6-Nights Portugal: Minho & the Douro Valley

Lisbon

Portugal’s capital is an 18th-century city - elegant, open to the sea and carefully planned. Most places of interest are within easy walking distance. Rossio Square, the heart of Lisbon since medieval times, is an ideal place to start exploring. Many rebuilt houses with original façades provide stores and restaurants with modern interiors. High above Baixa is Bairro Alto - with its teeming nightlife. There are many monuments and museums, such as San Jeronimos Monastery, Royal Coach Museum and Gulbenkian Museum. Two well-known landmarks are the Monument to the Discoveries and the Tower of Belem. A statue of Christ looms above Europe’s longest suspension bridge. Madragoa, Bica and Bairro Alto, Lisbon’s older sections, offer a variety of sights: the Church of Sao Roque, with its beautiful tiles; St. George Castle, which offers a splendid view from its location above the Alfama quarter; the botanical gardens, featuring an unusual, cold greenhouse; and the cathedral, stunning with its Moorish design. Renowned Gulbenkian Museum is the cultural center of Portugal.

Douro Valley

The Douro Valley in Portugal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site devoted to vineyards. Port wine production and beautiful scenery sculpted by the Douro River are highlights of the region. Enjoy the local cuisine, bike, canoe or cruise along the Douro, and drink in the unforgettable beauty of the area that has inspired many poets, writers, chefs and painters.

Ponte de Lima

The oldest village in Portugal has a long medieval bridge that passes over the Limia River and runs besides the town. Ponte de Lima is a charming floral village with handful of gardens, fancy mansions, historical buildings and timeless views of the river bank. When the Romans came across Limia River, they were so awed by its beauty that crossing the bridge would have wiped out their memories - so they believed. Their captain crossed the river and called out their name to ensure this enchantment was false. A bridge known as the “Roman road from Braga” was built. Today, Ponte de Lima hosts the annual International Garden Festival from May to October with exhibits of themed gardens and examples of garden fashion. Visitors can explore the marketplaces, stroll or bike through the riverside paths, or take snapshots with numerous statues.

Porto (Oporto)

Porto (Oporto), Portugal's second largest city, is full of interest, and the district it heads offers the visitor plenty to see. Along the coast, there are resorts like the cosmopolitan beach of Espinho, busy ports like Matosinhos, with splendid seafood, or traditional fishing towns like Póvoa de Varzim, and there is also an animated casino. Charming Amarante has 17th century mansions overlooking the river and is famous for a sweet egg pastries called "papos de anjo" (angel bellies). In Vila Nova de Gaia, there are lodges where Port wine is blended and aged and where tasting are offered, or visitors may take a river cruise along the Douro. The whole district is filled with prosperous towns, but there are also many calm roads with wonderful views over the river and a rugged and still unspoilt coastline.