A Riverfront Palace in Porto,
and a Douro River Cruise to the
Great Wine Regions of Northern Portugal

We invite you to join Castles and Concerts in the Fall of 2025, where we will all experience the culture, history, music, food, and wine of Porto and the Douro Valley together. We have a wonderful trip lined up with excellent guides, great food, fabulous properties, and an incredible cast of musicians to bring you great performances every night!

We are very excited about both of our hotels that we’ve secured for our group. In Porto, we will stay at Pestana Palácio do Freixo for 6 nights. Built in 1742 by the famous architect Nicolau Nasoni, the Freixo Palace is a National Monument and a 5 Star Hotel, set just on the outskirts of Porto along the Douro River. After being occupied by several important Counts and Barons, it was purchased in the early 20th century by an industrialist who hoped to retire in luxury. He quickly found that he was bored by a life of leisure, and decided to build a factory adjoined to the palace that he could oversee.

Climbing up the banks of the Rio Douro like a pop-up book, Porto will enchant you with its medieval alleys, old world shops, cobbled streets, and baroque monuments. We will also have a chance to enjoy the fashionable modern sections of this magnificent city. The city has a nickname Cidade das Pontes, or "City of Bridges," with the most notable being the Dom Luís I Bridge, which was built in 1881–85 from a design by a disciple of the French civil engineer Gustave Eiffel, and the Maria Pia Bridge (1876–77), designed by Eiffel himself.

Portugal was founded by Celts, and later occupied by Romans, Visigoths, Moors, and finally becoming a kingdom under the rule of Afonso Enríquez in 1143. From all this history, you’ll find Porto to be home to a fascinating blend of Baroque, Neoclassical and just a bit of Belle Epoque architecture, which you see through our tours of the city. In the 1700’s they built the Clérigos Tower, a great Baroque church with a bell tower that you can see from anywhere in the city . In the 1800’s they concentrated less on heaven and built an opulent stock exchange: The Palácio da Bolsa.

In small groups, we’ll visit these sites, as well as the famous Ribeira neighborhood. The Ribeira is in the old town along the Rio Douro, and with its colourful and wonderfully decorated façades, it is one of the most authentic and picturesque parts of the city.

Port was invented during the 17th century while Britain was at war with France. Britain obviously didn’t want to buy wine from their enemy, and looked to Portugal. Wine was fortified with Brandy for long voyages, which gave the wine the distinct flavor that we know well today. The English grew to enjoy this Port quite a lot, and even more so after a treaty was signed in 1703 reducing the tax on Portuguese wine.

After 6 glorious nights in Porto, we’ll board a sensational river cruise to take us down the Douro River. We’ll enjoy extraordinary views and great music on board as we pass through this beautiful region. We’ve arranged for lunch at the famous winery Quinto da Todo for a tasting and a special private lunch.

That afternoon we’ll arrive at The Vintage House, which sits mere steps away from the dock. The Vintage House overlooks the Douro River and is surrounded by hillsides etched with rows of terraced vines. We’ll have exclusive use of this wonderful riverside hotel, and every single room has a balcony with a river-view. There are several impressive suites available on the property as well.