Discover Cotas: Winegrowing, Church and PR17

Topics you can plan a trip to Cotas around include visits and tastings at Quinta da Romaneira, the parish church of Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Natividade, and the PR17 hiking trail towards Cotas. Winegrowing, church architecture and hiking offer different focuses for planning your trip.

Winegrowing and olives at Quinta da Romaneira

Quinta da Romaneira covers 412 hectares. Its vineyards lie on terraces along the estate’s steep slopes. The estate uses only grapes from its own vineyards to make its wines. The area figure refers to the estate as a whole; the terraces describe how the vineyards are laid out.

The olive groves grow the traditional varieties Cordovil, Galega, Verdeal and Madural. The olives are harvested by hand in winter, crushed in a granite stone mill, and the resulting paste is cold-pressed. At Quinta da Romaneira, the focus is therefore not only on the origin of the wine grapes but also on the olive varieties and how they are processed.

Quinta da Romaneira offers visits and tastings in Cotas by prior appointment. If you are planning a visit, book your appointment in advance and confirm the arrangements before travelling. The wine shop in Cotas is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00. Check the opening hours before travelling as well.

Parish Church and Building History

The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Natividade stands in a rural, isolated location on a terrace-like churchyard along the road to the village. The churchyard lies below the level of the municipal road opposite it. The church’s setting is thus defined both by its rural surroundings and by the difference in elevation relative to the road.

The church has a longitudinal plan with a single nave and a chancel. The longitudinal plan describes the orientation of the space; the single nave distinguishes this layout from one with multiple naves. The chancel adds to the division of the church interior. The floor plan dates from the 17th century; the church was remodeled in the first decade of the 19th century. The two dates refer to different building phases: the creation of the floor plan and a later remodeling.

PR17: Circular Trail Starting in Castedo

The PR17, the Trilho de Castedo-Cotas circular trail, starts and ends in Castedo and connects with the PR16, the Trilho de Alijó-Castedo. On the way to Cotas, the PR17 follows the boundary of the Alto Douro Vinhateiro. The route also passes the Santa Marinha viewpoint. From there, you can enjoy a view of the Douro and the landscape of the Douro Demarcated Region.

The route is a practical point of reference when planning your trip: Castedo is the starting and ending point of the PR17, while the trail towards Cotas follows the boundary of the Alto Douro Vinhateiro. The Santa Marinha viewpoint adds a view of the river and landscape to this route description. This makes the starting and ending point, route and viewpoint distinct aspects of the hike.

Find a Hotel in Cotas

If you are looking for a hotel in Cotas, you can choose the focus of your trip to suit your interests. Visits and tastings at Quinta da Romaneira require an advance appointment. The parish church offers a connection to architecture and building history; the PR17 is a circular hike that starts and ends in Castedo. Winegrowing, church architecture and hiking thus provide different themes to consider when planning your stay.

Discover more destinations: Pinhao, Favaios, Santa Eugénia, Pópulo, Castedo, Alijó, Vale De Mendiz, Vilar de Maçada.

Go to the main travel overview: Alijó.