Our journey to Portugal takes a wandering route, travelling
via Cuidad Rodrigo, to the south of Salamanca, then north through San Felices de
los Gallegos before we cross the Portuguese border to the west of Lumbrales. Travelling
through these parts encompasses the pilgrimage route of the Way of St James. The route
we take is far away from tourist Spain and we are looking forward to the
experience.
Cuidad Rodrigo is close to the Portuguese border and away
from well travelled tourist routes . it
is located in the western part of Castilla y Leon. Most of the buildings date from the 15th
and 16th centuries. It is a walled town, with the wall dating back
to the 12th century, with a well preserved and weathered sandstone
church, Catedral de Santa Maria dating to the 15th century.
This church towers above the old walls and
historic centre which includes the Plaza Mayor.
The double story arches of the Casa Consistorial are stunning, but it
is the façade of the townhouse in the square that is the masterpiece.
We walked the ramparts of the city walls that encircle the city, which was around 2km long. This provided some fabulous views around the city and the surrounding plains.
Our visit ends after walking the squares and seeing the churches and monuments and this is a town that was well worth visiting.
The quiet road north of Cuidad Rodrigo passes through San
Felices de los Gallegos, with its well preserved castle and main square. 
San
Felices de los Gallegos is a historical and monumental town in the province to
the west of Salamanca. This town held a strategic position during the struggles
between the kingdoms of Castile and Portugal. The castle of San Felices de los
Gallegos was built at the end of the 13th century and over time, it
was added to and was shaped like a star.
The Douro Valley is the primary wine-growing region of
northern Portugal, noted for its port wine.
Having read a bit about it I knew it would be beautiful — but I had no
idea it would be this beautiful.
Sure, we are spoiled in Australia with some
beautiful wine regions, each with their own character. But nothing like the
Douro! The Douro is a delightful region where you fall in love with the
terraced vineyards and olive groves, driving past wine estates and enjoying
soul stirring vistas around every corner. I sensed that we were in for a treat
and we were not disappointed.
This is
hands down, one of the most evocative landscapes we have seen, with vineyards rolling
up and down the terraced hillsides, stoned villages, palatial quintas – postcard views on almost every
corner.
Driving on the small roads along the river valley provided
us with a great introduction to this region. The roads felt arduous, too, up
and over the mountain range. We saw many small towns along the way and drove
through some of the larger towns such as Regua and Pinhão. Along the way, we
couldn’t imagine how hard it must be to farm land this steep, how the vineyards
are tended and olives harvested — but there are quite a few people who have
been doing so for centuries!
We arrived in Pinhão after a slow and winding trip. Even
though Pinhão is nothing much, the small town is located right in the heart of
the Douro region. It is encircled by terraced hillsides and sits on a lovely
bend of the Douro River.
Wineries compete for the visitor and the well known
wine house signs dominate the terraces. A number of local river cruises leave
from Pinhão to the Alto Douro, often aboard the traditional flat bottomed port
boat.
It was here in Pinhão that we enjoyed a delightful lunch on the day of our
departure at the family run Quinta de la Rosa, on the terrace, overlooking the
river below and across Pinhão.
We drove high up the mountain roads to the small hamlet of
Provensende. Initially in awe of the Douro’s vineyard-terraced beauty, this
gave way to some anxiety, as we drove the sure-death drops off the left hand
side of the road which had sharp corners and flimsy guard rails—or none at all.
Provesende would be our country stop for the
night and it did not come about soon enough. It is away from the river, up in
the mountains straddling a ridge with valley vistas. We drove along the small narrow cobblestone
streets and followed the signs to the Quinta Manhas
.
The remote and somewhat treacherous location undoubtedly
limits the encroachment of the modern world. The town has some handsome
white-plastered and stone-trimmed buildings, tiny alleyways with their ancient
stones paths and curves make you curious to see lurks around the corner –
usually a dead end or barking dog!
Exploring the village on foot was the best
solution as it is very quiet and almost untouched. Sadly, though, many of the
old houses are in ruins and it is heartbreaking to see them crumbling away with
time, particularly in light of the village’s position. We loved Provesende and stopped
at the Café Bar in the main square for an espresso and cafe com leite…got change from 2 euro!
Knowing what I know now, I would reserve at least a couple
of days for the Douro Valley alone and stay at a nice quinta, such as Quintas
Manhas in Provesende.
The Douro Valley impressed us with the great value for
money it offered. Even though we did not complete a route following the river
to Porto, we left feeling that we gained a better understanding of the Douro. I
am sure that no matter the route you choose to make, once you drive through the
region, you will leave it wishing you could have spent many more days there! Actually,
as we drove across the region, it would be easy to underestimate how small and
winding most of its roads are. Simply not enough time to explore every aspect
of this enchanting wine region.
Cuidad Rodrigo is close to the Portuguese border and away
from well travelled tourist routes . it
is located in the western part of Castilla y Leon. Most of the buildings date from the 15th
and 16th centuries. It is a walled town, with the wall dating back
to the 12th century, with a well preserved and weathered sandstone
church, Catedral de Santa Maria dating to the 15th century. 
