One of Europe’s best kept secrets in one of its most undiscovered corners, explore the sleepy villages and medieval towns unchanged for centuries, amongst the breathtaking rolling hills and terraced vineyard slopes of the stunning Douro Valley.
Commencing in the Roman city of Porto, the home of Port wine, Portugal’s once wild river Douro has been tamed by locks into resembling a series of finger lakes, adding greatly to the valley's ambience. Leaving behind the Atlantic influenced greenery of the coast, you are soon immersed in a Mediterranean land of olives, vines, and picturesque, medieval hilltop villages. Our destination is the higher reaches of the valley from where we visit Salamanca - home of one of Europe’s oldest universities, two of its finest cathedrals, Spain’s finest city square and even the Inquisition!
You will adore the away-from-it-all experience and visit some of Iberia’s most beautiful medieval towns, monasteries and vineyards, and feel you have been away for months!
As the river cruise comes to an end, we head to our magnificent finale - 3 nights in the spectacular city of Porto. Those with a passion for history and architecture will enjoy our stops at Braga - where we tour the city's not one, but two cathedrals - and Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal. In Porto, we'll climb to the top of Clérigos Tower for stunning vistas of the city and experience the mournful aching of Fado music during a traditional performance over dinner.
Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a twin cabin with a limited number of sole occupancy cabins available on all decks, at the relevant supplement. The price includes:
Optional Fado evening
Savour a traditional 3-course dinner paired with wine while immersing in the Portuguese culture through music and dance of Fado. This soulful music embodies the Portuguese expression of nostalgia and longing and is deemed a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Please contact us to pre-book either of the above experiences.
Fact File
Wi-Fi
Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the ship for the duration of your cruise. Please note that speeds may vary.
Mobility
We want to ensure you make the correct choice before you book your holiday with us. If you have any concerns regarding the suitability of the holiday due to reduced mobility we would encourage you to call us to discuss these concerns. General information on mobility in connection with our tours can be found here.
Riviera Plus
Transfers
All transfer times listed here are approximate, and dependant on traffic. If you have a question regarding transfer times please don't hesitate to contact us.
Airport or train station | Ship location | Transfer time | Final hotel location | Departure Airport | Transfer time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Porto Airport | Porto |
45 mins |
Porto Bay Teatro, Porto |
Porto | 45 mins |
Lisbon Airport | 4 hrs including comfort stop |