While we didn’t want to skip a visit to the Douro Valley while in Portugal, we could only squeeze in two nights. The Douro Valley is renowned for its historic vineyards and estates, and is the birthplace of port wine.

After taking the train from Lisbon to Porto, which we nearly missed, we checked into another AirBNB. For dinner we found a popular casual spot, and although the restaurant was packed we managed to get a table pretty quickly. I enjoyed a huge pile of sardines, which was a consistent main dish throughout our travels in Portugal, and Ryan had a very cheese, saucy sandwich of sorts.

Our focus in Porto was port, naturally, and we spent our only full day on a guided tour to some local port wine farms. Port is not typically something I would reach for, but we thoroughly enjoyed the tastings.

We started the tour at Kopke, the oldest port wine house in the Douro Valley. The vineyard and grounds were lovely, and the port tasting was relaxed and educational. We ended up purchasing a small sampler with a white, tawny, and ruby port. Though I think I preferred the tawny best.

After we finished at Kopke, we took a short boat tour on the Douro River, where they poured some port from Croft [permanently closed]. Honestly, I remember more about the boat experience than I do about Croft’s port. This was a nice way to relax and enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the Douro Valley.

Our last stop for the tour was Vintage Theory and was, by far, the best. Once we arrived at the winery we were seated for a group lunch outside. Not only was the food tasty, but the ambiance of dining outside was so enjoyable. We were able to walk through the grounds until it was time to start our tasting. I should give the disclaimer that by the the time we made it through lunch I had quite a bit of port and there’s a chance this may have influenced how much I enjoyed this particular winery.

Our tasting at Vintage Theory was hosted in a cellar where they offered us a variety of vintages, pouring in small groups. While this was fun, as time progressed it become incredibly loud and eventually we had to make our way out. The return bus ride was full of laughter and it was clear that everyone enjoyed their time in the Douro Valley.

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Once we returned from our tour, we wandered through Porto, taking in the sights on the way to find a bite for dinner. The city was lively, but we didn’t have the energy to stay out and ended up calling it an early night. The next morning, we popped into a cafe below our AirBNB for a quick breakfast before making our way through the city, and finding our way to the famous Majestic Cafe. This cafe is one of the most beautiful cafes in the world, an Art Nouveau gem from the 1920’s.

Eventually we caught the train back to Lisbon for our final night in Portugal.