Visit characterful towns, sample delicious port wines and take part in a traditional grape harvest festival on this enchanting cruise along the Douro
Glide along the glittering Douro on this delightful river cruise
and explore a region of Portugal best known for its excellent
wines. Gaze out onto beautiful landscapes and sweeping vineyards as
you travel between pretty riverside towns where famous vintages
have been produced for generations.
Portugal's second city of Porto is your gateway to this trip;
full of charm and atmosphere, the historic old town (a UNESCO world
heritage site) is made up of colourful little houses and narrow
alleyways. Marvel at the traditional tiled facades of the buildings
and enjoy views of the river from one of the city's many
viewpoints.
Your journey around the Alto Douro, the name of this
wine-producing valley region which also holds UNESCO status, begins
with a stop at Régua, a town that has produced port wine since the
18th Century. You'll continue on to the little town of Pinhão,
surrounded by vineyards and quintas - local wine producers. You'll
visit a quinta here and experience the traditional grape harvest,
including picking and crushing the grapes underfoot in traditional
granite troughs.
The trip continues with a port wine tasting at Vega Terron in
Spain, and a visit to Barca d'Alva in the Parque Natural do Douro.
Here you can also choose to go on an excursion to Spain (not
included) to visit the historic university town of Salamanca. The
Linha do Douro railway, which dates from the late 1800s, runs
through the region and on a stop-off at Pocinho you'll see the
railway terminus and railway bridge, both listed monuments.
You'll then return along the Douro, back through the towns of
Pinhão and Régua, and finish with a final full day to enjoy the
sights and charming atmosphere of Porto.
Your home for the duration of the trip is the ship A-ROSA ALVA.
This comfortable ship has just 63 cabins, a casual dress code,
heated pool and panoramic lounge with a bar.
