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Hiking trails & Routes

Portugal

Vila Real

Covelinhas

Marco Pombalino – View of the Douro Valley loop from Covelinhas

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Portugal

Vila Real

Covelinhas

Marco Pombalino – View of the Douro Valley loop from Covelinhas

Moderate

4.5

(45)

147

hikers

Marco Pombalino – View of the Douro Valley loop from Covelinhas

04:22

13.4km

590m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: May 6, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

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1.15 km

View of the Douro River and Vineyards

Highlight • Viewpoint

Particularly from the terrace of the nice restaurant, there are beautiful views of the Douro River, the village of Covelinhas and the village of Folgosa lying on the slope on the other side of the river.

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6.36 km

Marco Pombalino

Highlight • Monument

DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada): Wines that are born in the oldest demarked regions of wine and, therefore, controled by law (ground caracteristics, castes, winemaking, bootleling).
That “demarcation” had some twists, torns and stones... Well... cornerstones, named “Marcos Pombalinos”... The duck will scrutinize it 😉

1675 - “Vinho do Porto” comes for the first time with exportation to the Netherlands;
1703 – preferentional rights for Portuguese wines to England. The English were getting out of Bordeux, because the French king was taxing to much the wines...
1756 – English were “crazy” with “Port”. Climate of euphoria degenerates into adulteration and commercial chaos. With this, very important and knowledgeable people, propose to the future Marquês de Pombal, (thats the reason for the names given to the cornerstones, “Marcos Pombalinos”) the birth of one institution that could control the quality, prices and phisically establish the DOC (with the cornerstones);
1757 – placement of 201 “marcos”, cornerstones, for the first demarcation of the land;
1761 – upgrade of the DOC, adding 134 cornerstones;
1792 – opennig of “Cachão da Valeira”. Before that, the boats could only travel “so far”. With that openning/enlargement of Douro river, the “Superior” Douro was now accessible by boat. But the expantion of the vineyards at Douro Superior only began in the 19th century;
1850 to 1893 – the Valley was whipped by many diseases (maromba, oídio, filoxera, míldio...);
1907 – the last demarcation of DOC, now including “Douro Superior”, upstream from “Cachão da Valeira”, till the border with Spain

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