Pocinho - Regua is a port of call on Douro River cruises nearly year-round, with Avalon Waterways, Scenic Cruises, and Emerald Waterways among the lines calling at this Portuguese wine-region stop.
Pocinho sits deep in the upper Douro Valley, a tiny village of white-walled, red-roofed houses set against terraced hillsides and river bends near the Spanish border. Established in 1887 as the terminus of the Douro Railway, it remains a quiet gateway rather than a destination in itself, its handful of streets soon giving way to vineyards and rugged countryside.
From here, the surrounding region opens up: the medieval hilltop town of Castelo Rodrigo, with its old fortress walls and stone lanes, and the Côa Valley Museum, home to one of the largest collections of open-air Paleolithic rock art in Europe. Travelers typically arrange onward transport, as the landscape and its historic sites lie a short drive beyond the village itself.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Pocinho - Regua.
Explore Castelo Rodrigo
Wander the stone lanes and fortress ruins of this medieval hilltop village a short drive from the dock, and sample local products like cheese, olive oil, or almonds along the way.
Visit the Côa Valley Museum
See one of Europe's largest collections of open-air Paleolithic rock art, with engravings dating back over 20,000 years; reach it by coach transfer, allowing a couple of hours for the museum and viewpoint.
Sip Port Wine Riverside
Linger over a glass of local Port against the terraced vineyards and river bends framing Pocinho, a quiet way to soak in the Douro's dramatic scenery before heading onward.
