Pinhão is a small town in the heart of the Douro wine country, and arriving by the river road feels like entering the engine room of Port. The little town sits where the Pinhão river meets the Douro, with terraced vineyards rising on all sides, and many of the great estates, called quintas, lie within a few kilometres. The scale of the landscape is hard to take in at first. Every slope is cut into terraces, held by dry stone walls that took generations to build, and the schist soil is so poor that the vines have to send their roots deep to find water.
The railway station is a small treasure. Its walls are covered in blue and white tiles, called azulejos, painted in the early twentieth century, showing scenes of the grape harvest and views of the valley. It is a quiet and charming bit of folk art, and worth stepping off the road to see. The harvest itself, the vindima, takes place from September to October, and in some quintas grapes are still crushed by foot in stone troughs, a tradition that survives partly for the pleasure of it. If you arrive in this season, the valley smells of fermenting fruit and the roads are busy with tractors.
The riding here is rewarding but needs care. The N222 and its neighbouring roads follow the river, with sweeping views and open bends, and many corners are cambered or edged with loose gravel from the vineyards. Heat shimmer rises in summer, and the surface can be slippery with grape juice or mud in the picking season. Tractors and lorries are common, and they take up the whole lane, so leave room and patience. Evening light on the terraces is spectacular, turning the schist the colour of honey.
Food is simple and good. Local menus feature grilled meats, roast kid or lamb, bacalhau in various forms, and regional cheeses, along with bread and olive oil that taste of the place. Many restaurants and wine estates offer lunch with views, and the wines, both red table wines and Port, are poured generously. If you are riding, treat a tasting as a tasting and not a meal.
Fuel is not in Pinhão in large amounts, and Vilela and Tabuaço, a few kilometres away, are the nearest bigger places with services. Fill up in Régua before you go further upriver.