Porto and Douro Valley Festival
Wednesday 6th May to Monday 11th May 2026
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IWFS Europe Africa are delighted to invite members from around the world to join an exceptional festival organised by IWFS in conjunction with Grape Escapes and celebrating the wines, food and culture of Porto and the Douro Valley in Portugal.
The tour features two nights in Porto – the city that gave Portugal (and the celebrated wine) its name - followed by two nights in the heart of the Douro Valley, home to some of the World’s oldest vineyards, before returning to Porto for a final night with a gala dinner at a Port Lodge.
In Porto we will be based at the 5* Cenica Porto Hotel, part of the Hilton Curio Collection, while in the Douro we will stay at the 5* Quinta São Jose do Barrilario – a wine hotel and spa - where we have secured a very advantageous rate not available to the general public and have built the cost of this hotel stay into the price of the festival.
In Porto we will visit two well-known Port Lodges including Calem and take a “Progressive 4-Course Lunch” private tour through the historic city. On the way to the Douro, we will taste Vinho Verde (“green” or fresh wine) at the award-winning Quinta de Santa Cristina and Quinta de Raza. We will then focus on the Cima Corgo sub-region of the Douro, enjoying a tasting at Quinta de la Rosa and at the spectacular Quinta das Carvalhas, and a tremendous 11-course dinner at the Michelin-recommended DOC restaurant near Lamego. As we head back towards Porto, via the Baixa Corgo sub-region, we will enjoy a tasting while we cruise on the Douro River. We will also visit the historic Quinta Casa Amarela, situated in an area classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the 300-year-old Quinta da Pacheca.
There is an initial limit of 40 participants for this festival. Registration has now been launched on the website and includes a waitlist facility for those who cannot register. Log into the website using the registration link in the box below for details of costs and registration.
The festival cost is £3,065 (single members £3,350, non-member guests £3,140) and includes all the events, as well as coach travel during the festival. Payment in GBP by direct bank transfer to the IWFS Europe Africa GBP bank in the UK with all bank transfer costs paid by the payee will be reduced by £70 to £2,995 (single members £3,280, non-member guests £3,070).
Travel costs to and from the festival and hotel costs in Porto are not included in the above festival cost (note as above that the 2-night stay in the Douro Valley is included in the cost). All bookings for the Cenica Porto hotel (along with any upgrade requests for the Quinta São Jose do Barrilario) must be made through Grape Escapes (contact: rachel@grapeescapes.net / kyra@grapeescapes.net or +44 1920 468 666). Costs and room types are shown on the registration page. The type of room should be discussed with Grape Escapes and will be on a “first come, first served” basis. Please make your hotel arrangements as soon as possible after registering for the festival.
We are able to leave luggage with Cenica Porto for a small fee. Please also discuss this with Rachel Garrod at Grape Escapes if you wish to add this on.
Throughout the festival, the coach will start from and return to our hotel, and we will have the benefit of an English-speaking guide.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day One, Wednesday 6th May 2025: Registration, welcome and dinner
After registration at the hotel, the festival will commence with a cocktail reception in the hotel where we will meet with our English-speaking guide. We will then depart by coach to a riverside restaurant for a local dinner with local wines.
Day Two, Thursday 7th May 2026: Porto, Sardines and Port Lodges
After breakfast, we will depart by private coach with a local guide, who will accompany us throughout the festival. We will start the day with a visit to a sardine factory at the mouth of the Douro near the Atlantic Ocean, where the work is still performed by hand, with a tasting accompanied by a glass of wine. We will then travel into Porto where our private guides will lead us on a walking tour through the city’s most famous streets in a progressive 4-course lunch. We’ll then travel to a well-known port lodge in the city such as Taylor’s, Sandemans or Cockburns for a tasting, before returning to our hotel to freshen up before dinner.
In the evening, we will travel to Calem Port Lodge to enjoy a private tour, followed by dinner accompanied by wines and a performance of fado – a dramatic traditional Portuguese genre of tragic song.
Day Three, Friday 8th May 2026: Vinho Verde and the Douro
After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and head to Quinta da Santa Cristina, where the wines have been produced by the same family for several generations, for a premium tour and tasting. We then enjoy a picnic lunch at Quinta de Raza followed by a short transfer to our hotel, where the afternoon is free to enjoy the spa and other facilities of the hotel.
In the evening, we’ll enjoy a tasting menu and wine pairing at the hotel’s gastronomic restaurant.
Day Four, Saturday 9th May 2026: The Heart of the Douro
Today we’ll focus on the Cima Corgo sub-region of the Douro, focused on the village of Pinho, where the majority of the renowned Quintas are situated. After breakfast we head to Quinta de la Rosa, where we will be taken on a tour of the estate and cellars and concluding with a tasting of Douro DOC wines.
After a light lunch, we have some free time to explore the pretty town of Pinhão, which sits on a particularly lovely bend of the Douro. We then head to Quinta das Carvalhas, one of the most spectacular properties in the valley, where we will enjoy a private tour and a wine tasting with cheese and charcuterie.
After freshening up at our hotel, we travel to DOC restaurant overlooking the river and terraced vines for a gastronomic 11-course dinner with wines.
Day Five, Sunday 10th May 2026: Tasting on the river and back to Porto
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel to explore the Baixo Corgo sub-region. We start with a cruise on the Douro, with a wine tasting, as we pass through one of the most scenic sections of the river. We then travel to Quinta Casa Amarela, owned by the same family since 1875, where we will enjoy a tour of the winery and a tasting over lunch.
In the afternoon, we travel to the 300-year-old Quinta da Pacheca where vines have been planted since the sixth century in an area now designated as a World Heritage Site. We will be tasting a selection of their wines.
After the tasting, we will board the coach and drive back to Porto, returning to the Cenica Porto Hotel to freshen up before our final night, which features a gala dinner at Pocas Port Lodge.
Monday 11th May 2026: After breakfast and final farewells, depart for home or further adventures
Stephen Harrison
Chair, IWFS Europe Africa