Douro Valley Itinerary: 3 Days from Porto

A day trip shows you the Douro, but two or three days let you feel it: waking up in a quinta above the river, tasting wine where it’s made, cruising between the terraces and driving the famous N222. Here’s our 3-day Douro Valley itinerary from Porto, by car or by train.

Quick answer: Day 1: drive or take the train from Porto to Pinhão, with a river cruise and a quinta tasting. Day 2: drive the N222 to Peso da Régua, visit two wineries and the viewpoints of Casal de Loivos and São Leonardo de Galafura. Day 3: Lamego’s baroque stairway and back to Porto. Stay at a quinta, and book tastings ahead.

Day 1: Porto to Pinhão

• Morning: the scenic train from Porto (about 2h20 to Pinhão), or drive about 1h45–2h.
• Pinhão: see the station’s tile panels of the wine harvest.
• Afternoon: a one-hour river cruise from the riverfront, then a tasting at a nearby quinta.
• Stay: in or near Pinhão. See the best Douro hotels.

Day 2: The N222 and wineries

• Morning: drive to the viewpoint at Casal de Loivos above Pinhão for the classic river-bend view.
• Midday: drive the N222 along the river to Peso da Régua, one of the world’s great driving roads. Stop for lunch at a quinta.
• Afternoon: another tasting, and the Douro Museum in Régua.
• Sunset: the viewpoint at São Leonardo de Galafura.

Day 3: Lamego and back to Porto

• Morning: Lamego’s Nossa Senhora dos Remédios sanctuary, with a huge baroque staircase of over 600 steps.
• Return: to Porto (about 1h30), or via Amarante, a pretty riverside town.

By train only?

Base yourself in Pinhão, do the river cruise and walk to nearby quintas, then hire a local driver or taxi for a few hours to reach wineries further away. See the Douro Valley without a tour.

Tips

• Book tastings and lunches ahead, especially at weekends and during the harvest (September to early October).
• Don’t drink and drive: share the driving, or use a driver. See driving in Portugal.
• Summer heat: the valley can top 35°C, so choose a quinta with a pool.
• Prefer a tour? See Douro wine tours or Douro river cruises.

More: Portugal’s wine regions and the port wine guide.

Prices and details change, so please double-check before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the groups.