The Details
Popular across the world for its rich and complex flavours, it’s often argued that port wine owes its origins to the Romans. They invaded the Iberian Peninsula in 137 BC, seizing the land from its Celtic inhabitants and renaming this new, far-western outpost of the empire Lusitania. They were quick to recognise the agricultural potential of the Douro Valley, using their technological know-how to tame the wild landscape, and their terraced vineyards and olive groves wouldn’t looked unfamiliar to us today.
The inhabitants of the modern-day Douro Valley are proud of this long history, dedicating their lives to producing the highest quality port wines and table wines. It’s also a region where a more-traditional lifestyle is embraced, where local communities nurture and protect their cultural heritage, and homemade, hearty cuisine is still front-and-centre on most menus.
It’s possible to get a small flavour for the region on a day trip from Porto – to experience the true nature of the Douro, you have to spend time here. Our self-guided Douro Valley Walking Holiday connects you to this landscape – cobbled lanes and dusty trails lead you from one rural idyll to the next, and from one majestic river valley to the next. There’s the occasional meander through the ancient olive groves and terraced vineyards which those first Roman settlers helped to create – and the opportunity to sample the best of the Douro’s seasonal dishes and local wines which are truly field-to-table.
