Sipping on wine and port while overlooking the Douro River is the #1 thing to do on a visit to the Douro Valley. In this guide, we list 8 wineries to visit in the Douro Valley.
We spent four memorable days in the Douro Valley, using this time to visit a few wineries, indulge in several gourmet meals, and get some much needed rest and relaxation.
In this guide, we list our favorite wineries, to help you have the best experience in the Douro Valley.
For a bigger list of things to do, where to eat, where to stay, and helpful tips, refer to our Douro Valley Travel Guide.
Table of Contents
Best Wineries in the Douro Valley
We chose these wineries because they were recommended to us, come up on many other lists, we were familiar with their wine, or they had a highly rated restaurant that we wanted to try.
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1. Quinta da Pacheca
Let’s get started with one of our favorite wineries in the Douro Valley.
Quinta da Pacheca dates back to 1738. This is a relatively large winery and it caters to tour buses and large groups, so don’t expect an off-the-beaten-path experience here. However, the setting is gorgeous and the wine and the port is fantastic.
We visited Quinta da Pacheca at the very end of the day, showing up without a reservation. It wasn’t long before closing but a sommelier took us through a wine and port tasting out on the terrace. In the shade of the trees, with the sun getting low on the horizon, Tim and I sipped on delicious port and several red and white wines.
Quinta da Pacheca
Tim on the terrace at Quinta da Pacheca
By this point, we had already done quite a few port tastings, both in Porto and the Douro Valley, and the port at Quinta da Pacheca is one of our favorites. If you try something you like, they will ship it home for you. We did this and now have a few bottles of Quinta da Pacheca port wine ready for family get togethers and to share with friends.
We just did a tasting, but you can also take tours of the vineyard and winery, take a cooking class, have a picnic lunch in the vineyard, visit the spa, and even spend the night, sleeping in a very oversized wine barrel.
Learn more about Quinta da Pacheca and make a reservation in advance if you want to take a tour on the official website.
2. Quinta do Vallado
For over 300 years, Quinta do Vallado has been growing grapes, making them one of the oldest wine producers in the Douro Valley. Old growth vines, vines planted between the 1920’s and 1950’s, grow on 10 hectares of land here.
Quinta do Vallado was named by Wine & Spirits as one of the top 100 wines of 2021.
For visitors, the most popular thing to do at Quinta do Vallado is to take a tour of the winery. On the tour, you learn about the long, fascinating history of Quinta do Vallado, see the old vines, and tour the inside of the modern wine making facility.
Quinta do Vallado
If you want to take one tour of a winery in the Douro Valley, this is a good one. Tours are offered several times a day and we learned a lot about this winery and wine making in the Douro Valley.
On the official website, you can make a reservation in advance for a tour. They also have two small onsite hotels, worth considering if you will be spending a few nights in the Douro Valley.
PORT TASTING IN PORTO: If you are a wine aficionado and also have plans to visit Porto, don’t miss our guide to the Wine Cellars in Porto, which lists several must-visit wine lodges and restaurants to try.
3. Quinta do Tedo
Quinta do Tedo is located at a very picturesque spot, at the confluence of the Douro River and Tedo River.
Quinta do Tedo and the Tedo River
On a visit here, you can take a tour, do a port or wine tasting, or have lunch or dinner in their gourmet restaurant. We opted for lunch followed by a port tasting in their tasting room.
If you are a foodie or wine aficionado, Quinta do Tedo should be on the top of your list.
Dining at the Bistro Terrace was one of our favorite experiences in the Douro Valley. The restaurant is run by Óscar Geadas and António Geadas, two brothers who were awarded a Michelin star in 2109.
This small restaurant overlooks the vineyard and Tedo River. On the menu are fish, meat, and seafood dishes which can be paired with wine. Tim dined on beef cheeks that sat on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and I had a vegetable and mushroom dish. Both were extraordinary.
On the official website, get hours of operation and it is best to make a reservation in advance.
Dining at Bistro Terrace
Bistro Terrace
This is a smaller winery but it does cater to tours. We were able to do a quick port tasting without a reservation, but they almost had to turn us away since they were awaiting a tour group. We were squeezed in and we tasted some phenomenal port wine.
For the best experience, make a reservation for lunch followed by a reservation for a port tasting, or do the port tasting before dinner.
Learn more about Quinta do Tedo on their website.
4. Quinta do Seixo
Sandeman is one of the most popular names in port wine. Quinta do Seixo is where the grapes are grown for their port.
Quinta do Seixo has an extraordinary hilltop setting overlooking the terraced Douro Valley. The drive to get here is gorgeous. A narrow, winding road snakes its way up through the terraced slopes to the tasting room and winery, offering some of the best views you can get of the Douro Valley.
Quinta do Seixo
The road in Quinta da Seixo (it is one way)
Another view of Quinta do Seixo
Take your pick from a long list of tours and tastings. You can also have a picnic in the vineyard, dine in the Seixo Restaurant, or simply have a tasting in the tasting room. The view from the outdoor patio is amazing.
We did not take a tour here, since we took a tour of the Sandeman wine house in Porto. Instead, we did a tasting in their modern tasting room, which was a nice experience. Tim called and scheduled our tasting in advance.
Learn more about their tours and make your reservation in advance on the official website.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: For the best experience, make your reservations for tours and tastings in advance. It is possible to do a tasting without a reservation, just as long as the tasting room is not busy or expecting a large tour. Without a reservation, you risk being turned away, especially at the smaller vineyards.
5. Quinta da Roêda
Quinta da Roêda is Croft’s estate. It has a breathtaking setting in the heart of the Douro Valley, with views of wine terraces in all directions.
On a visit here, take a tour of the vineyard, have a picnic lunch on a shaded terrace, or simply do a tasting of their port wine.
We opted for the Connoisseur tasting, which is a bit pricey, but we wanted to try as much as possible. It was all good but our personal preference is for port produced by Niepoort, Quinta do Tedo, and Quinta da Pacheca.
Learn more about the Croft estate on the official website.
6. Quinta de Santa Eufemia
This is the smallest winery on our list and we loved everything about our visit here.
Quinta de Santa Eufemia is located in the hills above Peso da Régua. To get here, you will drive up narrow, winding roads and parking is a bit challenging.
This very small winery has a small tasting room and a beautiful tree covered patio with beautiful views over the Douro River. We did a tasting of their port wines, which were delicious.
The view from Quinta de Santa Eufemia
This winery has a relaxed, laid-back vibe to it and everyone who works here are extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The only downside is that they do not ship to the USA, since they are a smaller, less touristy winery. But you can take a bottle or two home in your luggage.
Make your tasting reservation in advance on their website.
7. Quinta de Nápoles
Quinta de Nápoles is Niepoort’s winery. Located in the heart of the Douro Valley, Niepoort produces some of the best port in Portugal, at least in our opinion.
We did not tour this winery. Instead, we took a tour of the Niepoort wine cellar in Porto and this experience was our favorite port wine tasting in Portugal. If you don’t get a chance to visit the Niepoort wine cellar in Porto, make a reservation to take a tour and tasting at Quinta de Nápoles.
8. Quinta de la Rosa
Located on the Douro River, Quinta de la Rosa is home to two restaurants, a hotel, and acres of vine-covered terraces.
If you want to dine on gourmet food with a view of the Douro River, have lunch or dinner at Cozinha da Clara. Tim dined on Iberian pork with asparagus and truffled mashed potatoes and I had the sea bass. Everything was very good but the truffled mashed potatoes were simply amazing!!
For dessert, I did a port wine tasting and Tim opted for the chocolate tart. In total, lunch took 2 hours.
Sea bass at Cozinha da Clara
This is a larger restaurant than the Bistro Terrace at Quinta do Tedo. If you want gourmet food in a quieter, smaller setting, then dine at Bistro Terrace. Quinta de la Rosa caters to more people and has a much larger dining room, so it can be easier to get a reservation here. If you can, try both and then let us know your favorite in the comment section below!
At Quinta de la Rosa, you can also dine at Tim’s Terrace, a wood-fired pizza and gourmet BBQ bar on an outdoor terrace overlooking the Douro River.
Get hours, take a look at the menus, and make your reservations in advance on the Quinta de la Rosa website.
Which Wineries in the Douro Valley Should You Visit?
If you prefer visiting small wineries, we recommend Quinta do Tedo, Quinta de Santa Eufemia, and Quinta de Nápoles (Niepoort).
Our best dining experiences were at the Bistro Terrace at Quinta do Tedo and Cozinha da Clara at Quinta de la Rosa.
Quinta do Vallado runs informative tours throughout the day, if you want to learn more about their history and winemaking in the Douro Valley.
The drive up to Quinta do Seixo offers some of the best views you can get of the Douro Valley. Since this is the Sandeman estate, you also have a long list of tours and tastings to choose from.
Our favorite experiences in the Douro Valley were dining at Quinta do Tedo and Quinta de la Rosa, port and wine tasting at Quinta da Pacheca, the drive to Quinta do Seixo, and port tasting at Quinta de Santa Eufemia.
One last view of the Douro Valley. Learn more about how to plan your visit in our Douro Valley Travel Guide.
If you have any questions about the best wineries in the Douro Valley, or if you would like to share your experience, let us know in the comment section below.
More Information for Your Trip to Portugal
DOURO VALLEY: Don’t miss our Douro Valley Travel Guide, which covers the essential things to know when planning a trip to this wine region.
PORTUGAL ITINERARIES: If you are just beginning to plan your Portugal itinerary, take a look at our 10 Day Portugal Itinerary for five different ways to spend 10 days in Portugal. We also have a detailed 10 day itinerary that includes Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve.
PORTO: Get started with our Porto Travel Guide, which lists where to eat, where to stay, and has lots of helpful tips for visiting Porto. We cover the best things to do in Porto in our Porto Bucket List. In our Guide to the Wine Cellars in Gaia, get recommendations on which wine cellars to visit and how to plan your time. See the best of Porto in our 2 Days in Porto Itinerary.
BRAGA & GUIMARÃES: These two towns are located in northern Portugal and make a great day trip from Porto. Plan your visit with our guides to Braga and Bom Jesus do Monte and medieval town of Guimarães.
LISBON: In our Lisbon Bucket List, we list 40 highlights and hidden gems to visit in Lisbon. Plan your time with our one day in Lisbon itinerary. Here are 14 amazing day trips to take from Lisbon. Find the perfect place to stay in our Lisbon Hotel Guide.
We have TONS more information about Portugal in our Portugal Travel Guide, including Lisbon, Sintra, Porto, the Algarve, and the Douro Valley.
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