Discover North Portugal

Ten nights, self-guided, through the north of Portugal, with an economy hire car and hotels arranged by Caminos. The route starts in Porto, takes in the Douro valley at the southern edge of the region, and heads north to the Spanish border, without too much driving between stops.

Caminos sums the region up as vineyards and nature, good local food and world-class wine, with striking landscapes, wonderful walking and well-preserved towns. Both Port and Douro wines and the Vinho Verde of the Minho feature, and the route crosses the Camino Portugues, the Portuguese way of St James. Peneda-Geres, Portugal’s only national park, gives the trip a real outdoor element.

Two nights in Porto cover the Ribeira, the Dom Luis I bridge, the port wine lodges and a ferry across to Afurada. The Douro valley takes two nights, with Amarante, Lamego’s baroque stairway and a boat trip on the river. Braga and Guimaraes follow for two nights, with Portugal’s oldest cathedral, the baroque staircase of Bom Jesus and the market at Barcelos. Peneda-Geres National Park takes two nights, including the spa town of Geres and the granaries at Soajo. The last two nights are on the Minho coast, with Caminha, the fortress towns of Valenca, Moncao and Melgaco, Viana do Castelo and Ponte de Lima.

The price covers hotels on a bed and breakfast basis for two sharing a double room, an economy four-door hire car for those flying, a regional guide book and a personal travel app with restaurant suggestions and weather forecasts, and instructions for finding every hotel. Flights, one-way and cross-border car hire charges, extras such as a second driver, garage parking and local tourist taxes are not included. Caminos quotes about £1,350 per person as an indicative mid-season figure for 10 nights, and adapts the route, hotels and airports to each traveller.