Porto & the Douro Valley

Tour Type:

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

Activity Level & Terrain

This tour is suitable for most people that are in good physical condition. The daily distances are not that far, although you should be aware that there are some quite significant elevation gains through the local vineyard terraces in the Douro Valley. However, on some of the days, there is no walking at all to make way for scenic train and boat rides to and from Porto. As this is a self-guided walk you will be responsible for navigation, decision making and safety during your trip.

Navigation

Experience & Fitness

• 7 Nights in 4* & 3* Hotels
• Transfer on Day 6 from Pinhão to Régua
• Lunch on Day 7 while on the Douro River Cruise
• The Douro River Cruise
• 7 Breakfasts
• Baggage transfers (apart from on Days 2 and 7)
• Transfers at the beginning and end of the tour from the hotels to Porto Airport
• A welcome briefing upon arrival
• GPX tracks and access to our smartphone app

• Travel insurance (required)
• Train tickets from Porto to Pinhão and from Pinhão to Porto (around €11 one way)
• Taxi from Porto hotel to train station on Day 2
• Luggage transfers on Days 2 and 7
• Taxi from port to hotel on Day 7 (Post-River Cruise)
• Transfer from Pinhao to hotel on Day 2
• Dinners & lunches not mentioned in the itinerary
• Drinks and snacks
• Personal equipment

• Additional nights before or after the holiday
• Optional Rabelo Boat Trip on Day 6

When To Go

This Porto & the Douro Valley self-guided walking tour is available April through to June and then September through to March, but please bear in mind that for 2023 the River Cruise is not guaranteed in April due to high water levels. May through to October sees full operation. If you are travelling outside of these months, you will be transferred back to Porto by car. 

As the summer months can be extremely hot, making walking quite uncomfortable the departure dates are limited to spring, autumn and winter months. In the spring there will be lots of wildflowers and in the autumn it is the grape harvest, so it will be a great time to be in this area. Please be aware that in the winter months some of the hotels and hotel restaurants may be closed however there will be options available in the local area and the accommodation you will stay in may not be exactly the same as that in the detailed itinerary however it will be of a similar standard.

NOTE: This tour is now extremely busy for the months of September and October. We recommend booking as soon as possible if you are looking to travel at this time or alternatively why not look at getting booked up early for next Spring.

Getting to the Start

Porto Airport is the nearest airport and is served by many airlines, such as Easyjet, Ryanair, KLM and British Airways. Porto is also accessible from Lisbon Airport.

From Lisbon Airport take an airport shuttle bus to the Santa Apolonia Train Station and then a train to Porto which takes around two and a half hours. Lisbon is also served by many airlines in the UK and from many other gateways in Europe

All transfers to and from Porto Airport (or to/from train or bus station in Porto)to the first and last hotels are included in the price.

Luggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred as per your itinerary. We request that you limit your luggage to 20kg per person and one bag per person.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase.  Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person.  It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please note that for this tour, some ascents and descents can be more than what is stated on the itinerary, and is dependent on where your guesthouse is located.

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, a day pack, sun hat, and sunscreen.

Our pre-departure information pack has detailed advice and a packing list on what to bring. This includes walking gear, hiking boots, rain gear, day pack and other specifics. 

Equipment

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and trousers), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.