The peaceful town of Peso da Régua, commonly known as Régua, overlooks the Douro River with the Serra do Marão mountains as a stunning backdrop. In 1756, the Marquês de Pombal proclaimed this city as the center of his newly demarcated wine region, and it has remained so since. As such, the town is steeped in the wine-making culture. This is particularly true at Casa do Douro, the headquarters of the Port Wine Institute. Its beautiful stained glass windows are a tribute in light and glass to the rich history of port wine and its cultural significance to the region.
The sleepy town of Pinhão is situated between the Douro and Pinhão Rivers, in the epicenter of the valley’s port wine-making region. The climate and growing conditions here are perfect for port grapes and the surrounding landscape, festooned with vineyards, creates a serene experience. The biggest names in port have quintas, or wine estates, nearby. During the annual grape harvest in autumn, the village comes to life, attracting workers and wine enthusiasts from across the whole of Europe.
Shore Excursions
Shore excursions vary by each itinerary and are subject to change.
Mateus Palace & Gardens
Visit the extraordinary Mateus Palace, the building depicted on the Mateus Rosé wine labels.
Videos
Portuguese Language Lesson
Learn a few useful Portuguese words and phrases with Maria, your Viking tutor. Saúde!
Portuguese Crème Brûlée
Go behind the scenes with Karine to see how easy it is to make this local variation of everyone’s favorite dessert. You may want to take notes during this hands-on demonstration!
Fado, Music of Portugal
Learn about the dramatic songs of fado, born along Portugal’s waterfront. This music of passion often depicted the longing of women waiting for their men to return from sea.
