Portugal: Minho & the Douro Valley
7 Days
Starting From
$4,595.00
10 Days
Starting From
$6,095.00
per person, double occupancy
Want more from your experience?
Add an ExtensionPortugal: Minho & the Douro Valley
Travel beyond the Douro Valley to discover the hospitality of Portuguese royalty and the charm of ancient hilltop villages. Starting in Porto, you’ll explore the ancient Roman ruins of historic Ponte de Lima during a stay at a 17th-century estate that once housed traveling Portuguese royalty. Here, you’ll meet the Count de Calheiros and learn about the history of Portuguese aristocracy. Explore spectacular Portuguese vineyards—tasting superb vintages and enjoying a relaxing boat cruise along the river’s sunlit banks. In true Country Walkers style, your local leaders reveal a delightful hidden gem: the medieval village of Marialva—a charming labyrinth of ancient stone dwellings set beneath an imposing hilltop castle. A final day in Lisbon provides the perfect opportunity to reflect upon your fresh appreciation of Portuguese history, culture, and cuisine.
Highlights
- Follow in the footsteps of pilgrims as you hike a section of the famous “Way of St. James.”
- Cruise down the picturesque Douro River aboard a private barco rabelo, a boat traditionally used to carry wine casks.
- Explore high mountain valleys and tiny farming hamlets forgotten by time.
- Visit Moorish villages including the birthplace of explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
- Tread across the elegant stone arches of an expansive 2,000-year-old Roman bridge in Ponte de Lima.
Positive Impact
Country Walkers is proud to support Wine to Water with a donation on behalf of each guest on this tour. Wine to Water is an international organization providing access to clean drinking water and emergency supplies in water-challenged regions. We believe in giving back to the places that have enriched the lives of our guests. We’re committed to identifying and supporting sustainable initiatives in a variety of areas including education, world health, economic equality, safe drinking water, the environment, and the preservation of cultural traditions.
Accommodations
Linger Longer with a Tour Extension
2025 Pre-Trip Extension - Porto
- Two nights at the Pestana Vintage Porto
- Airport car service for arrival
- Daily breakfast
- City information
2 Nights From
$
295
per person, double occupancy
Single Supplement: From $245
Your vacation is about to begin! Spend your first night aloft and arrive ready for an unforgettable trip.
Start off your first day in Porto right by having a Country Walkers representative greet you at the airport. A complimentary car service will whisk you to your centrally located hotel. From here, you are perfectly positioned to explore this charming city at your leisure.
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Pestana Vintage Porto Hotel
2024 Pre-Trip Extension - Porto
- Two nights at the Pestana Vintage Porto
- Airport car service for arrival
- Daily breakfast
- City information
2 Nights From
$
345
per person, double occupancy
Single Supplement: From $295
Your vacation is about to begin! Spend your first night aloft and arrive ready for an unforgettable trip.
Start off your first day in Porto right by having a Country Walkers representative greet you at the airport. A complimentary car service will whisk you to your centrally located hotel. From here, you are perfectly positioned to explore this charming city at your leisure.
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Pestana Vintage Porto Hotel
2025 Post-Trip Extension - Lisbon
- Two nights at the 138 Liberdade Hotel
- Airport car service for departure
- Daily breakfast
- City information
2 Nights From
$
345
per person, double occupancy
Single Supplement: From $295
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After an included breakfast, complimentary transportation will be provided to Lisbon’s international airport (approximately 30 minutes) for your departing flight.
138 Liberdade Hotel
2024 Post-Trip Extension - Lisbon
- Two nights at the 138 Liberdade Hotel
- Airport car service for departure
- Daily breakfast
- City information
2 Nights From
$
395
per person, double occupancy
Single Supplement: From $345
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After a delicious included breakfast at your hotel, you are free to explore on your own, using our included city information packet to guide your discoveries.
Included Meals: Breakfast
After an included breakfast, complimentary transportation will be provided to Lisbon’s international airport (approximately 30 minutes) for your departing flight.
138 Liberdade Hotel
Our trip to Portugal was all we expected and so much more. Our guides, Helene and David were excellent! They had it all, trail knowledge, historical stories, restaurant recommendations, current affairs, etc. All with big smiles and lots of laughter. Our hotels, manors, and castles were top notch accommodations and each stop on our trail had a special treat for us. Be advised, their swimming pools are freezing! But felt so good after a warm day of hiking, especially with a white port and tonic after a few laps to stretch out the muscles. The hiking was as described with a short option every day for those who wished to take it easy. Our guides set a nice pace, not too fast nor too slow and plenty of time to stop and take pictures or hear a little talk about something interesting along the way. We have been with Country Walkers before and have already booked our 2025 trip.
Portugal: Minho & the Douro Valley
VERY LOVELY GUIDES. LOVELY HIKES. LOVELY ACCOMODATIONS. MEDIOCRE MINUS FOOD. WE WERE LEFT TO TAKE CARE OF DINNERS & LUNCHES IN PLACES WHERE THERE WAS ALMOST NOTHING TO GET. IN ONE OF THE HOTELS, THE RESTAURANT WAS CLOSED, UNBEKNOWNST TO COUNTRY WALKERS.
Portugal: Minho & the Douro Valley
Expert Local Leaders
Experience your destination like an insider with people who call it home.
Luis Soares
Luis Soares was born and raised in Portugal and has travelled extensively throughout South America and Africa, including spending a year working in city planning in Angola, a former Portuguese colony. Luis has a special interest in geography and has worked in various aspects of tourism outside of guiding. When not out in nature showing off his native country, you can find Luis enjoying a good book or running trails near his home.
Ana Rodrigo
Born in Lisbon, Ana Rodrigo has roots in the southern and central parts of Portugal. Her rural childhood was spent enjoying nature in the countryside where her family produced wine and olive oil. With a PhD in environmental engineering, she has dedicated her life to marine ecology studies while during her free time she enjoys trekking, climbing, surfing, diving, and traveling the world, experiencing different cultures and landscapes.
Helene Blesbois
Hélène Blesbois was born in the French wine region of Burgundy and got the travel bug at an early age as she grew up on the Caribbean Island of Martinique and lived for six years in Costa Rica where she completed a master’s degree in English-Spanish translation. Fond of learning new languages and cultures, she finally settled in Portugal where she’s been living for over a decade. Hélène likes to combine traveling with hiking or rock climbing and she practices yoga daily, which is a particular passion she loves to share through teaching as she is a certified instructor.
David Silva
David Silva loves to introduce guests to the local customs, traditions, food and wine, fauna and flora, and history of his Portuguese homeland. His primary goal is to provide every visitor with an amazing adventure-a real cultural immersion full of beautiful walks, historical secrets, and delicious food and wine.
Joao Tiago Roda Barra
João Tiago Roda Barra was born and raised in Portugal but his passion for other cultures and a love of the outdoors has led to many adventures traveling throughout Europe to such places as Spain, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. He always includes rock climbing as part of these trips, having learned to climb as a teenager. He also enjoys cycling, hiking, and photography and has worked as a biking and walking guide since 2008.
Rita Ribeiro Silva
Rita Ribeiro Silva was born in Lisbon but moved to a small village near the Arrábida Natural Park at the age of 13, where she developed her passion for outdoor activities. She studied Environmental Engineering and worked as an environmental consultant for 10 years, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams on studies of major infrastructure projects nationwide. In recent years, she has devoted herself professionally to documentary photography for weddings and families, allowing her to engage with people of all ages, nationalities, and cultures. She resides by the sea in Costa da Caparica and finds joy in photography, yoga, climbing, hiking, camping with friends, and traveling both in Portugal and abroad.