Wine & Food Travel Blog

Luxury Cruises: Live, Breathe, and Savor the Douro Valley

Written by Soraia Costa | 28-Jul-2020 10:55:03

Experience the most emblematic and renowned wineries and wine-producing estates in Douro Valley - the oldest wine demarcated region in the world. Depart on this experience diving into the color pallet that the Douro has to offer on an Azimut 68 Plus in the Douro Valley with skipper and enjoy the journey upriver is one of the most scenics in the world, with staggering views of the dramatic valley covered in bright green rows of grapevines.

Live, breathe, and Savor the Douro Valley with the best that life has to offer.

 

 

The Yatch

This stunning yacht allows us to appreciate and savor the views of the incredible Douro Valley while sailing trough the Douro river. Inside the yacht, you will find a very exclusive and private oasis in the blue of the sea due to its harmonious design, a combination of functionality, and environment that has an elegant and refined aesthetics. The boat is equipped with great equipment and with all the best that luxury has to offer. Moreover, is also possible to have lunch or dinner cooked by a private chef on board, wine tastings with fantastic sommeliers, and much more.

 

The Restaurants

While enjoying this memorable experience, you will also enjoy the acclaimed worldwide Portuguese gastronomy and premium wine in these incredible restaurants, such as Castas e Pratos, Quinta de La Rosa restaurant, Quinta do Ventozelo restaurant, Quinta do Portal restaurant, Conceitus, Doc, Vale de Abraão and DeCastro Gaia.

Castas e Pratos restaurant is an awarded restaurant, that has the Best of Wine Tourism, the highest award in Gastronomy with Port Wine, the best wine list award (Regional Wine List), the award for the presence among the 100 best national restaurants of Sábado magazine, in New York Times, and so much more. Besides this, it has an innovative menu and a wine bar with a selection of the best wines in the Douro.

Quinta de la Rosa restaurant best know as "Cozinha da Clara". In this restaurant, you will find a mix of Portuguese, English and French cuisine, but where the Portuguese cuisine is served as simple, a key factor, but delicious. They also include a touch of the family's heritage, by adding some of Claire's favorite recipes, and in which is used local products and vegetables from their vegetable garden named "Paradise" by Claire.

Quinta do Ventozelo restaurant know as the Cantina de Ventozelo recovers the authentic flavors of the Douro region, valuing local products in comfort but delicious dishes. A fantastic journey of flavors brought the essence of Douro's gastronomy.

Quinta do Portal restaurant has a perfect harmonization of a vibrant, modern cuisine where the traditional flavors and seasonal ingredients are present in each dish all paired with the amazing wines of this estate.

DOC restaurant offers a very creative menu of the Portuguese gastronomy all paired with the most exquisite Portuguese wine. It belongs to the awarded Chef Rui Paula and has a beautiful terrace with great views.

Vale do Abraão restaurant of the luxurious Six Senses Douro Valley offers a fantastic experience called the Chef's table experience. This experience is hosted by the head chef, where the table of the guests will be at a little corner of the main kitchen and where you will get a center stage to feel and learn the adrenalin of a working kitchen in full preparation mode.

DeCastro Gaia restaurant consists in the harmonization of the Portuguese wine with the best of Portuguese delicacies. In each dish, you will find that the regional products are given priority, with a touch of modernity.

Conceitus Winery restaurant that belongs to the estate Quinta Nova. This restaurant offers a selection of wines that is suitable for each dish, in which it is privileged local and seasonal products, many of them produced on the Quinta itself. Besides, it has a magnificent terrace overlooking the river and vineyards and is also practiced Bring Your Own Bottle, a system where the client can bring his own bottle of wine.


The Estates

Furthermore, not all is beautiful views and fine food. After all, you will also have the chance to visit some wineries and estates, besides eating in their fantastic restaurants. Two of the estates are Quinta de La Rosa  and Quinta Nova.

Quinta Nova is located near Pinhão and has 120 hectares, 85 of which are planted with vines. The beautiful 18th-century manor house is nowadays the wine hotel and beside this, the estate has also a baroque style chapel dating from 1795, a 17th century chapel by the river, orchards, a watermill, and a stunning 1764 winery. There is a variety of wine activities available such as being a winemaker for the day, participating in the wine harvest, visit this winery and have a private tasting, also a wine museum on-site tells the story of the region's wine with 500 pieces from the 19th and 20th centuries collected by a member of the Amorim family who owns the property. There is also a wine shop which sells homemade teas, their own wines, at the store you can also do wine tastings and enjoy a selection of Portuguese delicacies, like local cheese and sausages. 

Quinta de la Rosa has 55 hectares of vineyards and is located in the heart of the Alto Douro in the 'A' quality grape area, on the banks of the Douro river near Pinhão. This beautiful estate has the particularity of being able to show the whole process of Port and table wine production from the vineyard to bottling. This is unique, particularly since is possible to see and learn the making of Port wines and table wines side by side. The wine activities are included wine tastings, visit the winery, and much more.

 

Why book now your 2020 or 2021 tour? Because by booking all your tours with us you will have flexibility in the future, plus an acquired "Clean and Safe" seal. Through these unique times, we are available to plan, reschedule, and move your trip around your needs, as always. If your new dates may no longer work with your initial travel plan, a dedicated consultant will be available to tailor and reschedule your time in Portugal according to your needs and preferences, and to assure you that you will have the best and most memorable experiences.