Santa Eugénia

Today, we set out for our first hiking day through the beautiful Douro Valley. Our first leg took us from Pinhao to Vilarinho de São Romão, where our cozy apartment awaited for the night.

The hike was steep, with an elevation gain of 687 meters. We trekked 11.8 km with our backpacks on. Once we reached our destination, we decided to grab some lunch before continuing our journey. To get into town, it was another 4 km hike, which included more steep terrain.

Of course, no walk is complete without a tumble—this time, I tripped on the cobblestones! It wasn’t entirely my fault though; a dog running straight at me totally threw me off balance. Thankfully, I managed to stay on my feet, but it definitely gave us a good laugh.

We ended up at a charming little restaurant called Tipco, arriving just 30 minutes before they were about to close. Thankfully, they let us stay! Most places here close between 3 PM and 7:30 PM, so we were grateful for the chance to eat. The food was incredible. Originally, we both planned to order the steak, but the owner suggested it would be enough for two—and he was absolutely right!

After our satisfying meal, we made our way back to the apartment, but not before stopping at a small supermarket to pick up some cheese, crackers, and cold cuts for dinner.

Back at the apartment, we took a leisurely cocktail walk around the vineyard before settling in the sunroom for a relaxing eveningRead more