Northwest Portugal’s Vinho Verde Route is bypassed daily by tourists in favor of its well-known southern cousin, the Algarve. Ironically, flights heading to Portugal’s vacation hot-spot often land in the north, where a few visitors with a knowing glint in their eyes disembark.
And why the twinkle? Soon those travelers will relish the savory cuisine, fresh air and meandering roads punctuated with chronicles of lore that can only be found in this corner of Portugal.
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| A horse grazes outside the walls of Valença do Minho. |
There’s something else to discover too: Vinho verde, the northwest’s regional wine.
The literal translation means “green wine,” and its medium alcoholic content and fruity flavor make it the perfect companion for meals enjoyed along this route, which runs from the Douro River north to the Spanish border.
The historic city of Porto, whose old center has been deemed a World Heritage site by UNESCO, is the gateway to the Vinho Verde route.
With the enchanting Douro River rimming Porto on the south, colorful old buildings perch elegantly on incredibly narrow streets and laundry flutters from balconies.
To rub elbows with the locals, especially in the late afternoon, the place to go is the Cais da Ribeira, or river quays. This dockside area with an abundance of outdoor cafes is the perfect spot to see rabelos, the antique boats used to transport another fermented favorite, the city’s fabled Port wine, from the vineyards downstream to the cellars for aging.
That tradition ended in 1965, and now the wine makes its way by truck, however, the methods of achieving that world-renowned Port are the same as centuries ago. To learn more about that process, visitors can take the guided tours offered at the Port lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia, the center of Port wine production, just a 15-minute walk from the Ribeira on the other side of the Douro river.
Continued: The Vinho Verde Route: Wine-tasting in Northern Portugal
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