We came for the wine. Well, sort of.

Wine, Port and cheese were certainly part of the plan, but Northern Portugal had other ideas. Over two weeks, we found ourselves chasing breathtaking scenery, winding along roads that made the drive an adventure in itself, stopping at miradouros by the dozen, eating gloriously hearty food and sleeping in some seriously memorable places.

This was not a trip about ticking off the highlights. It was about following the road north and seeing what happened along the way.

Porto: Start With a View

We began in Porto at the Rebello Hotel, a posh, beautifully designed spot in Gaia with a prime position overlooking the Douro River. It had exactly the right mix of style, views and energy for our first taste of Northern Portugal.

Gaia was lively, fun and full of energy. We explored the WOW venues, wandered through the port cellars and, naturally, drank our way through a little local history. There is something wonderfully Portuguese about learning about Port while actually drinking it.

And yes, the trip had officially begun.

Costa Nova: Stripes, Sunshine and Seafood

Then we headed to Costa Nova, where the Atlantic provided a completely different backdrop.

The famous striped fishermen’s houses were every bit as photogenic as promised, but it was the sunshine, sea air and seafood that won us over. A long lunch, something fresh from the ocean and nowhere we needed to be afterward. Sometimes that’s the whole itinerary.

Santar: A Little Village Magic

From the coast, we turned inland toward Santar, a tiny village that felt like we’d stumbled onto a movie set.

Our stay at Solar de Villar was wonderfully whimsical, full of character and charm. This was one of those hotels where you want to explore every room and corner before you’ve even unpacked.

Then came dinner at Atmosphere by Gilbert, where the food made a very convincing argument for staying in the countryside.

Arouca: Hold On, This Is Going to Be Fun

The drive to Arouca was when things got seriously scenic.

We climbed through the mountains, following roads that seemed determined to provide a new spectacular view every few minutes. Miradouro after miradouro, we kept stopping to take it all in.

And then we arrived at Convento de Arouca, our home for two nights. Talk about a transformation.

What was once a historic convent has been given a remarkable new life as a five-star hotel. The renovation manages to bring in all the comforts and polish you would expect from a luxury property without wiping away the character of the place itself. Old stone, history and architecture meet sleek contemporary design, and somehow it all works.

And then, because apparently sleeping in a centuries-old convent wasn’t enough excitement, we went to walk across the 516 Arouca bridge. The bridge is every bit as thrilling as it looks. Suspended high above the Paiva River, it delivers a serious dose of adrenaline before leading into the spectacular Paiva Walkways.

Nature, altitude and just enough “what exactly have we gotten ourselves into?” to make it memorable.

The Douro: Wine Country Gets Serious

From Arouca, we headed toward the Douro, passing through Lamego before winding our way down into the valley. This drive deserves its own paragraph.

The roads climbed, curved and opened onto enormous views of vineyards cascading down the hills toward the river. This is one of those landscapes that makes you understand why people fall in love with Portugal.

We stayed at the Arco do Douro Boutique Hotel, a stylish little hideaway that put us right where we wanted to be for exploring the Douro and Pinhão.

And then we got serious about the wine.

Pinhão is one of those places where the landscape and the wine are inseparable. Vineyards, river, terraces and estates seem to roll into one another, and suddenly every glass of wine comes with a geography lesson.

There was wine. There was Port. There was cheese.

There was absolutely no reason to complain.

Gerês: Wild Roads and Granite Houses

Then we left the vineyards behind and headed north again, driving through Amarante and into Gerês.

The landscape changed dramatically. The roads became narrower, twistier and considerably more entertaining.

Our destination was Brufe, where we stayed in the coolest little cottages surrounded by mountains.

Brufe is a tiny mountain village built largely from granite, with a history shaped by the landscape and the practical realities of mountain life. Traditional stone houses, small agricultural plots, old walls and livestock are still part of the scene.
Including the cows. Lots of cows.

The cottages were wonderfully atmospheric, and the setting was spectacular. But getting there was half the fun. Gerês delivered some of the most thrilling driving of the trip, with winding mountain roads, forests, granite formations and miradouros seemingly around every bend.

We would drive a few minutes, see a view, stop. Drive again, see another view, stop. At this rate, we were never going to get anywhere. But who cared?

And Then There Was the Food

Somewhere along the way, we also discovered that Northern Portugal takes comfort food very seriously. This is not delicate, nibble-on-three-leaves-and-call-it-dinner territory.

There were hearty stews, grilled meats, seafood, crusty bread, local cheeses and rich traditional dishes that seemed specifically designed to reward you after a day on the road. Add wine and Port to the equation and we developed a very successful routine.

Braga and Guimarães: A Grand Finale

Before the final stop, we visited Bom Jesus do Monte outside Braga, climbing through one of Portugal’s most impressive monumental landscapes.

Then came Guimarães, our grand finale.

We checked into the beautiful Torel Court, a stylish and atmospheric place to end two weeks of constant movement. We ate extremely well, explored the historic city and hiked through the Pena forest, giving us one last dose of nature before the trip came to an end.

Join us on this curated Northern Portugal adventure, enjoy our short film: