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Top Douro River Attractions
- Be enchanted by the country’s natural beauty from the Douro Valley to historic Porto to Cascais and Sintra, Portugal’s Riviera.
- Enjoy the pleasure of sipping port, Portugal’s signature wine, at one of its quintas, which are country estates surrounded by vineyards overlooking the Douro River
- Enjoy tasting wine in Pinhão, a small town that is the heart of the Douro Wine Region, one of the world’s oldest wine regions.
- Experience the thrill of exploring one or more of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites that call the Douro Valley home.
- Go back in time observing prehistoric artwork in Côa Valley.
- Discover the captivating landscape of the Douro International Natural Park on a hike.
Douro River Tours & Travel Guide
Douro River Attractions & Landmarks Guide
Beginning in Spain and winding its way to Portugal, the Douro spans 557 miles, much of which passes through idyllic Spanish countryside, vineyards, and small riverside villages. An increasingly popular river cruise destination, you'll be sure to find the right trip to see Spain from the water here on Stride.
The Douro Valley is often included on the lists of the “best of Portugal” and for good reason. Considered the wild west of Europe, the Douro Valley is gaining popularity among travelers. Recently made more accessible to visitors, travelers are eager to see and enjoy the gold mind of the river and valley.
The Douro River cruises that sail down the river are mostly on a round-trip journey in and out of Porto. Some cruises venture into Spain and other parts of Portugal. Tours that bring visitors to the valley from Porto are mostly a foodies and wine enthusiasts delight.
However, there are an increasing number of Douro River cruises and tours that also explore other unique treasures the land has to offer. History buffs will appreciate the UNESCO designated sites from castles and palaces to cathedrals and Medieval forts.
Outdoor adventures will enjoy hiking through the wilds at Douro International Natural Park or pedaling along the roads enjoying the charming towns, historic buildings, and vineyard views along the way.
The easiest way to enjoy the treasures of the valley is to enjoy it from the water on a Douro River cruise or book a Portugal tour from Porto.
Who Will Enjoy Douro River Cruises?
Douro River cruise travelers will appreciate and love all the Douro Valley, the river, and Porto has to offer. They will also enjoy the fact that it hasn’t quite caught on in popularity as much as other European River cruises such as The Danube, the Rhine, and the Rhone.
However, it’s not going to be a secret for very much longer and for good reason. The river and valley offer an abundance of fine food and wine for gastronomic and oenophile adventurers. The valley is the cradle of the UNESCO Seven Wonders of Portugal for its architecture and history.
History buffs to archaeologists and architecture enthusiasts will marvel at the gothic and Roman castles, churches, fortresses, and monasteries. Nature lovers seeking dramatic landscapes and views will appreciate the protected Douro International Natural Park and view seekers in search of dramatic landscapes.
Land Tour or Cruise?
On the water, visitors float through the valley filled with more than 2,000-year-old vineyards that elegantly line the terraces of the steep slopes along the water that are one of the most striking man-made rural landscapes.
Visitors stop in at quaint river towns to get to know the little known quintas, wine estates,and taste Portugal’s signature wine, Port, and other untapped wines that are beginning to gain the attention of wine enthusiasts. Included in the scenery from the water medieval edifices and forts and centuries old palaces that punctuate the vast forests of Douro International Natural Park rising above the river.
By land, visitors can take culinary and wine tours that allow them to luxuriate at a destination taking their time getting to know the town and the people and of course the food and wine. More active travelers in Portugal can take a cycling or hiking tour set at various levels of difficulty.
Families will enjoy a Douro River cruise because it offers such a wide variety of things to do that there is something for everyone.
A majority of Douro River cruises and land tours do a roundtrip journey from Port, with only a few that include Port and Lisbon together.
A few trips go beyond the wineries venturing deeper into the history of Northern Portugal and Spain and Eurasia. These trips often include the spectacular Douro Valley, exploring the remnants of Roman history, learning about Portugal in medieval times and exploring the country’s capital cities, Guimarães and Coimbra, during the Middle Ages, and learning about Portuguese folklore and music, art, and customs.
From water or land, explore the cluster of unique centuries old UNESCO sites and uncharted natural terrain with stunning views that few tourists have seen in the Douro Valley.
Brief History of the Douro Valley
The Douro Valley has a long history stretching back to the Paleolithic Age, indicated by cave drawings found at the Vale do Côa. The drawings date back to about 20,000 years ago.
Modern vineyards have been thriving for more than 2,000 years in the Douro Valley, known as the “Enchanted Valley” and along terraces that cascade along the banks of the Douro River, known as the “River of Gold,” making it officially one of the world’s oldest recorded wine regions. However, archeologists discovered through carbonized grape pipes that the cultivation of vineyards actually date back 4,000 years B.C.
The Romans in the 1st century A.D. only reinforced the growth of the cultivation of grapes and agriculture by building an infrastructure to transport the liquid gold produced that became the main export of some of the villages of the region during the era.
The next influential invasion was the Suevi and the Visigoths who brought Christianity to Portugal in the 5th century. Three centuries later, Portugal became an independent country in 1143, during the period of the Moors, and the country’s first King of Portugal Afonso I (1109 – 1185) cemented Catholicism in Portugal by building the first cathedral Our Lady of Assumption, also known as Sé de Lamego, under his protection in Lamego.
This led right into the early Middle Ages of the 12th and 13th centuries when the Order of Cister arrived in the region building monasteries, such as the UNESCO Monastery of Santa Maria d’Alcobaça, just outside of Lisbon. The order is recognized as also boosting agriculture production and the development of several quintas along the hills of the Douro.
Wine production began to grow exponentially as distributors and exporters improved transport of the wines down the Douro to Porto and out to England by the 17th through the 19th centuries when England discovered the tawny Ports and became the main consumer of the Portuguese wines until its decline in the mid-1800s.
This was bolstered by the first Queen of Portugal Dona Maria (1734 – 1816) who expanded the Douro Valley.
The region continued to struggle during the early 1900s until new biological and chemical technologies were developed to protect the vines against fungal diseases that attacked them during the 19th century and the development of the railroad which connected Porto with the border of Spain.
Portugal’s 73rd Prime Minister João Franco (1855 – 1929) expanded the Douro Valley one last time to the Spanish boarders in 1907 during the final years of the Portuguese monarchy.
UNESCO classified the Douro Wine Region as a World Heritage site in 2001.
Most Douro river cruises depart from and return to Porto with a few venturings into Spain.
The Douro Valley is vast with three distinct wine producing areas: Lower Corgo, Upper Corgo, and the Upper Douro, also known as Alta Douro, and two official wine routes.
River cruises float through the historic Upper Douro, which is one of the world’s oldest demarcated wine regions and is known for its stunning landscapes and historic sites.
The Douro Valley draws foodies and oenophiles far and wide to savor its culinary delights and sip its signature Port wine and other reds and whites crafted by the winemakers in the valley while overlooking its signature terraced vineyards along the Douro River.
Historians delight in the wealth of historical footprints from the cave drawings from the Paleolithic Age to the storied architecture displayed through villages to cities from castles and palaces to cathedrals to monasteries to the quintas and more.
Outdoor adventures get an adrenaline rush pedaling along the roads with vineyard rushing by and hiking through the trails of the Douro International Natural Park.
Wine Routes in the Douro Valley
The Douro Valley features two wine routes – the Port Wine Route and the Cister Wine Route – that offer unique experiences of Portugal’s wines, especially its signature wine Port. The Port Wine Route, the original wine route created by the European Union’s Dyonisions Program in 1996, features some 50 quintas along with accommodations, wineries, wine cellars, and restaurants.
The Cister Wine Route, created in 2011 features the Tavora-Varosa, a Douro sub-region region that encompasses eight wine-producing areas. It is known for its sparkling wines that come in a variety from white, rose, and red due to its cold wet winters and hot dry summers combined with its high altitude making it perfect for producing exquisitely balanced acidic and fruity libations.
Wine Tasting in the Douro Valley
The Douro Valley is known for Port, which its red and roses, are made using black grape varietals Touriga Franca (also known as Touriga Francesa), touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinto Cão. Oenophiles will recognize Tinta Roriz as the same varietal as Spain’s Tempranillo.
Other prominent grape varietals in the region are black grapes Bastardo, Mourisco tinto, and Tinta Amarela and white grapes Donzelinho branco, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina, Rabigato, and Viosinho. The valley’s vintners also borrow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from France to produce its sparkling wines.
The Douro Valley is vast with three distinct wine producing areas: Lower Corgo, Upper Corgo, and the Upper Douro, also known as Alta Douro, and two official wine routes.
Douro River cruises float through the historic Upper Douro, which is one of the world’s oldest demarcated wine regions and is known for its stunning landscapes and historic sites.
Douro Valley Wineries Not To Miss
1. Quinta da Pacheca
The historic winery offers visitors unique wine experiences in its vineyards and tasting room, restaurant where the food is simply made for Pacheca’s wines and olive oil. Accommodations offer guests Portuguese wine country luxury at the Wine House Hotel or experiential sleeping arrangements where guests sleep in rooms shaped like a wine barrel.
The vineyard dates back to the 16th century when it belonged to the Monasteries of Salzedas and St. João de Tarouca, according to documents dating back to 1551 referring to the vineyard. It was one of the first wineries to bottle wine under its own label in 1738, under “Pacheca,” the feminine form of the family name “Pacheco.”
At the time, the winery was woman-owned by Mariana Pacheco Pereira who cared for the quinta herself. The winery still has an original Pombaline landmark that was first used to denote Portugal’s first ever demarcated wine region in 1758.
2. Caves da Murganheira
The best sparkling winery in the region can be found at Caves da Murganheira. Murganheira is known for its flavor and its blue granite mirrored cellars that run 236 feet (72 meters) deep into the stone.
Founded in 1947, the winemakers were inspired by the French method of making Champagne using Malvasia Fina, Gouveio Real, Cerceal, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir grapes that are manually harvested and undergo a 3-year maturation process to craft its award-winning sparkling wines.
3. Casa de Vila Verde
Wine family, Pinto de Mesquita, has owned Casa de Vila Verde since the 12th century. They have been making Vinho Verde since the 17th century from the region’s Alvarinho, Arinto, Avesso, Espadeiro, Loureiro and Trajadura grapes.
4. Quinta da Roeda
The oldest producer of Port wine, it’s no wonder that this quinta is renowned for its vintage ports. That’s not all they are known for. They also produce a range of wood-aged reserves and tawnies that have also placed them on the map.
Founded in 1588, the wineries secrets have been handed down through generations and into the Croft Firm, which acquired the estate in 1889. Today, the Croft Port is one of the most distinguished of the Port houses and Roeda offers guests unique experiences.
5. Quinta de la Rosa
Known for its top-quality ports as well as its award-winning red and white wines within recent years, Quinta de la Rosa is a must visit winery. The quinta has been around since 1906 when the estate was given to Claire Feueheerd as a christening present. The family wasn’t a stranger to port. The Feuerheerd had been shippers of the tawny wine since 1815.
The vineyard sold its grapes to Croft and Sandeman’s Rebello Valente for its ports. The family, under its most recent name Bergqvist, revived its port business producing its high-quality ports in 1988. The father-daughter team Albert and Sophia Bergqvist added its red and white wines to its winery offerings in the early 1990s.
6. Quinta da Avelada
Quinta da Aveleda is as famous for its wines as its gardens and parks. A guide will take you through the gardens pointing out historic relics dating back to 1671 when the main house was erected. The walk will make you savor the wine and cheese tasting of the estate’s noted wines even more.
Since 1870, five generations of the Guedes Family have been producing wine in the Douro, Vinho Verde and Bairrada wine regions of Portugal becoming the largest producer of Vinho Verde in the country exporting it to more than 80 countries around the world.
7. Quinta da Avessada
The first estate to produce Moscatel Galego and Moscatel de Favaios it is also the first vineyard to have a high-tech interactive tour. The estate has been an innovator for 160 years when the first vines were planted.
8. Quinta do Seixo
One of Portugal’s oldest protected wine regions spanning more than 250 years, Quinta do Seixo resides on the banks above the Douro River in the north-eastern valley surrounded by mountains to the west, north and south and Spain on the eastern border. The quinto provides stunning views and high-quality Ports and table wines created on the 108-acre estate by winemaker Luis Sottomayor.
Top Douro Valley Experiences
Be enchanted by the country’s natural beauty from the Douro Valley to historic Porto to Cascais and Sintra, Portugal’s Riviera.
Enjoy the pleasure of sipping port, Portugal’s signature wine, at one of its quintas, which are country estates surrounded by vineyards overlooking the Douro River, and enjoy tasting wine in Pinhão, a small town that is the heart of the Douro Wine Region, one of the world’s oldest wine regions.
Experience the thrill of exploring one or more of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites that call the Douro Valley home.
Go back in time observing prehistoric artwork in Côa Valley.
Discover the captivating landscape of the Douro International Natural Park on a hike.
Top Landmarks and Activities
Taking a day boat cruise on the Douro River or multi-day Douro River cruise through Portugal and Spain.
Wine tasting in the Douro Valley.
Exploring historical centers, such as Porto, Évora and Guimarães, and Sintra.
Learning about medieval monasteries, such as Alcobaça and Batalha.
Strolling through the Quinta da Aveleda’s gardens or hiking through breathtaking landscapes and chasing a cascading waterfall through the Douro International Natural Park and other nature tours.
Common Douro River Cruise Routes
Most Douro River cruises depart from and return to Porto. Some tours briefly venture into Spain.
River cruises float through the historic Upper Douro, which is one of the world’s oldest demarcated wine regions and is known for its stunning landscapes and historic sites.
There are many day tours to from Porto. Tours heading to wineries will follow two official wine routes: The Port Wine Route and The Cister Wine Route. The most common route is The Port Wine Route, the original wine route created by the European Union’s Dyonisions Program in 1996. The route features some 50 quintas along with accommodations, wineries, wine cellars, and restaurants.
Top Sights along a Douro River Cruise
- Porto and Ribeira, the city’s historic center which is a designated UNESCO site
- Regua (or by its formal name Peso da Regua), famous for exporting port wine
- Foz, an old fishing village that has been the site of summer homes for Porto’s wealthy families for centuries
- Coimbra, Portugal’s second medieval capital, after Guimaraes, once the country won independence
- Tomar, former seat of the Order of the Knights Templar and home to the Covenant of Christ, one of the greatest works from the Portuguese Renaissance
- Pinhão, is the heart of port wine where some of the world’s best ports are produced
- Évora and Óbidos, fortress cities from the Middle Ages, Évora is a UNESCO site
- Douro Valley, an UNESCO site and the region where port wine originated
- Douro International Natural Park
- Guimaraes, an UNESCO site known for its medieval buildings, Portugal’s first capital city
- Braga, home to the oldest cathedral in Portugal
- Cascais, known for the medieval Nossa Senhora da Luz Fort and the Citadel Palace, a former royal retreat
- Sintra, the Portuguese Riviera
- Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city
Portugal UNESCO World Heritage sites along the Douro River
- Porto (which includes Bairro da Sé, Ribeira, and 19th-century Stock Exchange Palace)
- Guimarães, Portugal’s first capital city
- Coimbra, Portugal’s second medieval capital, after Guimaraes, once the country won independence (University of Coimbra and the university’s library)
- Tomar (Convento de Cristo)
- Évora, fortress city from the Middle Ages
- Douro Valley (Alto Douro Wine Region, Pinhão, Douro International Nature Park, and Côa Valley)
- Sintra, the Portuguese Riviera
- Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city (Jerónimos Monastery and the Tower of Belem)
Best Foods to Try Along The Douro
The Douro Valley is as well known for its meat as well as its fish dishes. Diners can expect to delight in traditional meals filled with roasted baby goat accompanied by rice and potatoes, wild boar stews, as well as cod. The dishes are often accompanied with sausages and freshly baked bread. Some dishes have neighboring French and Spanish influences.
Appetizers or a snack might include the valley’s variety of goat and sheep cheeses served with a selection of charcuterie and of course a glass of Port.
The Portuguese often start off their meal with Favaios wine, a moscatel. Port is considered a dessert wine in America, however the Portuguese in the Douro Valley don’t wait until after dinner to imbibe the tawny wine but drink it to as a cocktail before their meal and enjoy it during dinner.
Foodies in search of traditional Portuguese dishes in the Douro Valley will find a variety of culinary delights, including:
1. Posta mirandesa (a veal steak made from free-range cattle raised on natural food specifically in Tras-os-Montes in northern Portugal)
2. Cozido à portuguesa (a traditional Portuguese stew that is one of the national dishes of Portugal and a part of Portuguese heritage is made with boiled meat. The stew changes from region to region)
3. Arroz de cabidela (a dish made with poultry or rabbit boiled in its own blood served with rice or the rice is cooked with the meat)
4. Feijoada à transmontana (a Northern region stew made with wild boar, red kidney beans, cabbage and served with Portuguese rice)
5. Fish dishes often feature cod caught fresh from the Douro River and are prepared in a variety of ways from cornbread crusted to salted to baked to grilled.
Many of the dishes are garnished with olives and grapes along with cherries, apples, almonds, and roasted chestnuts, persimmons, and tangerines.
Don’t skip dessert! Traditional Portuguese desserts consist of breaded and fried vegetables, cakes, and puddings. Some can't miss traditional desserts, unique to the Douro Valley, include:
1. Fried vegetables called peixinhos de chila,
2. A dark lemony cake called biscoito da Teixeira,
3. Sponge cake called pão-de-ló, a fruit cake called bolo-rei
4. Aletria, a concoction of egg noodles mixed with milk, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon.
All About Porto
Porto is a historic city recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage with its unique sites.
Situated at the mouth of the Douro River, the pre-Roman city originally named Calle or Portus Cale was founded in 417 by the Celts. Portugal and Porto eventually derived their names from the port city’s original name. However, it wasn’t until the 4th century when the Romans settled that the city was transformed into an influential port city.
During 1096 Porto served as the capital city of Portugal and was a King Alfonso VI of Castile’s daughter Teresa of León’s dowry for her wedding to Henry of Burgundy. The coupling later lead to the birth of Portugal as a country with their son, King Alfonso VII of León, being named the country’s first king five years after he defeated the King of León in 1139.
Porto was a key site for Henry the Navigator who became an important figure in Portuguese history and led to the Age of Discoveries where he traveled to Western Africa on ships built in Porto’s shipyards.
Porto benefited through its Spanish rule from 1580 to 1640 and continued to grow – despite its rebel spirit – as the city emerged into its Golden Age with port wines leading the way. Port was Britain’s wine of choice, but the country couldn’t nab exclusive rights to the tawny wine. The period led to great wealth for the city that spawned the Baroque and neoclassical edifices.
The French briefly laid claim on Portugal after Napoleonic troops invaded the country in 1807 until they withdrew seven years later.
During the 19th century, Porto became a liberal city championing human rights and fighting Portugal’s then King Miguel of Portugal until he abdicated the throne for a constitutional monarchy.
Portugal’s second largest city, Porto continued to grow in wealth into the 20th century when Portugal officially became a republic in 1910.
Famous Porto Sites
The period’s urban development gave the city its famous Avenida de los Aliados, the city’s grandest avenue and center filled with cafes, restaurants, and shops, which was built at the beginning of the 20th century.
The Avenida de los Aliados is just the beginning of Porto’s charm.
Visitors will enjoy strolling through the UNESCO-designated Ribeira, one of Porto’s oldest riverfront neighborhoods filled with more cafes, restaurants, bars, shops and the Port house of neighboring Vila Nova de Gaia.
Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia are known as the cities of bridges in Europe because they are the only cities on the continent that have six bridges that cross over the Douro River.
Walking tours often take visitors through the old harbor quarter where they pass through Porto’s medieval streets.
Going back in time beyond the 19th century, travelers can get an overview of Portugal’s history through the blue and white mosaic of the ceiling in the Sao Bento Railway Station.
Travelers can also journey deeper back in time through Porto’s UNESCO-designated historic center, Bairro da Sé, where millenniums old cobblestone streets enshrined by 14th-century-walls erected on Roman foundations bring Medieval Porto alive for modern visitors who marvel at the edifices, such as Porto Cathedral, one of the city’s oldest monuments, and the baroque church towers that crown the city’s hilltops, such as the Clérigos Tower.
Bibliophiles (or Harry Potter fans) will enjoy Livraria Lello e Irmão, the stunning bookstore made famous again by being featured in Harry Potter movies.
The Famous Portugal Bridges
The Maria Pia and Dom Luis I bridges were built by Gustave Eiffel within the same decade building the Dom Luis I Bridge nine years before building the Maria Pia Bridge in 1877. Both bridges signify modern techniques based on science and technology creating a feat of engineering at the time that lead to his pinacol achievements with the Eiffel Tower and the Statute of Liberty.
The Dom Luis I Bridge was built using wrought iron and at the time it was constructed it was the longest bridge of its type. Named after King Luis I, who didn’t attend the opening ceremonies in 1886, it was built with his student Teophile Seyrig, until there was a rift between the men related to stylistic differences. Seyrig completed the bridge which began construction in 1880. For a long time, the bridge was the world’s longest metal arch bridge, but it has since been dwarfed by other arch iron bridges around the world.
The Maria Pita Bridge was the last bridge Eiffel built before erecting the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. The bridge features instances of his refining his signature technique of using metal and aerodynamics.
All About Lisbon
One of the oldest cities in Europe, Lisbon is Portugal’s capital city.
Settled by the Celts but founded by the Phoenicians the city rests on the northern banks of the Tagus River, the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula before it empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
Legends say that Lisbon was discovered by Ulysses, the Greek hero and traveler, upon his return from the Trojan War. Lisbon’s original name was Ulissipo, meaning “enchanted port.”
The city has certainly enchanted many people over the centuries from the Phoenicians, Celts, Romans, Arabs and the Spaniards who all attempted to lay claim to the city through the ages until 1252 when Lisbon officially became the capital of Portugal.
Lisbon was the city that launched a thousand ships during Portugal’s Age of Discovery where the country conquered the world during three centuries, 15th to the 18th, with its explorations through Africa, South America, and India, where the Portuguese found a new route.
The city went through a rough period following an earthquake, tsunami, and fires that followed in 1755 that devastated Lisbon and sent it into decline. It recovered only to be pillaged by Napoleon Bonaparte in the 19th century. The city rebuilt itself again only to experience political upheaval during the 20th century until the mid-1970s.
Lisbon’s troubles melted away as the city pulled itself out of economic disparity and political turmoil emerging in the 21st century to shine once again.
Top Sites of Lisbon
Rising from Portugal’s Age of Discovery that spawned Lisbon’s Golden Era the UNESCO-designated site, Jerónimos Monastery, a masterpiece of Manueline architecture and home to the Order of Saint Jerome and the Belém Tower, are celebrated relics from that era.
Hike through or take Tram 28 (beware of pickpockets) through picturesque Alfama which features narrow cobblestone streets lined with cafes, restaurants, and Fado clubs and of course explore St. George’s Castle, Sé Cathedral, and Feira de Ladra.
Palace of Ajuda, was the home of Portugal’s last King Dom Manuel II before the demise of his father King Carlos I, and his elder brother Prince Luís Filipe, who were assassinated. King Dom Manuel II ascended the throne before his family was exiled in Brazil. Never completed, the palace is now a museum and example of neoclassical architecture.
Wildlife along the Douro River
The Douro Valley is home to a wide variety of animals:
- Iberian Wolf: A grey wolf that inhabits mostly Northern Portugal and Spain. Unique to the region, it hasn’t mixed with other wolf species in more than a century and it is increasingly becoming extinct. The wolf is protected in Southern Portugal and Spain, but hunting is allowed in Northern Portugal and Spain. The European Union has recognized the species needs to be protected and issued a Habitats Directive to protect the wolf population, but protections aren’t uniform from country to country.
- Roa Deer: A small, reddish and grey-brown deer that originated in Scotland and England have spread throughout Europe.
- Wild Cat: Portugal is home to three of Europe’s wild cat species: the European Wild Cat, Iberian Lynx, and the Eurasian Lynx.
- European Wild Cat: Shy of people, these protected cats prefer to live deep in the forests. They are about the size of domesticated cats but have larger teeth.
- Eurasian Lynx: While the largest population of these cats is found in the Carpathian Mountains in the Czech Republic and Romania, populations are found all over Europe and across Asia and Siberia. These cats average about 2- to 4-feet in length and are about 2-feet tall. Depending on the season, their coats can be reddish or brown in the summer or silver grey or yellowish brown in the winter and have black spots on top while their undercoat remains white throughout the seasons. They have bobbed tails with a black tip and strong legs that are built for running fast. These cats aren’t seen much in daylight as they are nocturnal only coming out during twilight hours.
- Iberian Lynx: Found only in Europe this tawny or bright yellowish cat with various sized spots and patterns on its coat is threatened with 80% of its population lost between 1940 and 2000 due to overhunting and loss of habitat.
- Cabrera’s Vole: Unique to Portugal and Spain this vole species is also the largest of its kind ranging 3 – 5.5 inches in length with a short tail between 1 and 2 inches long and about 1 to 3 inches tall. These long-haired rodents with extra long guard hairs are usually brownish olive with yellowish under hair. They have a rounded head and small ears.
- Pyrenean Desman: An unusual rodent with a long black nasal trompe, long tail covered in scales, large web feet and dark brown fur. It’s nocturnal and eats mostly small aquatic macroinvertebrates and other invertebrates.
- Javali (Wild Boar): Nocturnal and early morning creatures they are hostile and hard with very thick coats of bristly hair. They are usually a mixture of black and dark brown color. Males have a blonde head and large tusk-like teeth.
Birds of Prey
Bird watchers will delight in seeing the regions variety of birds of prey that are abundant in the region along with many other bird species in the Douro Valley. In the valley, bird watchers can capture sightings of:
- The Black Stork: A shy and wary species, different from its relative the White Stork, these storks are black with white underparts and red legs. It’s usually seen singly or in pairs in marshy areas, rivers or inland waters. Populations have decreased in Asia and other parts of Europe while increasing in the Iberian Peninsula.
- The Egyptian Vulture: A small Old World vulture they are smaller than other vultures and are declining in population. They are recognizable by their with a bald yellow head and neck and a black-tipped hook nose beak. They have black wings and a white plumage and under belly with a contrasting underwing pattern with a wedge-shaped tail. Opportunists, they eat eggs, small mammals, young birds, fish, and even rotting fruit. They are unique in that they also use tools to break into other bird’s eggs and to build their nests.
- The Golden Eagle: The most common birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere, this bird is a stealth flier. It’s recognizable by its golden colored crown and nape. It has a dark brown plumage with some grey on its inner wing and tail. It has a dark tip at its bill that becomes lighter fading into a yellow color at its face.
- The Griffon Vulture: This social vulture doesn’t eat alone. They are recognizable by their sand to dark brown colored feathers and long white neck that is the same color as its head and ruff. It’s tail feathers range between a black to a dark brown. It has a long and wide wingspan.
- The Northern Goshawk: Nobility only used the Goshawk for falconry, the hunting of wild animals, during the Middle Ages. It is a blue-grey or brownish-grey color in North America and Europe and has a sizable bill with short, broad wings, a long tail, and short legs with thick toes. Its colors tend to be pale and warmer in the north and dark in the south.
- The Red Kite: A wintering bird on the Iberian Peninsula it is an elegant bird that is with a reddish-brown body, angled wings and forked tail and particularly acrobatic in the air. Its beak is hooked and quite sharp. It has bright yellow feet and legs.
Reptiles
- Snub-Nosed Viper: Named for its upward turned nose, this venomous snake has a triangular head and is grey with a zig-zag pattern on its back with a yellow tip at its tail. It often hides under rocks.
Fish
- Berme Juela: A freshwater fish found mostly in the Douro River. It is also found in the Ebro River, but less so.
- Luciobarbus: A ray-finned freshwater and brackish barbel water fish found in Southern Europe, North Africa, the Near East, and the Aral and Caspian Seas along with the rivers in these regions.
- The Northern Straight Mouth Nase: A freshwater ray-finned fish found in the rivers in Portugal and Spain. The fish is currently threatened by losing its habitat.
- The Escalo: A freshwater fish also known as the bordallo or gallego found in the rivers of Portugal and Spain.
Photography Tips in the Douro Valley
The Douro Valley is photogenic. So much so, it is difficult to take a bad picture. However, there are ways to help you increase “oohs and ahhs” and stunning wow factor of the quality of your images when you bring them home to show them off to family, friends, and co-workers as well as sharing them on social media.
Here are some tips to capture the most of that picture perfect moment on your iphone to your digital camera:
Notice the lighting. When outside, shoot with the sun rays shining on the subject behind you, not the sun behind the subject. The sunrays will light up the subject if they or the monument if your back is to the sun. The sunrays will cast a dark shadow over the subject or monument if you are facing the sun.
Take note of timing. The so-called “golden hour” or hours are an hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. The worst time is midday when the sun is shining its brightest.
Turn off the flash. Use the flash sparingly. Instead check photos after snapping a picture. Adjust your angle or the settings to improve the image.
Try placing your subject off-center to make the shot more visually interesting
Try different angles from squatting down to getting some leverage climbing up a hill or on a mount to gain mid- and high- vantage points, especially for landscape
Try different distances, such as a closeup with the historical monument or landscape in the background, especially with people in the picture, closeups of people in the photograph benefit from the closeness of the camera.
Use editing tools from the filters in Instagram to Adobe’s Lightroom or Photoshop. There are also a variety of free apps to get started practicing editing photos.
Other tools to help make taking photos easier:
- Invest in a good, comfortable camera strap and make sure it’s attached to the body of your camera correctly
- Protect your digital camera lenses by using a UV multi-coated lens filter to protect your lens glass that will minimize the distortion of the light reaching the camera’s sensor
- Get a tripod, one that works with smartphones and a digital camera
Douro River Reviews
We were so surprised that they perfectly understood
We went to Portugal to celebrate our 20th Anniversary and some friends recommended us Pablo and Nina´s services. We were so surprised that they perfectly understood ...
We had were extremely well balanced, excellent pairing
We liked the cherry and berry fruits coming through with gentle tannins. The spanish wines we had were extremely well balanced, excellent pairing with the steak we h...
wine lovers so it was a must to do a wine trip
This was our fourth time in Spain so we were looking for something a little different. We are huge wine lovers so it was a must to do a wine trip through the best wi...
Enjoying its wines, history and peaceful sorroundings
This trip was exactly what our group was looking for, visiting the heart of Ribera del Duero, enjoying its wines, history and peaceful sorroundings. We are glad Pabl...
Excellent
The hotels in Portugal were wonderful. Our drivers were attentive and helpful throughout. The breakfasts were excellent as was the lunch at the winery restaurant in ...
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