Summary
Short description
Pair palatial luxury in Porto with a modernist spa retreat in the Douro Valley
Highlights
- Explore Porto’s heritage charm while staying in a waterside Baroque palace
- Trace the Douro River aboard one of Europe’s most scenic rail routes
- Explore historic vineyards from your Douro Valley retreat
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
History & culture | June holidays | Relaxation | September holidays | Short break
The perfect introduction to Portugal, this short break combines the historic charm of Porto and the rolling viticulture of the Douro Valley with stays in some of Portugal's finest hotels. You’ll start with a stay in a riverside palace as you lose yourself in Porto’s medieval rabbit warren of neoclassic merchant houses and charming back-alley restaurants. Then, plunge into the rolling hills of the Douro Valley aboard the spectacular Douro Line railway to reach your designer spa getaway and its vineyard surrounds.
Day by day itinerary
Days
1-2
Fly to Porto
Flying to Portugal’s second largest city, a private transfer will bring you to your choice of accommodation, a modern hotel overlooking the city or a 19th-century palace hotel overlooking the Douro River. It's a view showcased by its luxury rooms, indulgent spa and delightful pool. Back inside, you’ll be treated to a tour de force of Portuguese Baroque beauty, with gilded furnishings, colourful frescoes and a grand façade leading to the hotel being recognised as a National Monument. With the use of a complimentary shuttle service, you’ll also want to head out and explore Porto itself. A terracotta tumble of narrow alleyways, you’ll lose yourself in a heady mix of medieval cathedrals, palatial gardens and sombre Gothic churches that hide golden interiors. It’s all host to a spectacular gastronomic scene, with everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to cosy bistros offering the best in Portuguese cuisine – washed down with a glass of port, of course.
Stay: Douro Royal Bridges (Superior), Pestana Palácio Do Freixo (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Days
3-4
Douro Valley
After breakfast, you’ll set off along the Douro Line. An engineering marvel of the late 19th century, its skipping bridges and plunging tunnels trace green contours to follow the Douro River into its vineyard-lined valley. Here, you’ll alight at Mosteiro or Aregos Stations, and be transferred to your chosen hotel. A considered contrast to your last stay, both with contemporary architecture at its finest, with designer notes throughout each room and private balcony views of its river neighbour. You’ll spend your time here enjoying gourmet dining, poolside relaxation and bar-terrace views, perhaps booking onto a cooking class or port-tasting workshop if you’re feeling inspired. There’s also the chance to explore the valley’s majestic landscapes, stopping off at pretty whitewashed villages for a hearty boar stew in between tasting your way through the region’s beautifully terraced vineyards.
Stay: Douro Palace (Superior), Douro Royal Valley Hotel (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Day
5
Departure
After breakfast, begin your journey home. Catch the train back to Porto and to make your onward connection to the airport as you finish your Portugal holiday.
Meals: B
Pricing
Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
5-day tailor-made break
from £845 pp incl. flights
Superior
01 Apr - 30 Jun / 16 - 31 Oct 2023
from £845 pp. incl. flights
01 - 31 Jul / 16 Sep - 15 Oct 2023
from £900 pp. incl. flights
Validity: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2023
Includes:
- Complimentary UK airport lounge access
- Return economy flights to Porto
- Private transfer Porto Airport to Porto Hotel
- 2 nights accommodation at Porto Royal Bridges, Porto including breakfast
- Return Train journey between Porto to Aregos Station linking with return hotel transfers to/from station*
- 2 nights Douro Palace Hotel Resort and Spa including breakfast
- Private transfer Douro Valley to Porto Airport
Upgrades to half board available on request
Supplements apply for Friday and Saturday night stays
* If you would prefer, we can arrange for private transfers from Porto to the Douro Royal Valley Hotel, and returning to Porto airport - please ask your Wexas consultant for details
Terms & Conditions
Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
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