Three Days Private Tour in Oporto the best way to visit the beautiful city of Oporto as well as the surrounding towns ; Braga, Guimaraes and of course the fantastic Douro Valley, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful regions in the world.
Hotel/Apartment, Oporto
Days start at approximately 9:00 AM
The Douro river, is “born” in the peaks of the mountain of Urbion, in Spain, in about 2,080 meters of altitude and travels about 850 km until its Foz in Oporto.
It is the third largest river of the Iberian Peninsula, having an extension in Portuguese territory of about 210 km.
Nowadays, it is a very calm river, completely navigable since the 20th century, with the hydroelectric use of the Douro, the turbulence of the river was reduced, with the construction of dams and large reservoirs of calm waters, which came to encourage navigation and the sport fishing.
Three Days Private Tour in Oporto
But was not always like that, in the past the Douro river was extremely violent, its strong flows, the protruding cliffs, the tight corners, and the high slope of the river made it very dangerous and practically indomitable.
The first day of our three Days Private Tour in Oporto will be totally dedicated to visit the city of Oporto where we will start trough the Avenida dos Aliados (Avenue of the Allies), the city´s focal point, where everything happens, from manifestations to celebrations on this thoroughfare, there is the imposing Oporto Municipal Council building, not far we have the Lello Bookstore perfect for literature and architecture lovers especially “Harry Potter” fans.
Its staircase is a major attraction, the cause… JK Rowling who, despite never having spoken openly about the period she was in Portugal, was married to a Portuguese and lived in Porto at the time she started writing “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. ”
Another attraction will be Sao Bento’s train station, where 20 thousand tiles from Portuguese artist Jorge Colaco will take you a virtual trip through Portugal in the North in general, with a special emphasis on the different civilizations that have passed here and the different occupations.
The Oporto Cathedral, a church with a Roman-Gothic structure that was began to be built in the 12th century, however with several renovations in the XVII and XVIII centuries, inside it stands the medieval rosacea of the 12th century, and from outside the highlight goes to the lateral galilee, work of Nicolau Nasoni in 1736, decorated with tiles.
The Church of San Francisco built in the 12th century. initially of Romanesque architecture was transformed into Gothic style and later Baroque, three naves covered with gilded carvings, in which it is thought that were used more than 300 kilos of gold dust, another one of the curiosities of the Church the Tree of Jessé, a sculpture of polychrome wood considered one of the best in the world of its kind.
Time to visit Gaia where Port wine is being aged in hundreds of different cellars, visit one of those cellars, enjoy its atmosphere and taste this unique wine it is obligatory to know whole process, from the harvest to the final product.
We begin the second day of our three days private tour in Oporto by touring the first Portuguese capital, exploring the hill where a statue of D. Afonso Henriques (first king of Portugal), the Guimaraes Castle, followed by São Miguel Church and Paço dos Duques de Bragança (Bragança´s House Palace).
Exploring the old medieval streets that were left to tell the tale and history, ending in the the squares reign, like Sao Tiago, Toural and Oliveira, last but not least we take a little time to taste the delicious Santa Clara’s Pastry.
One of the most important medieval cities, with its historical center classified as World Heritage by UNESCO in 2001.
Now its time to visit Braga, a modern city but full of rich roman and medieval past. Commencing in the Cathedral (Monument from the eleventh century), one of the main attractions is the cross used in the first mass service in Brazil, also see the majestic pipe organs.
We will visit the high pulpit and the mortuary chapels that hold the tombs of some of Braga´s most notorious archbishops and also the graves of our first king´s parents (D. Henrique e Dona Teresa).
The Bom Jesus Sanctuary is composed of a staircase, which represents the Via Sacra that goes up to the church. The architectural complex also includes the Bom Jesus Park (a forest area), and some hotels. Surrounded by a lush forest.
The construction is of the XVIII and XIX centuries, crossing the baroque, rococo and neoclassical styles.
Composed of the chapels of the Via Sacra and the Church, a monumental alley and staircase punctuated by statues and symbolic sources, this model had wide repercussions in Portugal and Brazil.
The sanctuary of Bom Jesus served as inspiration for numerous constructions around the world such as the Bom Jesus de Congonhas, in Congonhas, Brazil, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies in Lamego, among others.
Another curiosity will be t he Bom Jesus Elevator is the only water powered elevator in use, its construction is due to a nineteenth-century Bracaran businessman, built by two well-known engineers of the time, Nikolaus Riggenbach and Raul Mesnier.
A water tank that fills in the upper plane and empties in the lower one. The amount of water is in function of the existing passengers. At the time of departure the driver of the lower cabin informs the superior by a sound signal the number of passengers in that cabin.
Then the driver of the upper cabin will fill the tank with a quantity of water according to the signal received from the lower and according to the number of passengers in that cabin.
Stroll through the historic center of Amarante, walking through the ancient streets, see the typical houses and the history that the city counts, with the river and the bridge.
For those who like to appreciate the ancient architecture, in Amarante, mainly in the historical center, there are numerous examples of the Romanesque and still many buildings of the Middle Ages, along S. Gonçalo bridge (name of the Dominican friar who will have it built) and enjoy some of the most touristic points of the city: the Church and Convent of São Gonçalo and the Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso Museum.
As he walks by the convent, especially at the end of the week, he will notice the stalls of the vendors of the delicious S. Gonçalo sweets who, because of their phallic appearance, are always a source of curiosity and great laughter.
The name of the candy also helps … they are popularly called “quilhõezinhos de S. Gonçalo”. Tradition tells us that, at the S. Gonçalo festivities in June, the boys offer the girls they want to conquer.
Certainly one of the most beautiful places in the Douro region, the Pinhao Railway Station, built in the nineteenth century, its tiles representing the landscape and the life of the people in this region, with images of Port wine production from the harvest, the peculiar tread of the grapes with the feet, and the transport of wine in rabelos boats, typical boats that make the transport of the wine from there to the city of Oporto or more precisely Gaia.
Strange would be to take a walk to the oldest wine region in the world without making at least one visit to a local winery, where you will be shown the different aspects of winemaking and also taste some of the best wines in the world according to world renowned Wine Spectator, at the end you should understand the methods and the different kind of grapes and wines here create.
Hugo at Walkborder Tours was amazingly knowledgeable, courteous and a charming guide. The vehicle was comfortable and he showed us everything we wished to see. Highly recommend by John from London.
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