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Pleasures following the Portuguese Douro

2021-09-18T14:43:49.646Z


The riverbed in its Lusitanian section draws a road map between landscapes of canyons and vineyards, charming villages, wineries and exquisite country estates converted into hotels.


The winding road between mountains that precedes the arrival in Miranda do Douro, just crossed the border between Spain and Portugal, is the prelude to what this trip will be like.

Below, the river Duero, the road map, placid and wide, reflecting in its calm waters the landscape of a pleasant journey of just over 300 kilometers towards the Atlantic.

Miranda do Douro boasts a glorious past with its walls, its own language (Mirandés) and its old cathedral, where devotion is not on the altar, but in a display case more typical of a toy store. There rests the curious Menino Jesús da Cartolinha, a wood carving of a boy wearing a top hat, like a cartoon, and accompanied by all his trousseau. His miraculous feat was to avoid the defeat of the Portuguese at the hands of the Spanish troops in the war of 1711. Today the Spaniards who cross the border are attracted by the history of the city and also by the pure nature of the Biological Station Douro International. This is where the Arribes Environmental Cruise departs, in which you navigate aboard a silent hybrid boat between imposing canyons and spectacular rock formations.This is the grandest and wildest Douro. With binoculars you can see eagles nests on the cliffs and otters splashing on the banks. At one point during the tour, the guide on board collects a water sample and using a microscope projects the image on a screen that becomes a dance floor for the dozens of microorganisms that inhabit the river. Cruise tickets largely fund the conservation and educational and environmental projects of this exemplary park.At one point during the tour, the guide on board collects a water sample and using a microscope projects the image on a screen that becomes a dance floor for the dozens of microorganisms that inhabit the river. Cruise tickets largely fund the conservation and educational and environmental projects of this exemplary park.At one point during the tour, the guide on board collects a water sample and using a microscope projects the image on a screen that becomes a dance floor for the dozens of microorganisms that inhabit the river. Cruise tickets largely fund the conservation and educational and environmental projects of this exemplary park.

enlarge photo A pronounced meander of the Douro seen from the Miradouro do Castrilhouço, near the Portuguese town of Aldeia Nova. R. Estefanía

After this kick of nature, the body asks for a field and I look for lodging away from the madding crowd in

the tiny village of Aldeia Nova

, at the Puial de l Douro hotel. Domingo, the owner of this old farmhouse converted into a rural hotel, is a teacher of the Mirandesa language and a great connoisseur of the area. At dawn he offers to accompany me to the nearby and spectacular

viewpoint of São João das Arribas

. Then, following a dirt road that winds its way through rocks and bushes, in a walk that lasts an hour you will reach another lesser-known balcony: the

Miradouro do Castrilhouço

, where the Duero draws one of its most imposing meanders. From now on and until the end of the route, the epic lookouts over the river will be traveling companions.

enlarge photo Facade of a house in the village of Vale de Águia, northeast of Portugal.

R. Estefanía

We continue our way passing through

Vale de Águia

, where an indigo colored house decorated with tiles rebels against the sobriety of the rest of the stone houses.

Next to her is a woman leading a mule and a pony with a hazelnut stick to a trough, also made of stone, in the center of the village.

In this first part of the journey the villages will be very present.

For example, it is worth taking a detour to Marialva, one of the most beautiful and integrated into the network of Historic Villages in Portugal, where I find my bones in Casas do Côro, the project of Carmen and Paulo Romao's marriage, who bought 20 houses demolished 24 years ago and built a charming

boutique

lodge

,

a village within a village, managing to recover a town condemned to oblivion. Today

Marialva is one of the best preserved and most charming medieval villas

. Protected by the castle walls are the remains of the old citadel. On the other side of the walls, the church of Santiago together with the Capela do Senhor dos Passos and its exquisite ceiling covered with polychrome drawers. The next project of the couple and their five children is the recovery of the old abandoned train station, as well as three stopping houses along the railway that linked Spain and Portugal. Another one, Casa da Linha Férrea, opened last year as a charming restaurant. Very close to here awaits one of the jewels of the old railway line: the evocative steel bridge over the Côa River attributed to Gustave Eiffel himself. Another of these historical villages, further south, is Linhares da Beira, crowned by the two vigorous towers of more than 30 meters high of its castle,built by the Templars.

enlarge photo The mask craftsman Carlos Ferreira, in his studio in Sendim (Portugal).

R. Estefanía

The power of fire

It is time to leave villages and fortresses behind and enter the Alto Douro Vinhateiro.

To get you started, a visit to the JM Gonçalves family barrel factory, where French oak trunks transformed by the power of fire will become the perfect refuge for wine;

in them he will grow by adding notes of wood to his repertoire.

Wood is also the raw material with which another craftsman, Carlos Ferreira, gives life to devils, fauns and other folklore characters from the Transmontana region in the form of grotesque masks, which, born from his chisel in his small workshop in Sendim, end up in any corner of the world sold over the internet.

The route advances close to the Duero and, from here, the landscapes of canyons and untamed nature are radically transformed into slopes combed by rows of vines occupying every square meter of available land. One of those postcard landscapes of the Alto Douro can be seen from the terrace of the Côa Museum, an architectural marvel in itself and a nod to the latest museum technology, with rooms full of interactive exhibits on the rock past of the archaeological park of Vale do Côa, the largest open-air Palaeolithic complex in the world, declared a world heritage site. Even more spectacular than walking through its rooms is putting on your

trekking

boots

and go see the original engravings carved into the rocks.

In a twist, the museum organizes tours of the river by kayak, or even at night, in which the engravings, illuminated by the artificial light of the lanterns, seem even more magical.

enlarge photo Bird's eye view of the Côa Museum, in the Vale do Côa Archaeological Park, northeast of Portugal, designed by the architects Camilo Rebelo and Tiago Pimentel.

R. Estefanía

The next stop is already 100% wine and country territory. Exquisite haciendas in the middle of valleys covered with vineyards with infinite pools overlooking the Duero next to wineries where the

ports

and other wines of the region

are raised and aged

. One of these is the Quinta da Côrte, in Valença do Douro. A sign at the beginning of the detour to the fifth alert of a 30% slope, down the valley. On the outside, the hacienda retains the traditional appearance of a work house, but on the inside, the vision of French interior designer Pierre Yovanovitch has made it the most

chic

accommodation

of the entire course of the river. In the kitchen, the heart of the hacienda where breakfast and dinner are served, original elements such as the immense mosaic-covered fireplace are combined with pieces of avant-garde design made by Portuguese and French artisans. The pool, which can be reached by walking along a path between the vines, is located in the shade of some cork oak trees, reminiscent of a natural pool perfectly integrated into the landscape. It is difficult to leave this place, but the promise of a dinner at the Casa das Pipas restaurant in Quinta do Portal, about 20 kilometers from here following a winding road that crosses to the other side of the river, is a more than powerful reason. The restaurant is in the town of Sabrosa, a name that comes to the head as you can see as soon as the first "moments" of the tasting menu arrive.Scallops and Jerusalem artichokes in muscat sauce, oxtail at low temperature with celery and pear ... The delicious menu, worthy of a Michelin star, is the creation of chef Milton Ferreira, born here and trained at the School of Tourism of Lamego.

The next morning, the vans transporting the workers arrive at the field. We are at the end of August and the harvest, advanced by the heat in these valleys, has just begun. I visit the winery with the manager of Quinta da Côrte, Marta Casanova, while a group of women selects the best grapes by hand and separates the damaged fruits. The aging room, along with huge old barrels, is the place to learn about the "benefit" of Port wine, a process by which it is fortified with brandy giving it its characteristic sweetness.

From Valença do Douro we begin the descent towards Pinhão, looking out over the slopes to enjoy the spectacle of the river zigzagging between the mountains and disappearing into the horizon. Beyond the tiles that decorate the train station, this city has little to offer, so after a quick visit you have to continue on your way in search of more charming towns.

São João da Pesqueira

, with its beautiful Praça da República and the Baroque façade of the Capela da Misericórdia covered in 18th century tiles, is one of them. The early Portuguese lunch hour is pressing, so it is a good idea to opt for the popular

restaurant Toca da Raposa

, in nearby Ervedosa do Douro.

When I arrive it is complete.

Maria responds to my disappointed face by launching a plan b that consists of taking the tablecloth, the glasses and the cutlery out onto the street and settling myself at a stone table in a park a few meters from the restaurant.

Before the curious gaze of those who pass by and the company of two stray dogs guessing possibilities for leftovers, I enjoy an excellent baked cod, a tomato salad and a homemade fig cake in what is the most original lunch of the trip .

Peso da Régua, capital of wine

The next stop is Quinta Nova, in Covas do Douro.

And if something was missing from this getaway to accentuate the dramatic effect of the landscape, it was a storm.

The panoramic viewpoint of the fifth becomes an excellent place to see the veils of water in the distance, illuminated by flashes of lightning between the very black clouds.

The rain invites you to linger and dine in this place with the air of an

English

country house

, with rooms with wooden ceilings and carpets, and a cozy winter lounge in front of large windows.

enlarge photo Detail of the harvest in the Quinta da Côrte, in Valença do Douro.

R. Estefanía

It's time to head to the heart of the Alto Duero wine region. The winding road that leads to Peso da Régua is considered one of the most beautiful in the world.

Régua, the capital of wine, welcomes you with its three bridges and the modern building that houses the Museu do Douro

. Modern is also the reconstruction of the old railroad warehouses, converted into

boutique

wine

shops

and stylish restaurants. In the best of them, Castas e Pratos, an infinite wine list is combined with a succulent menu that includes sea bass ceviche, partridge ravioli and a spectacular fish broth rice served in a very generous casserole for two. 17 kilometers to the south, Lamego, with its cathedral, its museums, its palaces and, above all, with the

Nossa Senhora dos Remédios sanctuary

and the 686 steps of its lavish staircase, it is the noble sister of the region. Nobility also in the Mateus palace, 30 kilometers away, with its façade engraved in the memory of a generation and on the labels of the iconic Mateus Rosé (the favorite wine of Queen Elizabeth II and Jimi Hendrix).

We moved away from wine to take refuge in a unique house opened this year by the endearing couple that are Lena and Jose. Staying in the old family residence of Jose, today the Casa do Salgueiral, in Santa Marta de Penaguião, is to travel to another time through the exquisite furniture preserved from the time of his grandparents, combined with the careful renovation of the rooms. A row of grapevines leads to the pool, leaving aside the spectacular family chapel where mass is celebrated once a month. On the porch, sharing a delicious duck rice dinner and conversation with this pair of former journalists, and toasting with 10-year-old port wine of our own production, it seems that time is moving more slowly.

enlarge photo One of the works painted in the cement tanks of the wine of the Caves Santa Marta cooperative, in Santa Marta de Penaguião (Portugal).

R. Estefanía

The next day I visit Caves Santa Marta, the cooperative that brings together 1,200 small producers in the area.

The Douro appellation of origin is not the exclusive patrimony of the great winemaking families, and in the wine produced here is the sweat and livelihood of many families in the area.

The cooperative also has a museum of pieces donated by the producers and a gallery where artists from all over the world use the cement tanks of the wine as huge canvases.

The following is one of those surprises that one sometimes encounters along the way. The small animation museum Casa Museo de Vilar, in Lousada, is an enchanted place where magic is possible. The wonderful old villa where it is installed is also the home and studio of Abi Feijó and Regina Pessoa, two of the best animation professionals. In the museum, old gadgets capable of generating moving images are transformed into pure illusionism thanks to Abi's demonstrations. The magic continues when, through your call to a local businessman, the opportunity arises to visit what is possibly

the largest collection of motorcycles in Europe

. Perfectly restored and arranged in rows as if it were a museum, occupying every inch of a gigantic industrial warehouse, more than 1,200 period pieces are exhibited in front of my astonished gaze.

Just when you might start to miss the riverside scenery, the next stop on the road, Douro41 Hotel & Spa, in the town of Castelo de Paiva, brings it back to us in all its splendor. Everything here, even the glass elevators, has views of the river. Contemporary and minimalist architecture in a building built on terraces overlooking it. The hotel's boat takes, on a journey that sails between islands and river beaches, to another tributary of the Duero, the Paiva River, where the course narrows and the vegetation becomes thick, reminding more of a tropical channel through which we float with the engine off, in silence, scanning the banks in search of otters. It is on the same Paiva where rises

the chilling longest pedestrian suspension bridge on the planet, the new 516 Arouca

, with 516 meters in length and 175 in height. Here are also the Passadiços do Paiva, an exciting network of wooden walkways that run through eight kilometers of gorges, waterfalls and archaeological remains.

The journey is coming to an end.

Vila Nova de Gaia, on the south bank of the Duero, in front of the city of Porto, marked the end of the journey for the barrels of the wine produced in the Alto Douro and transported in

rabelos

to be aged in the warehouses and cellars of Gaia (only it was considered Porto if you got old here).

The river still has one last gasp a little further on, in the beautiful Foz do Douro, where it reaches its death and mixes with the Atlantic.

After so many kilometers celebrating life at his side, I prefer to turn around here and return with the Douro alive, once again admiring its docile waters from the viewpoints that escort its course.

Practical Guide

TO SLEEP

  • Puial de l Douro,

    authentic rural tourism in Aldeia Nova (+351 969181013).

  • Casas do Côro, a

    whole

    boutique

    village

    in Marialva

    .

  • Quinta da Côrte,

    the chicest fifth in the Douro in Valença do Douro.

  • Quinta Nova,

    stately, cozy and with spectacular panoramic views in Covas do Douro.

  • Casa do Salgueiral,

    good taste and the place to feel at home in Santa Marta de Penaguião.

  • Douro41 Hotel & Spa,

    minimalism and avant-garde with views in Castelo de Paiva.

EAT

  • Côa Museu,

    much more than a typical museum restaurant and also with views. 

  • Casa Das Pipas,

    the best place to eat in the Douro, in Quinta do Portal.

  • Toca da Raposa,

    homemade food in Ervedosa do Douro (+351 254423466). 

  • Terraçu's Restaurant,

    in Quinta Nova: a tasting menu by chef André Carvallo in Covas do Douro.

  • Castas e Pratos,

    a modern place with a delicious menu in Peso da Régua.

  • The Raiva restaurant,

    at the Douro41 Hotel & Spa, offers signature cuisine and proximity, excellently paired.

ACTIVITIES AND SHOPPING

  • All the mentioned farms have their own wine shop, selection of Ports and

    souvenirs

    from the region.

  • Arribes Environmental Cruise

    .

    The Douro International Biological Station also has a shop.

  • The

    Casas do Côro

    boutique

    is the place to buy blankets and textiles in Marialva

  • Côa Museum

    and

    trekkings

    in the Vale do Côa Archaeological Park.

  • Free visit to the

    JM Gonçalves barrel

    factory

    .

  • Store of the

    Caves Santa Marta

    wine cooperative

    ,

    in Santa Marta de Penaguião.

  • Mateus Palace,

    in Vila Real.

  • Vilar House Museum

    .

  • Tourism of Portugal

    .

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Source: elparis

All news articles on 2021-09-18

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