Portugal & Galicia: Food and Wine

Independent departures on an overnight flight to Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Meet in the foyer of the Hotel San Francisco, a converted 18th century convent in Santiago de Compostela and our home for the next 2 nights, for a guided walk through the historic town, including a visit to the cathedral that marks the end of the legendary Camino. Finishing back at the hotel in time to change before dinner.

It’s a 10 minute walk to dinner at Michelin starred A Tafona in the old town. Chef Lucia Freitas has created a little gem of a restaurant and we have a tasting menu paired with local wines. According to the Michelin Guide: “There are personal goals in life that develop with knowledge, travel experience and lots of effort, and this is the perspective from which we should assess the career of Lucía Freitas, a chef with an acute awareness for food intolerances and who is indefatigable in her quest for a healthier style of cooking that uses as many vegetables from her own garden as possible”

Overnight: San Francisco Hotel Monumento, Santiago de Compostela

Meals: D

After the lecture we leave Santiago to drive to Ribeira Sacra for a boat ride, visit and lunch at Adega Algueira, a high-class winery near the Sil canyons, where Fernando Gonzalez makes a range of excellent wines (from local varieties) that are highly rated by Parker. We start with a tasting of their wonderful wines, followed by a very local lunch with Algueira wines and then a river cruise down the Sil in the afternoon after lunch. We see the steepest vineyards in the worked from the river, planted on terraces built in Roman times. Fernando speaks for Ribeira Sacra and is a mouthpiece for the region, spreading the message of Ribeira Sacra’s history and tradition. Now, second-generation Fabio has joined his father at the helm of the winery. 

Our afternoon drive brings us back to the hotel by 7pm where the evening is free.

Overnight: San Francisco Hotel Monumento, Santiago de Compostela

Meals: B, L

After check out we head south to the seaside wine region of the Rias Baixas for a visit and tasting at the family owned Albamar in Cambados. Hosted by Xurxo Albamar, one of Galicia’s top winemakers, we see some coastal vineyards and taste some remarkable wines.The Rias Baixas is the most renowned albarino producing area in the world, a patchwork of sub regions near the Atlantic coast and the perfect match for local seafood. After our tasting we make the short trip south to Pontevedra, a university town where we enjoy a short walk around the centre of the old town before lunch at the winemaker’s favourite Bagos wine barrow here we enjoy a selection of modern style Galician tapas with some fine local wines.

After lunch we drive south until we reach our last resting point in Galicia, at the magnificent coastal setting of the Parador in Baiona. We enjoy stunning views over the bay where the first of Columbus’s ships, La Pinta, returned to Europe on 1st March 1493. There’s time for a wander along the coast before a tapas dinner with local wines at the courtyard in the hotel.

Overnight: Parador de Baiona

Meals: B, L, D

After the 2nd lecture we check out and cross the border to visit the charismatic Vasco Croft in his Aphros winery Vinho Verde region. Founded in 2002, Aphros is a project designed to combine ecological and economical aspects to create true sustainability. Their belief is that nature and labour should combine in a meaningful way and they seek to capture this through Biodynamic viticulture, letting the uniqueness of the land shine through the fruit for inimitable wines. Loureiro and Vinhão have grown in these vineyards for centuries and serve as the reference point for the region.

After lunch there, we head south to the dramatic scenery of the Douro. Check in to the lovely Vintage House Hotel in Pinhão, for next 2 nights. Situated in a former 18th-century wine estate, this luxury hotel overlooks vineyards and the Douro Valley. It has an outdoor pool with panoramic river views. Free evening. There is food available at the hotel or there are a few restaurants within walking distance including LBV.

Overnight: Vintage House Hotel in Pinhão

Meals: B, L

We leave the hotel for a morning visit to the wonderful Quinta do Noval. Of all the terraced vineyards cascading down the Douro Valley’s steep slopes to the water, Port producer Quinta do Noval’s are some of the oldest, holding Portugal’s highest quality ranking. We walk to the plot of ungrafted native vines used to create ‘Naçional’ – one of the world’s most sought-after vintage Ports. The we move on to the winery and cellars for a feel of an estate that traces back to 1715. 

We make the short but spectacular train ride to one of the region’s legendary locations, Quinta do Vesuvio. Despite its remoteness, it has to be the grandest quinta, with about 400 hectares of which about 100 are covered with the finest vines. Lunch here is a privileged experience, before a train ride back to Pinhão.

In the evening we make the short drive for a tasting menu dinner at DOC, the best restaurant in the region. According to the Michelin Guide “It occupies a modern-style building that stands out due to its riverside location on the Douro and boasts an appealing terrace overlooking the water. This venue combines a superb setting with a cuisine that needs no introduction, since the menu is by the renowned Chef Rui Paula. Here, the chef offers a style of cooking that reflects his Trásos-Montes roots, drawing on past memories and fused with products from the riverside, delivering intense, surprising flavours.”

Overnight: Vintage House Hotel in Pinhão

Meals: B, L, D

Check out and we then take a morning traditional rabelo boat ride to Folgosa where we meet the bus before heading on to enjoy a visit, tasting and lunch at Quinta do Vallado, a historic producer in a beautiful location near Regua. Vallado is one of the ‘Douro Boys’ estates and a place of innovation and history in equal measure, with a focus on both still wines and ports.

We then head on to Porto and check in to the majestic Yeatman Hotel, our base for the next 2 nights. The Yeatman stands as a refined oasis of luxury and indulgence. Perched gracefully on the terraced hills overlooking the Douro River, the property is a true masterpiece that marries the rich heritage of the region with contemporary luxe. Free evening. There are restaurants at the hotel and many more within 10 minutes walking distance by the river or in the World of Wine.

Overnight: Yeatman Hotel

Meals: B, L

Meet in reception for a morning visit and tasting at the historic Taylor’s port lodge. Founded in 1692, it has been producing high-quality Port wine for over 300 years. The family-owned company has remained dedicated to making only the finest Ports.

Lunch and the afternoon are free. Last night reception on the hotel terrace then dinner in a private room of the Yeatman’s Orangery restaurant. The Yeatman’s restaurant is a 2* Michelin.

Overnight: Yeatman Hotel

Meals: B, D

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for return flights home.