Porto & the Douro Valley

Portugal's second city, Porto is a gem that is largely free from the tourist hordes. Spend your luxury holiday wandering around the cobbled streets before settling in for a drink or three at one of the port warehouses on the waterfront in Porto, built to house port barrels brought down the river by barge. The warehouses are kept cool in the summer months by a breeze coming off the nearby sea.

The Douro Valley is a short drive east from the city and there have been a couple of hotel openings in the region of late, with former hacienda homes of famous port producing families now elegantly converted to boutique hotels with excellent service and wonderful views along the river.

In summer, the mercury can rise to the mid-30s or even higher in the Douro Valley itself. While this means that the height of summer is probably a no-no, the spring and autumn months usually mean lovely weather that's a good deal warmer than that in the UK, all an easy two hour flight away.