Social Programme

Visit 1: Freshwater mussels populations

1) Tuela River- Margaritifera margaritifera species

2) Tua River (Douro basin)- Unio delphinus, Potomida littoralis and Anodonta anatina species

Buses will leave from the main gate of the IPB Campus at 7:00 on Friday, September 7, and will return at 19:00.

Previous registration is required.

Visit 2: Côa Valley Archaeological Park

The valley of the Côa river is a unique place in the world, displaying open-air artistic manifestations from different moments of prehistoric, protohistoric and historic times, namely the greatest assembly of paleolithic open-air engravings known to present times.

This extraordinary collection of rock art is distributed along two main axes: the river Côa, within a distance of 30 kilometers, and also the river Douro, within 15 kilometers, along both sides of the mouth of the Côa. More than a thousand rocks with rock art manifestations are presently known, in more than 70 different sites, with a predominance of Upper Paleolithic engravings, followed by motifs belonging to the Iron Age, Historic times and Late Pre-history, respectively.

In consequence of the recognition of the cultural and scientific interest of this group of findings, it was created, in August 10, 1996, the Côa Valley Archaeological Park.

The classification of the rock art sites as World Heritage by UNESCO in December 2, 1998, was the culmination of a process that would indelibly distinguish, in Portugal, the status of Rock Art, Archaeology and Cultural Heritage.

Departure: Côa Museum, on the outskirts of Vila Nova de Foz Côa. The museum is located about 3 kms from the center of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, being accessible by a signaled road.

Schedule: In winter visits start at 9.15, and in summer at 9.30, there being several during the morning.

Duration of the visit: 1h30 to 2h

Total walking distance – about 800 meters, easy

Due to the very high temperatures reached in the summer, it is strongly recommended the use of a hat and sunscreen, and also of comfortable clothing and footwear. Each visitor should carry enough water for himself.

Visit 2: QUINTA DO SEIXO- Sogrape modern winery

On the south bank of the River Douro, in Cima-Corgo, right opposite the Quinta do Porto lies Quinta do Seixo, which provides a breathtaking, stunning view over the River Douro. Owned by Sogrape since 1987, in 2007 the company invested approximately 7.5 million here in a modern winery, where high quality Portos and table wines were created. An innovative project not only for the state-of-the-art technology used in the cellar, but also for creating a tourist experience that is both educational and attractive! With Quinta do Seixo, Sogrape Vinhos, via the Sandeman brand, seeks to attract more visitors to the Douro and explain a little more about this region and the fantastic wines it produces. Therefore it can offer a tour of the winery, the wine cellar and robotic lagars (automatic wine presses), a visit complemented by multimedia to explain the whole wine production cycle and a port tasting (selected vintages) in a room with a spectacular panoramic view of Douro. With about 108 acres in total, production at Quinta do Seixo relies on 71 acres of selected vineyards, planted on terraces and under the “vinha ao alto” vertical vineyard system. With a predominance of Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional, the grapes planted in the Quinta do Seixo are the traditional ones permitted in the region, even in the over 11 hectares that were replanted in 2008. Quinta do Seixo is equipped with a modern winery that receives and vinifies grapes from the Quinta itself, from Quinta da Boavista, Quinta do Porto, Quinta do Caêdo and Quinta do Vau, namely all the Sogrape Vinhos estates in Cima Corgo and grapes purchased from growers with whom the Company has supply contracts.