Some friends invited us on a week-long Greek Island cruise, and when we looked at the cost of airfare, we immediately got the idea to pair the trip with an additional week plus in another European country. Portugal quickly rose as our choice and the plans fell into place. We ended up deciding to fly from home to Lisbon and then touring on our way to Porto for 4 nights. Then we’d transition back to Lisbon, touring along the way, and spending 5 nights in Lisbon. We found our own hotels (with American breakfast included) but ended up partnering with 2 different tour companies. In Porto, we worked with Oporto Road Trips and in Lisbon, we worked with No Map Tours. With Oporto Road Trips, we took advantage of small group tours – both wonderful! We give No Map Tours our highest recommendation! We emailed back and forth and finally just hopped on a What’s App call to put together our agenda. We worked with Sandra who ended up as our driver and tour guide for every excursion with them. In the end, we had a slightly customized set of private tours, transportation to/from airports and between Porto & Lisbon.
Part 2 of the Portugal adventure in Lisbon can be found here.
Overall Map of the Entire Portugal Road Trip
Day 1 – A Road Trip from Lisbon to Porto
Our adventure begins with a warm welcome at Lisbon airport, where our No Maps Tour driver, Sandra, greets us, ready for the journey ahead.
Óbidos
The first stop is the medieval town of Óbidos, a fairytale-like place with charming cobbled streets, white-washed houses with clay tiled roofs and rich with history. It’s known as the ‘finest walled village in Portugal’. We enter the town through the Porta da Vila – an impressive and somewhat unusual double gateway, with a chapel and balcony in the middle of it. The bent elbow shaped double gateway was designed like this to prevent cavalry charges and a storming of the city.
Once through the double gate, we head up the stone stairs to the top of the wall to get a bird’s eye view of this part of town. It’s possible to walk the entire length of the walls, a complete lap is just short of 2 miles and takes you all the way around the town. However, the path is steep and uneven at times, and there is no guide or safety rail (not for those with any fear of heights).
Wandering through the town feels like stepping back in time with so much eye candy! Small alleys (that an occasional car or motor bike uses) are lined with shops and sidewalk cafes. As with many towns here, there are several old churches one can peek into.
There’s a Portuguese beverage that originated in Óbidos called Ginjinha. It is a sour cherry liquor most commonly served in a chocolate shot glass with a cherry. You down the shot, then follow up by eating the cup & cherry with the three flavors complimenting each other. Many shops offer this drink and tourists are often lined up to get one for a mere 1,50 euros (about $2). Of course, we indulged in this tradition.
Lunch at Ja!mon Ja!mon
No Map Tours arranged lunch reservations for us at Ja!mon Ja!mon which was a perfect introduction to local flavors. We share an absolutely delightful local dish – bochechas de porco – pork cheeks braised in red port wine. It was as soft as butter and had amazing flavor. Next we split a local dessert – a pumpkin apricot torte.
Nazaré
From Óbidos, we make our way to Nazaré, famous for its enormous waves and strong surfing culture along the area known as The Silver Coast. Once a traditional fishing village, it has turned into a summer seaside resort.
We start our exploration by visiting the Nazaré Lighthouse which offers breathtaking views. To the east is the beautiful, more calm beach. To the west is the area where some of the largest waves ever recorded are present from November to March. An underwater canyon acts as a funnel, increasing the ocean swell which combines with the local conditions to produce some pretty special waves. In these winter months, waves are typically 30 to 60 feet high with some reaching as tall as 100 feet. It held the world record for the tallest wave until January 2025 when a 108-foot wave was recorded in California. We are here in May and while impressive, they aren’t even close to those monster heights.
Nazaré does have a traditional boat museum, a sun-dried fish museum and a famous church, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazareth. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit any of these – but we begin our list of “things to visit the next time we come to Portugal”.
We walk along the waterfront past the city square. We see women dressed in some type of special clothing and Sandra tells us this is known as the “seven skirts”. A tradition from the times when fishermen’s wives waited for the safe return of their husbands on the beach in cold, wet, windy conditions, women wore 7 petticoats under their skirt to keep warm. Why 7? Perhaps they are a symbol of the seven days of the week or seven colors of the rainbow or just the lucky number seven. The ensemble is completed with house slippers, an apron (hand-embroidered by the wearer), a woolen cape, head scarf, and flamboyant jewelry, including chunky gold earrings (often passed down from generation to generation).
The beachfront provides a more relaxed coastal experience with a display of ancient fishing boats and vendors selling sun-dried fish such as mackerel, sardine, salmon and even octopus!
Snack at the Irish Pub
It is interesting that we seem to find an Irish Pub in almost every town we visit in Europe. Nazaré is no exception, and we decide to check it out for a snack.
Wine Shopping at Continente
Sandra suggests we purchase a bottle or two of wine from one of the local grocery stores to enjoy in our hotel room. For sure, it is always a learning experience to visit a typical grocery store to see how it is organized and what types of products it offers. Sandra helps us select 2 bottles of local wine from wineries she is familiar with – both around $6 each!
Carris Hotels Porto Ribiera
We arrive in Porto just as the sun is setting and we check in to the small boutique hotel in the Carris Hotel regional chain in the Ribiera district of Porto. The historic city center is just a few blocks from the Douro River and its bustling waterfront of restaurants. It was very reasonably priced, included a robust American breakfast and the location was superb!
Dinner Along the Waterfront
It has been a very long day and we didn’t arrive at our hotel until almost 8:00pm (which for us back home is “only” 3:00pm but remember that we spent last night napping on the airplane)! Nancy wants to sleep but Harrison convinces her to head the few blocks down to the river front to grab an evening snack and to get our bearings on the area. Harrison made the right call – the historic waterfront area was just coming to life for the evening, with street performers every 100 feet or so. We soon learn you don’t wait to be seated, you just grab any open table and a waiter will just show up to serve you. We settle in at Buraquinho with a front row view for general people watching and to enjoy street performers as they come and go.
Day 2 – Exploring Porto
Today we explore Porto on our own. Porto is alive with culture, and we begin by walking to Prince Henry Square, the heart of the city’s bustling atmosphere.
Stock Exchange Palace
Adjacent to Prince Henry Square is the Stock Exchange Palace (Palácio da Bolsa), an architectural masterpiece brimming with fascinating history a mere 5-minute walk from our hotel. The land was gifted to Porto in 1841 by the St. Francis Church of Porto after its convent was destroyed by fire. The merchants of the city decided to use the spot to build the seat of the Commercial Association. The exterior was built between 1842 and 1850; the decorative interior was only completed in 1910. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It opens at 9:00am and we did not purchase tickets in advance. Luck is on our side! We are the second in line and have no issue sliding into the first timed slot for an English tour. We begin in the central Nations’ Courtyard (aka Hall of Nations) which is covered by a large metallic, octagonal dome with glass panels. The lower part of the dome is decorated with the painted coats-of-arms of Portugal and the countries with which Portugal had commercial relations in the 19th century. We ascend the Noble Staircase made of granite with many decorative details and as we climb, we learn this was one of the first electrified buildings in Porto. On the first floor (in Europe, the ground floor is floor zero), we tour many impressive rooms. We see the jury room, court room, portrait room and several others adorned with numerous paintings and sculptures. The General Assembly Room hosts 2 annual meetings each year. It boasts a chandelier weighing approximately 1 ton and while the room looks like it is made of wood, it is actually hand painted plaster to look like wood. The jewel of the Palace is the Arab Room which took 18 years to complete. The room is decorated in the exotic Moorish Revival style, fashionable in the 19th century, and is still used as a reception and concert hall for personalities and heads of state visiting Porto.
Exploring Porto by Hop-On/Off Bus
The Hop-On-/Hop-Off bus gives us a perfect chance to see the city from different perspectives. Their red line takes us through Porto’s historic center, passing iconic landmarks such as Clérigos Tower, Batalha (a former monestary), Livraria Lello (a unique bookstore), and Porto Cathedral. The bus makes its way to the far eastern part of the city passing along the beautiful Parque da Cidade (at 205 acres, it is the biggest urban park in Portugal). We then begin the return back to the historic city center by traveling along the Atlantic Coast, then back once again along the Douro River.
We decide our lunch will be more of a snack, stopping at Cafeteria Bahtal to split a local meat sandwich. This place didn’t have menus – they had their food on display in a glass case and we just point to what we want. The sandwich is like nothing you can get back in the States (easily) with a unique fresh dough encrusting a minced mixture of sausage, pepperoni and spices (we think). After polishing off a beer and glass of wine, we can’t resist one of their chocolate pastries and it just melts in our mouth.
Exploring Gaia
Next we take the Blue Line of the Hop-on/Hop-Off Bus across the Douro River to and through the city of Gaia. We do get off at the City Overlook at Mosteiro da Serra do Pilar, the architectural landmark of Gaia. The interesting church and cloisters are laid out according to a circular design unique in Portugal. Built in the 16th century, it was modeled after the Church of Santa Maria Rotunda in Rome, Italy. The Overlook offers stunning views of the Ribiero waterfront area of Porto (we can even see our hotel from here).
It begins to rain as we start an interesting maze-like walk down from Mosteiro da Seera do Pilar to the historic riverfront Vila Nova de Gaia where the legendary port wine warehouses reside. In the 1500’s, Vila Nova de Gaia served as a hub for sailors and merchants involved in Atlantic trade routes and connections with Brazil and North America. Several exporting companies had warehouses in Gaia and from 1777, Vila Nova de Gaia became the official storage site for all wine and port wine exporters. There are many wine caves that store the Portugal wines as they age. Today, it is a hub for wine tasting with many well-known companies such as Sandeman, Kopke, Ramos Pinto and Ferreira offering tours and tastings.
The riverfront area of Gaia is lined with shops and cafes, and it is time for us to grab another bite to eat. We’ve learned Portugal has about 365 different ways to cook and serve cod which they call Bacalhau. Harrison indulges in one dish that includes garlic shrimp with the cod and Nancy enjoys a comforting butternut squash soup (the menu’s English translation of the Portugal name was “vegetable soup” – a nice, improved surprise). While we eat, the rain intensifies for a brief period, so we just enjoy this moment of life until the rain ends and then continue to explore the waterfront.
After a day well spent, we walk across the Dom Luis bridge from Gaia back over to Porto. There are so many choices for dinner and we settle on a little place along the river called Chez Lapin. We order two meals with plans to share. One is Port Tenderloins with Mustard Sauce and the other is Oven-Baked Chicken “Carioca Style”. Both meals are thoroughly delectable, and we darn near lick the plates!
Day 3 – A Journey Through Guimarães and Braga
Today we join a small tour group with the well-versed tour guide Cheila from Oporto Road Trips. There are 8 of us and we start our adventure with a 1-hour drive north through the countryside known as Minho to Guimarães, often referred to as the birthplace of Portugal. The pronunciation takes practice – Ghee-mar-eye-sh. Although it is an English speaking tour, we have 2 folks from Italy that speak very little English (companies in Portugal typically don’t offer tours in Italian). We are fortunate to have 2 other folks on our tour that know some Italian and they constantly attempt to translate the commentary Cheila provides.
Castle of Guimarães
Our first stop is at the Castle of Guimarães. Built in the 10th century to defend the monastery and towns people from attacks by Moors and Norsemen, it has been remodeled and reconstructed many times over the centuries. Isolated on a small hill, it is built from granite and encircled by a small forest. The defensive structure is dominated by the square keep that stands between the four towers guarding each of the four corners of the walls.
Palace of the Dukes of Braganza
Our next stop in Guimarães is the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, a medieval estate and former residence of the first Dukes of Braganza. Building began between 1420 and 1422 and changed hands among the many Dukes as generations came and went with each inhabitant adding their own building styles and touches as time went on. It fell into disrepair in the 1600’s at which point nuns and friars began efforts to obtain rock and stone to repair it. The local government funded the efforts but by the 1900’s, it was deemed “corrupted and ruined”. The Portuguese government funded a complete restoration that begin in 1933. By 1959, the new Palace was inaugurated and opened to the public as a museum.
Old Town Guimarães
We head to the historical town center with time to explore on our own. We wander through two medieval squares, The Largo da Oliveira and Praça de São Tiago with fountains, cathedrals, statues and monuments. Streets are lined with traditional houses, family-run shops, and cozy cafés, perfect for soaking in the local atmosphere. We meet up with our tour group at one of the city’s most iconic views – the Largo da República do Brasil (Republic of Brazil Square) and its photogenic and manicured rectangular gardens. At one end is the Igreja do Santo Passos (Church of Holy Path). At the other end is the original market square, Campo Feira (Field of Markets) where vendors sold animals, produce, grains, and different fabrics – linen, silk, wool, cotton.
Lunch at Castelo Restaurante
Our tour includes a hearty, regional lunch at a small, intimate restaurant called Castelo Restaurante, way off the beaten path. Lunch is “family style” where everyone just passes around the dishes and shares. We get warm fresh-baked bread, 5 different appetizers (2 are cod), 3 different main courses (one pork, one chicken, one cod) and a plate of desserts.
Sanctuary of Penha
Stuffed to the gills, we pile into the van and make the short half hour drive up to the Sanctuary of Penha which is the highest point in Guimaraes. Built in the 1930’s it has elements of the art deco style and the site features chapels, caves, statues, fountains, viewpoints, gardens, and parks. After a quick look into the church, we head out to the back of the church for some great views of Guimarães.
Braga
After a round of picture taking, we pile into the van and make the short half hour drive to the town of Braga. This city was once occupied by the Romans and was one of the most important Christian centers of Portugal. We stop at Bom Jesus do Monte, a stunning sanctuary known for its beautiful Baroque stairway and religious significance. One of Portugal’s most important pilgrimage destinations, it offers intricate fountains, lush gardens, panoramic views and a generally serene atmosphere.
Back in Porto, we say goodbye to our tour guide Cheila. We decide to have dinner at a cafe at our hotel, Nomadik Lounge Bar, where we share a huge steak and brie sandwich. To our surprise (and delight), we are essentially the only patrons here on a Friday evening.
Day 4 – The Douro Valley Region
Today we have another small group tour with the Oporto Road Trips company. Our tour guide Ricardo picks us up along with a family of 5 and a solo traveler.
The Douro Valley is home to Portugal’s famous vineyards, and a short visit to Amarante allows us to walk its historic streets and admire its old bridges and churches. Amarante sits on the banks of the Tâmega River and its narrow streets are lined with 17th-century houses with wooden balconies. One can’t miss the São Gonçalo Church with its baroque architecture and the Sāo Gonçalo Bridge that leads to its doors. The picturesque scenery here is a peaceful contrast to the bustling cities. The historic bridge played a key role during the Napoleonic invasions and there is battle damage here and there in the stone from the battle fought here in April 1809.
Quita do Beijo
We stop at our first winery, Quita do Biejo, also known as the kiss winery. Their “mascot” is a hummingbird, said to kiss flowers as they gather nectar. This family winery has been in operation for over 100 years and consists of 40 acres (30 acres of grape vines). We learn a typical winery produces 720 bottles of wine per acre which means they produce about 22,000 bottles per year – considered small when the “big guys” are producing 5 million bottles per year. We learn the Douro region has a unique micro-climate and fertile soil for growing grapes. Vines are kept to a height under 2 feet due to steep mountainous topography and warm temperatures. During our tour, we learn the difference between green wine, white wine, rose wine, red wine and port wine and how they are made and the differences in their alcohol content. Never heard of green wine? It’s not green as in the color, but the translation to green is about it being young/inexperienced; this wine uses immature grapes that have less sugar, so it therefore has less alcohol. We learn green wine is only about 9 percent alcohol (often sparkling), white & rose wine are typically 11-12 percent alcohol, red wine around 14%, while port is typically 19-22 percent alcohol.
We get a tasting of all four and purchase a few bottles to either consume during the rest of our trip or take home.
São Cristóvão do Douro
Traffic was light today, both on the roads and in the winery, so we are ahead of schedule. Ricardo makes a short diversion to an eclectic bar & museum named Rem-Vindo. The owner only speaks Portuguese, but you can tell from his mannerisms that he’s delighted that we’ve stopped by. He gives each of us a shot of his home-made port wine and it was pretty decent. We spend 15 minutes or so wandering through his collection of odd things related to the wine industry that he calls a museum.
The real gem of São Cristóvão do Douro is views of the terrace vineyards.
Exploring Douro Valley
We drive through picturesque sections of the Douro Valley, stopping here and there along the way to savor the scenery. Exploring the Douro Valley is like stepping into a postcard—rolling vineyards, winding river views, and charming villages that feel untouched by time. As we journey through this UNESCO-listed wine region, the terraced hillsides create a breathtaking backdrop, especially when bathed in golden sunlight.
Lunch in Pinhão
Pinhão is located at the confluence of the Douro and Pinhão Rivers in the heart of the famous Port Wine-making industry. It makes this town a popular stop for river cruises – both quick afternoon rides as well as multi-day river cruises We start our time in Pinhão with a group lunch included in our tour. Once again, we enjoy several courses served family style and eat way too much. We will be doing a short afternoon cruise but have time to walk around Pinhão until our scheduled departure.
We visit the Pinhão Railway Station where the walls are liberally decorated with lovely azulejo tiles (hand-painted tiles). Several large, very well-preserved panels portray historic scenes of the surrounding area, letting us see how the Douro looked before the dams were built and the river was made navigable.
Douro River Cruise
The boat holds about 50 people, but we sit in the open-air area up top with 10 people total, so it feels less crowded. Sitting up top is a little breezier, but the views are amazing. Cruising on the Douro River is a mesmerizing journey through Portugal’s wine country, where vineyards, historic villages, and golden landscapes unfold as we sail. We glide along the river, passing more terraced hillsides, quaint towns, and majestic quintas (wine estates) including some of the world’s most famous vineyards: Croft’s Quinta da Roeda, Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos and Cockburn’s Tua all easily visible from the river. We thoroughly enjoy the views from the river’s vantage point as it complements our views during drives. Our smaller, faster boat travels in 1 hour about the same distance one of the multi-day river cruise longships does over an entire day.
Quinta do Tedo
It’s time to visit our second winery. Quinta do Tedo sits high above the dramatic confluence of the Douro and Tedo Rivers. This 18th century estate encompasses 37 acres of vineyards planted 3 feet apart on steep terraces. They grow 18 different red grape varieties. They also grow olives (on olive trees) and make olive oil here. Like our first winery, they are considered a small vineyard, but they produce about 55,000 bottles each year. They also have a bed & breakfast, offering 5 rooms. We tour the facilities and get pretty much the same story of how the different wines are made. Here, they still mash the grapes with their bare feet during the fall harvest. We finally get to sit in the tasting room and taste 6 different wines and one olive oil. This time we are treated to cheese and crackers to help compliment the different wines. We weren’t as impressed with their wine, and given they were more expensive, we didn’t make any purchases here.
Return to Porto Along the Douro River on the famous N222 Road
Driving Portugal’s N222 road is an unforgettable experience, winding through the heart of the Douro Valley. This road offers breathtaking views as it hugs the Douro River, passing through terraced vineyards, historic villages, and more rolling hills. The most famous stretch, between Peso da Régua and Pinhão, has been recognized as one of the best driving roads globally, thanks to its perfect balance of curves and straightaways.
The Imperial McDonald’s
Our tour ends back in Port around 5:30pm and we decide to explore a few more sites on our last night in Porto.
To our amusement, we’ve learned Porto is home a McDonald’s considered as the most beautiful in the world. So many tour books and people have recommended seeing The Imperial McDonald’s so we head to check it out. Opened in 1995, it began as the Imperial Cafe located in a historic building from the 1930’s. The interior has amazing art deco stained-glass, opulent chandeliers and a few menu items unique to Portugal. In and out, we are only 1 block from our next stop.
São Bento Railway Station
The São Bento Railway Station opened in 1916 on the site of a former Benedictine monastery. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the symmetrical, three-story, granite building has a U-shaped plan, with its principal facade oriented to the southwest. The main hall contains over 20,000 azulejo tiles (hand-painted tiles) representing moments in the country’s history and depicting rural scenes showing the people in various regions. It took 11 years to complete the tile project. This railway station’s tile murals are even more impressive than those we saw at the Pinhão Railway Station.
São Bento is the main terminus of Porto’s suburban railways lines and western terminus for the scenic Douro line between Porto and Pocinho. The station for trains arriving from Lisbon is the Campanhã (the national railway station) but there is subsequent service to São Bento via a local train.
Last Dinner in Porto
Our fellow traveler, Raza, walked with us to the São Bento Railway Station, telling us about the incredible dinner she had the previous evening. We have already chosen another restaurant, but when we arrive, we learn there is a 2 hour wait for a table. We turn around and head to the place Raza recommended, Impar Flores. We are fortunate to grab one of the last outdoor tables which gives us the opportunity to people watch in addition to savoring our food. When we go to use the restroom, we realize the inside of this place is absolutely gorgeous too. We order a steak tartare appetizer and then finish by sharing an exquisite steak cooked medium. Thank you Raza!
Summary
Porto is a fantastic place to anchor for touring the greater Douro Valley region. It allows for one hotel stay with the opportunity to embark on several tours within a 1-2 hour radius. Our time in Porto and in the region around it, were stellar. We loved being immersed in the rich history of this area as well as all the wonderful food and wines. We were almost constantly on-the-go, but we’ve barely scratched the surface of all that Portugal has to offer and what we have yet to explore.
The adventure continues here: Part 2 of the Portugal adventure – Lisbon.
Leave a Reply