Lisbon and an Enchanting Douro River Cruise

Day 1 - Lisbon

Join your tour group at the hotel.

Hotel Turim Marques (4-star)

Day 2 - Lisbon

A canvas of canary yellow trams, periwinkle-blue tiles and white-domed churches, Lisbon is a colourful city - and one of the oldest capitals in the world. It’s built across seven hillsides, with historic neighbourhoods linked by winding cobbled streets. We spend the morning exploring on an included Lisbon city tour, stopping to admire painted shopfronts, ornate squares and medieval backstreets. The cherry on the top will be ginjinha tasting - it’s a delicious local liqueur of sour cherries, sugar and cinnamon. The afternoon is free to explore on your own.

Hotel Turim Marques (4-star)

Day 3 - Sintra

Nestled in the cooler foothills of the Serra del Sintra outside Lisbon, visiting the UNESCO-listed town of Sintra is like walking into a childhood fairytale. Studded with Arabic-inspired palaces, intricate villas and pine-scented gardens, this long-standing royal resort has inspired writers and artists for centuries. If there’s time, we’ll stop off in the coastal towns of Estoril and Cascais too.

Hotel Turim Marques (4-star)

Day 4 - Coimbra - Porto

We come to the end of our Lisbon stay this morning and travel to Porto, stopping in the medieval town of Coimbra for lunch on the way. We’ll embark our ship on the outskirts of Porto, ready to begin our Douro river cruise tomorrow. There’ll be time to settle into your surroundings before we enjoy a welcome cocktail and dinner. This evening, perhaps take an optional excursion by coach to see Porto by night.

MS Amalia Rodrigues (4-star)

Day 5 - Porto - Régua

Wonderfully charming pathways lead you through the centre of the beautiful city of Porto. Gaze up at the medieval landmarks and ornamentation as you go. We’ll stop for a visit at a local port winery for a tasting (when in Porto…). After returning to the ship for lunch, take a seat on the sun deck for this afternoon’s scenic sailing. We’ll glide through the beautiful Douro Valley, passing sleepy villages and peaceful countryside on our way to Régua.

MS Amalia Rodrigues (4-star)

Day 6 - Régua - Vega de Terrón

This morning, perhaps choose an optional excursion to visit the sleepy university town of Vila Real and the 18th-century Casa de Mateus Palace. You might recognise the palace’s beautiful baroque façade from the label of Mateus Rosé wine. Take a wander through the vast gardens, considered some of the country’s finest. Later on, we’ll sail towards Vega de Terrón and enjoy an evening of flamenco entertainment on board.

MS Amalia Rodrigues (4-star)

Day 7 - Barca d’Alva - Salamanca

Awash with golden sandstone and littered with cathedrals, palaces and churches, UNESCO-listed Salamanca is simply beautiful. On our excursion, we’ll nip across the border into Spain for the day and enjoy a guided walking tour to all the best bits. Wander through the narrow, cobbled streets that open into one of Spain’s most magnificent squares: Plaza Mayor. Following lunch at a local restaurant, we return to the ship and dock overnight in Barca d’Alva, enjoying an evening of entertainment on board.

MS Amalia Rodrigues (4-star)

Day 8 - Barca d’Alva - Pinhão

Enjoy a relaxing cruise along the Douro this morning before we arrive in Pinhão. Here, you might like to join an excursion to explore the town, famous for its railway station (look closely at the beautiful azulejo tiles, which depict scenes of nearby vineyards). We’ll finish up with a tasting of locally produced wines.

MS Amalia Rodrigues (4-star)

Day 9 - Pinhão - Porto

Perhaps choose to join an optional excursion to visit one of the most attractive cities in Portugal, Lamego, nestled among the terraced slopes of the Douro Valley. The ruins of a 12th-century castle give an indication to the ancient city’s importance, as this is where Afonso Henriques was officially declared Portugal’s first king. At the top of the city’s second hill is the elaborate Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, which is set atop nine steep and beautifully crafted terraces. This afternoon, the ship will sail to Porto, where we dock overnight. We’ll enjoy traditional fado entertainment on board this evening.

MS Amalia Rodrigues (4-star)

Day 10 - Porto

Following a leisurely morning, we visit historic Guimarães this afternoon, which has been called the ‘Cradle of the Portuguese Nation’. The wonderfully preserved Old Town is dominated by Afonso Henriques’ grand castle. We’ll also visit the 15th-century Palace of the Dukes of Braganza.

MS Amalia Rodrigues (4-star)

Day 11 - Porto

Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel.

Porto