Landscape, tourism and wine in the Douro in Portugal: an imposing tradition

Abstract

The landscapes are formed from the relation man and nat ure, being a way of re cognizing the construction of space through the multiple spatial processes. The landscapes can be of various types, among them are the winegrowing landscapes that gain, more and more, stand out worldwide due to the importance and expansion of viticulture. The production of wines creates unique landscapes and provides the implementation of wine tourism. In the Douro, Portuguese region, the landscape is the result of the materialization of wine, environmental forms and culture. This landscape becomes a cultural heritage and also an element of tourism. In this way, the present study sought to discuss the landscape, the local potentialities and the obstacles of wine tourism. For this, the bibliographical research, based on the analysis of works that deal with the reality of the Douro, was used in addition to a visit to the Douro area, in order to analyze the landscape. The aim of this work is to contribute to the studies on wine production in the Douro, bringing a new perspective on the landscape and regional tourism.