Portugal Wine Tasting Holidays
Herdade da Malhadinha Nova – Wine & Gourmet experience – Lunch or Dinner led by Chef Joachim Koerper.
Gourmet Cuisine and Adventures Tours across Portugal
Photos courtesy of Wine Tourism in Portugal
“Portugal is a country of strong wine tradition, and the excellent quality of its wines is recognized across the world with numerous awards and distinctions won in international competitions. To appreciate and know them, there is nothing like visiting the regions where they are produced. Wine is also an excellent excuse to personally discover the landscapes, heritage, culture and people who live in this small European nation.”
Courtesy of Visit Portugal.
In a country with only 92,090 km² (35,560 square miles), there are 14 wine regions producing an amazing diversity of award winning wines, including such signature products as Vinho Verde and Port. No matter where you are planning to stay in Portugal, there will be no trouble finding local good wine to drink or wineries to visit.
The wine cellar of Quinta da Pacheca – The Wine House Hotel, Porto.
Cycle through the vineyard during a visit to Quinta do Vallado.
Portugal has the oldest demarcated wine region in the world indicating how deep-rooted wine is in the history and cultural identity of the Portuguese people. They like to say that wine is at the heart of the Portuguese soul, distinguishing it from other popular European wine countries. Of course, that is for travelers and wine connoisseurs to find out for themselves.
You may cross this petite country in just one day while witnessing a great number of striking landscapes and 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites including the designated Alto Douro Wine Region. The modern cultural evolution of wine and cuisine tourism integrates well with related initiatives that include music, spa and wellness, art and architecture, heritage, fashion, and sports such as golf, hiking, surfing, cycling and calm river kayaking.
Here’s a kayaking adventure and nature experience at Quinta do Ameal, Ponte de Lima.
Portugal is a somewhat unexplored and unknown destination for the majority of world travelers. The Wine Tourism in Portugal (WINTP) web portal is setting out to change that with a blog, a planned series of regional wine travel guides, fresh online research, and well-screened booking options within each region. These options range from a couple of hours to many days of adventures.
While learning about Portugal’s wines, try a modern ship river cruise or a vintage ship cruise tour along one of Portugal’s celebrated rivers.
Enrich your wine tasting experience
During September and October, participate in the grape harvest, a great tourist attraction on the wine tourism farms.
Visit the wine producing villages in the Porto and Douro River region.
Taste Portugal’s world famous “young wine”, Vinho Verde, produced in the northwest region. It is light and fresh, meant to be consumed soon after bottling.
Discover the many museums that are dedicated to wine from the north to the south of Portugal.
In 2014, Portugal’s Alentejo Region was voted by readers as the ” Best Wine Region to Visit in the World” in an online poll by the American newspaper, USA Today.
It is quite surprising the variety of opportunities the WINTP portal has developed in partnership with the wine making community. Experiences include: wine maker for a day, ballooning above the vineyards, horseback riding, vintage motorcycling and having a picnic in the vineyard. There are wine and food cruises in sailing, vintage boats or yachts, which address the traveler’s needs and preferences. Always there is lots of education about the wine grapes, grapevines, culture and history of the different regions.
Wine and dine in style at Carmo’s Boutique Hotel.
At the Convento do Espinheiro Hotel & Spa, immerse in history amid a calm, peaceful environment that includes the convent’s beautifully maintained heritage church.
Follow Up FactsIn recent decades, awareness of the whole country of Portugal as a destination has grown, but tourism there remains very seasonal. Wine tourism is emerging as a year round alternative to the traditional Spring and Summer tourism with vineyards, distinctive accommodations, winery tastings and cuisine opportunities to be sampled in memorable settings. These include wine cellars, tasting rooms, cruising a river or while cycling through a picturesque vineyard. The city-based and countryside options are creative!
Portugal’s flourishing wine tourism is easily accessible to travelers with a variety of interests and budgets through the unique web portal, Wine Tourism in Portugal, www.winetourismportugal.com. This easily navigated website includes wine tours and tastings, wine cruises, wine dining experiences and exclusive vineyard and city accommodations, allowing for comprehensive research and online reservations reflecting many regions of the country.
The Yeatman Hotel offers a spectacular view overlooking the historic city of Porto which lent its name to the world famous Port wine.
Related articles in our Travel Article Library: We invite you to read our article, Ten Tips for a Memorable Wine Tasting by international wine specialist and judge, Marcelo Copello. Also in our collection is an article about travel to the wine-producing Coa Valley in the less-visited northeast region of Portugal. The area hosts over 5,000 Ice Age engravings (and still counting!) across a massive open-air archaeological park, the largest of its kind in the Palaeolithic world! The public is welcome to come, learn and be amazed by this UNESCO World Heritage Site and its unique 21st century interactive museum.
