Explore Wine Tourism in Portugal

A new initiative from Turismo de Portugal gives travelers an excuse (if they ever needed one) to further explore Portugal’s wine culture.

The Wine Pairs with Portugal initiative is intended to boost awareness of the country’s significant wine industry. As part of the initiative, Turismo de Portugal created six different films to celebrate the way wine in the country intersects with adventure, art, music, wellness and “discovery.” Additionally, the initiative should bring attention to Portugal’s more rural regions, where wine tourism exists year-round, particularly in the Porto, North, Centro and Alentejo regions.

Portugal is home to the oldest appellation system in the world, the Douro Valley (an appellation is a legally defined and protected geographic region for growing wines). The Douro Valley includes the Vinho Verde, Alentejo and Dão regions, in the northwest, and produces some of the world’s most unique and acclaimed wines. Additionally, Portugal boasts two wine-producing regions that have been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage sites, the Douro Valley Wine Region and the Pico Island Wine Region in the Azores.

Portuguese wine tourism opportunities include not only visits to wineries. Traveling vinos can enjoy wine routes, wine bars, wine museums, wine events, wine-themed hotels and more.

Those looking to see Portugal in its peak wine-related finery should plan to visit the country in October, when the 20-plus Portuguese wine regions are deep in the fall grape harvest. There are plenteous opportunities for visitors to participate in the wine harvest in various ways, whether they’re actually lending a hand with the harvest or they’re just celebrating.