Mateus Palace, Vila Real: The House on the Wine Label

If the Mateus Palace looks familiar, that’s because it appears on the label of Mateus Rosé, one of the world’s best-known wines. This baroque manor near Vila Real, with its formal gardens and reflecting pool, is one of the most beautiful houses in Portugal, and an easy stop on a Douro trip.

Quick answer: the palace is just outside Vila Real, about 1 hour 20 minutes from Porto and 30 minutes from Peso da Régua. Visit the gardens (with the famous cedar tunnel) and join a guided tour of the house. Allow about 1.5 hours. See places to stay in Vila Real.

About the palace

The manor was built in the 18th century in a lavish baroque style, often attributed to Nicolau Nasoni, the architect of Porto’s Clérigos Tower. It still belongs to a foundation linked to the family, which runs cultural events.

What to see

• The façade reflected in the large pool, the view on the wine label.
• The gardens: box hedges, flower beds and a long tunnel of cedar trees.
• The house: guided tours show the furnished rooms, the library and the chapel.
• The vineyards around the estate.

Vila Real and nearby

• Vila Real: a university town on a gorge, a good base for the upper Douro and the mountains.
• The Douro: 30 minutes south. See Peso da Régua and Pinhão.
• Alvão Natural Park: granite mountains and waterfalls nearby.

Tips

• Combine with the Douro on a road trip. See the best road trips.
• Spring is lovely in the gardens.

More: palaces in Portugal and the Douro Valley itinerary.

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