Tips for a 3-day short trip: inland Douro region Portugal

After your arrival at Porto airport (and picking up your rental car), this short trip through the Douro region takes you east to Tarouca. In this town, across the Varosa River, is the Roman bridge Ucanha and its tower. The bridge you see today was built in the 14th-15th century to replace a previous Roman bridge. The tower dates from the 15th century and was the entrance to the monastic areas and also served as a toll station.

The next stop is Peso da Régua where you can stop for a moment to admire the famous railway station on the banks of the Douro River.

On the way to your next stop, you follow the Douro River as much as possible, so you can really enjoy the views. You’ll pass Pocinho, the eastern terminus of the Douro railway line, and then stop at the medieval town of Torre de Moncorvo. From the central oval market it is just a short walk to the beautiful Igreja Matriz (Church), one of the largest parish churches in Portugal. It is an imposing granite building. Its construction began in the early 16th century and was finally completed over a century later.

Our tips for the short trip through the Douro region then leads you to Castelo de Mogadouro, a medieval castle built in the 12th century that played a major role in the history of the Knights Templar.

Our last visit of the day is to Miranda do Douro, a historic and cultural town located at the border with Spain and the Douro River that separates the two countries. The cathedral, whose construction started in the 16th century, is surprisingly large and opulent for such a small town. This is because Miranda do Douro used to be an important place. The cathedral (Sé in Portuguese) is known for its statue of a young Jesus dressed in brightly coloured clothes and wearing a top hat. Another fact of this town is that it has its own language: Mirandese, which, along with Portuguese, is officially recognised in local affairs.

Overnight stay: in Miranda do Douro.

After breakfast you have time to visit the town or take a boat trip from Cais de Miranda into the unspoilt nature of the Douro Valley.

After lunch, you drive to Atenor and Palaçoulo, two traditional Portuguese villages, the latter of which is known for its production of high-quality wooden-handled pocket knives.

Overnight:

Later, after dinner in Palaçoulo, you drive back to Miranda do Douro for the overnight stay.

On the third day of your short tour through the interior Douro region, you visit Fermoselle, a medieval village in Spain, just across the border from Portugal. This village is over 2000 years old and very well preserved. The area has many rustic stone houses, narrow medieval streets and a gorge known for its green rock formations.

In the Spanish town of Sobradillo, you stop briefly to admire the local castle. You remain in Spain for a while to visit San Felices de los Gallegos, where you can also make time for lunch. Take a  stroll around the picturesque village, a frontier stronghold of medieval origin protected by its castle and walls.

This concludes your short trip through the inland Douro region and it's time to head back to Porto airport. Of course, you can choose to extend your stay in Portugal or in Spain!

Or you might also find these tips for a subsequent city trip in the city of Porto interesting!