An Iberian River Journey
A full-board cruise on the Douro River through northern Portugal to Spain
In Brief
| Cruise - 7 nights |
Day 1 Fly from London Gatwick or Stansted to Porto and embark on the MS Douro Prince for a seven-night stay.
Day 2 Cruise upstream crossing the Crestuma-Lever and Carrapatelo dams and the flood gate. Arrive in Regua for a visit to the 18th-century Mateus Manor House. Depart for Pinhão where dinner is at Quinta da Avessada.
Day 3 Cruise to Barca d’Alva and take an afternoon excursion to the medieval town of Figueira Castelo Rodrigo.
Day 4 Join an optional excursion to Salamanca with lunch and a traditional show. Overnight in Vega de Terron in Spain.
Day 5 Cruise downstream to Pinhão, passing the Pocinho Dam and flood gate, where overnight is spent. Visit Quinta do Seixo for a port wine tasting. Dinner and a traditional Portuguese show on board.
Day 6 Cruise to Regua for an excursion to the ancient town of Lamego. Dinner at a monastery and overnight in Entre-os-Rios.
Day 7 Set sail for Porto for a half-day tour with a visit to a wine cellar.
Day 8 Return flight.
Extension - The Cradle of Portugal
A three-night pre-cruise stay in the Minho region of Northern Portugal including tours of medieval Guimaraes, Braga, Viana do Castelo and Ponte de Lima. Accommodation is in the Hotel do Parque, perched high on a hilltop overlooking Braga and surrounded by gardens, with access into the town by road or funicular. The hotel serves breakfast only but a hotel nearby, under the same management, has a restaurant serving lunch and dinner.
Extension - Portugal's Capital Cities
A four-night post-cruise arrangement including two nights at the 3-star art deco Hotel Astoria in Coimbra and two nights at the 4-star city centre Hotel Mundial in Lisbon. Both hotels are well located and the transportation between Porto, Coimbra and Lisbon is by rail. A half-day city tour of Lisbon is included.
