Quinta Matilde

An unique holiday villa, Quinta Matilde is surrounded by 8,000 sq meters of land and all the 4 en-suite double bedrooms as well as the social areas, have been designed to enjoy the very special landscape and views over olive trees and vineyard terraces, sloping all the way down to the river Douro. Slate (local to the Douro), glass and wood have been used for the contemporary interiors; and its fitted with air-conditioning for those very hot Douro summer days, as well as central heating and fireplaces for off-season , making it suitable for year round rentals. And while the gracious and accommodating staff prepare fantastic daily breakfasts as well as other meals on request, the panoramic terraces are perfect for “al fresco” meals. Then in the evenings, the outlook from the swimming pool and the Jacuzzi transforms into something quite magical – whilst the pool is flood-lit, the Jacuzzi’s ceiling is all lit-up with tiny stars and you look out onto to the faint twinkling lights of distant villages.  A very spacious games room includes a pool table, a piano and a bar. There is also an outdoor chill-out area amidst vineyards and olive trees, providing the ideal set up for a private wine tasting (on request) or just somewhere to relax the hours away, with a book and a glass of port in your hand.

Just 1km away is Pinhão, with river marina & historic train station; there is also a supermarket, specialist wine shops and various cafes and restaurants including the elegant Vintage House, all of which are a steep but do-able walk down into the valley. The Douro Valley in Portugal is an UNESCO World Heritage Site recognizing the area around the Douro River where wine has been produced for the past two thousand years. Port wine is produced exclusively in the Douro and you can visit numerous Quintas, learn about the process, taste their production and buy Port directly. You will feel “far from the madding crowd”, yet with plenty to explore and enjoy locally, from nature walks to river cruises, as well as some excellent eateries (both simple and sophisticated) to be sampled. Not to be missed is the unforgettable historic train trip up-river from Pinhão to Foz Tua: never leaving the riverside and passing Douro Quintas and damn locks, with the landscape of terraced vineyards changing to dramatic rocky outcrops, making this one of Europe´s great rail journeys!