Casal de Loivos Viewpoint

The Miradouro de Casal de Loivos (Casal de Loivos viewpoint) sits in the village of Casal de Loivos, in the municipality of Alijó, on a slope overlooking the River Douro. According to the municipality, this is where you can see the Douro valley and the town of Pinhão, in a landscape of terraced vineyards, small villages and the river far below.

The village is now part of the União das Freguesias de Vale de Mendiz, Casal de Loivos e Vilarinho de Cotas, formed in 2013 by merging three parishes. Wikipedia records 183 inhabitants in the 2011 census. The Alto Douro Vinhateiro region in which it lies is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What you can see

From the viewpoint, the Douro bends in front of Pinhão, surrounded by terraced vineyard slopes. Roteiro do Douro lists several wine estates that can be picked out from the lookout, among them Quinta das Carvalhas (with its round house), Quinta do Bomfim, Quinta da Roêda, Quinta da Foz and Quinta de la Rosa. To get to know the town below, you can continue with our guide to Pinhão and the Pinhão railway station.

Redevelopment of the site

Alijó Municipal Council carried out a redevelopment of the viewpoint, an investment of over 400,000 euros supported by Turismo de Portugal's Linha de Apoio à Valorização Turística do Interior. In a municipal news item of January 2022, the works were described as under way, and the mayor named the aim of enhancing the municipality's landscape heritage and improving conditions for tourism.

Getting there

According to Roteiro do Douro, from Pinhão you follow the N 585-1 to Casal de Loivos and then the municipal road to the viewpoint. Turismo de Alijó gives the address as R. Praça de Oliveira 1, 5085-010 Casal de Loivos. For up-to-date information about the site, please check with Turismo de Alijó.