Pinhão is a hidden gem only a few hours from Porto. Pronounced ‘Pin-yow’, it’s a tiny town with calm, relaxing village vibes and a handful of restaurants, mini-markets, bakeries, cafes and places to stay. It is a place for relaxation; sleeping in late, taking long walks, enjoying locally-produced wine and port, chilling on boats and appreciating the gorgeous scenery that surrounds you.
The perfect antidote to a few busy days in nearby Porto, and well-deserving of a spot on your Portugal itinerary. Most people visit as a day trip from Porto, via an organised tour or independently. However, I really recommend staying for at least one night to experience the calm and tranquility of the town after the day-trippers have left.
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Port Tastings in Pinhão
Did you know that port-style fortified wine is produced outside of Portugal, but it can’t be labelled ‘port’ unless it’s produced in the Douro Valley in Portugal? That’s just one of many things I learned about port while in Pinhão. You can visit different vineyards to do guided tours, sample their port and wine varieties and learn about the production process. Here are some of Pinhao’s most well-rated tours to consider:
We went to Quinta de La Rosa for a one-hour tour and tasting. The tour & tasting cost €21 per person and we were able to try two five-year-old ports, along with two of their wines. Quinta de La Rosa has a popular on-site restaurant, as well as a shop to take a bottle or two home with you. Before visiting Portugal, I knew nothing about port and now know I’m a huge fan, especially a well-aged tawny!
If you don’t have the time to visit a vineyard, you can still try local wine and port in bars around Pinhão. We really liked where we tried a 20-year-old tawny port, a Noval Black port, a 1996 vintage and a porto tonico (port mixed with tonic water).
Boat Tours on the Douro River
One of the most popular things to do in Pinhão is take a river boat trip along the Douro river. The boat ride last for one or two hours depending on the tour provider you choose, so it is really easy to fit into your schedule. There are different tours to consider, like 2-Hour Rabelo Boat Tour with Audio Guide or Douro River Boat Tour with Lunch (where you get a meal included in the price). For those wanting a more exclusive experience, you can also hire a private yacht to take you along the Douro River.
If you prefer to be more spontaneous, you can buy your boat tickets on arrival at the pier. Most tours along the Douro River include an audio guide that can be accessed from your phone (via the free Magnifico Douro app, multiple languages available).
Hiking in Pinhão
Pinhão is a great destination for hikers and ramblers, as it’s surrounded by stunning hills and vineyards. We did a 9.8km hike “Trilho de Pinhão – Casal de Loivos”, which took almost four hours and went in a circular loop. You can find information about the different hiking paths in Pinhão on a large board across the road at the train station. There is a lot of useful information including the altitude, distance, duration, type of trail and the signs and signals you will see along the way indicating if you are or aren’t going the right way.
We were there in April, and it was warm and very sunny, so I imagine in the summer months it’d be very tiring. There are no water taps along the way so make sure you bring plenty with you. Also remember a sun hat or sun umbrella as there are no trees or covering. Once you reach the top of Casal de Loivos, you should stop off at D’Origem for a refreshing, well-earned glass of wine (their rose is crisp, fruity and delicious) and a plate of meat and cheese produced by their farm. The views across the Douro Valley are stunning from D’Origem.
How to Get to Pinhão
You can reach Pinhão in under two and half hours from Porto. We caught the train from São Bento station, but it also stops at Campanha. You can buy tickets in advance via Omio, a really easy-to-use website where you can compare train times and prices, and buy e-tickets to download to your smartphone. You should note that stops on the way to Pinhão are not announced during the journey, so keep an eye out when you reach each platform so you don’t miss your stop.
The scenery along the Douro river is beyond stunning! Green hills dotted with vineyards as far as the eye can see, alongside the deep blue river. Sit on the right-hand side of the train for the best views. Photos just don’t do this region justice; you must see it for yourself!
Where to Stay in Pinhão
We really liked our hotel Dois Lagares House, which is around 15 minutes away from Pinhão train station. The accommodation is on the Quinta de Santo António vineyard and guests can take tours through the vineyard and sample their wines. Dois Lagares House is cozy, comfortable and stylish, and we particularly enjoyed the private outdoor seating area. Even though it is next to a road, we slept very well both nights. It would be a great place for groups to visit, as there’s a communal living room on the first floor, along with tables and chairs.
If Dois Lagares isn’t available, here are some well-rated alternatives:
- Casa Rocha (£) – Recently renovated and clean, this apartment-style stay has a lovely garden and rooftop view over the river. The location is very walkable to the centre and vineyards.
- LBV House Hotel (££) – A modern, comfortable hotel in the heart of the Alto Douro wine region with spacious rooms, large balconies and lovely views over Pinhão and the Douro River.
- The Vintage House – Douro (£££) – A luxury hotel in a renovated 18th-century wine estate, with spacious rooms with furnished balconies, a pool with panoramic views of the Douro River, and excellent regional cuisine at its Rabelo restaurant.
Where to Eat in Pinhão
My husband and I didn’t have high expectations for our meals in Pinhão, as the town is so small and some of the restaurants we researched had negative reviews. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find O Porco for our first lunch (restaurant temporarily closed). It’s a one-man show and the owner/chef/barman happily explained the small menu to us in English. We couldn’t resist ordering the platter of locally-sourced meat and cheese.
We ate dinner in the same places two nights in a row, which is very unusual for us. Churrasqueira is very popular with locals and based on the quality of food and low prices, it’s easy to see why. Our first evening we shared fried chicken, a whole sea bream, chips, salad, rice, a half litre of white wine and a generous slice of port cake (think rum baba, but made with port). The price for all that? Only €29.50! The second evening we spent around the same on a salmon dish, a whole sea bass, wine and salad.
Visiting Pinhão as a Day Trip from Porto
If you don’t have time to stay overnight in Pinhão, don’t worry, there are some fantastic tours from Porto. These involve a private transfer to/from Pinhão, visits to at least one vineyard for a guided tour and tasting, a sit-down lunch and a chance to explore the area.
Check out these popular tours, which all have excellent reviews and are suitable for different budgets:
- Douro Valley Boat Tour, Wine Tasting & Lunch
- Douro Valley Wine Tour with Lunch, Tastings & River Cruise
- Douro Valley Full-Day Boat, Train, and Lunch Tour
- Douro Valley Premium Small-Group Wine Tour
- Douro Valley Tour with Wine Tasting, Cruise and Lunch
Spending more time in Portugal? Check out my suggested 10-day Portugal itinerary and Porto travel guide so you have plenty of ideas for your vacation.
All too quickly it was time for us to leave Pinhão. However, as you can tell, I really liked it and would love to return one day. If you have been to Pinhão, or elsewhere in the Douro Valley, what was your favourite place or activity?
Ciao for now
Izzie, the Curious Sparrow
Ciao Izzie, I’m curious to know if you walked the 15 minutes to your hotel in Pinhao and if you visited any other towns on the river. I would like to take this train in January 2024 using Porto as a base for a week while I also go to Guimaraes and maybe Braga. Thanks for any information you can supply.
Hi Linda, thanks for getting in touch! Yes, I walked to and from my accommodation to the town centre several times during the day and night. Our hotel Dois Lagares House is on a flat main road, but there isn’t a pavement and you have to walk alongside the traffic so it might not be an ideal choice for everyone. If you’d rather be more central, look for accommodation close to Pinhao’s train station. You can then easily reach other towns in the region. We wanted to visit Peso da Régua but didn’t have time, maybe you can fit it into your trip. I hope you have a wonderful time in Portugal!
Thanks Izzie! Good info. I’ll have no problem with the flat as I’ve walked Porto to Santiago. (But not with a suitcase!) I looked at Regua but prices are overwhelming for a single old lady. Will be coming in from Guiamares but if I can’t time it right will spend a night or 2 in Porto. Excellent gelato on Rua Carolina – NOT the Majestic- I’m very impatient to sample again. Safe travels to you. Thanks again.
Wow, that walk sounds amazing! The hills and roads won’t pose a problem for you then. Safe travels to you too!
Regarding getting to and from vineyards, how do you recommend doing that? We plan to take the train into Pinhao from Porto, but wasn’t sure how to get around once we are there. If needed, we could arrange a private car from Porto but would prefer not to! Thank you. What a wonderful post 🙂
Hi Tanna! I took the train from Porto to Pinhao and then reached the vineyards on foot. The town is really compact and walkable. I visited a tour and tasting at Quinta de La Rosa, which is around 20 minutes walk from the train station. There is also a restaurant there if you want to eat afterwards.
There is also Quinta do Bomfim, which is only 5 minutes’ walk from the station. Further to the east there’s Quinta da Roêda (25 minutes from the station). If you don’t want to go on foot, you can catch a taxi from the main road (by the train station) to take you to any of these vineyards.
If you’re a fan of walking/hiking, you can reach Quinta do Jalloto in around 50 minutes on foot. Alternatively you can reach this Quinta by rental car/private driver/taxi as it’s part of a tiny village on one of the hills overlooking the valley. The views from the Quinta do Jalloto terrace are truly fantastic!
I hope you have a wonderful time in Porto and Pinhao. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi! I’ll be in Porto next month and am planning a train day trip out to possibly Pinhao. What kind of hours do the vineyards keep? Are there typical days when they are not open for tours? When visiting California several times this was a problem bc we only had a day or two for wine tastings/tours and all the wineries were closed on those particular days – trying to plan better this time 🙂
Hi there! The vineyards seem to be open all day everyday – Quinta da Roeda is open 10am-6.30pm, Quinta das Carvalhas 10am-6pm most days and Quinta de la Rosa do two or three tours per day on average. It is worth double-checking on the vineyards’ website (Google times are not always 100% accurate) but I don’t think you will have any problems with opening times. Enjoy Portugal!
I’m thinking of doing some hikes and wine tasting any recommendations?
Sure! I enjoyed the 9.8km hike “Trilho de Pinhão – Casal de Loivos” (there are different hiking trails available on maps around the town). For the tastings – Quinta de La Rosa and Quinta do Noval. I stayed at a hotel on the grounds of Quinta de Santo António so that’s another quinta you could try. I hope you enjoy Pinhão!
Loved stumbling upon this post = we are doing the same thing in October. Taking train from Porto to Pinhao, staying at Dois Lagares with no car and then taking the train to Peso do Regua for our 2nd night. Curious if The Bridge 1870 was open when you were there (it’s a restaurant). Looks to be about a 5 minute walk from Dois Lagares. Do you know if you can drop suitcase off at Dois Lagares before check in? We’ll be getting there by noon, then plan to walk to BonFim and maybe Quinta de la Rosa before heading back to shower for dinner. Need to be able to walk (no car). Any suggestions you have are appreciated! Last question – did you just show up to the wineries or did you schedule ahead of time? Cannot wait!!
Hi there! How exciting – you are going to love Pinhao. I am sure you will be able to drop off your bags before checking in as the staff are very accommodating. We went everywhere on foot with no issues – although some sections of the roads don’t have proper pavements/sidewalks, so make sure to walk facing the oncoming cars!
We pre-booked Quinta de la Rosa but otherwise did spontaneous tastings at smaller wine shops and bars. I would suggest pre-booking the vineyard tours and tastings to avoid disappointment. Have fun! 😃