Things To Do Nearby

Below you will find a few ideas for ways to spend your time at Casa Marmelo. We offer guests a comprehensive Welcome Guide, with lots of recommendations for local restaurants and places to visit, as well as a detailed 7 day suggested itinerary based on the below.

Day 1 - Closer to home

Start your day with a long walk! The hills around Casa Marmelo are stunning, and it's possible to do either a short but beautiful local walk - to see some views of the Douro and surrounding countryside - or to take a longer hike along the River Ovil, through shaded woods and farmer's fields, to the Ponte de Esmoriz, a medieval bridge. Not to be missed!

Have lunch at a local restaurant and then spend the afternoon at Quinta de Covela, a fully certified organic quinta, 20 minutes drive from the house. Here you can indulge in some wonderful wine tasting while also 'drinking' in their stunning vineyards and grounds.

Day 2 - Pinhão

Start with an 8:00 breakfast to catch the 9:40 train from Mosteirô to Pinhão arriving at 10:46. Mosteirô train station is a ten minute drive or 25 minute walk from Casa Marmelo. On arrival in Pinhão , take a traditional Rabelo boat trip for another perspective on this stunning world heritage landscape.

Enjoy a relaxing lunch at one of the many wonderful restaurant options in the Pinhão area, followed by a wine tour and tasting at a local Quinta. End your afternoon with a Quinta picnic on a terrace overlooking the Douro. Stunning.

Finish your day with a quick trip by train back to Mosteirô and relax for the rest of the evening.

Day 3 - On & Across the River

After breakfast, spend the morning kayaking on the Douro river. Drive to Cinfães for lunch.

Visit the Miradouro de Teixeirô (viewing point), for some good photo opportunities, including a view of Casa Marmelo across the river! Then, drive to the Parque de Lazer do Ribeiro de Sampaio to see the impressive waterfall and maybe have a quick (cold but refreshing!) swim.

Return via the stunning Carapatelo Dam - you might get lucky and watch a boat going through the lock! Finish the day with a light meal at one of the local hotel restaurants and watch the sun go down with a glass of cold Portuguese bubbly.

Day 4 - Peso da Régua

Take the train to Régua for a walk, trip to the Museu do Douro and then lunch. In the afternoon, visit one of the prestigious vineyards in the area and enjoy a guided tour.

Head back to Régua for an early evening meal and then a train ride back to Mosteirô.

Day 5 - Bello'Giro

In the morning, enjoy some outdoor pursuits with local Baião activity company, Bello'Giro, be it hiking, wakeboarding, cruising on the river or driving buggies.

After lunch, head to Lamego, one hour drive to the south from Casa Marmelo. Climb Lamego's astonishing baroque stairway whose 600+ steps zig-zag up to the church. If you make it to the top, you have definitely earned the right to try a glass of raposeira, Lamego’s fragrant sparkling wine.

In the evening, enjoy a truly atmospheric dinner experience at Casa Lavrador. This restaurant, run by a local association, faithfully recreates a 19th century peasant farmer’s house both internally and externally. It is a fascinating museum of life on the land well over 150 years ago.

Day 6 - Day trip to Porto

In the morning, head to Porto for a day out! If you take the 70 minute train ride, take a moment to enjoy São Bento Station, with its atrium lined with tiles. If you drive, find a parking spot close to the station. Nearby is the Cathedral, which offers the first view of the river and Gaia on the opposite bank.

Take the steps and medieval streets down to Riberia, with its cafe terraces and restaurants. Don't miss the Church of S. Francisco with its gilt interior and the adjoining museum containing the bones of 5000 monks!

There is a tram which leaves from near the river for a trip that goes to Foz at the mouth of the Douro, where you can take a walk along the seafront and enjoy the sea air. Avenida da Boavista starts here, and not far away is Serralves, with its gardens to stroll through.

If you have time, from Ribeira, you can cross the D. Luís foot bridge and you’ll see one of the most beautiful views over Porto from Gaia. And you can also take the chairlift, which follows this side of the river.

Day 7 - Back in the Hood

Morning visit followed by lunch at Casa de Tormes - Museu Queirosiano, the home of Portuguese writer Eça de Queiroz, sometimes described as the Portuguese 'Charles Dickens'.

On your return, check out Ponte de Esmoriz, an ancient bridge, and then, further down the road, the Mosteiro de Santo André de Ancede (Monastery of St. Andre), which dates back to the 12th Century.

On the way home, take a quick look around Porto Antigo. Have a drink at the cafe on the jetty or maybe have a drink and a snack at the Porto Antigo Hotel, and enjoy the fabulous view down-river.

Grocery shopping

There are several small supermarkets/grocery stores within a 15-minute drive of the Villa.

Cinfães is the closest town (about 15 mins drive) and has both a Mini Preço and an Intermarché - useful for everyday essentials.

Marco de Canaveses is a larger town with extensive shopping, and supermarkets including Pingo Doce, Lidl and Continente. This is about 25 minutes drive from the house.

On the A4 motorway, which is the main route from Porto and most of the South, there are two large Continente hypermarkets near Paredes and Penafiel. These can be visited en-route to the house and are 40 minutes drive away.