When deciding on a wedding venue that it off the beaten track, deciding how you and your guests are going to get there is a pretty important consideration, so here we are going to run over some options to arrive at wedding destinations in the hotspot of the Douro valley, around Peso da Régua. We will consider the starting point as Porto (although sometimes we will refer to the airport, which is just 15 minutes drive from the centre).

1. Driving – the drive up to Peso da Régua is essentially all motorway, taking the A4 95kms (1 hour) up to Vila Real and then 25 kms along the A24 to Peso da Régua (20 minutes); so 1 hour 20 minutes in total. It is worth noting that you can take a shortcut (leaving the A4 at Amarante and going in on the N101), which is quite a picturesque route, but it is very winding, so slow-going.  In fact pretty much anywhere you go that is not on the motorway you will find to be winding backroads, where it is impossible to drive fast. You have to pay a toll on the motorway, which you can avoid by driving all the way up along the river, but this would take you are 2 hours 45 minutes and there is barely a straight stretch of road the whole way up!
2. Uber/taxi/transfer – using an airport transfer service, you can expect to pay around €140 for a car (4 people) and €220 for a van (up to 10 people). Uber should be around €80 and a normal taxi around €100. Allow around 1 hour 20 minutes.
3. Train – you can catch a train from São Bento station in the middle of Porto, for a beautiful route that follows the river all the way up to Peso da Régua. The journey time is about 2 hours (it varies a little) and the ticket is around €10. There is a train every couple of hours or so (see https://www.cp.pt/sites/passageiros/en – you have to enter Peso da Régua as just “Regua” in the search option).
4. Boat – a truly majestic way to arrive. There are a few options, but generally you will pay somewhere around €60 to €80 with a meal included. It takes around 7 hours and the scenery is fabulous. The boats leave from the middle of Porto (on either the Porto or Gaia side of the river). A popular option is to take the boat in one direction and the train in the other. You can also hire a private boat, which will work out at around €100 per person based on a group of 12.
5. Helicopter – if you are in a rush and want to splash out a little, then you can get from the helipad besides the river in central Porto straight to your wedding venue up the Douro valley in around 30 minutes. Expect to pay around €600 for the trip

As well as providing a comprehensive wedding planner service, we can also look after all the logistical details for you and your guests including, transport, accommodation and activities. Just let us know what you are interested in and we will put together the perfect package for you!