The Douro River

Falar do Douro, não é apenas falar de um rio ou de uma região. É muito mais do que isso... é falar toda a sua história e das suas gentes, que o tornam tão especial. Conhecer o Douro não é apenas visitar a região, é partir numa viagem à descoberta de um lugar único, com uma história, cultura e pessoas únicas. Existem várias explicações para a origem do nome «Douro». Uma lenda conta que era costume ver-se rolar umas pedritas pequenas e brilhantes, que se veio a descobrir serem de ouro. Há quem diga ainda que o nome se deve à cor barrenta das águas do rio, consequência das grandes quantidades de detritos que as enxurradas arrastavam encostas abaixo e que por serem de um amarelo vivo lhe davam uma cor de ouro. Mas há ainda quem defenda que este nome deriva do latim «Durius», ou seja, «Duro», devido à dureza dos seus contornos tortuosos de escarpas altas e rochosas. O rio Douro nasce na Serra de Urbión, no norte de Espanha, a cerca de 2000 metros de altitude. É o segundo maior rio de Portugal com um comprimento total de 927 km; em território português, este rio tem apenas 210 km de comprimento e é navegável ao longo de todo esse percurso, graças às cinco barragens que são, hoje em dia, também uma atracção devido ao seu desnível. A Barragem do Carrapatelo tem um desnível no nível da água de 35 metros, um dos maiores desníveis da Europa. Foi este rio, em tempos muito estreito e perigoso, que trouxe prosperidade à região, visto que era através dele que se fazia o transporte do precioso néctar, o Vinho do Porto. Em séculos passados este rio representava um desafio e um perigo para os que nele navegavam. Estava repleto de fortíssimas correntes e pedras meias submersas. Nessa altura apenas um pequeno barco de madeira – o Rabelo – conseguia navegar nestas águas e fazer o transporte do vinho desde o Vale do Douro até à foz, em cujas margens se situam as cidades do Porto e Vila Nova de Gaia.

Talk about the Douro, not just talking about a river or a region. much more than that ... talk all its history and its people that make it so special. Knowing the Douro in just visit the region, from a journey discovering a unique place, with a history, culture and people cal. There are several explanations for the origin of Douro name. One legend has it that it was customary seen rolling a small and bright pedritas, which it turned out to be gold. H who even say the name comes from muddy color of the river waters, a consequence of the large amounts of debris that floods dragged down slopes and for being a bright yellow gave him a gold color. But there are still those who argue that the name derives from the Latin Durius, ie hard, because hardness of their tortuous contours of tall, rocky cliffs. The Douro river rises in the Sierra de Urbin, northern Spain, about 2000 meters high. the second largest river in Portugal with a total length of 927 km; in Portuguese territory, this river is only 210 km long and navegvel throughout this journey, thanks at five dams that are, nowadays, also a atraco due to its desnvel. The dam has a desnvel Carrapatelo in the water level of 35 meters, one of the largest desnveis Europe. It was this river, at times very narrow and dangerous, which brought prosperity region, since it was through him that he was transporting the precious nectar, Port Wine. In past centuries this river was a challenge and a danger to those who sailed on it. It was filled with fortssimas currents and submerged half stones. At that time only a small wooden boat Rabelo could navigate these waters and make the transport of wine from the Douro Valley at the mouth, on whose banks lie the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia.

Nada más dejar el coche en el aparcamiento, lo primero que hice fué coger la máquina y el paraguas y liarme a hacer fotos como un loco. Ante mis ojos tenía unas de las mejores vistas que he disfrutado de una ciudad. Casas antiguas con un colorido espectacular, calles de empinadas cuestas, numerosas cúpulas de las iglesias de Oporto y allí abajo, casi en el río, numerosos restaurantes, cafeterías y tiendas esperando la visitas de los turistas. ¡Cuanto me recordó a Salvador de Bahía!.

Just leave your car in the parking lot, the first thing I did was take the machine and umbrella and liarme taking pictures like crazy. Before my eyes was one of the best views I have enjoyed a city. Old houses with a colorful spectacular streets of steep hills, numerous domes of churches of Porto and down there, almost in the river, numerous restaurants, cafes and shops waiting for visits by tourists. The reminded me of Salvador!.

Podéis disfrutar de un crucero de los seis puentes por el Duero a bordo de un rabelo, el barco tradicional utilizado para transportar las cubas desde los viñedos del valle del Duero hasta las bodegas de Vila Nova de Gaia, desde el puente de Arrábida, el más largo de la ciudad, situado junto a la desembocadura del río, hasta el puente de Freixo, situado en el extremo este de Oporto. El puente de Don Luis I (del siglo XIX y con 385 metros, el más espectacular y conocido de Oporto), el puente del Infante don Enrique(construido en 2003), el puente de María Pía(diseñado por Théophile Seyrig, socio de Gustave Eiffel, en 1873) y el puente de Sao Joao (solo para trenes). Podéis disfrutar de las mejores vistas de Oporto y Vila Nova de Gaia, donde se encuentran las bodegas más famosas del vino de Oporto. la Ribeira está llena de bares y restaurantes para disfrutar del mejor ambiente de Oporto

You can enjoy a cruise of the six bridges across the Douro aboard a rabelo, the traditional boat used to transport the vats from the vineyards of the Duero valley to the wineries of Vila Nova de Gaia, from the bridge of Arrábida, the most along the mouth of the river, to the Freixo bridge, located at the eastern end of Porto. The bridge of Don Luis I (built in 2003), the bridge of Maria Pía (designed by Théophile Seyrig, partner of Gustave) and the bridge of Don Luis I (19th century and 385 meters, the most spectacular and well known in Porto) Eiffel, in 1873) and the bridge of Sao Joao (only for trains). You can enjoy the best views of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, where are the most famous wine cellars of Porto. the Ribeira is full of bars and restaurants to enjoy the best atmosphere of Porto

Oporto es una de mis ciudades favoritas de Portugal, y lo más bonito para son los alrededores del Río Duero (Douro), donde se pueden ver cientos de casas pintadas de diferentes colores, los diversos puentes que cruzan el río ( el más famoso el Puente metálico Luis I), los barcos que lo recorren, las terrazas de los cafés y los restaurantes. También se pueden ver las bodegas de vino al otro lado de la orilla del Duero. En esta zona hay un ambiente muy animado y turístico, pero cuidado! no es España y los horarios son diferentes. Si queréis comer hacedlo antes de las 2 y si queréis tomaros unos vinos oportos salid del hotel temprano porque el ambiente no dura toda la noche.

Porto is one of my favorite cities in Portugal, and most are nice for the area surrounding the River Duero (Douro), where you can see hundreds of houses painted in different colors, the various bridges across the river (the most famous Bridge metallic Luis I), boats that run through the terraces of cafes and restaurants. You can also see the wine cellars across the banks of the Duero. In this area there is a very lively and touristy, but beware! not Spain and times are different. If you want to eat do it before 2 and if you want to assail oportos wines come out of the hotel early because the environment does not last all night.

Caminamos millones de adoquines,contemplando la nobleza en las fachadas, el exquisito orgullo de sus plazas y jardines, y el hierro forjado y entrelazado en solida y armónica estructura, alzada sobre dorados destellos de aromas embotellados en la noche de los tiempos............ Y paseamos el Duero, en una intensa y escalonada dominante cromática.

Walked million cobblestones, watching the nobility on the walls, the exquisite pride squares and gardens, and the wrought iron and woven into solid and harmonic structure, raised on golden highlights Aroma bottled in the mists of time .... And ........ we wandered the Duero, and stepped into an intense color casts.

La vista que os presento es desde el puente Luiz I, obra del ingeniero francés Eiffel, sí, el mismo que el de la torre parisina... La vida de la ciudad, más en la antigüedad, pero también ahora, gira en torno al curso del río, ya que es, a través de su cauce, por donde se transportaba el mosto desde la zona de recogida de la uva hasta las bodegas y de las bodegas a los lugares de exportación, ya que la ciudad de Oporto, acoge la desembocadura del río. Lo que vemos en la fotografía a la derecha, es la actual ciudad de Oporto y a la izquierda, lo que hoy día es, Vilanova de Gaia, que es donde se encuentran casi todas las bodegas del renombrado vino.

The view I present is from Luiz I bridge, designed by the French engineer Eiffel, yes, the same as the Parisian tower ... The life of the city, most in antiquity, but also now, revolves around the river, since it is through its channel, where the wort is transported from the collection area of ​​the grapes to the wineries and holds the place of export, as the city of Porto, home to the river mouth. What we see in the photo at right, is the present city of Porto and to the left, which is today, Vilanova de Gaia, which is where almost all the renowned wine cellars.

Partiendo de Huelva, dirección Galicia en automóvil, decidimos hacer un alto en el camino y pernoctar en Oporto. No nos desfraudó, tanto nos gustó que finalmente pasamos 2 días y 2 noches. La Ribeira, las bodegas, sus vinos, su casco histórico con sus estrechas callejuelas, sus puentes. ¡Fascinante Oporto!, la Ciudad de los Puentes. Paseando por los alrededores del viejo Puerto , después de cenar en un pequeño restaurante marinero, disparé esta instantánea: Atardecer sobre el río Duero ,con las tradicionales Rabelas y el Puente Arrábida al fondo.

From Huelva, drive towards Galicia, decided to stop along the way and spend the night in Porto. Desfraudó We both liked that finally spent 2 days and 2 nights. The Ribeira, the wineries, the wines, the old town with its narrow streets, its bridges. Oporto Fascinating!, The City of Bridges. Strolling around the Old Port, after dinner at a small seafood restaurant, fired this shot: Sunset over the River Douro, with traditional Arrábida Rabelas and Bridge in the background.

Lo que más me llamó la atención de mi viaje a Oporto fue la ribera del río Duero, y especialmente al atardecer. Es probable que sea un tópico, pero el atardecer es precioso, y si lo visitas de noche tampoco pierde su encanto. Oporto tiene muchas posibilidades para todos amantes de la fotografía. En la época en la que visité la ciudad era en Junio, más concretamente en las fiestas de San Juan, por lo que había mucho ambiente por las calles.

What caught my attention was my trip to Oporto the Duero river, especially at sunset. It's probably a cliché, but the sunset is beautiful, and if you visit at night does not lose its charm. Porto has many possibilities for all photography lovers. At the time when I visited the city in June, more specifically on the festival of San Juan, so much atmosphere in the streets.

El mejor atardecer que he visto, no se puede discutir que Oporto tiene uno de los mejores atardeceres urbanos de Europa.

The best sunset I have seen, it can not be argued that Porto has one of the best urban sunsets in Europe.

El Rio Duero o Douro como lo llaman más allá de nuestra ofrenta en el Oeste, no tiene un nombre casual. Si has estado en su rivera, viendo caer la tarde sobre sus aguas, sabrás que devuelve un color dorado intenso hasta bien entrada la noche. No hay nada como sentarse y esperar con una cerveza fresquita, como el Duero refleja el sol de la tarde hasta que se esconde tras el Atlántico en la misma desembocadura.

The Rio Douro Duero or as they call beyond our ofrenta in the West, has a casual name. If you have stayed in its banks, watching the evening on the waters, you know that returns a rich golden color well into the night. There's nothing like sitting and waiting with a cold beer, as the Duero reflects the afternoon sun until it is behind the Atlantic at the mouth.

La mejor manera de visitarla es hacerlo en un crucero por el río duero. A su orilla hay muchas terrazas donde poder comer con unas magnificas vistas

The best way to visit is to do it on a cruise on the Douro river. At the shore there are many terraces where you can eat with magnificent views