Tarouca, Ucanha, Peso da Regua & Miranda (Portugal) and Zamorra, Toro, Tordesillas, Salamanca & Ciudad Rodrigo (Castille y Leon - in Spain) - Another wedding anniversary, another awesome road trip
It’s time to hit the road again, this time to celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary. We decided to see a bit more of Portugal and Spain as both countries are stunning in the Autumn. This is a rather short story, more of an excuse to post some pictures of fabulous places you might be interested in visiting. And they are so worth a visit.
Our first top is the North and the Douro River, Portugal, where we visit the heritage villages of Tarouca and Ucanha then on to Peso da Regua, a riverside wine region and followed by another riverside town, in it’s Autumn glory, Miranda do Douro. Next, already in the Castille y Leon Region in Spain, we drive to the our wonderful hotel near Zamorra. The Convento Spa I is a fabulous 4 star hotel housed in a XIX Century convent and decadently decorated with antique furniture and artwork. It’s incredibly beautiful and welcoming if a bit Versace-esque, don’t miss this one if you are in the region, really impressive, even if you are just staying for one night.
The next morning we make our way to the surprisingly beautiful city of Zamora. Situated along the Duero river, the historical town is very big and has some incredible buildings and churches, some dating as far back as the XII century. We immediately fall in love with Zamorra, the whole region really. From Zamorra we drive to the incredibly picturesque city of Toro, also in wine country, where we have lunch, an authentic Spanish menu del dia at the very nice Autopista Restaurante. For some reason, Toro was my favourite city of this trip, unassuming, beautiful, so much history and culture, wine and gastronomy, not to be missed. Most of the buildings dated back from the XII century and the historic town is magnificent. Our last stop for the day is the equally gorgeous city of Tordesillas. This city has a very important history as it’s here where the Tordesilla Treaty was signed, in 1494, dividing South America between Portugal and Spain. The historic town is again impressive, smaller than the other cities, it’s got some incredible architecture, dating back from the XI and XII centuries. What an incredible little city. From Tordesillas, we head back to our awesome hotel for some wine and relaxation.
The next morning, we get up early and go to visit the magnificent university city of Salamanca. Salamanca’s been on our list for a long time and it doesn’t disappoint. The Plaza Mayor, dating from 1755 is as proud as any plaza in Spain. The university, built in 1218 is one of the oldest in Europe and in the world. The buildings are amazing and the students, cafes, pubs and restaurants, give the city a unique old and modern, chilled and vibrant feel. There’s so much to see and do in Salamanca, it really feels like a city you can stay and live in for a while, absolutely lovely. Our last stop on the way home is the walled city of Ciudad Rodrigo, on the border with Portugal. Also built in the XII century, Ciudad Rodrigo is considered one of the most important architectural ensembles on the Iberian Peninsula, with it’s incredible fortifications, monasteries, churches and military heritage buildings. After Ciudad Rodrigo, we make our way back home, with some Jamon and Spanish wine, happy to have celebrated yet another wedding anniversary with a road trip through Portugal and Spain, both countries we love so much. See you guys on the next trip.
