Douro Valley

Wine has been produced in the Douro Valley for some 2,000 years, with Vinho do Porto (port wine) much in demand since the 18th century. This long tradition of viticulture has produced a beautiful landscape of terraced vineyards climbing skywards from the winding Douro River. In many places the vines are still tended to by hand as tractors are unable to negotiate the steep incline. At Six Senses Douro Valley, a 19th-century port-producer’s manor transformed into a high-design hotel and spa, you can relax on the terraces high above the river, sipping local vintages while musing on the Douro’s journey to the sea. Much of the port produced in the upper Douro comes down river to mature in the famous port wine lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, located just across the river from Portugal’s stunning second city, Porto. Tours of the best lodges (Sandeman, Graham’s, Cockburn, Taylor’s) are an integral part of any visit to the city.