Discover Northern Portugal

Overview

Journey through the vineyards, waterways and historic cities of northern Portugal

Go beyond the standard Portugal itinerary to explore all that’s great about the north. Discover two distinct wine regions, the Douro Valley and Dão; enjoy authentic interactions with the local people on a traditional moliceiro boat cruise, visit to a marnoto salt harvester and local farm tour; and discover the landscape in memorable ways, including a scenic train ride. It ends in the coastal city of Porto, exploring the UNESCO-listed historic centre – a fitting finale.

Key Information

Activity: Culture
Activity Level: Easy
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you.
Comfort Level: Superior
Trip Code: ADN2
Ways to Travel: Guided Group
Countries: Portugal
Carbon Footprint: 32.8kg CO2e per person per day

What's Included

All accommodation: 2 Premium nights (hotel), 5 Superior nights (hotels)
All breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners and two wine tastings
Immersive itinerary with all transport (private air-conditioned minibus) and listed activities
Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure, chosen for their experience and great customer feedback
Group arrival transfer available, departure transfers for any flight

Positive Impact

We donate to our Foundation and rewild 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller. Find out more about how our adventures support nature and people to thrive.

Don't Forget To

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations. On this trip, the Porto city tax (approximately €5) and tips for the tour leader are not included.

Highlights

Experience North Portugal’s highlights: wine culture, stunning landscapes and superb cuisine

Cruise the Ria de Aveiro on a traditional moliceiro boat

Explore two Portuguese wine regions: the Douro valley and Dão

Join a marnoto (salt harvester) to tour the Figueira da Foz salt flats

Take a scenic train ride through the Douro Valley to Pinhão

Finish in historic Porto with a guided walking tour

Itinerary

First Destination: Aveiro
Next Destination: Porto

Accommodation:Hotel Meliá Ria (or similar)
Meals included:Dinner

Accommodation:Hotel Meliá Ria (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Grão Vasco (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:Hotel Grão Vasco (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:Hotel Régua Duoro (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Régua Duoro (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Cristal Porto (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Aveiro
Next Destination: Porto

Begin your adventure in coastal Aveiro, which is known as the Portuguese Venice for the network of canals that criss-cross the city. If you have a bit of time to spare, you can make use of the indoor swimming pool at the hotel.

Around 6pm, say olá to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

Your tour leader then ensures a big Portuguese welcome by arranging a group dinner together.

Want to explore further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Upgrade to a premium room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Accommodation:Hotel Meliá Ria (or similar)
Meals included:Dinner

Transfer (approximately 40 minutes) to the Cais do Bico quay this morning. Here, we board a moliceiro, a traditional gondola-style boat, for a scenic two-hour cruise, exploring the channels and islands of the Ria de Aveiro, while learning about the region’s history and culture.

Arriving in Ovar, we disembark for lunch before a guided walking tour. Ovar is known as the City of Tiles, with many of the 19^th– and 20^th-century public buildings decorated in azulejo tiles. We follow the Azulejo Route for around 1mi (1.5km), exploring the historic streets at a gentle pace.

We then visit a pão de ló workshop, indulging in a culinary treasure as we sample the famous Portuguese sponge cake and see how it’s made. We then transfer (30 minutes) back to the hotel in Aveiro.

Upgrade to a premium room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Accommodation:Hotel Meliá Ria (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Take a one-hour transfer to the city of Figueira da Foz this morning, where we visit the salt flats for a guided visit led by a marnoto (salt harvester) who shares the traditional methods of saliculture (salt production). Their ancestral techniques, which date to the 12^th century, are entirely done by hand and are differentiated according to the environmental conditions.

We then have a relaxing picnic lunch at an old farmhouse, now converted into a charming space with a wood-fired oven. It will be a light lunch where salt and flor de sal feature prominently, along with regional specialities from Figueira da Foz. After, we transfer (approximately 1hr 30min) to Viseu. You have the rest of the afternoon to unwind in the hotel pool and spa or explore this beautiful hilltop city.

Accommodation:Hotel Grão Vasco (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Embark on a guided tour of Viseu this morning. Our 1hr 30min to two-hour tour takes in the highlights of the city, from the impressive Viseu Cathedral to the Solar do Vinho do Dão, the headquarters of the Dão Regional Wine Commission.

We then transfer (35 minutes) to Quinta da Comenda, a farm that has been growing produce without synthetic pesticides or any chemical fertilisers since 1987. The quinta is a historic agro-vinicultural farm with roots that date to before the foundation of the country, as it belonged to D. Teresa, the mother of Portugal’s first king, D. Afonso Henriques.

Here we take a guided tour of the farm with the owners, before a picnic lunch of local delicacies and a wine tasting. After, we return to the hotel in Viseu, where we have the rest of the day free to explore.

Accommodation:Hotel Grão Vasco (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Bid farewell to Viseu this morning and transfer (one hour) to the Douro, one of Portugal’s great wine-making regions. We head straight to the Douro Museum, which showcases the history of wine production in the region from a converted wine warehouse.

After Régua, we board a train to Pinhão where we have free time for lunch. It’s a scenic journey alongside the Douro River, where carefully cultivated slopes leading to the river are striped with terraced vineyards. We also see historic wine estates and grand manors. In Pinhão there is the option of a boat ride (additional cost) or a walk along the river.

We then transfer (45 minutes) to the hotel.

Accommodation:Hotel Régua Duoro (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

We explore Lamego today, a small yet historic town in the Alto Douro region. Here, we tour the highlights, including Lamego Castle, the cathedral founded in the 12^th century, and the Nossa Senhora dos Remédios Sanctuary – an ornate two-spired church at the top of a baroque staircase with 686 steps.

After, we visit the village of Raposeira for a wine tasting. We then have the rest of the afternoon free to enjoy the hotel facilities.

Accommodation:Hotel Régua Duoro (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

We transfer (1hr 45min) this morning to Porto, where we take a guided tour of the historic centre. Our adventure takes us to the highlights, from the grand São Bento Station to the double-deck Luís I Bridge over the Douro River.

After lunch, we head to our hotel to check in and then have the rest of the afternoon free to explore the city. There are various options you can choose, including a boat tour along the river, a visit to the Palácio da Bolsa, or a coffee at the Majestic Café, a Belle Époque establishment that opened in 1922.

At 7pm, we have a farewell dinner, an excellent chance to enjoy more great food and relive some of the adventures we’ve had together.

Accommodation:Hotel Cristal Porto (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

You’ve cruised the channels of the Ria de Aveiro aboard a traditional moliceiro, learned about Portugal’s salt- and wine-making heritage, and travelled alongside the vineyard terraces of the Douro, but now it’s time to begin your return journey home.

Alternatively, if you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative to discuss our large range of extension options.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Accommodation

We aim to secure locally owned accommodation that is well located, offers good value for money, and plenty of comfort.

Upgrade your room on Days 1 & 2 of the itinerary – speak to your sales representative for more details.

Aveiro: Hotel Meliá Ria (nights 1-2)

Discover Northern Portugal

Begin the adventure at the waterside Meliá Ria in Aveiro. This Premium hotel has contemporary rooms, plus a modern Mediterranean restaurant with river views and a bar serving cocktails. There’s also an indoor swimming pool for a quick dip, plus a spa and health club if you really want to treat yourself.

Viseu: Hotel Grão Vasco (nights 3-4)

Hotel Grão Vasco

Just steps from the city hall, Grão Vasco offers traditional hospitality in the heart of Viseu. Modern comforts come in the form of free access to the wellness centre, which includes indoor and outdoor pools (remember your swim cap), a sauna and Turkish bath. In the evening, there’s a bar where the group can gather to relive stories from the day.

Douro: Hotel Régua Duoro (nights 5-6)

Hotel Régua Duoro

On the banks of the Douro River, but also in the heart of Régua town, this 77-room property is ideally located for our adventures. When you’re not out exploring, enjoy the hotel amenities, which include an outdoor pool, gym, games room and bar. The third-floor restaurant serves an à la carte menu with panoramic views over the rivers, vineyards and terraces.

Porto: Hotel Cristal Porto (night 7)

Discover Northern Portugal

End your adventure in this contemporary retreat, a calm, comfortable base for exploring the city. On hot days, unwind in the garden with a signature cocktail served al fresco, or head to the hotel bar to sample port wine in the city where it originated.

Worth knowing

Tailor your trip: Extend your adventure by securing extra hotel nights before or after the main itinerary. Speak to your sales representative to book.
Private rooms: Like most tour operators, we room solo passengers together. If you’d prefer to have a private room, it’s normally possible to do this for a supplement. Speak to your sales representative to book.

Essential Information

This trip is rated Activity Level 1 (Easy). For more information on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Walking: Although this itinerary is mostly based on sightseeing, please prepare for a reasonable amount of walking between sites. Walks involve some steep climbs and the ground can be uneven underfoot, with cobblestones commonplace in Portugal.

Weather: Portugal can reach the high 30Cs (around 100F) in summer.

Key information

Start hotel: Hotel Meliá Ria Hotel & Spa, Cais da Fonte Nova 5, 3810-200 Aveiro, Portugal
Phone: +351 234 401 000
Recommended arrival time: Welcome meeting and main briefing is at 6pm in the hotel reception
Airport: Porto Airport (OPO)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately a one-hour drive from the airport. Your options for this journey are:

Take the group transfer

We provide one group arrival transfer from the airport, which departs at 3pm. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves.

If you can’t join the group transfer and would like to organise a private transfer, or would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.

Make your own way

You can reach the start hotel in Aveiro by taking the metro from Porto Airport (OPO) to Campanhã train station in Porto, which has hourly trains to Aveiro and the whole journey takes between 1hr 30min and two hours, depending on connection times. From Aveiro station, Hotel Meliá Ria is a 15-minute walk or a two-minute taxi ride.

Catching your return flight

The trip ends in Porto, approximately 20 minutes’ drive from Porto Airport. There are free transfers back to the airport to coincide with any flight departure time on the last day of the tour. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.

Consider taking the train

Reach this trip by train from the UK or across Europe and lower your carbon footprint. Our partner, Byway, can take care of the planning and booking.

Portugal

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Portugal. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/portugal
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/portugal
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/portugal/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Portugal.html

Porto and the Douro Valley are known for their excellent wines and the delicious regional cuisine, which makes use of the natural resources found here. All meals have strong links with the land and sea, often prepared following traditional recipes. Portugal also has some of the best fish dishes in the world.

Although meat and fish dishes are typically the focal point of Portuguese cuisine, vegetarian and vegan options have become more widely available in recent years, particularly in cosmopolitan cities such as Porto. Please let us know of any dietary requirements in advance so we can best accommodate your request.

Portugal has a Mediterranean climate. It can be rainy and windy during autumn and winter, but spring and summer see temperatures hit 35C (95F) in the north. Departures in March, April and October have a higher chance of rain and cool temperatures, especially at night, so it is important to pack warm clothing and rainproof gear. Between May and September, chances of rain are slimmer and days will be long and hot.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

You’ll also find Thriving Nature, Thriving People moments across our trips. These experiences are often a highlight of your adventure, while also benefiting the natural world or local communities.

On this trip, we:

Meet a traditional marnoto (salt worker) for a guided tour of the salt production facilities, gaining insight into the skills and heritage behind this long-standing local industry.