Portugal & The Douro River Valley

The Douro River Valley has been home to a thriving wine industry for over 2,000 years. Take in its unique terraced vineyards, and sail past some of Portugal’s most enchanting regions on this spectacular tour.

Add-Ons

Portugal 3-in-1 Shore Excursion

Explore more of Portugal with this value-packed add-on

Folkloric Fado Show with Dinner

Enjoy an evening of Fado music and dinner

Tour Includes

1 Country

• Portugal

Sightseeing

• Lisbon
• Sintra
• Leiria
• Coimbra
• Porto
• Douro River Valley
• Régua
• Pinhão
• Vega de Terrón
• Barca d’Alva
• Pocinho
• Bitetos
• Cais da Lixa
• Fatima
• Cascais

Cruise Accommodations

• 7 Nights
• River cruise aboard A-ROSA Cruises’ Alva

Hotel Accommodations

• 4 Nights
• Moderate hotels based on twin/double occupancy

Meals

• All meals onboard ship
• 4 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, and 1 Dinner on land portion

Service

• A professionally trained English-speaking local tour director who is knowledgeable about the area will provide you with a wealth of information. Their friendly service will make your trip a memorable experience.

Baggage Handling

• To and from your hotel room and cruise ship cabin throughout your  tour for one piece of Checked Baggage per person.

Portugal and the Douro River Valley

Tour Starts:

Lisbon, Portugal

Tour Ends:

Lisbon, Portugal

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Day 1

Depart for Europe

Your journey begins on an overnight flight.

Day 2

Arrive in Lisbon, Portugal

If you purchased airline tickets from YMT, a representative will meet you at the airport and transport you to the hotel. Relax before your included welcome dinner at the hotel begins. (D)

Hotel Roma or similar

Day 3

Lisbon and Fatima

Enjoy a guided city tour through Portugal’s coastal capital, watched over by seven picturesque hills. Take in views of Lisbon’s historic cobblestone streets and stately ruins. Tour the grounds of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, filled with incredible sights; from the colonnade, and the chapels, to the Monument of the Berlin Wall. Enjoy your evening at leisure in Fatima. (B)

Hotel Santa Maria Fatima or similar

Day 4

Leiria, Coimbra and Porto

Start your morning in Leiria with a self-guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Monastery of Batalha, commissioned in the 14th century by King John I. Continue to Coimbra, one of Portugal’s loveliest college towns. Enjoy lunch on your own before taking a guided tour of the library and grounds of Universidad de Coimbra, originally founded in 1290. The university is dazzling, and you will visit many of its most impressive sites, including the Great Hall, Baroque Library, and Natural History Collection. Arrive in Porto and enjoy an evening at leisure. You may choose to join us at an optional Fado dinner and show. (B)

Hotel Inn Porto Gaia or similar

Add-On: Folkloric Fado Show & Dinner

Day 5

Porto with Wine Tasting (board ship after 3pm)

Porto is one of Portugal’s oldest cities, and is a spectacular place to spend the day. First settled around 300 BC, it has since been captured by the Romans, the Moors, and even Napoleon; its historic center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a walking city tour and an included port wine tasting at one of Porto’s many vineyards! After your free time and lunch on your own, board A-ROSA’s Alva to enjoy dinner on board before leaving port early tomorrow. (B, D)

Day 6

Régua (1:00 PM–2:00 PM) to Pinhão, Portugal (5:00 PM)

Depart Porto this morning at 7:00 AM and watch the sights of Portugal drift slowly by on your first morning on the Douro. Take in sweeping views of the beautiful countryside of the UNESCO-listed Douro River Valley all the way to Régua. Blessed with near-constant sunshine, Régua has a colorful past as an epicenter of Renaissance-era port wine production and is now the perfect place for a leisurely stroll. Return to the ship, then continue on to dock in Pinhão for the night. (B, L, D)

Add-On: Portugal 3-in-1 Shore Excursion – Guided Tour Of Lamego

Day 7

Pinhao, Portugal (Departs at 1:00 PM) to Vega de Terrón, Spain (7:00 PM–12:00 PM next day)

Begin your day with a few leisurely hours in Pinhão. Surrounded by vineyards, it’s a small town nestled in a particularly scenic riverbend. Look up, and you’ll see lush hills and terraces encircling the city. Back on the river, you’ll be awed by the beauty of the Douro International Natural Park on the way to Vega de Terrón, Spain. The rugged granite cliffs rise high above the water and are home to numerous rare birds. Arrive in Vega de Terrón this evening, a classically Spanish community with quiet streets, friendly people, and delicious food. Visitors love its proximity to Salamanca, a popular 12th century tourist destination known for intricate sandstone architecture and its UNESCO-recognized Old City. (B, L, D)

Day 8

Barca d'Alva, Portugal (12:30 PM–9:00 AM next day)

Today we cross back into Portugal to spend a leisurely evening in Barca d’Alva. (B, L, D)

Day 9

Pocinho, Portugal to Pinhão, Portugal (6:30 PM–7:00 AM next day)

Enjoy the Medieval architecture and stunning views of Barca d’Alva in the clear morning light, then continue down to Pocinho and Pinhão. (B, L, D)

Add-On: Portugal 3-in-1 Shore Excursion – Guided walk of Castelo Rodrigo

Day 10

Régua, Portugal (9:00 AM–2:00 PM) to Bitetos, Portugal (6:30 PM–7 AM next day)

Return this morning to Régua and visit Bitetos, a tiny village teeming with Roman-era ruins. (B, L, D)

Add-On: Portugal 3-in-1 Shore Excursion – Guided Tour of The Palace & Gardens of Mateus

Day 11

Cais da Lixa, Portugal (8:30 AM–9:00 AM) to Porto, Portugal (Arrive 10:30 AM)

After a quick stop in Cais da Lixa, pull into Porto for a full day in Portugal’s second largest city. Book lovers will enjoy the Lello Bookstore. Built in 1906, it’s where you’ll find Porto’s creatives and intellectuals. (B, L, D)

Day 12

Disembarkation in Porto (7.00 AM), Sintra, Cascais, and Lisbon

Disembark from the Alva and travel by coach to Cascais for a walking panoramic tour, and a delicious included farewell lunch. Continue on to Sintra, located in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains. Sintra is home to charming pastel buildings surrounded by lush terrain. Enjoy an included walking tour of the Old Town and free time for shopping. Arrive in Lisbon for the evening. (B, L)

Hotel Roma or similar

Day 13

Depart for Home (B)

Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Hotels may differ depending on date. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations. By their nature, all tour vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights. Please ask your Travel Consultant for more information.

YMT Vacations itineraries may contain suggestions for activities for your leisure time; these suggestions do not constitute a recommendation nor an endorsement of any specific service provider and the decision to participate in any such activities should be made independently.

FAQs

Add-Ons

Make your vacation extra special by adding optional excursions to your tour. It’s a great opportunity to enhance your trip, these experiences slot seamlessly into your package, and we’ll take care of all the logistics for you. Call us for pricing, and remember that adding an optional experience might increase the overall activity level of the tour, so always keep that in mind when planning your trip.

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Portugal 3-in-1 Shore Excursion

Explore more of Portugal with this value-packed add-on that features three experiences: Stairway to Heaven of Lamego, Castelo Rodrigo and The Palace & Gardens of Mateus.

Inclusions

• Take a guided afternoon tour of Lamego, an elegant town and home to one of Portugal’s most important pilgrimage sites. Explore the famous Santuario de Nossa Senhora dos Remedios, a baroque church flanked by two 18th century towers.
• Take a morning tour of Figueira Castelo Rodrigo, one of Portugal’s most historically significant villages. Visit the ruins of the medieval Castle of Castelo Rodrigo, then explore a small medieval church before enjoying free time to discover the town on your own.
• Explore the palace and gardens of Casa de Mateus, which dates back to the early 18th century. After a 40-minute guided tour of the house and chapel, take a walk through the palace gardens inspired by the gardens of Versailles.

Note: Book early and save $50 with code 24EROPT50. Our discounted price for the optional shore excursion package offers a fantastic value. Excursion package tours cannot be sold individually. This offer is valid for 2024 tours only.

Duration: Varies

Activity Level: Easy to Moderate

Price: $179 USD for 2024 (Book Early are save $50 with code: 24EROPT50) & $239 USD (2025)

Folkloric Fado Show with Dinner

Enjoy an evening of traditional Portuguese cuisine accompanied by the soulful and nostalgic music that defines Fado. Fado comes from the latin word fatum, which means fate. Fado-style music focuses on topics such as love, pain, loss, and injustice in society. The slightly somber melody marches perfectly with the deep and romantic personality of the Portuguese people. Fado started in Lisbon in the early 19th century and quickly emerged as a popular form of entertainment in Coimbra and Porto as well. Your tour will begin in your hotel, where your tour manager and coach driver will accompany you for the evening. From there, you will be accompanied to a local restaurant to enjoy Fado music accompanied by a 3-course traditional meal.

Inclusions

• 3 course dinner with drinks
• Folkloric Fado music show (guitar and vocals)
• Roundtrip transfers

Note: Guests will return to the hotel at approximately 11pm.

Duration: Approx. 5 Hours (Evening)

Activity Level: Easy

Price: $119 USD