Day 1 (Thu.)
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.
Day 2 Lisbon, Portugal (Fri.)
Welcome to Lisbon! Free time to rest or start exploring the Portuguese capital. At 6 pm, meet your Local Host and traveling companions for a welcome drink.
Day 3 Lisbon - Vila Nova de Gaia (Embarkation) (Sat.)
A leisurely start to your day before heading northward. Stop for lunch en route before arriving at Vila Nova de Gaia, south of the city of Oporto, where your river cruiser is docked and the crew awaits to welcome you on board. (B,D)
Day 4 Régua - Excursion to Lamego (Sun.)
Enjoy this first opportunity to take in the breathtaking scenery along the Douro during a leisurely morning of cruising. Arrive at Régua and after lunch on board, drive to Lamego, an old historical yet picturesque and charming town. It is home to one of the most important places of pilgrimage in the country, the SANCTUARY OF OUR LADY OF REMEDIES. After visiting this shrine there's free time to wander through the narrow winding streets, view the gothic cathedral, or watch the world go by in one of the outdoor cafés. Perhaps treat yourself to a snack of the local specialty, bola e Lamego (bread and smoked ham), and a glass of the well-known sparkling Raposeira wine before returning to your ship. (B,L,D)
Day 5 Régua - Barca d'Alva (Mon.)
Today, sail through the heart of the Douro's wine producing region, where the famous Port Wine is grown and initially processed. Records of wine production in this area were found dating back to Roman times - more than 2000 years ago. During your sailing, take time to enjoy the beautiful landscapes with their high cliffs and the fields filled with old and new vines planted in terraces along the mountains. The ship will pass through 3 dams before you reach the Spain/Portugal border at Barca d'Alva. The ship overnights in Barca d'Alva. (B,L,D)
Day 6 Barca d'Alva - Excursion to Salamanca, Spain - Vega Terron, Portugal (Tue.)
Today a full-day excursion takes you into Spain to Salamanca, a rich city full of traditions and situated in the center of the Castillo e León region. During your guided walking tour you'll see many of the bestknown sights such as the University, the House of Shells, and beautiful baroque PLAZA MAYOR, formerly the site of numerous bullfights. This evening, return to your ship at Vega Terron and after dinner, enjoy a FLAMENCO SHOW on board. (B,L,D)
Day 7 Vega Terron - Excursion to Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo - Pinhão (Wed.)
This morning's excursion takes you up to Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, lying 2,200 feet above sea level. Along the typically medieval, steep and narrow streets you'll still find 16th-century facades and Manuelino-style windows! The blossoms of the almond trees that grow around the little town have given it the name
"White Village." The surrounding region has an economy based on agriculture, and wine was first produced in the 12th-century by the monks. Visit the CASTLE and learn how in former times Jews, Arabs, and Christians co-existed peacefully here and formed the social fabric of Castelo Rodrigo. With luck you'll see the storks that migrate to this village every year and have become the symbol of the village. Return to your vessel and cruise to Pinhão. Spectacularly located at the confluence of the Douro and Pinhão Rivers, the small town of Pinhão is the epicenter of the Port winemaking area and a place where the soil and climatic conditions are considered to be at their very best. This evening you'll be treated to a Quinta wine dinner at a spectacular location at the top of one of the highest vineyard hills overlooking the Douro River. Before dinner take time to explore the vineyard and enjoy a Port Wine tasting with the quinta's wine expert. Dinner will be served at the family's private hunting lodge. (B,L,D)
Day 8 Pinhão-Régua - Vila Real-Bitetos (Thu.)
After breakfast, dock in Régua and join an excursion into the Trás-os-Montes region to visit the GARDENS and PALACE of MATEUS. On the way you'll see small picturesque villages nestled amidst the grandiosity of the steep terraces on the side of the mountains. Although still privately owned, the palace was transformed into a cultural foundation called the Casa de Mateus, whose main aims are to preserve the building, and the promotion of cultural, scientific, and educational activities. Your stay ends with visits to the striking chapel and the winery, producing the famous Mateus wines. Rejoin your vessel and cruise to Bitetos. This evening, enjoy a hearty Portuguese meal at the14th-century former Benedictine MONASTERY OF ALPENDURADA. (B,L,D)
Day 9 Bitetos - Oporto (Fri.),
This morning, arrive back in the Oporto area for a short cruise of the Douro River mouth. Then visit Portugal's second-largest city. Spreading along the banks of the Douro, Oporto owes its history and development to this river. The city gives its name to one of the finest wines in the world”the Port wine. Guided sightseeing takes you through the city's narrow streets to find 16th-century arcaded buildings, the CATHEDRAL, and baroque churches. Drive across the 19th-century iron bridge designed by Gustav Eiffel, then along the Atlantic coastal road to Foz, with its fashionable villas and manor houses, at the mouth of the river. Before returning to your vessel, stop at one of the PORT WINE LODGES to visit the cellars and sample the delicious wine. (B,L,D)
Day 10 Vila Nova de Gaia (Disembarkation) - Lisbon (Sat.)
After breakfast, bid farewell to your ship's crew and drive south to Lisbon. (B)
Day 11 Lisbon (Sun.)
Portugal's imperial ambitions date back to Prince Henry the Navigator's 15th-century discoveries in West Africa and did not subside until the 1970s. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide features Belem Tower, guarding the estuary of the Tagus River, and JERONIMOS MONASTERY with the tomb of Vasco da Gama. Drive past the bull ring to Pombal Statue and on along the grand Avenida da Liberdade. Then, enjoy a walk through the cobbled alleys of ALFAMA, the quarter of the seamen. Afternoon and evening at leisure. (B)
Day 12 Lisbon (Mon.)
Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (B) |
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