Bus Hire in Vila Real

Vila Real is a city of around 50,000 residents in the Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro region of northern Portugal. It stands on a plateau at the confluence of the Cabril and Corgo rivers, with steep-sided valleys falling to the Douro river to the south. The city's principal attraction for visitors is the Mateus Palace, two kilometres east of the centre: a Baroque manor house set in formal gardens that is one of the most photographed buildings in Portugal, familiar internationally through its appearance on the label of Mateus Rose wine.

Vila Real sits at the edge of two wine regions: the Port and Douro wine country extends south down the river valley, and the Tras-os-Montes wines and chestnut forests extend east. The Douro valley itself, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is accessed most easily from Vila Real via the N322 road, which descends through terraced vineyards to Peso da Regua and Pinhao. Groups visiting the Douro wine country frequently overnight in Vila Real.

Mateus Palace and Gardens

The Solar de Mateus, built in the 1740s for the Counts of Vila Real, is a Baroque palace with a highly ornate facade flanked by towers and reflected in the formal rectangular pool in front of it. The gardens behind the palace include a cedar tunnel clipped to form an arched passageway, topiary, and a series of walled garden rooms with seasonal plantings. The palace is still occupied by descendants of the original family; guided tours take in the principal rooms and the full garden circuit. The Mateus Rose wine connection, which began when the wine producer Fernando van Zeller chose the palace image for his label in 1942, gave the building an international recognition well beyond Portugal.

Getting to Vila Real

Porto Airport (OPO) is around 100 kilometres south-west, approximately one hour by coach on the A4 motorway to Vila Real. Lisbon Airport (LIS) is around 420 kilometres south, about four hours. The city is served by a regional rail line from Porto, though with a change at Regua the journey takes around two hours; the coach is more practical for groups. The Douro valley town of Peso da Regua is 30 kilometres south, about 30 minutes by coach, and is the main transport hub and railhead for the upper Douro wine region.

The Douro Valley and the Alvao Park

The Douro wine terraces south of Vila Real are among the oldest continuously cultivated vineyards in the world, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape. The river runs in a deep canyon and the views from the miradouros above Pinhao and Sao Joao da Pesqueira are among the most striking in Portugal. Groups doing the Douro wine circuit typically travel from Porto up the south bank by coach, visit a quinta (wine estate) near Pinhao, cross the river by ferry, and return via Vila Real. East of the city, the Parque Natural do Alvao protects the Fisgas de Ermelo waterfall, which falls more than 300 metres in a series of drops through a granite gorge and is one of the most impressive natural features in northern Portugal.

Popular Day Trips from Vila Real

What Bus Hire Costs in Vila Real

As a rough guide, a minibus (up to 19 seats) in Vila Real runs around 230 to 410 EUR per day, a midi-coach (around 35 seats) around 390 to 670 EUR per day, and a full-size coach (49 to 55 seats) around 580 to 1,020 EUR per day. Vila Real benefits from Douro wine tourism, which peaks in September and October during the harvest season and again in May to June. The harvest is the busiest period; book coach hire at least six to eight weeks ahead for late September dates. The final figure depends on your route, the date, and how long you need the vehicle and driver. We confirm a fixed price with no hidden charges, so send your details for a free quote.

Services Available in Vila Real