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25 Jun 2025

Scenes from the Douro.

The Douro Valley is described as an area of outstanding natural beauty. It does not disappoint. 

It's an old landscape with old long abandoned buildings and small vineyards and huge areas of very well maintained vines in the estates of the major wine/port producers. 

There was a narrow gauge railway line linking Porto to the Spanish city of Salamanca. It ran the length of the Douro in Portugal before it climbed into the hills to reach Salamanca. Sadly it closed in 1980 because it was uneconomic but I'm sure if it were running today it would be a major tourist attraction.

 Most of the track, including some spectacular bridges, is still intact. The base of the track can be seen in the top photo below and the abandoned building may have been a station or a freight building associated with the railway.

Reopening the railway today would most likely be impossibly costly but it would relatively make a stunning tourist cycleway as so much of it is intact.

 Here are some Douro scenes including a photo taken in one of the locks as the ship was undergoing a big lift. The ship just, but only just, fits into the locks. Superb parking skills by the captain. 


 

The grapes from Douro are used in making its most famous product, Port, and a variety of red and white wines.

The dominant producer is Sogrape with its famous Sandeman port brand.







 Leica Q3 43 photos

 

 

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