Provesende

Set on a plateau above the north bank of the Douro, Provesende is one of the most beautiful wine-growing villages in the world's oldest demarcated wine region. To stroll through its streets is to cross centuries of history: noble houses and granite manors attest to the power and wealth of the families who prospered here thanks to wine.

At the heart of the village stands the Fonte Velha (Old Fountain), a fine example of Baroque taste bearing the engraved date of 1755, its spouts adorned with the typical decorative masks. Nearby rises the church, also eighteenth-century, in a square that remains the centre of community life.

The tradition lives on in the village bakery, where bread is still baked the old-fashioned way in one of the largest wood-fired ovens in the region. Provesende also offers superb views over the valley and various wine tourism options.

Visiting tips

• Admire the Baroque Fonte Velha of 1755 in the central square
• Try the bread baked in a wood-fired oven at the traditional bakery
• Notice the granite manor houses and coats of arms scattered across the village
• Enjoy the natural viewpoints over the Douro Valley