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Discover the Douro

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You are viewing the 2025 itinerary. Select your departure year
20252026
8 days From £2,099 £1,799 per person
4.4 stars(40 reviews)
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Fly & Cruise

Fly direct to Porto for an enchanting Douro river cruise with wonderful ports of call, including Porto, Mateus Palace, and Lamego

Save £300pp

Save £300pp on River Cruise 2025 and selected 2026 holidays, when you book by 31st January 2025.

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2025 Tour code: DOZ25

About the tour

Setting sail from Porto, enjoy a fantastic 7-night cruise along the golden Douro. After a convenient flight to our floating hotel, drift through golden valleys alongside enchanting towns and past regal wine estates. Our cruise reveals the timeless beauty of this serene river, stopping at wonderful ports along the way.

Tracing the winding course of the Douro river through picturesque landscapes, we visit the golden city of Salamanca, journey along the Porto wine route, and discover Baroque architecture in Lamego. Then the medieval town of Guimarães beckons before we bid farewell to the Douro Valley. Join us on this captivating cruise through culture, history, and breathtaking scenery.

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Unforgettable Experiences

Savour scenic Porto
Savour scenic Porto
Explore the UNESCO-listed World Heritage city of Porto – renowned for its port wine and picturesquely located on the banks of the Douro, before discovering the craftsmanship at an azulejo tile workshop.
The cuisine and magnificence of Salamanca
The cuisine and magnificence of Salamanca
Experience the golden city of Salamanca with its ancient cathedrals - like the Catedral Nueva and Catedral Vieja - that stand as testaments to its rich heritage, and experience a traditional Spanish lunch in this beautiful setting.
Mateus Palace – a baroque masterpiece
Mateus Palace – a baroque masterpiece
Visit the impressive Mateus Palace, a stunning Baroque-style mansion near Vila Real that boasts beautiful gardens, a grand interior with opulent rooms, and stunning architecture adorned with intricate carvings.
Charming Lamego
Charming Lamego
Enjoy a guided tour of the picturesque village of Lamego seeing its impressive Baroque cathedral as well as its historic centre adorned with ornate churches and elegant squares.
The treasures of Guimarães
The treasures of Guimarães
Discover the medieval buildings of Guimarães, a picturesque city known as the ‘birthplace of Portugal’ with a beautifully preserved medieval old town, historic churches, and charming squares.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - To Porto where we board our cruise ship

Today is the start of our amazing holiday. We gather at the airport, ready to embark on an adventure to the charming city of Porto, city famous for the explorers who set out from here to discover the New World.

Upon arrival, we're escorted by coach to our excellent ship. After settling into our comfortable cabins, we're greeted by our wonderful crew with a welcome cocktail. Later, we sit down to our first delicious meal on board, followed by a panoramic evening coach tour of the city of Porto by night. From our comfortable seats, we see the lovely old, preserved areas of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hopping off the coach for a brief stop at the Sao Bento railway station, we admire its magnificent azulejos, before heading back to our luxurious ship for a restful nights sleep.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 - Discovering Porto and Régua

This morning, we explore Porto further on a guided coach tour. From the 14th-century Church of St Francis overlooking the Douro, we enter the Bolsa Palace - also known as the Stock Exchange Palace. This UNESCO-listed neoclassical landmark boasts some amazing interiors, which we see on a tour, including the magnificent staircase and lavishly decorated Arab Room.

Our next visit is to an azulejo workshop to gain an insight into these ornate frescoes and discover more about this age-old artform. With Moorish influences, these striking blue-and-white tiles often depict flowers, animals or historic scenes.

We rejoin our ship for lunch on board and then later this afternoon, begin our cruise along the Douro River, enjoying its fabulous landscapes enroute to the town of Régua, a picturesque town that is rich in history and culture and surrounded by terraced slopes. After dinner this evening, we enjoy entertainment on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 – The delights of Mateus Palace and Gardens

This morning, we gain an insight into the region's wine-making heritage at the Douro Museum before continuing by coach to the magnificent Mateus Palace.

One of the most beautiful houses in northern Portugal, this 18th-century masterpiece is a delight, with beautifully adorned interiors and lush gardens. Showcasing late-Baroque architecture with rococo flourishes, the exteriors are topped with flamboyant spires. Our tour takes us through the grand halls and rooms of the palace before time at leisure to explore the property's chapel. Returning to our ship, we cruise in the afternoon through blissful scenery to Vega de Terron on the border with Spain. This evening, after dinner, we enjoy Flamenco entertainment on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – The golden city of Salamanca

Today, we venture into beautiful Spain and make our way through enchanting countryside to the golden city of Salamanca, in the Castille y Léon region. Known as the academic capital of Spain, this ancient city boasts an impressive array of sandstone university buildings and - founded in 1218 - is the oldest and most prestigious centre of learning in the country. Our guided tour showcases the highlights of Salamanca, including the ornate House of Shells, the vibrant Plaza Mayor, and other magnificent buildings. Afterwards, you have time to wander at leisure and discover the city's hidden gems before enjoying a traditional Spanish lunch.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 - Savouring the renowned Port wine route

This morning, we begin our cruise back downstream through scenic landscapes to Pinhão. Today's excursion features a journey along the Port wine route, admiring gorgeous scenery of golden valleys and gleaming vineyards.

Continuing to Pinhão, we stop at a local quinta where we indulge in some of the region's finest Ports. After viewing the blue azulejo frescoes at Pinhão's historic station, we rejoin our ship and enjoy a gala dinner on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – Baroque splendour in Lamego

This morning we journey to the picturesque village of Lamego. We enjoy a guided tour of this charming town, renowned for its stunning cathedral. Standing at the heart of the village, this is a breathtaking example of Baroque architecture. But the real highlight of this masterpiece is the 700 steps leading up to its doors, beautifully decorated with cheerful white and blue tiles. This afternoon we continue our cruise back to Porto where tonight, we enjoy an evening of Fado-themed entertainment.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 - Exploring Porto and Guimarães

This morning, we enjoy time at leisure in Porto before lunch on board. This afternoon, we visit the charming medieval city of Guimarães, known for its well-preserved 10th-century buildings, vibrant squares, and picturesque castle gardens. We return to Porto and rejoin our ship before our 4-course farewell dinner and traditional folk entertainment on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 – Homeward bound

Today marks the final day of our adventure on the Douro. We disembark and transfer to the airport. On our return flight to the UK enjoy memories of Lisbon's vibrant hues, Sintra's enchanting palaces, and explorations of Porto and Regua where we savoured port wine. Mateus Palace impressed before venturing to Spain's Salamanca. Our luxurious cruise ended with Pinhao, Lamego's steps, and Guimarães' medieval charm, leaving us with a holiday experience we will treasure for a long time.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Ship

MS Gil Eanes

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Reviews

4.4 stars4.4 / 5 · 40 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (21)
  2. 4 stars
    (15)
  3. 3 stars
    (3)
  4. 2 stars
    (1)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Neill Beasley

5 stars

Submitted 13 Oct 2024

Interesting trip, excellent food and attentive staff. Sailing on the river is totally relaxing. Getting up early in the morning for excursions by coach meant rushed breakfasts.

Collected by Trustpilot

Neill Beasley
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Mrs Anne Grant

5 stars

Submitted 10 Oct 2024

A super wee on board the Amalia Rodrigues. The crew were exceptionally friendly as well as being professional and happy. Our guide, Iain was very attentive to our needs even with such a large group. The only downside was the rush to dinner and lunch as the group was so large.

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Mrs Anne Grant
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Kathleen Vaile

5 stars

Submitted 08 Oct 2024

Everything was excellent ?? ?? ?? except for the flight from Gatwick Airport &the flight home, we had knowwhere to sit down at Dorro airport, we didn't know about the 3 nights in Lisbon. It was not in our brochure.

Collected by Trustpilot

Jennie

5 stars

Submitted 03 Jul 2024

An amazing holiday with an amazing group of people. Beautiful scenery, lovely excursions and an awesome tour manager that made sure we were looked after and entertained.

Collected by Trustpilot

Jennie
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philip craven

5 stars

Submitted 28 Jun 2024

Highly recommend. Enjoyed every single minute of the cruise. Would definately use Great Railway Journeys again. Cruise managers and all the crew, friendly, helpful and couldn't do enough to make our trip enjoyable. A worthy 5 STAR.

Collected by Trustpilot

Mr David Everest

5 stars

Submitted 28 Jun 2024

Beautiful Scenery. Fabulous ship, crew and food. Comfortable cabins. Interesting excursions and on board entertainment.

Collected by Trustpilot

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River Cruise Holidays 2025

River Cruise Holidays 2025

Experience the magic of cruising along some of Europe’s most picturesque waterways. Glide serenely along the romantic Rhine, explore the blue Danube or meander through the enchanting Douro Valley. With our river cruises, you’ll drift through beautiful landscapes and historic towns.

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