This must rank as one of the very best river journeys in Europe, possibly even the world. Most river cruises sail from metropolis to metropolis, cities like Vienna, Budapest, Cologne, Strasbourg…

On the Douro, once you sail out of Porto, one of the most stunning cities in Europe, you’ll find yourself draped in lush green terraces, adorned with fairy-tale, red-roofed villas and estates. Fast water flows around you as you sail through the tight gorges, where steep cliffs hide the river from everyone except you. Excursions bring you to exciting places; a visit to Vila Real, former home of the founder of Mateus Rosé; a day-trip to the ancient university city of Salamanca in Spain; a visit to historical city of Guimaraes; or simply a stroll around the pretty town of Pinhao, with its famous railway station, bedecked with Azulejos (painted blue tiles), depicting scenes of wine production from planting through to harvest and delivery.

For lovers of all things tasty, we offer an excursion to visit the cellars of Taylor Port with a great lunch and selection of wines, whilst enjoying spectacular views over the river. Past guests have rated this as one of the best “excursions” they have ever done, anywhere!

We only have twelve cabins on this cruise, as it is so difficult to get a large allocation. All of our allocation, though, are cabins with full-view Juliette Balconies. So, if you want to enjoy one of the nicest river cruises in Europe, please book as soon as you can.

PLEASE NOTE, WE HAVE ONLY

THREE CABINS FOR SINGLE USE.

Included in the price:

·       Return flights Dublin – Porto (Details to be confirmed)

·       Transfer from airport to ship (v.v.)

·       7 Nights aboard 4* MS Amalia Rodrigues in standard cabin

·       All meals dinner on 14 Apr – breakfast on 21Apr

·       “All Inclusive” drinks package throughout the cruise (except champagne and premium wines)

·       Excursion credit of £150 pp (See below)

·       On-board gratuities

·       Escorted throughout by Alan Couser

·       All taxes and fees

Not included in the fare:

·       Travel insurance

·       Discretional gratuities (See below)

·       Optional excursions (See below)

·       Any meals or drinks not included in itinerary.

MIDDLE DECK WITH JULIETTE BALCONY

£2485 pp sharing twin/double

£3065 single occupancy.

UPPER DECK WITH JULIETTE BALCONY

£2625 pp sharing twin/double

£3205 single occupancy

Flights: (Provisional)

These flight times are very likely to change and we may even have a connection from Belfast.

14 April 2027 – Ryanair FR7072

Depart Dublin 6.45pm   Arrive Porto 9.10pm

21 April 2027 – Ryaniar FR7073

Depart Porto 3.55pm   Arrive Dublin 6.20pm

Baggage Allowance:

Hand Luggage. One small underseat bag per person

Checked luggage: 20Kgs bag per person

(Minibus transfers throughout)

Excursions

Details of the excursions will folow shortly.

Important Note

The flight schedules to Porto have not been announced yet, so we may have one extra night in Porto either before the cruise or after it. For the time being, we will assume we can fly and join the cruise straightaway. Also, should Belfast flights be included and should they operate on the days we need, we will offer this holiday from Belfast. It is, however, unlikely!

PROPOSED ITINERARY

PORTO - REGUA - VEGA DE TERON

FERRADOSA - PINHAO – PORTO

DAY 1:   14 Apr 27   BELFAST INT'L - PORTO

On arrival after our flight to Porto, we will travel by minibus to our city-centre hotel. Due to the late arrival time, we have not included an evening meal. You may wish to eat in Dublin before your flight, on the aircraft. In recent years, with such a late arrival, the ship has arranged a plated supper, which was excellent.

DAY 2:    15 Apr 27  PORTO

Today is a free day for you to explore on your own or to join one of the ship’s excursions. The ship is open for lunch but you can stay in town if you wish. We are also offering our own tour, to the Cellars of Taylors Port. We'll return on board for dinner and an evening of fado music.

DAY 3:    16 Apr 27  PORTO - REGUA

We have another morning in Porto before slipping anchor at lunch-time to glide out of the city and upstream into the stunning countryside. Optional excursions details below. Spend the afternoon sailing. 
Enjoy dinner on board followed by a dancing or a stroll through Regua by night.

DAY 4:    17 Apr 27   REGUA - VEGA DE TERRON

Join us for an optional excursion to Vila Real and stroll through the beautiful gardens of Mateus Palace, or simply relax on board. The afternoon will be spent cruising.
Enjoy dinner and an evening of flamenco on board.

DAY 5:    18 Apr 27   BARCA D'ALVA (Salamanca)

The ship remains in Barca D’Alva all day and if you simply want a quiet relaxing day, this is it. There is almost nothing to do here except hiking in the hills and lunching at a taverna, or on board. If, however, you want to explore the gorgeous, historic city of Salamanca, then we highly recommend one of the tours. 
Enjoy an evening of entertainment after dinner.

DAY 6:    19 Apr 27

BARCA D'ALVA - FERRADOSA - PINHAO

The morning will be spent cruising.
Join us for an optional excursion to taste the wine of Porto. You can, of course, simply enjoy some free time in Pinhao. It’s a nice, rural town with a stunning railway station and a few places to sit and enjoy a glass of wine or a coffee.
Tonight should be our festival gala evening.

DAY 7:    20 Apr 27  PINHAO - PORTO

Join us for an optional excursion to Lamego.
The afternoon will be spent cruising.
Enjoy an evening of traditional entertainment.

DAY 8:     21 Apr 27  PORTO

Enjoy breakfast on board before disembarking around 9.15 /9/30am. We will consider options as to what to do today, once we know the exact flight times. We will advise you accordingly.

 For navigational safety reasons, the company and the captain are the only authorized persons who can modify the cruise itinerary. Alcohol can be dangerous to your health. Please drink in moderation. Please note: The number of moorings on the Douro is limited. Our ship may be moored side by side to another ship.

Excursions

£150 worth of excursions are included in the cost of your fare and need to be booked in advance. You may book as many tours as you wish and pay the extra. To take all of the tours is just crazy! You will be exhausted and will barely have time to simply enjoy the holiday. We will send you a booking form a few months before departure.  It is possible to book excursions on board but the prices will be higher.

Porto by night – coach tour - £30

A unique opportunity to admire the city of Porto by night during a panoramic tour by bus. You will love the old, preserved districts of this city of immense character, classed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Porto is not only a city rich in vestiges from a glorious past, but also the young-spirited, warm capital city of a region marked by its winemaking as well as its closeness to the ocean. During the tour of the historic centre, your guide will schedule a stop at the Sao Bento railway station to look at its magnificent azulejos. Return on board by coach.

Guided tour of Porto with Wine Tasting

Ship’s Tour- £55

One of the oldest cities in Europe, whose historic centre is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This tour departs the ship by bus but there will be some walking involved over steep, cobbled streets. You will traverse the Dom Luis Bridge, built by a student of Gustav Eiffel. A visit to the Da Bolsa Palace and the Church of St. Francis is included. Finally, a visit to one of the wine cellars in Vila Gaia before returning to the ship.

Porto via tram and visit the tram museum.

Ship’s Tour - £55

We recommend this tour for those who cannot walk long distances.

We'll leave from Vila Nova de Gaia by coach for downtown Porto. Once we arrive, we'll board one of the city's trams and partake in this urban-tourism experience all the way to the mouth of the Douro. Our visit will include a stop at the tram museum (Museu do Carro Eléctrico), housed in a former thermo-electric power plant. The museum collection comprises the oldest cars pulled by horses, called "Americanos,” to the last trams from the 1950s and 1960s. We'll finish up our excursion with a tasting of some of the local specialties*. At the end of our tour, we'll return to the ship by coach.

Wine Trails of Porto - £55

Departure from Ferradosa for our excursion along the Porto wine route. We'll discover this incredible vineyard extending over 100 km along the Douro river all the way to the Spanish border. We'll visit San Salvador do Mundo and Sao Joao da Pesqueira, two small towns set among the vineyards in the Rio Torto valley. In Sao Joao da Pesqueira, you will have the opportunity to explore the arcaded main square, the chapel and the white houses with their balconies. You will visit a quinta (wine cellar) to taste the famous Porto. We'll return on board in Pinhao or Folgosa.

Taylors Port – World of Wines - £95 (Full day)

One of our most popular tours….

Please note that this tour is definitely not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties, but we can adapt it for you, by prior arrangement. We need to know at time of booking the excursions if you need this.

This tour is led by Alan & Ann and includes a superb lunch with wines. We will leave the ship after breakfast and travel by taxi to Vila Nova de Guia, on the south side of the river, directly across from Porto. We will walk across the magnificent bridge to the Porto Main Station, where we can view and learn about the stunning Azulejo tiles that adorn the building. We will then walk uphill to the cathedral, from where you will have magnificent views. Our tour takes us on foot, down through the city of Porto with a coffee stop and to the ferry back across the river.

A short uphill walk takes us to “World Of Wines”, featuring a number of museums, shops and restaurants. We have arranged a self-guided tour of the cellars, where you will learn about the history and production of port wine. Afterwards, we will enjoy a superb lunch, with views over the river and the city of Porto.

Afterwards, enjoy some free time in intriguing Vila Nova de Gaia, visiting the amazing sardine store and other places. The tour finishes with a walk back, along the river, to our ship. Alternatively, we can arrange taxis if required.

Guided Tour of Lamego - £55

Departure from Regua to Lamego for a guided tour of the city centre by coach and on foot. Lamego is a charming episcopal and commercial town where you'll get to discover the Nossa Senhora dos Remedios Sanctuary. This 18th century church stands out with its white façade dominating a baroque staircase with 686 steps ending in a shrine built in the rocaille style and adorned with azulejos. The first stone was laid on February 14th, 1750 and gave way to the construction of a massive temple overlooking the city and providing a breathtaking view over the misty mountains of the surrounding landscape. Return on board in Regua.

Full-day Guided Tour of Salamanca with lunch (£95)

Note: There is some walking over uneven surfaces but should be OK for most. We’ve seen people in wheelchairs do this tour! The coach journey is approximately 2 hours each way.

Departure by coach through interesting mountainous landscape towards . Since 1988, the Old Town of Salamanca has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We'll visit the cathedral whose successive extensions created a mixture of styles going from late Gothic to Baroque, including Renaissance. Afterwards, we'll visit one of the world's oldest Universities which first opened in 1218. Its wonderful library brims with old manuscripts dating back from prior to the 19th century. You'll enjoy lunch and be free to discover the city on your own. Return on board in Vega de Teron.

Salamanca by Bike - £95

You'll leave by coach with your host/hostess from Barca d'Alva for Salamanca. Along with your guide, you will ride along the banks of the Tormes river before discovering Salamanca's Old Town, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You will get to know all the must-see sites but also the places off the typical touristic paths. The tour includes a visit of the gothic cathedral. Afterwards, we'll visit one of the world's oldest Universities which first opened in 1218. Also known as "Escuelas Mayores”, the University building has a sumptuous gate adorned with the city's most famous design: a frog atop a skull - symbolic of the sin of lust being punished after death. Its wonderful library brims with old manuscripts dating back from prior to the 19th century. We'll have lunch in a local restaurant before enjoying some free time to wander the city alone. After our long day, we'll return to the ship in Vega de Teron.

Vila Real and Mateus Palace - £55

We'll leave from Regua or Pinhão for Vila Real, where aristocrats built grand palaces during the 16th and 17th centuries. The architecture of the religious buildings is here extremely varied. We'll take a panoramic tour of the city by coach, followed by a tasting of the local pastry, Cristas de Galo.
We'll then set out to explore Mateus Palace, the most beautiful and astonishing manor in all of Northern Portugal. This 18th-century beauty is set in a hilly landscape reminding us of Mexico. The subtle mixture of granite, white walls and extravagance from the Age of Enlightenment such as ledges covered in statues and Baroque style pilasters is a striking feature. Behind the manor is a delightful garden with box hedges, more statues, and a spectacular 115-foot cedar tunnel. After our tour, we'll return to our ship in Regua or Pinhão.

Guimaraes - £55

We'll leave by coach from Porto for Guimarães. With our guide, we'll begin the tour of this university town on foot to discover its historical treasures. We'll get the chance to discover the Nossa Senhora de Oliveira Church (outdoors), the most important religious building in the city. The medieval heart of Guimarães is a labyrinth of lanes and picturesque plazas framed by 14th-century buildings. We'll continue on to the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, a medieval estate and former residence of the first Dukes of Braganza with striking architecture. At the end of our visit, we'll return on board in Porto.