It is a unique natural spectacle. The almond trees in bloom attract thousands of visitors and this year there is a special train to get there.
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The almond trees in bloom are a sight to behold in the already fabulous Douro region. Every year, thousands of visitors flock to Vila Nova de Foz Côa to closely observe the blossoming of thousands of trees, in landscapes full of color that herald a radiant spring.
Although getting to the Alto Douro is currently a relatively simple task (the result of motorways and IP’s that have been torn up across the country), the truth is that there is a much more exciting option than the car.
We are talking, of course, about the train, and you can take advantage of the trip to observe up close a region of the country that Miguel Torga rightly called “an exaggeration of nature”.
So that nothing is lacking, a special program was created through a partnership between the Vila Nova de Foz Côa municipality and CP – Comboios de Portugal.
Believe me, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to admire and photograph the almond trees in bloom, while marveling at the steep, but spectacular, escarpments and terraces of the Douro.
According to the promoters of the initiative, in the 2023 edition of the Almond Blossom Route “a partnership was established between CP and the Vila Nova de Foz Côa Council to promote the territory, combining rail tourism and culture. It is the first route to be adapted to the new rail tourism model promoted by CP”.
The main objective is to promote knowledge of the Douro region aboard a historic train, with a privileged view of the almond trees and where it will be possible to taste traditional sweets from the territory, such as Freixo slices or Marco de Canaveses Cavacas.
The chosen train is, of course, the MiraDouro, one of the main vehicles for discovering a World Heritage region, in historical and panoramic carriages.
To see in locco the natural spectacle of the almond trees in bloom, seven trips are scheduled, on a route along the Douro line, between the stations of Porto-São Bento and Pocinho, taking place every Saturday and Sunday, between February 25th and March 18th .
party program
The Almond Blossom Festival itself takes place in Foz Côa between the 17th of February and the 5th of March.
This is the forty-first edition and it was prepared in detail, combining the traditional with the innovative, thus seeking to capture different audiences.
The Capital of the Almond Blossom, as the municipality is also known, will be covered in shades of pink and white, waiting to be contemplated by the locals and tourists who demand there at this time of year.
O program it is very vast and has shows with names like Fernando Mendes, Diogo Piçarra, Zé Amaro, Luís Trigacheiro or Nininho Vaz Maia.
Also noteworthy is the huge Ethnographic Parade (which takes place on March 5), the IV Foz Côa TT Tour, a Meeting of Ranches and Mounts, promoted by the Hunting and Fishing Club of Foz Côa. To not lose.
