Portugal EV Tours

07/02/2024

Calling all lovers! 💖
We have a special promotion ongoing for the Valentine’s week. Between February 7 and 15, all private bookings will have a 10% discount when using the code VALENTINE10.
Go get yours in the link on bio! 💘
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01/01/2024

A Year in Retrospective (11/12 and 12/12)

November 2023

As far as tours go, this was the final month before a hiatus that is still ongoing. However, in November I had the pleasure of once again hosting repeating customers, the time with Rodney and Val. This was also the first time doing 4 days with the same friends, and we explored locations along the Douro river: Porto, Douro Valley, Foz Côa and then a seldom heard location: Penedono and the Távora walkways - that were partially submerged due to the heavy rains that occurred during this period. Made for a very interesting afternoon! The stars of the show were the Valley, the rock engravings of Foz Côa and the Chestnut soup at Penedono - also heralded as the Portuguese Capital of the Chestnut.

December 2023

Time to relax, spend time with the family and especially my wife, who gave me the best present I could have hoped for!

2024 is definitely going to be the best year ever!

28/12/2023

2023 in 90s!

Check the video below to see what this amazing year was and a teaser of what 2024 will be!

The best is yet to come! 🥂

24/12/2023

A year in Retrospective (9/12 and 10/12)

September 2023

This month marks the official start of the harvest at the Douro Valley. I say official, because in recent years - due to climate change - the harvest has been starting earlier. Nevertheless, we are now in full swing and never have I been busier.
September is punctuated by incredible persons, tastings, experiences, weather, and a 2-day trip between Douro Valley and Serra da Estrela, for unique views, gastronomic experiences and pairings!

October 2023

Another great and busy month, very similar to September. But this month I had the privilege of of meeting back former customers and great friends, that I welcomed at my family house for a unique cooking class with Chef João. There we had great conversations, prepared some seasonal traditional dishes, and shared an amazing day! Make sure to watch the videos in the end, they are mouth watering!

22/12/2023

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for everyone!

Thank you all for your interest in Portugal, por making our little online community one of the best around for all things Portugal, and a big thank you to all those had the pleasure of meeting - you definitely made my 2023 a year to remember!

2024 is poised to be even more fantastic and hopefully I will be privileged enough to share some of my insights with old and new friends!

Cheers! 🍾🥂🎇
Sérgio Costa

17/12/2023

A Year in Retrospective (8/12)

August 2023

August 2023 was probably my slowest month. Not a lot of people have booked me for this month, but for the first time, I did a 2 day transfer between Porto and Lisbon. Taking our time to do it allowed for some unique trips: we saw the castle and medieval festival of Santa Maria da Feira, did Coimbra, Figueira da Foz… a lot of different places we don’t usually see (or visit properly) when having just a single day.
The fact that it is my birthday and wedding anniversary month, coupled with the fact that this year I took half of the month off as a holiday, I did very few tours. But I was able to discover and revisit some more unique locations: Alqueva (close to Monsaraz) and Algarve (Tavira, Tavira Island).

16/12/2023

A Year in retrospective (7/12)

July 2023

July marks the beginning of the “festas populares” in Portugal. These are festivities that are promoted by the different neighbourhoods in each town. You can expect to find amusement rides, flea markets (ideal to purchase your authentic Portuguese souvenirs) and that’s also the place to try some typical food, like the “fartura” or even the “pão com chouriço”.
With the long days, day is an ideal time to make the most out of a trip to the Valley and you can find trips that will run a bit longer than usual - but, when done correctly, time will pass by flying! This is ideal to immerse yourself in the location, allowing for different moments: tastings, cruise, lunch, & relaxation. With long days, you can have it all! Also, this was the moment I have tastes the first (table) grapes of the season!

10/12/2023

A Year in Retrospective (6/12)

June 2023

At the Douro Valley we have a saying to describe the microclimate of the valley: “Nine month of winter and three months of hell”. June marks the beginning of the “Hell season”, although 2023 was a much milder year compared to 2022.
As for activities, we have more DOC wine tours, transfers and Douro Valley tours, but if you’re in Porto around the 23rd of June, get ready to have a blast! On the evening of the 23rd to the 24th, it’s the night of São João - the city’s biggest holiday. People will go out on the street banging on each other’s heads with small, plastic hammers (for good luck) and also releasing small hot air balloons! At midnight, everyone converges to Ribeira to watch the fireworks, one of the biggest fireworks displays in the country! As for me, I like to spend my S. João with the family - but we still have our balloons!

09/12/2023

A Year in Retrospective (5/12)

May 2023

May was the month where we kicked the tours into high gear! But also in May comes one of my favourite seasonal products of the Valley: the cherries! If you’re able to find them, try them, they are delicious and super sweet!
In terms of activity, it was also the month with more DOC Wine tours, a tour created for persons who don’t enjoy sweet wines, allowing them to enjoy small, boutique DOC wines producers of the Valley.
During this month there were also quite a few transfers, especially between Porto and Lisbon, with an assortment of stops along the way. This itinerary is always curated according to the customers’ interest, so no two transfers are the same. But, for first time visitors to our country, there are some places that are iconic: Aveiro, Coimbra, Fátima, Nazaré, Óbidos, just to name a few!
Finally, in Porto, the first full week of May is the Academic week, and you will be seeing the city bursting with the college students. The big day is the Tuesday, which is the day of the Cortejo - in 2024 it will be May 7th! The is a huge parade in downtown Porto, with all the major universities, different faculties from those universities; lots of singing, cars / trucks / vans & buses with floats.

03/12/2023

A Year in Retrospective (4/12)

April 2023

Besides the normal tours, April was a month to explore other locations and try a more “hands-on” approach to the tour. With the help of Chef João, we visited the vegetable garden at Quinta de Ventozelo quite a few times, giving us the chance to to see, feel and taste the raw ingredients used at this vineyards restaurant.
Also in April, taking advance of a few days off, we explored a few megalithic sites (Antas and Dolmens), as well as Penedono, with it’s beautiful and magnificent Castle, and the surrounding little town, dating back to the 10th century! This is now an option as a travel destination for people looking to do more at the Douro Valley, going beyond the traditional wine tastings - and also for people looking at doing multiple days at the Valley!

02/12/2023

A Year in Retrospective (3/12)

March 2023

March marks the begging of spring. With the warmer weather and longer days, tourism kicks back up. The vegetables in the gardens are starting to grow and soon enough we will have plenty of fresh produce to enjoy over the lunch at the Douro Valley. Also, this is the moment we start seeing the vines budding. In a couple of days the first leaves will be out and then the growth of the vines will be almost exponential. The vines are some of the fastest growing plants, and can grow up to 1in (2,5cm) per day!
As for other cultures, this is the moment we start transitioning from the flowering almond trees to the flowering cherry and orange trees. The smell of orange tree blossom is now more present in the air! It's also a great time to check what's going in the vegetable gardens of the estates!

30/11/2023

As November comes to a close, we already have our eyes set on an exciting 2024! 🎆

For this reason, if that’s the year you’ll be traveling to Portugal - and especially the Douro Valley! - don’t miss out on our end of year sale! The 2024 calendar is now open and until the end of the year you can book your 2024 experience at the 2023 rates! This offer will expire on December 31st, so don’t wait! Tell your friends and family, or offer them one of our unique experiences! 🗓️

Portugal EV Tours provides sustainable and luxury experiences for small groups and private travelers, in the Douro Valley and North of Portugal.

29/11/2023

Another Douro Valley tour. Why is this one different? Because it feels it's just us and the Valley!

26/11/2023

A Year in Retrospective (2/12)

February 2023

February marks the beginning of Spring at the Valley, with the flowering Almond trees. When these trees are in bloom, it means the days are finally getting warmer and becoming longer. This time of the year is gorgeous to explore an area rarely visited at the Douro Valley - the Douro Superior (very close to Spain) and the town of Vila Nova de Foz Côa. Besides the flowering almond tree festival held there, you can also visit the famous rock engravings that date back to the upper paleolithic, another UNESCO World Heritage site!
This is also the moment where the vines wake from their winter slumber and when you venture out in the fields you can see the “Choro da Videira” or “Weeping vines”. As the sap starts flowing again and encounters the cut branches, it “overflows”, creating some tears - hence, the so-called weeping vines!

25/11/2023

A Year in Retrospective (1/12)

As 2023 comes to a close, I want to take my take to look back at what this year meant for me.
For starters, I am incredibly thankful to all with whom I shared a piece of local wisdom and hopefully made their trip to Portugal just a little bit better!

So, on weekends from now until the end of the year, I will be posting what I consider to be my personal highlights of each month, particularly focusing on the Douro Valley. Hopefully, some of you will find this helpful on planning your (next) trip!

January 2023

It was a calm month, with the temperatures dropping at the Valley. My restaurant of choice for my Douro Valley tour closes during this time of the year, which meant I had to find an alternative with similar quality. I found Quinta da Côrte, a small, boutique, winery and hotel, with meals and an ambiance that feel like I’m having lunch at my parent’s house at the Valley. Magical, slow, and breathtaking.
This is one of the best times to visit the Valley if you like the slow pace of things, and you like to beat the crowds. Most of the persons we encountered were just locals, very few tourists were around.

03/09/2023

September is here and we are ready for a month full of new experiences and adventures! 💪

The harvest 🍇 happened a bit sooner this year, in most of Douro’s vineyards, due to the clima changes with high, constant temperatures. But there is still lots to see and do!🤩

Check the link in our bio to find out! 📲📩

16/08/2023

The “office” in the next few weeks! ☀️⛱️🌊
We are taking some days off to charge our batteries!🔋
Don’t hesitate to leave us an email if you need to get in touch. We will reply as soon as possible! 📩📲

07/08/2023

Happy birthday, !🥳
May all your wishes come true! ✨

Help us wishing Sérgio a happy day!

01/08/2023

August is here! ☀️
And we are looking forward to spending our days enjoying the sea, sun and sand! 🏖️🌊
Just letting you know we will be off on vacation between August 14 and 27.
We will be back strong on the 28th!

For more info, check the link in the bio.
📲📩

29/07/2023

Recently, this magnificent frame, that so beautifully represents the main product of the Valley 🍇, was added to Valença do Douro viewpoint.

We think this was a great addition! What about you? Let us know in the comments section.👇

02/07/2023

July is the time for sun and festivals in Portugal!
Whether you’re a beach 🏖️, music festival 🎸🎶 or a countryside 🌿 lover, Portugal is the place to be!
A bit all around the country you will find Summer celebrations and fun activities to be part of, and we can take you there!
Check the link in the bio for more info!📩📲

11/06/2023

Sometimes, you gotta look beyond the obvious. That’s where you’ll find the most wonderful things.

01/06/2023

Happy International Children’s Day!

14/05/2023

What to look for when booking a tour?
We always refer to the reviews. What better way to evaluate a service than looking at what others say about it? 🗣️
You can look us up in verified platforms as Trust Pilot, Trip Advisor or Airbnb.

01/05/2023

May 1st, also known as International Worker's Day, is a holiday most commonly associated as a commemoration of the achievements of the labour movement.
In Portugal 🇵🇹 this day is also celebrated. And it doesn’t hurt having a holiday on a Monday! 😏

25/04/2023

April 25 🇵🇹
Today we celebrate one of the most important dates in the history of Portugal - Dia da Liberdade (Freedom Day or Carnation Revolution).
This day marks the end of the dictatorship in the country and honors the establishment of democracy in Portugal.

01/04/2023

For the Portuguese people, April is the month of rebirth and freedom.
Starting with the family traditions in Easter and ending with the Freedom Day, there is lots to celebrate during this month! 🎆
Seems like a great time to visit, wouldn’t you say?
Check the link in bio to find out what you can visit!📲📩

29/03/2023

Can’t get enough of this view! 🌸

17/03/2023

The almond trees blossoming are a beautiful sight to see! 🌸
Vila Nova de Foz Côa is the place to visit as they hold the title of Capital of the blossom almond trees. Each year they celebrate this wonderful nature event around February-March and we were lucky to still have caught a glimpse of it last week! 🤩