Barca d'Alva (Portugal, Castelo Rodrigo)

Barca d'Alva is the last Portuguese village along the Douro River, being approx 2 km/1 mi from the Portugal-Spain border. The village is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and on a calm bend of the river. It is a curious spot with a row of elderly cottages and a long-abandoned railway line. There is a quay fitted with large pontoons to accommodate Douro cruisers which disembark their tourists for a fast souvenir hunt.

Barca d'Alva features a few cafes and other places that soak up any passing trade. In the end, it is the drive here, from north or south, that warrants the trip, through amazingly sculpted Douro terraces of vines and olives, with sweeping views across the hills. As there is no road along the Douro in its latter stages (after Pocinho), travelers have to approach via Foz Coa and Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo (in Beira Alta) or Torre de Moncorvo and Freixo de Espada a Cinta (in Tras-os-Montes).

Barca d'Alva is also the cruise port to Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo. Departing roundtrip from Barca, the bus travel excursions to Castelo Rodrigo include a guided tour along its narrow and steep streets lined up with 16th-century houses. Tourists also visit Igreja Matriz de Reigada/Sao Vicente (13th-century church). After Castelo Rodrigo, cruise tourists travel back to Barca d'Alva to re-embark their riverboats.