The simplest way is to fly into and out of Porto. If you are coming from outside of Europe, then it's often easier to fly into/out of the capital and connect with Porto by train at the start. We can help arrange that, of course.

For the best balance of temperatures, rainfall and visitor numbers, we advise you plan to travel from April through to June and then late September through to early November. During these times of year, you should be able to enjoy pleasant walking temperatures inland and in the cities.

Peak season is from mid-July to end of August but we do not generally offer this trip during that period as the area is busier with summer holiday makers from Portugal, and it is too hot for most. September in Douro can be busy as it is harvest time, but can be a really fun and photogenic time to be there.

This trip has walking baked into most days. These are moderate walks of between 4km and 12km. They are designed to showcase the best scenery, in a relaxed way. You have a fairly short guided walking along the Atlantic coastal trail to begin. The following day, you can choose between an 8km or 11.5km circular route from a mountain village. The next brings a guided walk in the national park, which can be tailored to you, and then in the Douro you have a 7km downhill trail with the option of another 4km trail the next day.

For sure! From start to finish, this trip takes you deep into the heart of Portugal's engaging and varied culture in both the cities and rural areas. We are sure to include time with our local guides at key moments in the journey.

The hotels you will stay at on this trip tend more towards the premium end of the scale. That's not to say they're fancy for the sake of being fancy, but rather we know you'll have a warm welcome, a big comfy bed, a great location and a bit of peace and quiet too.

Please get in touch for full details.

This trip invites active discovery, with days spent exploring city streets and walking trails on foot. Naturally, there are ways for you to dial this up and down as you go though and a feature of this trip is its emphasis on food, cultural and wine experiences, which require little in the way of athletic prowess.

When you are with your guides, you simply discuss your options with them and they can adjust things accordingly, either more or less active.

We take care of that. Throughout your travels - from airport and back again - you have very comfortable private transfers to carry you and your bags from place to place. The only time you may need to call a local taxi is on your free day in the Douro Valley, where you might like to do an additional self-guided walk and end with a winery visit.

Not at all, no. Your hosts and guide all speak good English and you'll have little problem in somewhere so geared towards tourism as Porto is. In the countryside, you'll find some restaurants and bars have limited English, but part of the fun is getting by and finding ways to communicate. Generally, if you're somewhere where English is not widely spoken, then that's a sign you're somewhere interesting...