Wine & Soul Tickets and Tours

Private Douro Valley Winery Tour & River Cruise w/ Amarante Visit

Amazing Private Douro Valley Tour

My wife and I were looking for a private tour provider to the Douro Valley that offered comfortable, air conditioned transport knowing it's a long trip and it was likely to be hot in late Summer. We were looking for something akin to an UberExec or UberLux. Castro Travel came up in searches as they said they utilise a Mercedes GLC SUV. That, coupled with their itinerary matching what we were looking for (a wine tasting, a leisurely lunch stop, and a river cruise, plus sightseeing in between), convinced us to book and now, looking back a week after our return from Porto, we're absolutely delighted we did and it was one of the highlights of our one-week trip. From the start, our guide Diogo filled the tour with personal touches and off-script moments. From a quick pit-stop on they way at Amarante for a breakfast coffee and pastries by the river, to a change of vineyard to a more boutique estate that would offer us a private wine tasting, to a bonus architectural/vineyard tour in the afternoon. The private wine experience at Quinta da Fonte do Milho was exceptional. Not only the wine (which goes without saying was very drinkable), but also all the accompanying olives, bread, figs, tomatoes, tapenades, jams and more, which are all (except the bread) grown and made on the estate. For lunch we chose to dine at Cozinha da Clara at the Quinta de la Rosa just on the outskirts of Pinhão. They have a lovely covered, outdoor terrace on the banks of the river Douro, where we were lucky enough to be given an outside table (they don't guarantee it but Diogo requested anyway). The restaurant had a great selection of local dishes, and of course wines from their own estate. Another lunch option we were considering was DOC in Folgosa, which Diogo said he would've been happy to accommodate. After lunch, we visited a second vineyard, Quinta de Adorigo, mainly for a tour of the winery which is known for its modern brutalist concrete architectural style, where we received a very interesting explanation of their winemaking process. Then we finished up with a leisurely boat cruise up the Douro, before the return drive to Porto. As we were running a little behind schedule, Diogo went the extra mile, and dropped us off for dinner directly at our restaurant. So all in all, this was an excellent tour organised by Castro Travel.

Full Day Private Tour to Douro - Vintage Experience

Unforgettable experience

Unforgettable experience with Joao, who is a passionate and very expert guide. Born in the region, he knows the entire history of the Douro and Port wine. We thus shared unique and very privileged moments. This day trip was the best part of our stay in northern Portugal.