Come and visit the Douro Routes

The Douro region contains two large wine routes, resulting from a set of points of interest, linked to the wine culture. In 1996, the European Union created the Port Wine Route under the Dyonisios Program, with around 50 farms, lodges, cellars, cellars and restaurants. On March 14, 2011 the Cister Wine Route was created in the Távora-Varosa region, which includes eight municipalities in the Douro sub-region: Armamar, Lamego, Moimenta da Beira, Penedono, São João da Pesqueira, Sernancelhe , Tabuaço, Tarouca.

Rota do Vinho do Porto

Most of the farms of the Douro have numerous services that aim to satisfy the visitor. The lodging and the restoration are differentiating elements, but the harvests are the main factor of tourist attraction. During the months of September and October several farms make possible the participation in the wine confection. From the harvest until its storage, the tourist can contribute to the production of some of the most desired wines of Portugal.

When visiting a farm the visitor can participate in wine tastings and acquire the ones they like best in the store of their farm. Port wine, wines of controlled origin DOC Douro, Moscatel and Sparkling wines delight the lovers of this highly desired drink.

Due to its large size, the Port Wine Route is divided into three parts: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo, Douro Superior.

Baixo Corgo
This subroutine covers the municipalities of Vila Real, Santa Marta de Penaguião, Mesão Frio, Peso da Régua, Armamar and Lamego. It contains a total of 30 places to visit, including farmhouses, cellars, cellars and even unique resting places, in old plots or manor houses, located between the Douro's farms.

Cima Corgo

This sub-route covers the counties of Tabuaço, Sabrosa, Alijó, Murça, São João da Pesqueira. Some of the 18 sites listed gather an inventory of handicrafts and wine ware, which can be enjoyed by tourists.

Douro Superior
This subroutine covers the municipalities of Vila Flor, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Torre de Moncorvo, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Mêda and Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo. In spite of the large number of municipalities and the vast area demarcated, in this zone only two farms are listed, both in Torre de Moncorvo. The Douro Superior has other charms besides wine production, such as fauna, flora, and historical traces, for example.

Rota dos Vinhos de Cister

The region called "Cistercian Lands" is deeply linked to religion, which is evident in the numerous religious temples built during the Middle Ages. The Cistercian monks settled in the region from the twelfth century, building monasteries and earning the land around them, planting mainly vines. The centuries passed, but the vineyards remain in the same place, surrounding cloisters like the Monastery of Saint John of Tarouca or Monastery of Saint Peter of the Eagles, in Tabuaço.

The extreme climate of the region, formed by cold and rainy winters, hot dry summers, and high altitudes, influences the quality of the grapes, helping to maintain their acidity and a fruity flavor at the same time. A result of the morphology of this region are the excellent sparkling wines, produced in various ranges of red, white and rosé. The Murganheira sparkling wine is best known for its taste and the particularity of its cellars, excavated in granite rock, reaching 72 meters deep.

The wines of the Cister Lands are elaborated from traditional grape varieties such as the white Malvasia Fina, Fernão Pires, Gouveio, Bical, Cerceal, and the Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca inks. In the sparkling wines, there are also Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, two of the main castes in France's Champagne region.

The region of Távora-Varosa also produces excellent accompaniments for its fruity wines. The cherries, the nuts, the apples, the chips, the Teixeira biscuit, the ham, the ball and the sausages of Lamego can not miss the table.