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Lisbon & The Douro Valley Cruise

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You are viewing the 2024 itinerary. Select your departure year
20242025
11 days From £4,195 per person
4.5 stars(23 reviews)
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Fly & Cruise

A Portuguese voyage of discovery

2024 Tour code: DOR24

About the tour

Travel to sensational Lisbon and explore Sintra's palaces on a Portuguese voyage of discovery, before embarking on a fantastic 7-night cruise along the golden Douro. Drifting through golden valleys alongside enchanting towns and past regal wine estates, our cruise reveals the timeless beauty of this serene river, stopping at wonderful ports along the way.

Unforgettable Experiences

Lisbon
Lisbon
Discover the fascinating history of vibrant Lisbon on a guided tour and a journey on a vintage tram.
Porto
Porto
Explore the UNESCO listed World Heritage city of Porto, picturesquely located on the banks of the Douro.
Salamanca
Salamanca
Visit the golden city of Salamanca and experience a traditional Spanish lunch.
Mateus Palace
Mateus Palace
Visit the impressive Mateus Palace, its beautiful gardens, grand interior, and stunning architecture.
Lamego
Lamego
Enjoy a sightseeing tour in the picturesque village of Lamego.
Guimarães
Guimarães
Discover the medieval buildings of Guimarães.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - To Lisbon

We meet our Tour Manager at the airport today. From here, we board our flight to Lisbon where we head to our hotel by coach. On arrival, we're greeted with a welcome drink and for dinner this evening, we head to our hotel's excellent restaurant for our first meal of the holiday.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 - Exploring Lisbon

Our excursion today whisks us away on a tour of Portugal's famous capital. As a special touch, our tour includes a segment in a specially-chartered tram from the 1930s and 40s. Our tour reveals the brilliant colours of Lisbon, and the history of its streets, squares and boulevards. We finish in the waterfront district of Belem, famous for its pastries and grand villas. Here, we stop off at one of the pastry shops to sample the Belem pastries.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 3 - Sintra

Today, we travel to the beautiful town of Sintra, located up in the hills behind Lisbon. A tantalising selection of summer palaces of all colours and shapes await us here, at what is famously the summer retreat of Portuguese royalty. We enjoy time at leisure in this fairytale town, giving you an opportunity to discover its history and the people behind the magnificent buildings lining its streets before dinner tonight.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 - To Porto where we board our cruise ship

Leaving Lisbon this morning, we set out on a rail journey through the Portuguese countryside to the historical city of Porto - famous for the explorers who set out from here to discover the New World.

Upon arrival, we're escorted by coach to our excellent ship. After settling into our cabins, we're greeted with a welcome cocktail. Later, we sit down to our first delicious meal on board, followed by a panoramic evening coach tour of the city of Porto by night.

From our comfortable seats, we see the lovely old, preserved areas of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hopping off the coach for a brief stop at the Sao Bento railway station, we admire its magnificent azulejos.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 5 - Discovering Porto and Regua

This morning we explore Porto further on a guided walking tour. We wander its winding streets, historical townhouses, and regal churches as well as the iconic iron bridge. We also visit a wine cellar to sample the city's famous wine. We rejoin our ship for lunch on board and then later this afternoon, begin our cruise along the Douro river, enjoying its fabulous landscapes enroute to the town of Regua. After dinner this evening, we enjoy entertainment on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – Mateus Palace and Gardens

This morning, we visit the city of Vila Real and the magnificent Mateus Palace with its breathtaking gardens. We start with a panoramic tour of the city by coach, followed by a tasting of the local pastry, Cristas de Galo. Later, we visit the Mateus Palace, one of the most beautiful and astonishing houses in all of Northern Portugal. This 18th-century masterpiece is a delight with its classic Italianate exterior, beautifully adorned interiors, and lush gardens. Our tour takes us through the grand halls and rooms of the palace before time at leisure to explore the property's chapel and winery. Returning to our ship, we cruise in the afternoon through blissful scenery to Vega de Terron on the border with Spain. This evening, after dinner, we enjoy Flamenco entertainment on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – Spain and the golden city of Salamanca

Today, we venture into beautiful Spain and make our way through enchanting countryside to the golden city of Salamanca, in the Castille y Léon region. Known as the academic capital of Spain, this ancient city boasts an impressive array of sandstone university buildings and - founded in 1218 - is the oldest and most prestigious centre of learning in the country. Our guided tour showcases the highlights of Salamanca, including the ornate House of Shells, the vibrant Plaza Mayor, and other magnificent buildings. Afterwards, you have time to wander at leisure and discover the city's hidden gems before enjoying a traditional Spanish lunch.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 - Pinhao and Port wine

This morning, we begin our cruise back downstream through scenic landscapes to Ferradosa. After lunch, we join our fabulous excursion along the Porto wine route where we visit San Salvador do Mundo and Sao Joao da Pesqueira, two small towns set amongst the vineyards on the Rio Torto valley. We also visit a local Quinta where we indulge in some of the region's finest Ports. Later, we rejoin our ship in Pinhao before enjoying our Gala dinner on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 – Lamego

This morning we journey to the picturesque village of Lamego. We enjoy a guided tour of this charming town, renowned for its stunning cathedral. Standing at the heart of the village, this is a breathtaking example of Baroque architecture. But the real highlight of this masterpiece is the 700 steps leading up to its doors, beautifully decorated with cheerful white and blue tiles. This afternoon we continue our cruise back to Porto where tonight, we enjoy an evening of Fado-themed entertainment.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 - Exploring Porto and Guimarães

This morning, we enjoy time at leisure in Porto before lunch on board. This afternoon, we visit the charming medieval city of Guimarães, known for its well-preserved 10th-century buildings, vibrant squares, and picturesque castle gardens. We return to Porto and rejoin our ship before our 4-course farewell dinner and traditional folk entertainment on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11 – Homeward bound

Today marks the final day of our adventure on the Douro. We disembark and transfer to the airport for our return flight to the UK - leaving with memories of the charming villages, vibrant cities, and wonderful landscapes of Portugal and Spain.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Ships

MS Amalia Rodrigues
MS Gil Eanes

Enhance your holiday

Upgrades

Flight upgrades
London Hotels
UK rail connections

Reviews

4.5 stars4.5 / 5 · 23 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (12)
  2. 4 stars
    (10)
  3. 3 stars
    (1)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Mr Adrian Howell

5 stars

Submitted 24 Sep 2023

We had a great time in Lisbon and the cruising was very relaxing with some great excursions Highly recommend

Collected by Trustpilot

Mr K C Manley

4 stars

Submitted 24 Sep 2023

Enjoyable apart from Lisbon airport arrival and luggage transfer Lisbon to Porto.

Collected by Trustpilot

Mrs Royle

3 stars

Submitted 24 Sep 2023

Cruise was good but tour manager in Lisbon was not very knowledgable or helpful.

Collected by Trustpilot

Colin Banyard

5 stars

Submitted 24 Sep 2023

Superb cabin and excellent service from the crew. Unfortunately the food was not up to the normal standard of river cruising and was rather boring.

Collected by Trustpilot

M Donaldson

4 stars

Submitted 20 Sep 2023

I have already filled in a review I'm not doing it again

Collected by Trustpilot

John Hosea

4 stars

Submitted 03 Jul 2023

First class in all respects, perhaps some of the excursions could be better.

Collected by Trustpilot

Show 6 more reviews
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