Douro Valley

Trains from Porto to the Douro Valley

Train in the Douro Valley

Trains from Porto to the Douro Valley are one of the most scenic ways to travel when you are visiting Portugal. The route goes inland along the stunning banks of the Douro River, and is one of the prettiest and best train journeys in Europe, if not the world.

Trains from Porto to the Douro Valley travel from Porto’s Sao Bento and Campanha train stations to Regua, which is located in the heart of the Portuguese wine country.

The trip takes between 1 hour, 42 minutes and 2 hours, 26 minutes, depending on what train or combination of trains you take. Regardless of your choice of locomotive, the trip offers great views along the way.

There are several different types of trains that make the journey from Porto to the wine region. They include Regional (R) and Interregional (IR) trains, both of which travel directly from Porto to Regua. Urban (U) trains also travel part of the way to Regua, but require a change to a Regional train en route.

Tickets for trains to Regua vary in price depending on what kind of train or trains you take. Regional train tickets cost 8.70 euros from Porto Sao Bento station and 8.55 euros from Campanha station. Interregional trains cost 9.55 euros from Sao Bento and 9.40 euros from Campanha. Combinations of Urban and Regional trains cost around 8 euros, depending on where you change. You will need a separate ticket for each train.

There are 12 or 13 departures to the Douro Valley each day, with the first train generally leaving around 6:30 and the last at 21:56.

From Regua, there are trains that travel deeper into the region to Pinhao. This train journey takes around 20 to 30 minutes, and is a great way to experience the scenic trip if you don’t have time to take a train from Porto to the Douro Valley.

Wine Tasting in the Douro Valley

Douro Valley Grapes

Wine tasting in the Douro Valley is one of the most popular activities in the region. The most famous wines and Ports in Portugal are produced in the area, and many of the quintas, or wineries, are open to visitors for tastings.

Big names like Sandeman and Fonseca offer daily tastings and wine tours at their wineries in the Douro Valley. The quintas are open to all visitors, from independent travellers to tour groups, and reservations are not necessary.

Smaller wineries in the region may not have daily tours and tastings, so it is a good idea to call ahead or make an appointment if you want to go wine tasting at these quintas.

Getting around from winery to winery is best done by car, as there is no other easy way to travel between estates. You can rent a car in Porto or hire a car at Porto airport, or you can go by train to the Douro Valley and take a taxi or hire a car in Regua.

Whatever you choose, the opportunities for wine tasting in the Douro Valley are such that it is worth spending several days in the region while you are visiting Portugal. There are so many wineries to visit and so many great hotels and restaurants in the area that it is advisable to stay a night or two to fully experience what the valley has to offer.

Fonseca Port Tasting in the Douro Valley

Quinta do Panascal

Fonseca Port Tasting in the Douro Valley
Quinta do Panascal
Address: 5120-496 Valenca do Douro, Portugal
GPS Coordinates: +41° 8′ 48.30″, -7° 34′ 23.39″

The famous Fonseca Port house has its Douro Valley headquarters at Quinta do Panascal. The estate is a great place to go Port wine tasting when you are visiting Portugal.

The quinta is open daily for tours and tastings, and reservations are not necessary. Visitors can go there to learn about Fonseca Port and its sister brands, Taylor’s and Croft.

Fonseca’s estate offers an audioguide winery tour, a video, and a tasting of three Port wines for just 3 euros. For groups of 10 or more, delicious traditional Portuguese lunches can be arranged on the quinta’s top floor terrace.

The landscapes at Fonseca’s Quinta do Panascal are beautiful, with the vineyards climbing up steep terraced hills from the river below. The winery tour winds through the vines, offering visitors a unique opportunity to walk through the grapes as they learn about the winemaking process.

Fonseca Port’s Douro Valley estate can be accessed by car, on foot from the Douro River, or by water taxi or boat. The latter options involve a walk up a steep hill to the quinta, but the views are well worth the climb.