Backed by the Serra do Marão
mountains and overlooking the wide valley of the River Douro,
the peaceful town of Peso da Régua is the official centre
of the Port wine growing region. From here, barrels of wine
were traditionally transported to Vila Nova de Gaia in the past
using wooden sailing ships called rabelos. Today, the journey
is made by road using specially-adapted tankers. What to see: The stained-glass windows of the Casa do
Douro depict the history and production of Port wine. Also displayed
is a fine map of the Douro Valley drawn in the mid-19th century
by Baron Joseph Forrester, an enterprising Englishman who reformed
the port trade after joining his uncle's wine company in Oporto. Nearby: The attractive Manueline church of São
Nicolau in the charming village of Mesão Frio (12 km
from Peso da Régua) features late 16th-century ceiling
panels. The tourist office and town hall are housed in the 18th-century
cloisters of a former Franciscan monastery. 8 km to the east
of Régua, excavations of a Roman settlement can be found
at Canelas, near Covalinhas.
