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The Douro - European River Cruise Routes
Here is a typical itinerary for a river cruise on the Douro in Spain and Portugal, in this case on the Douro Queen with Trafalgar. Most of these cruises last from 7 - 11 days, often with a couple of days spent in Lisbon at the start. Trafalgar and Uniworld use the Douro Queen, INTRAV uses the Douro Prince.
Although most cruises start in Lisbon, they usually embark and disembark in Porto, Portugal's second largest city, a coach ride up the coast. Some cruises (like this one) follow the Douro into Spain, e.g to Salamanca.
| Day 1 - Lisbon |
Day 2 - Lisbon
Featured Excursion:Lisbon City Tour |
Day 3 - Lisbon - Porto (embark)
Featured Excursion: Coimbra Tour with Family Style Lunch |
Day 4 - Porto - Régua
Featured Excursion:Dinner at Solar da Rede |
Day 5 - Régua (Vila Real), Barca d’Alva
Featured Excursions: Vila Real and Mateus Palace & Gardens
Onboard Highlights: Exciting Local Entertainment
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Day 6 - Vega de Terrón (Salamanca)
Featured Excursion: Salamanca City Tour with Lunch
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Day 7 - Vega Terron - Pinhão
Featured Excursions: Tour of Medieval Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo,
Vintage House and Wine Academy
Onboard Highlight: Exciting Local Entertainment
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Day 8 - Pinhão, Régua Lamego, and Bitetos
Featured Excursions: Lamego Tour and Dinner at Alpendurada Monastery
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Day 9 - Porto
Featured Excursion: Porto City Tour
Onboard Highlight: Captain’s Farewell Dinner |
| Day 10 - Porto (disembark) |
And this is what the Trafalgar guys have to say about the places they visit. When you check out the different tour aggregators' or agents' websites, you'll notice that many of them use the same copy, this is usually because they're taking it direct from the riverboat operator's brochure. In fact, I've noticed that even the different operators have very much the same information, so to some extent it's a case of read one, read 'em all (the links go to photos in our Destinations Gallery):
Lisbon
Your guided exploration of the city takes you to one of the most historical districts of the city,
Belem, where you’ll see the Belem Tower, a fortress that kept careful watch over the great navigators who left Portugal to seek their fortunes elsewhere. You’ll relive the opulence of the former times with a visit to the Royal Coaches Museum, and the 16th-century ornate Jerónimos Monastery. (Breakfast) |
Coimbra
En route to the Douro Queen, you’ll learn about Portugal’s third largest city on a tour of Coimbra, known as the birthplace to six of Portugal’s kings and home to one of the oldest universities in Europe. You’ll enjoy lunch in a local Pousada, a family-run restaurant, before continuing on to Porto to meet the ship. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) |
Porto
Porto, the “City of Bridges,” is Portugal’s second largest city. Its charm stems from its dramatic position above the river, with gabled houses closely terraced on the hill. Stroll through the Medieval city center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sample the wonderful regional cuisine and the rich Port wine, which the town of Porto is named. |
Régua
Régua is the center for Port wine production, so it is only fitting that you spend a lovely evening savoring fine hearty cuisine and Port wine at Solar da Rede, a beautifully restored 18th-century pousada manor house, with a spectacular location high above the river. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) |
Régua (Vila Real), Barca d’Alva
Today, you’ll visit Vila Real or “Royal Village,” founded by a Portuguese king in the 13th century, and famous for its grand manor houses. You’ll also be enchanted with a visit to Mateus Palace and Gardens, a perfect example of Baroque architecture, with an impressive façade made up of beautiful pinnacles on the roof and ornate stairway, all reflected in a pond in front. During the afternoon, cruise to Barca d’Alva (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) |
Salamanca
Salamanca is one of the loveliest and best preserved of the old Spanish cities. Your walking tour takes you through the narrow cobblestone streets, past beautiful plazas, and to the 12th-century Cathedral Vieja and the13th-century university. You’ll then lunch at one of the city’s wonderful restaurants. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) |
Vega de Terrón and Pinhão
Visit the small Medieval town of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo with a parish church that dates from the 12th century. In the evening, you’ll visit the Vintage House and Wine Academy, where you’ll be treated to an informative lecture by an expert on the intricacies of Port, and of course, you’ll get to indulge in some of this country’s most celebrated beverage. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) |
Pinhão, Régua Lamego, and Bitetos
Be amazed by the breathtaking scenery of the Douro Valley as we cruise from Régua to Pinhão this morning. During the afternoon, tour enchanting Lamego, with several fine buildings, including the 18th-century pilgrimage church Nossa Senhora dos Remedios and an 11th-century castle. We’ll then sail to Bitetos, where you’ll spend an evening dining at a former 14th-century Benedictine Monastery of Alpendurada. But first, join us for a Port wine cocktail on the monastery’s terrace with breathtaking views of the river valley below. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) |
As you can see, the descriptions are a bit florid, but they give a pretty fair idea of the kind of experiences you can expect.
OUR ADVICE: concentrate on the ship you want to travel on and the route you want to travel, rather than the tour aggregator (of course, there's also price!). Be sure to check out our "Things to watch for" page too!
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