Our Fall Harvest trip through the Douro valley led by Ryan Opaz and organized by the talented team at Catavino was truly a once in a lifetime experience (well maybe twice)! This was an ongoing visual and sensory experience from start to finish with several “pinch yourself” moments along the way. Like most learning experiences I feel like I’ve retained a fraction of what I learned about the wines and cuisine or Portugal. I guess that’s a reason to do it again

Catavino is Ryan Opaz. But Ryan Opaz is not all of Catavino. There is a team behind the scenes. He is a Renaissance man with a great knowledge of food, wine and culture. We enjoyed three days with Ryan as he guided us through the Douro Valley and the ancient town of Porto. Although Ryan has a huge database of facts in his brain, he is also a treasure house of stories. You will discover the “real” Douro and Porto, not the tourist version. Ryan is always greeted like an old friend everywhere you go because he has a vast network of relationships. You will not get a stock tour: you will get an experience tailored to your interests and tastes.Ryan will take you to places you cannot enter as a tourist on your own. The guides in the Quintas and Port Houses learn from Ryan, not the other way around.American? Yes. Portuguese? Yes. Ryan lives in both cultures but is completely a “native” son of Portugal.Recommended for the wine enthusiast and professional, and for small groups. You must get to know Catavino.

My wife, son, daughter-in-law and I just returned from a memorable, two-week adventure in Spain and Portugal which was arranged by the wonderful team at Catavino. There aren’t sufficient superlatives to describe these extraordinary individuals who made this trip so very special.Our primary contact, Janelle Norman, guided us with great creativity, attention to detail and sensitivity in addressing our focus on food, wine and culture. Her choices of extremely professional drivers, knowledgeable and engaging guides and delightful restaurants were outstanding. Her suggested day in the Douro Valley with Ryan Opaz was educational and great fun. Ryan was a superb and entertaining host who guided us through the tasting of aged port from even older barrels in a private quinta. Lunch at a small family restaurant and a cruise on the beautiful Douro River were wonderful.In Porto, one of our many highlights was a walking tour of this magical city with the vibrant and ever engaging Gabriella Opaz. Not to be missed! Her personality is infectious and seeing Porto through her eyes will guarantee your return.I must also mention that throughout our two weeks of travel, Janelle was never far away, during the day and well into the night, checking on our experiences and making modest adjustments in our plans where appropriate. Our travels were flawless.In summary, our family shared numerous experiences we’ll remember forever and we met many wonderful people along the way. However, it was the Catavino team that made it all possible and gave us a truly memorable journey. We’ll be back very soon!

Catavino offers the best in unique, personalized wine tourism. Ryan and his team have such strong bonds to the community and are able to craft a visit unlike any other. They tailored our experience directly to our wants, and provided unparalleled hospitality and service. I could not recommend them enough! We will definitely be repeat clients upon our inevitable return to Portugal.

My husband and I recently returned from a 10 day glimpse of Portugal. We stayed in some great hotels strategically located in the cities of Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto with side trips to neighboring areas. Our drivers Rui and Diogo were extremely knowledgeable about the locales and their food recommendations were spot on. We also enjoyed getting to know our tour guides: Mika (Sintra), Leanore (Lisbon), Claudia (Porto) and Sandra (Duoro Valley). We would like to thank Catavino Tours for arranging this trip and making our adventure effortless! We look forward to returning to Portugal in the near future and will certainly be booking with your company!

Just been on a fabulous trip with Catavino to the Upper Douro. Getting to enjoy the unique landscape and discover some hidden secrets of the wine-maker's art, all in excellent and expert company. Recommended.