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Douro, Porto & Salamanca River Cruise

Resort:Douro, Porto & Salamanca River Cruise
Operator: Riviera Travel
Destination: Europe, Portugal, Spain
Price From: £1519.00

One of Europes 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, Portugals 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 Europes oldest universities, two of its finest cathedrals, Spains finest city square and even the Inquisition!

You will adore the away-from-it-all experience and visit some of Iberias most beautiful medieval towns, monasteries and vineyards, and feel you have been away for months!


Day 1: Arrival in Porto

Fly to Lisbon or Porto, where well meet and transfer you to your five-star cruise ship in Porto. From the moment you board, the welcoming crew are at your service. In no time youll be settled into your luxurious, thoughtfully furnished accommodation and familiarising yourself with all the first-class aspects of this floating boutique hotel.

Rabelo boats on the Douro river, Porto

Day 2: Pinhao

As dawn breaks over Porto the adventure begins as our elegant vessel commences her stately passage upstream. Your first delicious breakfast is served by the attentive crew and whilst you linger over another coffee, you can really start to unwind as we leave the city skyline far behind. Head up on deck to appreciate the changing landscape in all its splendour as the river weaves its way between the lush hillsides; from the first morning on board, its very apparent that the Douro is one of Europes most photogenic river valleys and the topography has prevented the building of extensive riverside roads.

Thoughts turn to lunch, so reconvene with your fellow travellers in the elegant restaurant its lovely panoramic windows ensure you wont miss any of the spectacular views gliding by before we arrive later in the pretty little town of Pinho. We enjoy a visit to a local historic quinta to learn all about the stages of wine production, from the planting of the vines, harvesting, the wine-making process and finally testing and labelling. No visit would be complete without sampling some of their excellent produce of course, so we enjoy a tasting before returning to the ship.

Tonight, as you enter the restaurant for the Welcome Dinner, feel free to choose your table. We are moored in Pinho overnight.

Castelo Rodrigo

Day 3: Castelo Rodrigo

As dawn breaks, early risers can witness the ships graceful departure. Relax over a leisurely breakfast whilst the ever-changing scenery idly slips by through the restaurants superb panoramic windows.

The Douro was once a wild river, notoriously challenging to navigate, especially for the traditional flat-bottomed boats, which often foundered in its waters. Today it has been tamed by a system of dams and locks, which have raised the water level to produce a topography reminiscent of Scotlands lochs that enhances the valleys charm. As we cruise into ever more rural territory towards the Spanish border, the river here is at its most peaceful. Its the perfect time to take a refreshing dip in the Sun Deck pool a rare treat on a cruise ship or catch up on some reading, perhaps with a cool pre-lunch glass of vinho verde, the local, gently fizzy white wine. Portuguese wine is simply outstanding but production is low, so the best is rarely exported. Our on-board wine list includes some excellent regional wines and the friendly and attentive restaurant staff will gladly guide you through them. Do experiment a little and youll be greatly rewarded.

This afternoon we visit Castelo Rodrigo, a delightful 12th-century walled village tucked away in the picturesque highland ranges bordering Spain. Its church was a resting place on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and it is said that Saint Francis himself stayed here. The views are simply stupendous, stretching across almost-deserted ochre hillsides.

This evening after dinner we will see a celebratory vintage port wine opened in the traditional way, then head up on to the sun deck to listen to the unmistakable sound of crickets and breathe in the scents from the surrounding valley slopes that pervade the warm evening air.

Salamanca

Day 4: Salamanca

Today we visit historic Salamanca, one of the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites on this journey, regarded by many Spaniards as their nations most beautiful city. Founded by the Romans, who erected its 389-yard-long bridge, Salamanca is mostly built from local sandstone that emanates a gorgeous rose-coloured glow in the sunlight. Perched on a hill on a bend in the serene River Tormes, the city is a picture of tranquillity but its history is turbulent, having been successively fought over by Hannibal, the Moors, then the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon.

Salamanca is dominated by its two cathedrals and its university. Founded in 1218, the university is the oldest in Spain and was one of the civilised worlds most important seats of study for over 400 years. The Spanish Inquisitions records are still kept here, and as early as the 16th century it boasted some 12,000 students. Seeing its immaculately preserved lecture halls with their vaulted ceilings, its easy to conjure an image of Christopher Columbus addressing the learned men of the day or legal experts constructing the international laws that originate here.

Over lunch you enjoy a traditional flamenco show, then you are free to explore Salamanca as you wish. You may choose to linger, admiring the ornate interiors of its cathedrals the more recent dates from the 16th century or explore its tiny streets, medieval squares, traditional shops, gardens and marketplaces. The main square, the Plaza Mayor, is unmissable. Possibly Spains finest public square, it was built in the 18th century in Spanish Baroque style with collonaded walkways all around at ground level, ideal for finding a shaded spot to sit and watch the locals go about their daily lives.

Mateus Palace

Day 5: Mateus Palace Gardens

One of the benefits of life aboard a river cruise is the sheer sense of relaxation it brings; our elegant ship slips its moorings during breakfast, after which there is plenty of time for a spot of pampering in the on-board spa, or simply watch the seamless changing of the riverbank scenery passing by from the comfort of a cosy seat in the lounge. Were in port wine territory, where the lush hillsides have largely given way to a patterned landscape of terraced vineyards. Inland from the Atlantic, the climate has changed, too; its noticeably warmer and drier, while the area has a Mediterranean appearance with orangey, earthy colours replacing verdant greens.

After another superb lunch on board, we cruise into the small town of Peso da Rgua, from where we visit the grounds of the splendid Mateus Palace. Anyone familiar with Mateus Ros and its characteristic squashed bottle will recognise the palace from the label. Whatever your opinion of the wine, it is an impressive 18th-century Baroque edifice, mirrored in its stunning pond, surrounded by landscaped French gardens.

This evening we take the short drive to the 126-acre Quinta da Pacheca for dinner. Enjoying dramatic views over the Douro, it dates back to the 18th century and is simply one of the most beautiful and distinguished properties in the region. It is also notable as being the first quinta in 1738 to bottle wine under the name of its owner, the aristocrat Mariana Pacheco Pereira. You have time to wander through part of the estate before sampling a selection of its finest wines at dinner.

Stairway to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies church

Day 6: Lamego

This morning after breakfast we take a short drive to historic Lamego, home of Portugals sparkling wine, Raposeira, and one of the first places to be reclaimed from the Moors in the 12th century. Situated atop the hill overlooking this lovely town is the ancient Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies church, its stairways adorned with attractive azulejos, the countrys characteristic painted ceramic tiles.

By the time we return to our ship, our chef and his team will be adding the finishing touches to another delicious lunch, ready to be served as we depart for Entre-os-Rios. After lunch theres the perfect opportunity to take to the sun deck to enjoy the kaleidoscope of Douro views or perhaps a spot of reading in the lounge over a cup of tea. This evening is the Captains Dinner, a truly memorable experience featuring exquisite regional specialities, followed by a colourful performance of traditional Portuguese folk music by a local cultural group.

Porto

Day 7: Porto

Theres a perfect opportunity to avail yourself of some of the ships range of five-star facilities this morning maybe a little gentle exercise in the fitness room before heading up to the sun deck to enjoy a coffee whilst chatting with newly-made friends as our ship makes a graceful arrival in Porto once more, passing under the citys spectacular bridges. Porto is, of course, synonymous with wonderful port wine and all the famous port producers are here, such as Clem, Sandeman and Ferreira, so a visit here would not be complete without a tour of one of them. Youll learn about this fortified wines fascinating history and its close British connections. Port is made from grapes still pressed in the traditional way by feet then lovingly matured, sometimes for decades, before you can enjoy its subtle flavours. Of course, youll get the chance to sample various port styles at the end of our visit.

After lunch on board, we enjoy a guided tour of Porto. Strategically overlooking the Douro as it empties into the Atlantic, Portugals second-largest city was originally a Roman town, but its wealth derived from its knowledge of the sea routes to India, with fortunes made from trading spices, silks and other fine goods. Our tour unveils some of its major and more surprising sights.

Youll have the rest of the afternoon to explore the truly fascinating city; so perhaps return to the terraced streets of the old town and wander the sloping maze of winding, cobbled alleyways, soaking up the atmosphere whilst stopping to admire the lovely architecture, soaring bell towers, fine baroque churches, golden rooftops and beautiful tiles of this slice of traditional Portugal. Stop for a drink in a cosy caf and be tempted by an array of delicious cakes and pastries perhaps sample a pastel de nata, the traditional Portuguese custard tart.

This evening, enjoy a final dinner onboard expertly served by our restaurant staff under the supervision of the matre d. Afterwards, perhaps settle into the lounge to chat into the evening and reflect on the splendours of the remarkable River Douro over a glass of port, of course.

Day 8: Return Home

After breakfast, youll be transferred to the airport at the appropriate time, with memories of one of the most unspoilt corners of Europe to savour for a long time to come.