EUROPE 2025 : PORTO

Thursday 18th and Friday 19th September

I had decided we would stay in Vila Nova Da Gaia on the opposite bank of the river to Old Porto to make parking easier. That didn't really work out but the Charm Hotel run by the lovely Clara was so awseome we'd definately do it all again.

Bolt and Uber are so reasonably priced in Porto your best option is parking a little way away and getting a ride to your hotel. Drinks with a view only 50m from the hotel.

We had dinner in Afurada. Clara recommended Arazem do Piexe and we had the best meal of our trip so far. Everything in Porto has become more touristy and very busy. We found our happy place, somewhere between it all.

Bolhao Market.

Historic Magestic Cafe.

A bottle of Vinho Verde at a street cafe with live music.

Eating with locals.

Lots of walking and lots of hills and stairs.

In the evening we did a cruise on the river for a different perspective.

We tasted Port.

For dinner, Clara directed us to a small, local Taverna over the road from the hotel.

EUROPE 2025 : DOURO VALLEY

Tuesday 16th to Thursday 18th September

Picking up a rental car always takes longer than you think. We were on the road out of Lisbon by 11am and headed straight to Burguezia do Leitao in Mealhada for a lunch of roast suckling pig, a speciality of Biarrada. (Neil had been dreaming of this dish since we were last here in 2016.)

Arriving in Folgosa in the heart of the Douro Valley, we loved our farm stay at Quinta da Azenha.

That evening they were crushing their Port grapes in the garage.

We trundled down the hill to La Bamba for dinner. Grumpy service and mediocre food but spectacular company and then the slow climb back up to bed.

On Wednesday morning after breakfast we drove to Regua.

At noon we embarked on our lunch cruise up the Douro River, including going through the 35m  Carrapatelo Lock.

At Pinhao we were driven up through awesome vineyard scenery to Quinta da Avessada for a wine and port tasting.

A very touristy place but we did enjoy ourselves.

Back in Pinhao we took the scenic train back to Regua.

On our return we tasted various aged ports at Da Azehna and also the day old port made with the juice they crushed the previous evening. Fermentation is stopped almost immediately by adding brandy and then the port is aged in barrels for a minimum of 3 years.

That evening we lazed by the pool with bread,cheese and the farm's own wine.

Thursday morning we stopped in at gorgeous Popa Winery for a tasting.

We also visited Mateus Palace before heading off to Porto.