2 Weeks in Douro River

What You Should Know Before Going On A Douro River Tour

Douro Valley vs Douro River - What's the Difference?

There’s more than one way to enjoy the Douro valley and river. What’s your pleasure? Floating through the “enchanted valley,” on the “river of gold,” or simply falling under the spell of the valley entirely traversing its land?

The Douro River

If floating past centuries old vineyards and stopping off in quaint villages to taste the food and wine, exploring historic sites, or taking a day hike through the Douro International Natural Park sounds appealing floating down the “river of gold” on a Douro River cruise might float your boat.

The Douro Valley

If taking a slower pace driving, strolling or pedaling through the Douro Valley, known as the “enchanted valley,” stopping at your leisure at wineries, towns, historical sites, and nature reserves sounds delightful then a tour of the Douro Valley might suit you.

What To Wear on Your Douro River Cruise

During the warmer months – June through August – in the Douro Valley, the sun is bright and hot. Pack a hat, sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen along with comfortable casual clothes, jeans are perfect, and comfortable walking shoes. 

During wetter months – November through February and some lighter rain from March to May – pack a small umbrella or rain poncho to help you stay dry. This way it will be pleasant as you enjoy strolling through Porto’s hilly cobblestone streets, the vineyards, historical sites, and the vineyards at the quintas or trails in the Douro International Natural Park.

When exploring one of the many monasteries, such as the Alcobaça Monastery, churches or other religious sites, it is custom to cover your shoulders and bare legs.

Weather in the Douro Valley

Summer months – June through August – is hot in the upper 70s to low 80s Fahrenheit during the day with lows at night ranging from mid- to high-50s Fahrenheit.

Winter months – November through February – is wet with average temperatures in the high 50s Fahrenheit during the day and mid- to high-40s Fahrenheit.

Perhaps the best time to travel is during the shoulder seasons – September and October and March through May. There might be more travelers in the Douro Valley in September and October during harvest season, but the experience might be worth it. Travelers to Portugal, particularly to the Douro Valley, in March through May might experience light showers.

Best time to take a Douro River Cruise

The best times to take a Douro River Cruise or tour the Douro Valley for food and wine lovers is during crush season in September and October. During the harvest you can participate in the creation of the wine to simply enjoy tasting it.

The fall and spring are also wonderful times to explore the valley or float down the river to experience the estate wineries (quintas), castles, churches and monasteries, and natural wonders.

While the valley and river can be traversed throughout the year, peak travel times are in May and June and again in September and October.

What Languages are Spoken In Portugal?

There are two official languages spoken in Portugal: Portuguese and Mirandese. Portuguese is spoken by 250 million people worldwide. Mirandese is spoken by about 15,000 around the frontier city of Miranda do Douro.

Note that english is not commonly spoken in Portugal. 

Spanish and Portuguese are both romantic languages and may sound similar at first, they are two very different languages. The majority of Portuguese people do not understand Spanish.

Learn some common phrases and have a language app handy.

What are the Physical Level Requirements for a Douro Valley tour?

The Douro Valley is majestic with its steep inclines and impressive with its medieval edifices surrounded by millennium old cobblestone streets. Be prepared for hilly terrain when traversing through vineyards and steep inclines in medieval castles, monasteries, narrow city and town streets, and quintas (winery estates) with few if any aides to help scale the terrain.

The Douro Valley, especially in the wine regions and Douro International Natural Park, is increasingly becoming a destination for outdoor enthusiasts, particularly cyclists and hikers. Activity and fitness levels vary from casual walkers to extreme outdoor adventurers.

What to Pack for a Douro River Cruise tour to the Douro Valley?

During the warmer months in the Douro Valley, the sun is bright and hot. Pack a hat, sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen along with comfortable casual clothes, jeans are perfect, and comfortable walking shoes. During wetter months, pack a small umbrella or rain poncho to help you stay dry. This way it will be pleasant as you enjoy strolling through Porto’s hilly cobblestone streets, the vineyards, historical sites, and the trails in the Douro International Natural Park.

Safety

Portugal is highly ranked as a safe destination for travelers with the common exception of pickpockets in the most popular tourist destinations Algarve, Lisbon, and Porto. 

Where does the Douro River flow?

The Douro River is the third largest river in the Iberian Peninsula. Known as the “river of gold,” due to its hue at sunset, the Douro River originates in Porto’s sister city Duruelo de la Sierra, Spain.

The river winds its way through the Douro Valley, famous for the sweet wine, Port wine, and other red wines, to Portugal’s second largest city, Porto, before entering the Atlantic Ocean. The river runs from East to West for 557 miles (897 kilometers), with nearly 70 miles (112 kilometers) of the river providing a natural border between Spain and Portugal.

Douro River Cruise Routes

A majority of Douro River cruise routes, especially 6- to 8-day itineraries, embark from and return to Porto, Portugal, and offer one day to explore Salamanca, Spain. Many of the 11- to 14-day Douro River cruise itineraries embark either from Lisbon or Madrid.

The 6- to 8-day itineraries mostly stop in Regua, Coimbra, Pinhao, Óbidos, Évora, Guimaraes, Braga, and Sintra with slight variations depending on the cruise line. Cruises that follow 11- to 14-day itineraries spend the first two to three days in Lisbon, Portugal before embarking to Porto and the Douro Valley where the ships stop at Bitetos, Foz,Guimarães, Régua, Pinhão, Barca D’Alva, Entre-Os-Rios, and Salamanca, Vega de Terrón, and Madrid, Spain.

Classic Ports of Call Along a Douro River Cruise

• Porto
• Lisbon
• Regua
• Pinhao
• Guimarães
• Salamanca, Spain