A Day in Pinhão

Train Station of Pinhão

During our stay at Vintage House Douro (see), we had the chance to visit (once again) Pinhão, located in the right margin of Douro, it is the center of the demarcated region of Port Wine.

Pinhão is a small parish belonging to Alijó and its landscape is classified by UNESCO as Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Pinhão in the background 

We already had been at Pinhão a few times and every time I go back I love it! Not by the architecture of the buildings that unfortunately is not one of the prettiest, not pretty at all! But the surrounding landscape makes us forget all that!

Pinhão is not big, actually it is very small, but there’s a series of pretty interesting things to do and therefore spending a day in perfect communion with Douro and Nature.

Train Station of Pinhão

You can choose to do like us and go to Douro whenever you have the chance! And for that opportunity, I’ll enumerate a series of small pleasures that you can access from Pinhão in this small paradise we call Douro.

This was one of our itineraries, for a day only.

Viewpoint of Casal de Loivos*

Casal de Loivos:
We started quite early in the morning and after a wonderful breakfast at Vintage House we made a small detour to Casal de Loivos. This small locality, in the highest area of Pinhão, has a breathtaking viewpoint!

One of the most idyllic images I ever had the pleasure to see. Just ask any resident of Pinhão where it is and they’ll indicate you.

 Pinhão and Douro seen from Casal de Loivos

PipaDouro and Vintage House

PipaDouro:
Is there something better than getting to know the Douro region from the river itself? Navigating between the hills filled with vineyards and terraces? No, there is not!

And so, after a a perfect view from the viewpoint and having Douro at our feet, nothing like embracing the river at his heart.

PipaDouro is not just a boat service, PipaDouro is the service that while seeking excellence, works without destination, the client himself decides what he wants, everything in order to make our experience, “The Experience”!

We made a two hour boat ride in the Friendship I boat (we have also traveled in the smaller and equally charming Pipadouro II before). Pipadouro is located right in front of the Vintage House Douro Hotel, you can embark there, but obviously you should book before.

To know more about this subject read João’s article (see).

We opted to make a small stop and grab lunch in one of the local restaurants, right in front of the river, simple and homemade food to the good inland style, with a very reasonable price. You can also choose to have lunch in one of the Quintas of Douro.

The beautiful tiles of the station tell Douro’s, and its people, history

In the afternoon we continued our tour in the small village, passing through the emblematic Train Station of Pinhão, erstwhile the most important connecting point between the town people with the exterior, enhancing its development, with commerce installing next to the station where daily arrived people from all the surrounding villages.

You can also do a small train ride between Pinhão and Tua, always along the riverbanks, or even choose to arrive here coming from Porto in a trip you’ll hardly forget.

Quinta do Bomfim:
We continued our trip heading to Quinta do Bomfim, one of the most emblematic of the region that now houses the most recent enotourism center of the Symington family.

It is a must visit place at Pinhão and has a wonderful terrace over the Douro, which by itself would be worth the visit!

To know more about this subject read João’s article (see).

Talho Qualifer:
From here we go back to the station (around 5 minutes) to visit a place where we always go back to when visiting Pinhão, the Talho Qualifer (butcher’s).

This small butcher’s is not quite what we are used to when we go to our usual supplier, first it is the home of a different figure, Fernando Rebelo, the Butcher. When we visit it for the first time we can’t get the famous Italian butcher Dario Cecchini of our minds, famous for enchanting tourists in the small locality of Panzano in Chianti.

But here, the story is not about Dante or the giant costoletões (ribs), but about a masterly way of serving and presenting his work, more precisely the fumeiro. Here there are delicatessens for every taste, and of all kinds, says the legend that some cut the effects of alcohol and others are even good to treat cellulite.

Home remedies apart, here we can find every type of pork cuts transformed into smoked goods, from linguiças and chorizos to fillet or ribs, without forgetting the wonderful bacon to which we can never resist.

Quinta das Carvalhas

In case you have time or choose to stay more days in the region well worth it), visit some of the most important wine producers of Douro and Porto, many of them located in the important “Cima Corgo” area. From the imposing Quinta do Noval, to Quinta das Carvalhas of Real Companhia Velha, from Niepoort to Wine & Soul, from Quinta de la Rosa to Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, the options are many and for every taste, from the most classic and historical wines to the most irreverent.

You must have in mind that most of these Quintas are not open to the public or prepared for wine tourism, so you must book your visit with time.

Embark on this adventure and let yourselves be carried away by the Douro charms.

Versão Portuguesa

Text: Cíntia Oliveira | Photos: Flavors & Senses

* Óculos Porsche Design by Carrera (Vintage) powered by Óptica do Porto