A travel guide to wine-making regions in Portugal

Balconies of fertile vineyards contour around neat terraces cut into the steep hillsides of the Douro Valley. Rising from the calm waters of the Douro River that snakes west towards the sea, this verdant oasis is the homeland of Portugal’s most famous fortified wine - Port. Visit a local vineyard in Peso da Regua on our Portuguese food and wine walking holiday to learn about how the grapes are grown, harvested and pressed, and cruise downstream to admire beautiful views of the valley from the water. The ornately decorated train station of Pochino is adorned with glazed blue and white tiles depicting the region’s most significant historical events, and from here you can retrace the journey of the wine grapes to the city of Porto.

As you cycle along smooth undulating roads through lush green countryside dotted with twisting cork tree orchards as far as the eye can see, you might overlook the winemaking prowess of this southern region of Portugal. But a closer look across the rural district of Alentejo on our Portugal cycling trip reveals a small number of vineyards producing delicious Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Plenty of sunshine charges the grapes with energy that produces rich, full-bodied wines, best enjoyed with juicy grilled meats. There's nothing quite like cycling followed by wine tasting.

The sun-drenched coast of the Algarve combines brilliant walking opportunities with wine tasting. Sheltered from the cold northern winds, the warm and fertile soils produce excellent wine harvesting conditions. Explore golden-sand beaches and crystal clear turquoise seas on our walking holiday in Portugal before stopping at a waterside taverna for a spot of lunch. Indulge in a generous helping traditional Cataplana seafood stew cooked in a copper clam-shaped pot and wash it down with a sweet red wine produced from one of the nearby vineyards.