Vila Gale Douro Vineyards
Overlooking the confluence of the Douro and Tedo rivers, the Vila Gale Douro Vineyards sits within the historic Quinta do Val Moreira wine estate. Jorge Rebelo de Almeida, the founder of Vila Gale Hotels, purchased Val Moreira in 2018 as his first dip of a toe into agrotourism – something the Portuguese do so well.
If there was an ideal formula for building a retreat in the country’s most celebrated wine region, this could be it: quiet rural seclusion, with architecture in close harmony with the contours of its surroundings, assailed on all sides by terraces of vines. The estate encompasses forty hectares in total – twenty-six are dedicated to wine, with ten grape varieties, although the Douro classics of touriga nacional, touriga franca and tinta roriz dominate.
All aspects of the hotel are orientated towards the striking view – the guest rooms (twins/double, family rooms and suites), the outdoor pools and sun terraces, the Fidelio Bar, and the terrace of the Restaurante Val Moreira: all make the most of the sweeping Douro Valley panorama. It’s important to take time-out and simply enjoy being here – take a stroll through the groves of olive and almond trees, enjoy a lazy lunch the pool, and sample field-to-table wines in the Val Moreira cellar and over dinner in the evening.
It’s not essential, but if you’d like to explore further afield, we’ll usually recommend including a hire car. The N222, one of Portugal’s most-popular roads, is on your doorstep, and Lamego, the medieval home of port wine, is a short drive away.
