Portugal beckons with its pristine landscape, tantalizing cuisine and, of course, port wines, in a setting that seems unchanged throughout the centuries. I adore the terraced vineyards, dramatic rock formations, baroque mansions and historic monasteries that line the banks of this graceful river.

The Iberian Peninsula’s third-longest river – after the Tagus and the Ebro – the Douro river runs 557 miles across the great Castilian region of Spain and on through Castile and Léon, Soria, Burgo, Valladolid, Zamora and Salamanca. The landscape around the river is replete with wheat fields, vineyards and sheep farms.

The UNESCO World Heritage city of Salamanca is a must, as is the 12th-century walled village of Castelo Rodrigo and of course charming Porto, best explored on a walking tour.