Portugal Day 6 – Douro Dreams

At long last, a full night’s sleep. Seven or eight uninterrupted hours might not sound like much, but after nearly a week of fractured rest, it felt like a spa retreat for the soul. I woke first and slipped out onto our porch overlooking the Douro Valley, the terraced vineyards tumbling down to the babbling river below. The air was still and faintly sweet with grapes and wild rosemary. For a long moment, nothing moved but the mist.

Eventually, the ladies stirred, and we gathered for a slow breakfast, nodding knowingly at other bleary-eyed parents who clearly understood the rare joy of a full night’s rest. Back at our hotel lobby, Joni happily explored the rugged, masculine space, her tiny palms smacking against leather chairs and stone floors, while I sampled from the self-serve Port bar (yes, Port at 10 a.m., but when in the Douro…). 

Lunch was the highlight of the day: a 14-course tasting menu at DOC Douro, a Michelin-rated restaurant perched directly over the river, where the terrace seemed to hover above the water and distant trains hummed along the opposite bank like contented bees. The view alone was worth the trip, but the food… the food was something else entirely.

We began with warm bread, olives, and impossibly airy goat’s milk butter that tasted like it had been whipped by perfectionists. Then came sardine with tomato and olive oil, a bright, briny kiss of the sea, followed by foie gras with mango and hazelnut, rich and silken with just a flicker of sweetness. A piglet croquette arrived next, golden and crisp, paired with aioli and orange zest, sunshine and comfort all in one bite. 

Each dish that followed seemed to top the last: smoked eel with apple and galangal (smoky, crisp, and oddly refreshing), sea bass with quinoa and avocado (a miniature masterpiece of texture), and melt-in-your-mouth wagyu with broccoli and black bean sauce (umami heaven). Even the desserts were playful and astonishing, a cauliflower ice cream that shouldn’t have worked but did, followed by dark chocolate with a subtle wasabi kick and a tangy raspberry finish.The only let down were the wines, I sampled multiple from various top vineyards and was unimpressed. The Port was still good though.  

Joni did remarkably well, considering she was presented with her own “three-course meal.”  She was intrigued until they handed her cutlery, at which point chaos ensued. Between Emily’s calm and my intermittent scenic stroller walks along the deck, we managed to enjoy the entire marathon meal without any major meltdowns (hers or ours).

We returned to our vineyard oasis for a family nap, lulled by the hum of the valley and full beyond reason.  Later, the staff set up a picnic near the base of the property as the sun set behind the hills. Joni played in the grass, babbling to the wind, while we lightly sample

The foods (still full from lunch) and watched golden light fade across the river. 

Two more days until we return home. For now, we’re perfectly content, fed, rested, and blissfully disconnected from the rest of the world.