Travel to Portugal With Me In October!

"All wine would be Port if it could."
--Portuguese Proverb

Would you like to join me on a vacation in Portugal this October, exploring the wine and food of this compelling country? I'm collaborating, as a wine tour guide, with Sagres Vacations, a local company which specializes in exciting vacations to Portugal and Spain. We've created an interesting itinerary that will explore the wine and food of northern Portugal. I'm hoping some of my friends and readers will decide to join me on this upcoming trip.       

Portugal is becoming a hugely popular destination for American tourists. 2019 was a record year for tourism in Portugal, which was then brought down by the pandemic. Yet, tourism has since rebounded, and has even been breaking new records. For example, between January and July of 2023, a record number of bout 16.8 million people traveled to Portugal. The largest group of these tourists were from Britain, with Spain in second place, and the U.S. in third place. The number of U.S. tourists increased 27% in 2022, and increased by 26%, over 2019 figures, in the first couple months of 2023. More and more Americans are discovering the wonders of Portugal.

As you're aware, I've long been an ardent lover and promoter of the wines of Portugal, including Port Wine. I’ve written over 100 articles about Portugal, including its wines, spirits, cuisine, history, culture and more. Over 60 Portuguese wines have ended up on my annual Top Ten Wine lists, including 6 in my recent Top 20 Wines of 2023. In addition, I’m a Certified Wine Location Specialist, a collaboration of the Center for Wine Origins and the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Do Porto,  which includes Port wine and the Douro region. I've also been inducted as a Cavaleiro in the Confraria do Vinho do Porto, a Knight in the Brotherhood of Port Wine, an honor bestowed upon me for my ardent promotion and support of Port wine. 

I was last in Portugal this past October 2023, spending my time in northern Portugal, and I've written a number of articles about my experiences, with more articles coming in the near future. On this new trip, in October 2024, we will visit some of my favorite places, as well as plenty of new places. There's so much to explore in Portugal that no single trip can cover everything you might want to see. However, you can sample some of the best northern Portugal has to offer, enjoying excellent wines and cuisine. I'm very excited to return to Portugal and hope you can join me there.

Our tour, Wine Vibes in Portugal, will take place from October 8-17, 2024 and includes luxury accommodations for eight nights. We'll visit the Vinho Verde, Douro and Dão wine regions, as well as the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Some of the wineries we'll visit include Quinta da Lixa, Quinta do Vallado, Quinta da Pacheca, Kopke, Caminho Cruzados, and Quinta dos Roques. This list includes three wineries whose wines have ended up on my annual Top Ten wine lists. There will also be a walking tour of Porto, seeing many of its historic and interesting sites. Numerous meals are included, including lunch at DOC, a superb restaurant in the Douro. Check out the full itinerary for all of the details, including the cost and how to register for the trip.

The itinerary also provides you plenty of free time so you can explore Portugal on your own. You might want to visit other wineries, especially other Port Houses in Vila Nova de Gaia. In Porto, you can eat the iconic Francesinha sandwich, a hearty meal with French fries, and I know I'll be seeking one or two when I return to Porto. You can see a fascinating and moving Fado performance, a unique Portuguese music genre, with a delicious dinner, at Fado Português. In Porto, walk down Santa Catarina street and shop at the many intriguing shops there. There is so much you can do in Portugal! 

This small trip will consist of just 15 people, and the only prerequisite is that you should enjoy wine. You don't have to possess any specific level of wine knowledge, but be willing to learn about the wines of Portugal. So eager beginners are just as welcome as those who already know Portuguese wines well. If you have any questions about the trip, feel free to contact me or you can also contact Sagres Vacations. 

And as I've said multiple times before: "I have heard the clarion call for the wines of Portugal, those intriguing wines which seduce with their tantalizing aromas and flavors. It is my desire that many others feel the urge of that clarion call too. To that end, I have become an ardent advocate for Portuguese wines, to share all the excellence I have found in their wines." I hope you can hear that clarion call as well, and will join me in Portugal in October.

"Sip your spirits and cure your cold, but I will take Port that will cure all things, even a bad character. For thee was never a Port drinker who lacked friends to speak for him.”
--William Makepeace Thackery