A trip with my dog to Pinhão (Douro valley, Portugal)

This May, I took a trip with my dog to Pinhão, a small town in the Douro valley region of Portugal. The area is absolutely beautiful and famous for its port wine.

In this article I will share three fun things to do with your dog in and around Pinhão! Are you in the mood for views, wine or a boat trip? Well, I’ve got it all for you here!

If you are looking to spend a few days in the Douro valley, I can highly recommend the hotel that I stayed at.

You can find my review on where to stay near Pinhão with your dog here.

STOP 1: Views of the Douro river from above

The first stop takes you to a viewpoint in Casal de Loivos. From there, you have a great view over the Douro river valley.

The whole area is a natural beauty of hills that are lined with vineyards, olive trees and other agricultural sights.

Is it just me, or does it look so dreamy that it almost does not feel real?
I assure you, it is 100% real – #nofilter.

STOP 2: A picnic and port wine tasting at Quinta da Roêda

From Casal de Loivos, make your way down to Pinhão, more specifically to the vineyard of Quinta da Roêda. It is one of many wineries in the area, but this one is special for a few reasons.

Firstly, they only produce port wine, nothing else. Secondly, they offer you to have a picnic on their terrace overlooking the vineyards and your dog can join you. Fantastic, right?

The only restriction is that the dog is not allowed to enter inside the visitor center, but this was no problem at all. To me, this was absolutely worth it.

Their terrace has fabulous views, making it the perfect place to enjoy some food and drinks in an incredibly relaxed setting.

You can book the picnic in advance through their website. There are two different picnic options, the classic basket for 30 EUR and the premium basket for 48 EUR. I opted for the premium because it had more food, and while it was delicious, it ended up being way too much for me. So you can definitely choose the classic without worrying about going hungry. You will also be served a complimentary glass of their pink port wine, a rare twist on traditional port that pairs surprisingly well with tonic water.

After the picnic, there is a short visit of the vineyards where they explain how port wine gets made and how the grapes are grown. Interesting, but for me, it was a bit too short. I would have loved to learn more about the different types of port and go into depth on the production process.

Still, I learned quite a few things. Did you know that it is not allowed to use any irrigation on the vineyard, with the exception of the first five years after planting new vines. These are then not allowed to go into port production though. Only once irrigation is cut, the grapes may be used. Port production sure is a very long term business!

In fact, some of the vines at Quinta da Roêda are more than 120 years old and they still use horses with plows on these, as modern machines cannot go through the narrow rows of trees. Wow.

Moreover, Quinta da Roêda is on their way towards becoming a fully sustainable farm, for example by using the grape skin waste from port production as natural fertilisers. Very interesting!

Of course, they also offer tastings where you can try different varieties of port wine.

STOP 3: A boat tour on the Douro river

I spent a long time looking for a boat operator that would allow me to take my pup along for a cruise on the Douro river. I thought it was not possible, because even CT Douro said in their FAQ that it is not allowed. However, I sent them an email just in case, and to my surprise, they said yes it’s fine!

So we ended up taking their one hour roundtrip from Pinhão to Romaneira. This trip is available for 10EUR, which I thought was a good price. There is also a two-hour cruise on offer for 20EUR, but that one runs less frequently.

The route that we chose is only a short cruise up and down the river with some information provided over speakers in multiple languages, but it was very relaxing to just sit there and marvel at the natural beauty around you. You can buy drinks on the boat to make the trip even more enjoyable. I spent most of the cruise chatting to Julie from Minnesota, so shout-out to Julie if you are reading this!

For my pup, it was also a good trip. She was the star on the boat, with many of the other passengers wanting to pet her and even take pictures, especially on the way back. I ended up chatting with multiple people about their own dogs, what breed she is (Lagotto Romagnolo, by the way), that these dogs are often used as truffle hunters and many more things. All the while, my pup was getting cuddles and treats. I’m sure that she had the time of her life on this boat!

HOW LONG IT TAKES AND WHO IT’S FOR

All three stops together can fill a full day quite easily, and half a day is the absolute minimum that you need to do all three.

While the viewpoint at Casal de Loivos is just a quick stop, the boat trip takes between one and two hours depending on the route that you choose, and I would budget at least two hours at the Quinta as well – more if you plan on tasting different port wines as well as having the picnic. Also, don’t forget to account for the transfer time between the different activities.

There is almost no walking involved in any of these stops, so it is suitable for most people, babies and prams included.

THE BOTTOM LINE

If you are looking to spend a relaxed day with good food and drink in the Douro valley, these stops definitely fit the bill. Since your dog can join for all of the activities, this makes for a very nice day-trip with your pup.

Bonus Tip: Even if you are not staying overnight in the area, consider having dinner at Quinta do Silval. Great food, great wine, great views. Just be sure to call ahead and verify that dinner service is available that day.