Alijó is a town and municipality in the Alto Douro wine region of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, northern Portugal. This area is the centre of the oldest demarcated wine region in the world: the Alto Douro Wine Region, classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The municipality includes the town of Pinhão.

Understand

Alijó (uh-LEE-zhoh, /ɐ.ɫɨ.ˈʒɔ/) municipality has 11,942 residents (2011), while the civil parish of Pinhão (pee-NYUHNOOW, /pi.ˈɲɐ̃w/) has 648.

Get in

Regional train of CP - Comboios de Portugal

Independência catamaran, Barcadouro

By plane

Most travellers will arrive through Francisco de Sá Carneiro airport in Porto.

By train

• 1 Estação Ferroviária do Pinhão (Pinhão train station), ☏ +351 254 732 744. PDF timetable. (updated Jul 2021)

By boat

• 2 Barcadouro, Cruise Régua - Pinhão, ☏ +351 223 722 415. 14:45. Cruise on the Douro. Upstream to Pinhão; takes 2 hours. €30. 

By bus

• 3 Rodonorte, ☏ +351 259 340 710, geral@rodonorte.pt. From Vila Real. €4.85. 
• 4 Transdev Interior, ☏ +351 225 100 100. Between Alijó and Pinhão. €2.95.  

Get around

On foot

Pinhão is easily navigable on foot.

By taxi

Taxi are available and can be found in the Pinhão Train Station.

• 5 Taxi Pinhão, ☏ +351 96 61 92 904, correio@taxipinhao.com.  

See

View from Casal de Loivos viewpoint

Gustave Eiffel Bridge in Pinhão

• 1 Casal de Loivos viewpoint (Miradouro de Casal de Loivos), Pinhão.  
• 2 Gustave Eiffel Bridge (Ponte Gustave Eiffel, no Pinhão). Designed by Gustave Eiffel.  
• 3 Pier (Cais Fluvial), Pinhão.  

Do

Rabelo boat in Pinhão

Tasting at Quinta do Bonfim

Douro Historical Train

Douro Boat Tour

• 1 Companhia Turística do Douro, ☏ +351 963 934 951, companhiaturisticadodouro@gmail.com. 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 14:30, 15:30, 16:30, 17:30. One-hour cruise in a typical Rabelo boat with departure and arrival at Pinhão. You will able to admire a unique landscape classified World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Daily Cruises. Pinhão - Romaneira - Pinhão. €10. 
• 2 Anima Durius, ☏ +351 939 922 002, geral@animadurius.pt. Private tours. Boats: Stella Maris, Caota and Baco. 
• Rivus - The Douro Wine Boat, ☏ +351 967 196 981, info@rivus.pt. Private tours. Boat: Senhora do Carmo. 

Guided tour and wine tasting

• 3 Quinta do Bomfim - Symington Family Estates, Pinhão, ☏ +351 254 730 370, quintadobomfim@symington.com. from €17. 
• 4 Quinta da Roêda - Croft Port, ☏ +351 220 109 830, turismo.roeda@croft.pt. Daily 10:00-18:00. (updated Mar 2020)
• 5 Quinta das Carvalhas, ☏ +351 254738050. Guided bus tour (in Portuguese, English, and French) and tasting for 12 EUR. (updated Jun 2022)

Travel by train through the UNESCO-listed landscape

Pinhão to Pocinho - This is the most beautiful section of the Douro Line and certainly one of the most beautiful railway routes in the world.

• Douro Historical Train, ☏ +351 221 052 503, cohistorico@cp.pt. Traveling by historic train along the Douro River is like taking a trip back in time. The 5 historic wagons cross the valley between Régua and Tua with a stop in Pinhão. This trip is unique, for the beauty of the landscape classified by UNESCO as World Heritage, the animation aboard a group of music and traditional songs from the region accompanied by a toast with a glass of Porto Ferreira. The Douro Historical Train operates between June and October every year. €42.50. (updated Sep 2020)

Hiking

• Way of St. James - Variant 'Heart of the Douro' 1st Stage (Caminho de Santiago).  

Buy

• 1 Talho Qualifer, Rua António Manuel Saraiva 45 A, Pinhão, ☏ +351 254 732 156, geral@qualifer.eu.  

Eat

Budget

• 1 Sabores do Douro, Rua Condessa da Tabueira 25, Pinhão, ☏ +351 254 731 720, tiagovieira24@hotmail.com. (updated Jul 2019)
• 2 Rufete Restaurant, Rua António Manuel Saraiva 13, Pinhão, ☏ +351 254 738 355. (updated Sep 2019)
• 3 Segredos do Douro Restaurant, Largo da Estação 29-B, Pinhão, ☏ +351 254 732 436. (updated Sep 2019)

Splurge

• 4 Restaurante Rabelo, Estrada Nacional 323, Pinhão, ☏ +351 254 730 230. (updated Nov 2019)
• 5 Casa dos Ecos (Echoes' House), Pinhão, ☏ +351 935 452 975, info@casa-dos-ecos.com. The pop-up at Casa dos Ecos showcases the best of seasonal Douro produce, bringing together two celebrated names from Portuguese cuisine and wine – renowned fine wine and Port producers, the Symington family, and Michelin-starred chef, Pedro Lemos. (updated Aug 2020)

Drink

Sandeman Wine Shop

Quinta do Noval wine shop

• 1 Sandeman wine shop, Largo da Estação 14-B, Pinhão, ☏ +351 93 785 01 38. 10:30-18:30. 
• 2 Quinta do Noval wine shop, Rua da Praia 15, Pinhão, ☏ +351 933 770 285, cindy@quintadonoval.pt. 10:30 - 19:30. Wine shop and tasting room. (updated Mar 2020)

Sleep

Hostel

• 1 Hostel Douro Backpackers, Largo Doutor Duarte da Fonseca Lobo 93, Pinhão, ☏ +351 932 894 487, geral@dourobackpackers.pt. Check-in: 15:00 – 21:00, check-out: 10:00 – 12:00. hostel. 

Bed & breakfast

• 2 Quinta da Galeira, Pinhão, ☏ +420 778 452 756. Check-in: 15:00 – 21:00, check-out: 07:00 – 12:00. 

Hotel

The Vintage House Hotel

• 3 Hotel Douro, Rua António Manuel Saraiva 39, Pinhão, ☏ +351 254 732 404, reservas@hotel-douro.pt. 1-star hotel. 
• 4 LBV House Hotel, Pinhão, ☏ +351 254 738 320, info@lbvhousehotel.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. 3-star hotel. 
• 5 The Vintage House - Douro, Pinhão, ☏ +351 254 730 230, reservations@vintagehousehotel.com. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 12:00. 5-star hotel.