Porto and the Douro Valley (port-to-port cruise)

5 nights from £841pp departing Monday 4th Nov 2024

Cruise in the heart of Portugal and the Douro Valley. You'll have the chance to explore Lamego, city rich in heritage and tradition, or Guimares considered the beating heart of Portugal. You will also be amazed by the striking history of the tram museum in Porto or the wine cellars along Vila Nova de Gaia.

Itinerary

Map

					Arrive	Depart
	4th04	NovNov	202424	Porto, Portugal, embark on the MS Vasco de Gama	17:00
Lively, commercial Oporto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. Also called Porto for short, the word easily brings to mind the city's most famous product - port wine. Oporto's strategic location on the north bank of the Douro River has accounted for the town's importance since ancient times. The Romans built a fort here where their trading route crossed the Douro, and the Moors brought their own culture to the area. Oporto profited from provisioning crusaders en route to the Holy Land and enjoyed the riches from Portuguese maritime discoveries during the 15th and 16th centuries. Later, port wine trade with Britain compensated for the loss of the spice trade and the end of gold and gem shipments from Brazil. In the 19th century, the city went through a period of new prosperity with the rise of industries. In its wake followed the building of workers' quarters and opulent residences. Since the declaration of Oporto as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city aims to build up a cultural reference that will provide it with a new image, based on deep historical roots. Among the attractions that make Oporto such an interesting place are its graceful bridges spanning the Douro River, a picturesque riverfront quarter and, most notable, its world-famous port wine lodges. Although Oporto is a bustling centre and home to many different businesses, the source of its greatest fame is the rich, sweet fortified red wine we know as port. Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 5:00 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. In the evening, join us on an optional excursion by coach for both packages: Tour of Porto 'by night'.
	5th05	NovNov	202424	Porto, Portugal		06:30
Lively, commercial Oporto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. Also called Porto for short, the word easily brings to mind the city's most famous product - port wine. Oporto's strategic location on the north bank of the Douro River has accounted for the town's importance since ancient times. The Romans built a fort here where their trading route crossed the Douro, and the Moors brought their own culture to the area. Oporto profited from provisioning crusaders en route to the Holy Land and enjoyed the riches from Portuguese maritime discoveries during the 15th and 16th centuries. Later, port wine trade with Britain compensated for the loss of the spice trade and the end of gold and gem shipments from Brazil. In the 19th century, the city went through a period of new prosperity with the rise of industries. In its wake followed the building of workers' quarters and opulent residences. Since the declaration of Oporto as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city aims to build up a cultural reference that will provide it with a new image, based on deep historical roots. Among the attractions that make Oporto such an interesting place are its graceful bridges spanning the Douro River, a picturesque riverfront quarter and, most notable, its world-famous port wine lodges. Although Oporto is a bustling centre and home to many different businesses, the source of its greatest fame is the rich, sweet fortified red wine we know as port. This morning will be spent cruising. Join us on an optional excursion for both packages: Guided tour of Lamego. Enjoy an evening of dancing.
	5th05	NovNov	202424	Régua, Portugal	15:30
	6th06	NovNov	202424	Régua, Portugal		14:00
Take part in our optional excursion for both packages: The Douro Museum and a tasting of olive oil and wine in a quinta. We'll spend the afternoon cruising. Enjoy an evening of onboard entertainment.
	6th06	NovNov	202424	Porto Antigo, Portugal	16:00
	7th07	NovNov	202424	Porto Antigo, Portugal		08:00
We'll spend the morning cruising. This afternoon, join us on the optional excursions proposed:CLASSIC: Guided tour of Porto, one of the oldest cities in Europe, whose historic center was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.DISCOVERY: Touring Porto via tram and visiting the tram museum. 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. We'll finish up our excursion with a tasting of some of the local specialties.The evening is free to do as you please.
	7th07	NovNov	202424	Porto, Portugal	12:00
Lively, commercial Oporto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. Also called Porto for short, the word easily brings to mind the city's most famous product - port wine. Oporto's strategic location on the north bank of the Douro River has accounted for the town's importance since ancient times. The Romans built a fort here where their trading route crossed the Douro, and the Moors brought their own culture to the area. Oporto profited from provisioning crusaders en route to the Holy Land and enjoyed the riches from Portuguese maritime discoveries during the 15th and 16th centuries. Later, port wine trade with Britain compensated for the loss of the spice trade and the end of gold and gem shipments from Brazil. In the 19th century, the city went through a period of new prosperity with the rise of industries. In its wake followed the building of workers' quarters and opulent residences. Since the declaration of Oporto as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city aims to build up a cultural reference that will provide it with a new image, based on deep historical roots. Among the attractions that make Oporto such an interesting place are its graceful bridges spanning the Douro River, a picturesque riverfront quarter and, most notable, its world-famous port wine lodges. Although Oporto is a bustling centre and home to many different businesses, the source of its greatest fame is the rich, sweet fortified red wine we know as port.
	8th08	NovNov	202424	Porto, Portugal
Lively, commercial Oporto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. Also called Porto for short, the word easily brings to mind the city's most famous product - port wine. Oporto's strategic location on the north bank of the Douro River has accounted for the town's importance since ancient times. The Romans built a fort here where their trading route crossed the Douro, and the Moors brought their own culture to the area. Oporto profited from provisioning crusaders en route to the Holy Land and enjoyed the riches from Portuguese maritime discoveries during the 15th and 16th centuries. Later, port wine trade with Britain compensated for the loss of the spice trade and the end of gold and gem shipments from Brazil. In the 19th century, the city went through a period of new prosperity with the rise of industries. In its wake followed the building of workers' quarters and opulent residences. Since the declaration of Oporto as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city aims to build up a cultural reference that will provide it with a new image, based on deep historical roots. Among the attractions that make Oporto such an interesting place are its graceful bridges spanning the Douro River, a picturesque riverfront quarter and, most notable, its world-famous port wine lodges. Although Oporto is a bustling centre and home to many different businesses, the source of its greatest fame is the rich, sweet fortified red wine we know as port. Enjoy time at leisure this morning to discover Porto at your own pace. This afternoon, join us for the optional excursions proposed:CLASSIC: Tour of Guimares.DISCOVERY: Hiking to Vila Nova de Gaa and tasting of some of the local wines*.Tonight's our gala evening and dinner followed by traditional folk entertainment.
	9th09	NovNov	202424	Porto, Portugal, disembark the MS Vasco de Gama
Lively, commercial Oporto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. Also called Porto for short, the word easily brings to mind the city's most famous product - port wine. Oporto's strategic location on the north bank of the Douro River has accounted for the town's importance since ancient times. The Romans built a fort here where their trading route crossed the Douro, and the Moors brought their own culture to the area. Oporto profited from provisioning crusaders en route to the Holy Land and enjoyed the riches from Portuguese maritime discoveries during the 15th and 16th centuries. Later, port wine trade with Britain compensated for the loss of the spice trade and the end of gold and gem shipments from Brazil. In the 19th century, the city went through a period of new prosperity with the rise of industries. In its wake followed the building of workers' quarters and opulent residences. Since the declaration of Oporto as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city aims to build up a cultural reference that will provide it with a new image, based on deep historical roots. Among the attractions that make Oporto such an interesting place are its graceful bridges spanning the Douro River, a picturesque riverfront quarter and, most notable, its world-famous port wine lodges. Although Oporto is a bustling centre and home to many different businesses, the source of its greatest fame is the rich, sweet fortified red wine we know as port. Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9.00 a.m. End of our services.

MS Vasco de Gama

Launch Year

2002

Refit Year

2014

Tonnage

1,000

Capacity

138

Cabins

Accessible

Sun Deck

Upper Deck

Middle Deck

Main Deck

The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.

Sun Deck

Take advantage of the sun deck to relax! It is equipped with chairs and deckchairs, allowing you to cool off while enjoying a panoramic view of the magnificent landscapes.

The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.

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Holiday Summary

	5 nights cruising on the Douro
	All meals included
	Drinks included with meals & at the bar
	Gala dinner & evening welcome cocktail
	Free Wi-Fi in lounge & bar
	Headsets included for excursions
	Travel Assistance & Repatriation Insurance
	Port Taxes and Fees
	ABTA and ATOL Protection*

Oceanview staterooms from		£841pp
A_GLS_PS	Cat A (Upper Deck, Adjustable Twin Beds)	£1,073pp
B_GLS_PP	Cat B (Main Deck, Adjustable Twin Beds)	£841pp

	Oceanview
	(All prices are £GBP per person)
Sun 23rd Mar 202523 Mar 25	901
Fri 28th Mar 202528 Mar 25	969
Wed 2nd Apr 202502 Apr 25	831
Mon 27th Oct 202527 Oct 25	831
Sat 1st Nov 202501 Nov 25	831
Thu 6th Nov 202506 Nov 25	831