How about holidays by rail? The historic train "Miradouro" is back on track

Rediscover what it means to embark on a historic train as "Miradouro", which connects Porto to Poçinho. That train ride had been suspended in 2019, but now it is back on track "to ensure all inter regional connections between Porto and Pocinho", as announced CP - Comboios de Portugal.

The train "Miradouro", which may translate as "viewpoint" train is telling of the advantages of embarking on a journey that will bring the mystique of bygone eras, when a train ride was a truly memorable experience.

This is also true for current time, when the mix of modern and historical rail can ofer the best vacation ever; in fact, on 12th July 2020, "one of the most iconic railway routes linked Porto and Pocinho, once again", according to a statement by the company CP- Comboios de Portugal.

The railway route had been cancelled due to the lack of profitability, in 2019, but on 4th April that same year, the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Douro (CIM Douro) deemed the cancellation of these touristic train rides "outrageous" and said it had asked that CP and the Ministry of Infrastructures clarify that matter.

On the 11th of that same month, the President of the CP, Carlos Nogueira affirmed that these touristic trains would not be terminated, but instead would be readjusted to demand.

On 3rd June, the Ministry of Infrastructures and Housing, Pedro Nuno Santos, accompanied by the State Secretary for Infrastructure, Jorge Delgado, took the train trip in the "Miradouro" train, between Porto and Régua, where the first Schindler carriages to be put at the service of CP, in the Douro route, were presented.

The Miradouro train, which ensured the Douro route transportation between 1949 and 1977, includes the locomotive and the Schindler carriages, which were manufactured in the 1940s by the Swiss manufacturer with the same name.

CP also states that "these carriages offer a large inner space, large panoramic windows, which is a great way to best appreciate Douro and its vineyards".

Moreover, for the first time, the Porto Tourism Association (ATP) and Tourism of Porto and Northern Portugal (TPNP) launched a joint campaign with the goal of promoting Porto, Douro, Minho and Trás-os-Montes, as memorable tourism destinations in the country. Under the motto "Lá em Cima" ["Up There", free translation], the first phase of this unique campaign wants to show nationals how they can connect to the Northern Region on a deeper level.