Port and the Douro (Infinite Ideas Classic Wine)

DireCtions in oPorto anD the Douro 265

vineyards, like hanging gardens, take over from the unruly pergolas. The first major stop
inside the Douro region is the ‘city’ of Peso da Régua and this is the terminus for some
trains known as inter-cidade (inter-city). Apart from its setting, Régua itself has never been
an attractive town and over recent years its modicum of charm has been further eroded by
indiscriminate modern construction. The only building worthy of note is the headquarters
of Pombal’s old Companhia, around which the town grew in the mid-eighteenth century;
it now houses the Museu do Douro (Douro Museum). During the summer months a
steam engine plies between Régua and Tua. Although this is an atmospheric way to see
the Douro, spare a thought for some of the vineyard proprietors whose vines have been
known to catch fire from sparks issued by the passing train.
Soon after leaving Régua, the railway passes under the monolithic concrete bridge
that carries the new north–south highway over the Douro. Shortly after passing over the
River Corgo and the village of Covelinhas, a number of famous quintas come into view.
Quinta do Crasto can just be seen to the left of the train with Barros Almeida’s Quinta de
São Luíz on the opposite side of the river. Quinta Nova, Offley’s Quinta da Boa Vista and

The location of Port lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia

1 Barros

2 Burmester

3 Cálem

4 Cockburn

5 Croft

6 Dow

7 Ferreira

8 Fonseca

Port Lodges

9 Graham

10 Kopke

11 Niepoort

12 Noval

13 Offley Forrester

14 Ramos Pinto

15 Rozès

16 Sandeman

17 Taylor

18 Warre

19 Wiese & Krohn

N

RIVER DOURO Ponte D. Luís

18

8

7

6

2

1

4

19

10

15

11

9

17

5

13

3

14 16

Rua Serpa Pinto

Rua do Choupelo

Rua Candido dos Reis

R. Luís de Camões

Cais de Gaia

Avenida Ramos Pinto

Av. Diogo Leite

Avenida da Republica

Rua do Agro

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