Owned by the Symington family for five generations, Quinta do Bomfim features a winery, old wine cellar, and vineyard in the heart of the Upper Douro Valley. Visit the on-site museum and tour the grounds before choosing from a variety of family-made ports and wines to taste on the terrace. The tour begins in a small museum that tells the story of the property, the family, and the wines. A collection of early 20th century photographs of the Douro and documents highlight the history of the Quinta and the region. Afterward, choose between three vineyard walks, all of which offer excellent views of the surrounding mountain vineyards, some with dry stone terraces built by hand in the 18th and 19th centuries. Along the way, visit the old lodge built in 1896, one of the most significant structures in the Douro Valley. This vast vat and barrel cellar, with its complex roof structure, has been used for over 100 years to hold the ports from each harvest at the estate before they are taken downriver to Vila Nova de Gaia for further maturing. During the harvest, visitors can see the grapes being received at the winery and port being made in the lagares (troughs). At other times of the year, a short film is shown of the winery in operation and traditional treading at other Symington family vineyards. Later, choose from four wine tasting options: a Douro DOC tasting, port tasting, premium vintage tasting, or Dow's Old Tawnies tasting. Each offers a different collection of wines to taste. Head to the terrace and enjoy your tasting surrounded by scenic views of the Douro River and surrounding vineyards. Quinta do Bomfim is the birthplace of two of the 21st century’s most famous ports: First, Dow’s 2007 Vintage Port is the only vintage port made this century to have been awarded a perfect 100 points by the Wine Spectator. Secondly, Dow’s 2011 Vintage Port was nominated the “N°1 Wine in the World” in 2014 by the same influential publication.

After morning pickup from your accommodation in Porto, Braga, or Guimaraes, head off on a journey into Portugal’s wine country. Discover landscapes of the “Green Region” on the way to the historical city of Amarante with its 13th-century bridge and the 16th-century church. Enjoy trying the northern regional cuisine. Then you’ll be off and running down the Romanesque Route, a trail that travels back in time through Portugal’s rich history by connecting its most famous monuments.  After seeing churches, memorials, castles, and ruins, you’ll head to the first Vinho Verde producer of the the day, learning of the unique methods used to create Portugal’s famous green wine. To cap things off, you’ll continue down the picturesque country roads to another vineyard. Taste more Vinho Verde, gathering skills to differentiate the particular grape varietals used to make each stunningly crisp wine. After discovering some of Portugal’s undisputed cultural gems, you’ll head back to your accommodation.

Relax with a pickup from your accommodation. Take in the beautiful scenery on the 1.5 hour trip into the Douro Valley. Learn about the winemaking techniques that have grown with the local communities over the centuries.  Enjoy a morning tasting of Doc and Port wines from a local producer. Enjoy a traditional lunch, celebrating the regional produce and pallet. Afterwards, take a 1-hour boat ride, and admire the surrounding landscapes. Relax by the river with a regionally-flavored cocktail, before returning back to your accommodation.

You will start by discovering the techniques of cultivation and transformation of grapes in nectar, known as “green wine”. For this you will visit an interpretive center located in one of the oldest and most flowered villages in Portugal: Ponte de Lima. Throughout a complete lunch served in a restaurant, you will then discover the flavors and aromas that make up the best gastronomy of the Minho region, as well as Portugal on a broader scale. Following lunch, encounter one of the oldest crafts of the region, pottery. You'll make a visit to some Barcelos artisans where you will be able to get your hands on the clay to see how the “crockery of Barcelos” is modeled. Before returning to Porto, you'll visit a green wine producer where you will taste a variety of green wines accompanied by local delicacies.

The day starts with a meeting at your hotel in Oporto, Braga, or Guimarães and you’ll head towards the beautiful green area of Portugal, a title given to this region due to the fertility of its soils that confers a vivid green color to the landscape as far as your eyes can reach. Onboard a comfortable air-conditioned minibus, head towards Ponte de Lima, considered the oldest town in Portugal. Here, you will be guided through the picturesque streets, narrow alleys, and the ancient bridge of Ponte de Lima. Nearby this town you will have a relaxing moment with one of the treasures of the region, the green wine (Vinho Verde). This guided visit takes place inside a baroque palace that dates from the XVII century, where you will find a hospitable wine producer that will explain the uniqueness of this wine while you taste as well some local cheese and smoked sausage. This will also be the moment to enjoy a traditional lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, you will be driven to Viana do Castelo, a city located between the river the ocean and the mountains. The rich history of this wonderful city will be explained while walking through medieval streets, blue-tiled churches, and traditional jewelry shops where you will find the famous heart from Viana. Enjoy one of the most beautiful panoramic views in the world - the Sanctuary of Santa Luzia. Cap off the experience with a perfectly crafted cocktail by the sea, while going over what has been learned about the history of Portugal, in the picturesque city of Viana do Castelo.

Vinho Verde or Green Wine. Most people know it, a lot of them have tried it and everyone loves it. On our daily tours to the Douro Valley we noticed this from our guests who keep asking if we are going to taste Green Wine during that tour. Thinking about them, and about you, we decided to create this experience. We’ll start in the morning with a medium size producer located in a lovely manor house which was built between the 12th and the 18th century. After a tour around the house, your first taste will take place: one “alvarinho” and one white “vinho verde” will be paired with some local delicious treats. A short drive to the second winery will follow and there you are going to experience an authentic small producer located in a picturesque property where the owner himself will welcome you warmly and will tell you precious information about green wine. We’ll head then to Guimarães, the first capital of Portugal and a Unesco heritage site. This is where we’re going to have a truly genuine Portuguese lunch, with delightful meal options and, of course, green wine. A nice digestive walk through the narrow streets of Guimarães will complete our journey before we head back to Porto. By the end you’ll understand better Green Wine and why it is not green and you will be knowing much more about the first steps of Portugal as an independent kingdom and nation.