The Douro river flows west from Spain to the Atlantic and its expansive valley is lined with hamlets, farms, and countless terraced vineyards that produce the grapes for port and other wines. Its beauty and serenity are matched only by the people who live there, whose families, in many cases, have worked the land for a century or more.
Our four-day stay in the Douro Valley produced many moments we treasure. Three elements, in particular, made our stay so memorable: First is the sheer beauty. We spent several hours enjoying the views from a boat (owned by an ex-pat from London who spoke with an entertaining combination of Cockney and Portuguese accents) as we meandered up the river to Pinhão where we toured the Quinta do Bonfim winery.
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Second, the Six Senses resort provided an escape for the mind and body from all that we experience in our daily lives. Everything, from the resort's beautiful amenities, to the bounty of local produce and wines served at mealtimes, to the efficiency and attentiveness of its highly-trained staff, helped us relax and allow ourselves to be pampered.
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The third experience was an unexpected treat and one we highly recommend should you ever visit this area. Our travel agent arranged for half a day of "Cooking with the Countess" which, for someone as inept as me in the kitchen, was a little daunting. After navigating miles of narrow, windy back-roads, we arrived at the home of the countess of Várzea. The magnificent property on a 450-acre estate was once her family's summer home that she and her husband have renovated as a hotel. The countess, Maria, was so welcoming that we were immediately at ease and she shared her amazing riches-to-rags-to-riches life story (too long to capture here) that would make a terrific biographical book or movie. After a quick tour, we spent a couple of hours in the home's original 18th century kitchen (the hotel has a modern commercial kitchen) where she guided us through the preparation of a delicious three-course meal, including fresh-baked bread and crème brûlée, using only the original, log-fired cast iron stove and cookware. We then enjoyed the fruit of our labors in the family dining room. It was truly an amazing experience and great fun.
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