Douro Valley: Port Wine and Terraces

The Douro Valley is probably the most spectacular and dramatic wine landscape in all of Europe. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, it is a system of vineyard terraces covering the schist hillsides along the Douro River for over 200 km, forming a mosaic of bancales painstakingly built over centuries by generations of winemakers. The first time a rider sees the Douro Valley from one of the viewpoints along the N222, the reaction is invariably one of awe: it is a landscape of almost unreal beauty, with the river winding below between walls of vineyards climbing vertically up to 800 metres.

The N222 between Peso da Régua and Pinhão is considered by many international publications to be one of the ten best driving roads in the world. The route follows the Douro for over 25 km with constant curves, flawless tarmac (the Portuguese maintain this tourist road obsessively), and views of the river and terraces at every opening in the landscape. It is one of those roads where the bike rides itself and the rider can enter a state of total flow.

Port wine has been produced exclusively in this valley since the 17th century, when English merchants began fortifying the local wines with brandy so they could survive the voyage by ship to London. The Douro's "quintas" (wine estates) are a world apart: baroque palaces amid vineyards where you can visit, taste and buy some of Portugal's finest wines. Quinta da Pacheca, Quinta do Crasto and Quinta Nova are among the most accessible for the visiting rider.

Pinhão, in the heart of the valley, is a tiny village with a surprising detail: its railway station is decorated with hand-painted tile panels from the 20th century depicting grape-harvest scenes and daily life along the Douro. It is probably the most beautiful train station in Portugal. From Pinhão you can sail the Douro aboard a barco rabelo — the traditional flat-bottomed boats once used to transport wine barrels down to Porto — and see the terraces from the river's perspective.

Practical rider info: the Douro Valley is accessible year-round with a Mediterranean climate. In September–October it coincides with the grape harvest and the vineyards are at their chromatic peak. The roads are excellent but Portuguese petrol is expensive. For accommodation, Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo is a wine hotel with river views. For eating, in Pinhão the Restaurante Veladouro serves bacalhau à lagareiro (oven-baked cod with olive oil and potatoes) and a 20-year tawny Port as a digestif.