Seeing, Doing and Staying
I‘d like to say you can pull into the little town of Pinhão on an old steam train, stepping out onto the 1930s station platform as the horn whistles and the mist rises, but as of January 2019, the Linha do Douro railway is being updated and the train service (which normally travels along the river, clinging to the precipitous rocks as the track passes through the Douro gorge) has been replaced by a rather less romantic bus service between Caíde and Marco de Canaveses. If you can get a rental car in Porto, that would be your best option for this leg of your trip through the heart of the Douro Valley, Portugal’s wino country. Ready to taste the good life?
Set your Sat-Nav for the village of Pinhão – and while you might not ride on an old steam train, pretend you did and go check out the country’s most beautiful train station. There’s a wine house stuck to the station, operating out of the old ticket office and offering wine tasting and nibbles right on the
platform. Picnic tables line the azulejo tiles overlooking the train tracks and there’s a private room and museum inside, providing a little background on wine-making in the region since the 19th century.
It’s a recent addition to the picturesque station as part of a rehabilitation project by one of the local wineries, Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo. They also have a beautiful hotel on their estate in the hills if you prefer to sleep among the vineyards during your stay in the Douro Valley.
Or you can stay in town at Pinhão’s irresistible Vintage House Hotel (€140 forthe night). It’s a tough choice between the two, best settled with a coin toss.
Stop for lunch across the station at Segredos Do Douro – a charming little restaurant that feels like being invited in for a home-cooked meal at your honorary Portuguese grandmother’s house. And just as expected, Grandma’s portions are huge.
Head to Lamego next, a town nestled among the terraced slopes of the Douro valley overlooked by an ornate shrine that parts the forest…
After hundreds of zigzagging stairs and dozens of tiled frescoes framed by a tropical garden forest, you’ll make it to the stunning Baroque cathedral of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios which overlooks the town of Lamego.
Where to Eat
RESTAURANTE QUINTA DA PACHECA: After a good workout climbing the steps of the cathedral, treat yourself to a fancy meal at this Wine House restaurant with views over their vineyard.
(+351 254 331 229)
TRÁS DA SÉ: Also in Lamego, try the town’s no-frills local restaurant with kitschy decor and traditional home-cooked food. Call to check it’s open (+351254614075)
RESTAURANTE TERRA DE MONTANHA: Dine inside a wine barrel in the neighbouring town of Vila Real