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  4. Portugal Retreat: Porto & the Douro Valley

This isn’t your usual citybreak

Join an Intrepid Retreats experience for a different type of urban escape. Base yourself in a historic heart of the city and look over the surrounding churches, museums, and medieval merchant houses. Head to the nearby fishing town of Matosinhos, where the sun brings sands scattered with surfers and sunbathers, and feast on a traditional seafood lunch. Spend an evening with the sounds of Fado and the aromas of port drifting around you, and visit the small vineyards that cling to the terraced cliffs of the Douro Valley.

Start
Porto, Portugal
Finish
Porto, Portugal
Destination
Portugal
Style
Comfort
Theme
Intrepid Retreats
Code
ZMLP
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 4, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Soak up the sights and sounds of seaside Matosinhos and tuck into a traditional lunch of grilled sardines caught and cooked straight from the Atlantic.

  • Let the emotion of Portugal’s soul music wash over you during an intimate Fado performance in a small local theatre in Porto.

  • Get a true taste for the region with a host-led sampling session of the city’s signature fortified wine after exploring Porto’s narrow lanes and charming buildings.

  • Navigate curved cliffs dotted with terraced vineyards with a day trip to the Douro Valley, washing down a traditional lunch with the reds of small wineries.

  • Make the most of the comfort and convenience of your unpack-once, historic centre accommodation in Porto.

Is this trip right for you?

  • Please ensure you consult your local government’s advice regarding travel prior to booking this trip.

  • Don’t let the heat keep you from exploring the world! Summer temperatures can be extreme in Portugal (over 40°C), which can be uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season. Please note that only some of our hotels and public trains in this region have air-conditioning.

  • As accommodation on this trip is twin-share, solo travellers will share a room with other travellers of the same gender. This trip is a great opportunity to get to know other like-minded people, so embrace it while you can. Please note that a single supplement can be booked on this trip, subject to availability. For those travelling as a duo, hotels in Portugal often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together. In some cases, bathroom facilities will be shared rather than ensuite.

Map of Portugal Retreat: Porto & the Douro Valley including Portugal
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ZMLP_Portugal_porto_city

Itinerary
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Welcome to your Intrepid Retreats experience here in Portugal. There are few European cities that do feel like a welcome, slow retreat from the chaos of everyday life, but Porto is one of them. This romantic city is tiered up the north bank of a Douro River crossed by majestic bridges, with a reconstructed and restored medieval waterfront setting of cobbled streets, merchants’ houses, cafes and old-town tascas. Begin your getaway with a welcome meeting at the hotel at 3 pm, when you’ll meet your host and get a better idea of the upcoming itinerary. Your home base for the next few days is right in the historic heart of the city, and you can look over its surrounds of churches, museums, and one of the city’s most popular late-night streets from its rooftop. Take an orientation walk with your host in the afternoon to get your city bearings, then enjoy an included dinner to get a taste of the city and, of course, get your host to point out some port to try.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Porto - Welcome Dinner
  • Porto - Orientation Walk with your Host
Meals Included
  • Dinner
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting at 3 pm this afternoon as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time, and will head out into town straight after. Please take this into consideration when booking your flights to and from Porto. We are happy to book additional accommodation before or after the trip for you in Porto, subject to availability. If you are going to be late please let your booking agent or hotel reception know.

There so much life around the riverside that you can easily forget that the Atlantic is just a short train ride away. Hop on the train this morning and you’ll be in Matosinhos, known for seafood and surf. Pass old seaside fortifications on your way to the market, where the catches of Porto’s deep-sea fishermen are on display. If you were buying, the friendly stallholders are always willing to point out the freshest fish and how best to eat it. Here you’ll enjoy a traditional lunch, cooked with the seafood mastery of generations. A time-honoured dish is grilled sardines, new potatoes drizzled with olive oil, and dried, salted cod (bacalhau). Wash it all down with a refreshing vinho verde (green – as in young – wine) from the Minho Valley in the country’s north. Return to Porto this afternoon, then rejoin the group in the evening for a night of Fado and port. Soak up this soul music that originated in Africa as you watch an intimate performance in small local theatre. Afterwards your host will take you on a tasting of the city's namesake drop.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Porto - Fado Show
  • Porto - Port Tasting
  • Matosinhos - Traditional Local Lunch
  • Matosinhos - Day Trip to Fishing Village
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

The Douro River snakes its way from central Spain to rush out into the Atlantic at Porto, and its waters bring fertile life to the mountains and valleys that it cuts through. The laboriously terraced hillsides of the Douro Valley are strewn with vineyards that produce the grapes not only for port, but lighter reds too. Take a full day to explore the valley to the villages of Sabrosa and sleepy Pinhao, travelling along the roads that curl up cliffs and looking out across the beautiful landscape of contoured cliffs and the river flowing relentlessly below. Here you’ll drop into two wineries, where you’ll learn about how this iconic tipple is produced, and enjoy some tastings to discover the depth of this regional wine. Continue your tour through the flavours of the valley with lunch at a traditional restaurant, then return to Porto in the late afternoon for a free final evening. Pop your head into one of the independent bookshops scattered around the city, take a cruise on the river, or pull up a chair in one of Porto's atmospheric tavernas and snack on grilled octopus.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Douro Valley - Wine Tasting & Lunch
  • Douro Valley - Day Trip
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Your Intrepid Retreat comes to an end this morning after breakfast. With so much to see and do we recommend you extend your time in this fascinating city. Your host will be able to advise on activities.
Optional Activities
  • Porto - Serralves Foundation - EUR5
  • Porto - Cathdral - Free
  • Porto - Lello Library - EUR6
  • Porto - Bolhao Market - Free
  • Porto - Clerigos Tower - EUR5
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Please note that the tour comes to an end after breakfast this morning. We are happy to book additional accommodation before or after the trip for you in Porto, subject to availability. Please enquire with your booking agent.
Want to tailor this itinerary?

Meals

3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner

Transport

Train, Private vehicle

Accommodation

Comfortable centrally located hotel (3 nights)

Included activities

  • Porto - Welcome Dinner
  • Porto - Orientation Walk with your Host
  • Porto - Fado Show
  • Porto - Port Tasting
  • Matosinhos - Traditional Local Lunch
  • Matosinhos - Day Trip to Fishing Village
  • Douro Valley - Wine Tasting & Lunch
  • Douro Valley - Day Trip

Dates & availability

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Important notes

START & END OF TOUR
This trip starts with a group meeting at 3 pm on day 1, and ends after breakfast on the final day. Please take this into consideration when booking your flights to and from Porto. We are happy to book additional accommodation before or after the trip for you in Porto, subject to availability.

MINIMUM NUMBERS
This trip requires a minimum of 4 clients booked and confirmed in order to depart.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A single supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking. If you would like to book a single supplement and enquire about availability please speak to your booking agent.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

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