Linking Porto and the town of Pinhão, the Estrada Nacional 222 is one of Portugal’s most scenic roads, crossing the Douro River valley and winding through Portugal’s most famous wine region, the Douro Valley, a region that was declared a World Heritage Site in 2001, by UNESCO. This road offers jaw-dropping views of the terraced hillsides and there’s a real sense of arrival at Pinhão, where the river broadens and the terraced hills close in.
In 2015,the route was named as the “World’s best road” according to the ‘Avis Driving Ratio’ (ADR) , developed by Avis rent-a-car. To arrive at the formula for the calculation, Avis formed a team composed of a quantum physicist, an F1 track designer, high-powered cars, and a renowned European designer of radical routes.
The most scenic section of the Estrada Nacional 222 is the 27 km that links Peso da Régua, commonly known as Régua, and Pinhao and only takes around half an hour to ride it, but the rest of the route is still a great ride and the whole region is well worth a visit.
Accommodation
Porto is worth a couple of nights to visit, then its an easy day’s ride to Pinhão, but there are lots of guesthouses and winery stays all up the Douro Valley. There are also plenty of great restaurants in these areas.
Interesting sights on the route?
What is the best time of year to travel the route?
Fuel?
Douro River – Photo credit: mat’s eye / CC BY
Terraced vineyards in the Douro Valley – Photo credit: mat’s eye / CC BY
Winding road of Estrada National 222 – Photo credit: Bernt Rostad / CC BY
