About Régua

Peso da Régua is one of the main destinations for Douro cruises and was once the departure point for rabelo boats, loaded with kites, bound for the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, where Port Wine aged.
City since 1985, Peso da Régua gained its name after the joining of two locations: Peso and Régua. The first covered the slope and the second extended along the banks. The first corresponds to the highest part of the current city, while the second occupies the lowest area.
Land of great beauty and commercial importance in the transport of wine, its development was boosted with the creation of the Companhia Geral das Vinhas do Alto Douro, in 1756, by the hand of the Marquês de Pombal, with the aim of delineating the production areas of the best wines. Thus, the Douro Demarcated Region emerged, the oldest in the world.

“‘Olhó’ sweet from Régua!”

No one can take away from Régua the prestige and history it carries on every corner, but, in fact, the city would not be the same without the sweets and the typical Rebuçadeiras.

The exact origin and date are unknown, but it is believed that this is a centuries-old tradition. It is known, however, and according to the current sellers, that the sweets began to be sold at local festivals by the hands of the best-known traders of the time: “Prosa” and “Cândido Rebuçadeiro”. From then on, the business grew and is now one of the city's landmarks.

The Douro and Galafura by Miguel Torga

Peso da Régua has a lot to offer to those who want to discover the wine region, but, 30 minutes from the city, there is a viewpoint with a mandatory stop. The Douro has always inspired Miguel Torga, but it was in São Leonardo da Galafura that the poet found one of his favorite places. From there he described the Douro like no one else: “The Doiro sublimated. The prodigy of a landscape that ceases to be so by dint of becoming disproportionate. (…) A geological poem. Absolute beauty.”
From the top of its 640 meters, the landscape over the Douro triggers a mix of reactions: the tranquility of a serene river that meanders through the valley and the emotion of a superb landscape that we don't seem to know how to fully enjoy.

Points of interest in the city:

Douro Museum
Volunteer Firefighters Museum
Main Church of São Faustino
Cruzeiro Chapel
Train station
Santo António Viewpoint
São Leonardo da Galafura Viewpoint