Portugal.
Contributed by Jens Hoffmann.
I love it to be in Portugal.
We stayed in a superbly renovated 19th-century manor house set high on a hill overlooking the vine covered rolling hills of the Douro Valley and the river below. The Aquapura Douro Valley Hotel (now a Six Senses), masterfuld and detailed restauration work has creat a wonderful hotel.
It is maybe a little bit dark, but so inspring, it has a asian style, sensuous spa, a selection of rooms, suites and villas, two fabulous restaurants, a outdoor tennis court and a beautiful wine room.
Location: Peso da Régua, Douro Valley, Portugal. With vineyards and golf courses nearby. 100 km from Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport.
Those of you insearch of selected moments in a unique hotel will find their dreams come true.
In detail the Aquapura is a brilliant interior houses cocoon-like rooms and suites with clean lines and modern furnishings. A number of the equally modern villas have a private pool with beautiful views of the river.
The spa is nothing short of superb with a hydrotherapy pool with heated water beds, a herbal sauna, a laconium and a steam room. So you can relax by the pool surrounded by the sound of rustling cypress and olive trees and the scent of honeysuckle. There is nothing quite like the tastes of the Mediterranean on your plate as you enjoy lunch on the terrace overlooking the vines. Then, take a boat trip along the river before returning for more gourmet delights in the evening. It is even fun to take a train from Porto City to the hotel.
Interesting is the Port wine: It all started in 1678, after the British blockaded French ports when the two countries were at war. The British began importing wine from Portugal’s Douro Valley. Back then Portugal’s wine was dry, full-bodied, and had a high alcohol content. All that changed when the British added neutral brandy during fermentation to preserve it better for long boat trips. But adding brandy changed the natural fermentation process, and prevented the leftover grape sugar from turning to alcohol. That resulted in a sweeter, fruitier wine that is now usually enjoyed as an apéritif or after-dinner wine.
Porto and especially the Douro Valley is a fantastic destination.
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