-called Douro Vinhateiro, has been producing wine for over 2000 years, including the world famous Port wine.
Its origins date back to the second half of the 17th century, when Port Wine began to be produced and exported in quantity, especially to England.
GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISION
The Douro Demarcated Region is divided into 3 zones:
Baixo-Corgo
It represents more than half of the demarcated region with 51% of the area occupied by vineyards, it represents the entire right bank of the Douro River, from Barqueiros to the Ceira River, (border of the parish union of parishes of Galafura and Covelinhas) of the municipality of Peso da Régua . On the left bank, from the parish of Barrô to the Temi-Lobos River, close to Vila de Armamar.
Cima-Corgo
36% of the demarcated region, extends from the borders of the previous one and goes to the meridian that passes through Cachão da Valeira.
Douro Superior
The smallest area with approximately 13%, from the borders of "Cima-Corgo" extending to the Spanish border.
Municipalities covered by the Unesco classification
Mesão Frio, Peso da Régua, Santa Marta de Penaguião, Vila Real, Alijó, Sabrosa, Murça, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Torre de Moncorvo, Lamego, Armamar, Tabuaço, S. João da Pesqueira and Vila Nova de Foz Côa, and represents ten percent of the Douro Demarcated Region and its territorial limits are defined on the UNESCO map.
Grapes "recommended" for Denomination of Origin Porto
Currently, the number of varieties "recommended" for Denomination of Origin Porto is 31 varieties: 16 reds and 15 whites.
The reds are:
Bastardo, Donzelinho-Tinto, Marufo ( Mourisco ), Tinta-Francisca, Aragonez ( Tinta-Roriz ), Tinto-Cão, Touriga-Franca ( Touriga-Francesa), Touriga-Nacional, Cornifesto, Malvasia-Preta, Castelão (Periquita ), Rufete, Trincadeira ( Tinta-Amarela ), Tinta-Barrosa, Tinta da Barca e Sousão.
The whites are:
Donzelinho-Branco, Sercial ( Esgana-Cão ), Folgazão, Gouveio ou Verdelho, Malvasia-Fina ( Boal ), Rabigato, Viosonho, Arinto ( Pedernã ), Semillon, Cercial, Síria ou Códega ( Roupeiro ), Vital, Moscatel-Galego-Branco e Samarrinho
Types of wine
Lágrima: White wine that can be dry, sweet or very sweet, hits the market after three years of aging.
The wines produced from red grape varieties are distinguished by the aging process, it can be through an aging process for decades in bottles or in wooden casks, those that follow this last process can be:
Ruby: They usually reach the market at the age of three.
Tawny: They are generally aged for 5 years in oak casks before reaching the bottle, within which there are Tawnies with age indication and Tawnies with harvest date indication.
Vintage Style: Can be drunk right after bottling.
Crusted Aged in cask for 2 or 3 years, then spends another 3 / 4 years in bottle before being consumed.
In addition to wines matured in wooden casks, Port wine can also be aged in bottle, through this method the superior qualities of Port wine are created, such as:
Late Bottled Vintage: Wine that results only from good quality harvests, spends between 4 to 6 years in casks before being bottled.
Vintage: Not all harvests can generate them as they are the result of a combination of exceptional climatic conditions that allow ideal maturation for maximum creation of the Douro vineyards.
THE BEST DOURO VIEWPOINTS
Discover the most spectacular views of Douro:
The term Alto Douro (Higher Douro) refers to the 2 banks of the Douro River in the districts of Vila Real and Bragança and became official in 1756 after the creation, by the Marquis of Pombal, of the General Company of Agriculture of the Alto Douro Wines. The lands of the Douro Wine Region are majestically characterized by the terraced vineyards in an amphitheater, the traditional Wine Estates that extend along the banks of the Douro River and the bucolic valleys and the rocky escarpments of the mountains. Pinhão is the major wine producing center in the Douro region, while Régua is its commercial center. When travelling through this region, one is always attracted not only by the beautiful and unique natural landscape, but also, by the originality of the humanmade landscape.
In the Alto Douro Region, visitors will find some of the most beautiful natural viewpoints in the country, from where they can observe amazing and impressive artistic aspects of the Portuguese landscape. Come get to know them:
São Leonardo de Galafura viewpoint: "Nature in Excess"
41.174105º N; 7.681283º W
Peso, Galafura, Poiares, Loureiro, Moura Morta and Vinhós or, more precisely, Baixo Corgo make up a pleasant sequence of natural viewpoints. The city of Régua overlooks the Douro River and faces a chain of hills where, over the years, human labor, has built Portugal’s most beautiful agricultural amphitheater. Here you´ll see millions of vineyards arranged in beautiful terraces which normally belong to “Quintas” or Wineries/Wine Estates.
Next to one of the roads that go down from Vila Real to Régua is where we find the São Leonardo da Galafura Viewpoint. From here, better than from anywhere else, one can appreciate the splendid landscape of the Douro Wine Region, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Miguel Torga, Portuguese poet, was passionate about this place - so much so that he dedicated a poem to it, entitled “São Leonardo da Galafura”, which is today written on the façade of the church we can find here. For the poet, this 640m high viewpoint is not a panorama that our eyes behold: it is for him «Nature in Excess».
Casal de Loivos: an unique view over the Douro
41.19861° N; 7.53214° W
Another great viewpoint of the landscapes of the Douro Wine Region. It is located to the north of Pinhão, being accessible by road. The panorama is intense and sublime, having been considered by the prestigious BBC as one of the most beautiful views in the world. A real inspiration!
São Salvador do Mundo Viewpoint: the perfect harmony between Man and Nature
41° 09’ 09.9″ N; 7° 22’ 02.9″ W
The São Salvador do Mundo viewpoint is located on the left bank of the Douro River in the heart of the Douro Demarcated Region, next to the road that connects São João da Pesqueira to the Valeira Dam. The site consists of an imposing granitic cone with an altitude of 493 meters and with a steep slope towards the river. From this viewpoint the main panoramic sight is of the Douro River´s Valley and its tributaries, creating a landscape of great beauty, complemented by the huge rugged and robust slopes that contrast with the vineyards, olive trees and orchards. In the background there is a glimpse of the Valeira Dam and the historic Cachão da Valeira, famous for being the place where Baron of Forrester died.
The view from this point is magnificent, allowing a unique and intense perspective on the Douro River, the Valeira Dam and the surrounding landscape.
Douro Valley from Porto by Train
The first sections of the Douro line were opened in 1875 – Ermesinde-Penafiel and Penafiel-Caíde. The route to Régua opened circulation in 1879 and to Pinhão in 1880. With the latter, the initial purpose of the Douro Railway Line was concluded – to establish a rail link between Porto and the Douro wine region. However, once this objective was overcome, another, more ambitious one emerged – to extend the line to the border with Spain in Barca d’Alva – thus creating a communication route between Portugal and Spain, and from there to the other European capitals. The international connection, Barca d’Alva – Salamanca, was inaugurated in 1887, thus completing the 200km that totaled the route of the Douro Line.
However, the international connection did not live up to expectations, and in 1985, the Spanish government decreed the closure of the section between La Fuente de San Esteban and La Fregeneda. Consequently, in 1988 the section between the stations of Pocinho and Barca d’Alva is closed, ending once and for all with the connection to the border.
Although the international connection failed, the construction of the Douro railway line was an important instrument for the modernization of the region, emerging as a more effective alternative to river transport and allowing the regular transport of people and goods, namely Port wine.
Although the international connection failed, the construction of the Douro railway line was an important instrument for the modernization of the region, emerging as a more effective alternative to river transport and allowing the regular transport of people and goods, namely Port wine.
The Douro Railway Line nowadays
Currently, the Douro Railway Line connects Porto to Pocinho, crossing the entire Douro Valley, in an extension of about 160 km, and a large part of the route taken alongside the river.
The train journey starts in the city of Porto, crossing Ermesinde and the municipalities of Penafiel and Marco de Canaveses. As the metropolitan area of Porto falls behind and the Douro approaches, the landscape becomes more rural. It is from Mosteirô that the Douro wine region, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, reveals itself. Green and rocky slopes, covered with vineyards, from where a farm often appears, which produces the famous Port Wine.
In addition to the stunning scenery, traveling on the Douro line means crossing a series of magnificent bridges, impressive tunnels and beautiful train stations.
Currently, the Douro Railway Line connects Porto to Pocinho, crossing the entire Douro Valley, in an extension of about 160 km, and a large part of the route taken alongside the river.
The train journey starts in the city of Porto, crossing Ermesinde and the municipalities of Penafiel and Marco de Canaveses. As the metropolitan area of Porto falls behind and the Douro approaches, the landscape becomes more rural. It is from Mosteirô that the Douro wine region, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, reveals itself. Green and rocky slopes, covered with vineyards, from where a farm often appears, which produces the famous Port Wine.
In addition to the stunning scenery, traveling on the Douro line means crossing a series of magnificent bridges, impressive tunnels and beautiful train stations.
In its entirety, the Douro Line has 23 tunnels, one of the most popular of which, perhaps due to its length – 1.1 km -, is the Caíde tunnel, on the Caíde – Marco de Canaveses section. And also 35 bridges, including the Ferradosa railway bridge, with a metallic structure and 375 meters in length, is one of the most photographed on the Douro Line.
As for the stations, the Pinhão station – which displays 24 tile panels referring to the vintage – and the Pocinho – a yellow building where the blue tile panels with rural scenes, whose pier porch it is supported by daisy-shaped consoles -, stands out for its singular beauty.
In the summer season, the historic steam train runs through the Régua – Tua section, transporting tourists to the past Douro. It is also in Régua that most cruises that sail the Douro dock, thus allowing passengers to get to know the region through two perspectives – navigating the river and traveling by train. In our opinion, this is the perfect combination for those who want to discover the hidden charms of this which is one of the most beautiful regions in Portugal – the Douro.
Douro Historical Train
As for the stations, the Pinhão station – which displays 24 tile panels referring to the vintage – and the Pocinho – a yellow building where the blue tile panels with rural scenes, whose pier porch it is supported by daisy-shaped consoles -, stands out for its singular beauty.
In the summer season, the historic steam train runs through the Régua – Tua section, transporting tourists to the past Douro. It is also in Régua that most cruises that sail the Douro dock, thus allowing passengers to get to know the region through two perspectives – navigating the river and traveling by train. In our opinion, this is the perfect combination for those who want to discover the hidden charms of this which is one of the most beautiful regions in Portugal – the Douro.
https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/how-to-travel/For-leisure/Nature-and-Culture/douro-historical-train
The Douro River by boat.
River tourism
The Via Navegável do Douro was inaugurated in its entirety in 1990. There are 210 kilometers from Barca d’Alva to Porto.
In 2014, 600,000 passengers passed through the waterway. Cruises on the same reservoir account for 64% of all passengers, moving around 400,000 people in 2014. These are trips of varying duration, from half an hour to one hour, and which are concentrated mainly in the areas of Porto-Gaia, and then also, on a smaller scale, in Entre-os-Rios, Régua, Pinhão, Foz do Sabor and Pocinho.
The hotel boat reached 55,000 passengers on the 13 boats to be operated.
One-day cruises exceeded 160,000 passengers. These boats sail mainly on the Porto-Régua-Porto, Régua-Pinhão-Régua and Régua-Barca d’Alva-Régua routes.
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