Highlights of a Douro River Cruise

PORTO

The embarkation point for your Douro River Cruise is the colourful city of Porto. Cosy, walkable and welcoming, Porto is world-famous for its namesake Port Wine and it is well worth spending a couple of days exploring the city before or after your cruise to take in all the sights, including the iconic Ribeira river front, the Cathedral and the striking Dom Luís I Bridge. This double-decker bridge over the Douro river connects Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, where you will find most of the Port wine cellars and the old rabelo boats. If you are looking for the best panoramic views of the city and you are not scared of heights, the Gaia Cable Car is a must.

Porto’s rich architecture and history, azulejo-clad buildings (check out the history of Portugal at São Bento railway station), homely gastronomy and welcoming atmosphere will charm you!

READ MORE ABOUT PORTO ON OUR BLOG: TOP THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN PORTO

ANCIENT VINEYARDS

It is believed it was Celtic tribes that settled in the region, establishing ‘castros’ hilltop settlements, that first cultivated vines on its valley’s dramatic slopes; but it would be the Romans who would transform and ‘scale’ viticulture in the area, introducing more planting methods and improving navigation and road infrastructure to trade the wine produced in the Douro Valley across the whole empire.

In 1756 the Douro became world’s first legally demarcated wine region. It would be Port wine what would make the Douro Valley world famous from the 17th century but there is much more variety that is grown in the area, producing excellent red wines. The Douro Valley is one of the richest regions in Portugal with over 80 official indigenous grape varieties grown in the valley, including Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Muscatel and Gouveio. This incredible valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.

On a Douro River Cruise you will get a chance to not only admire the striking landscapes along this valley cultivated for so many centuries but also visit traditional family run ‘Quinta’ wineries, tasting some of Portugal’s best wines. Culture, tradition and nature all come together in harmony in this region, and the result can be best appreciated in a glass of the exquisite local wine.

September and October can be a spectacular time to travel when the wine harvest is taking place.

FOOD CULTURE

Apart from wine, the Douro Valley offers soulful, not flashy but delicious dishes and snacks, with a food tradition deeply rooted from their culture, history and identity. These are some of our favourites to try:

Bolinhos de Bacalhau 

A traditional Portuguese snack with a light crispy outside and a creamy inside traditionally made with cod, potatoes, eggs parsley and onions. Also known as ‘Salt Cod Fritters’ and today the Portuguese are one of the top consumers of cod with different ways of preparations.

Tripas à moda do Porto

Locals are nicknamed as ‘tripeiros’ which is rooted from the word ‘Tripas’ meaning tripe. This dish is made of beef stomach and tripe with white beans, carrots and rice. This unique delicacy is a traditional dish in the city of Porto and widely known as ‘Dobrada’ across the country.

Pastel de Nata 

This is a National Treasure. A flaky pastry shell with an egg custard filling usually sold in bakeries and baked fresh each morning.

Porto specialties

When in the Porto region, you can’t leave without trying regional delicacies such as the famous ‘franceshinha’ sandwich, bifana pork steak, caldo verde or the sweet Bolo de Sao Joao.

Bola de Lamego

A delicious smoked ham roll from this riverside town on the Douro

HISTORIC TOWNS

The greatest thing with cruises is that you get to wake up every morning in a different place during your trip, these are some of the most scenic riverside towns and cities on a Douro River Cruise:

Régua

In Peso da Régua, the Douro Museum gives visitors a local perspective on the region its wine growing tradition.

Lamego

One of the most beautiful cities in Northern Portugal, at the base of an immense blue and white tiled flight of steps leading to the Shrine of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios. Is one of the first Portuguese towns reclaimed from the Moors and home to the sparkling wine, Raposeira.

Castelo Rodrigo

Charming little hilltop town with views of Spain and Portugal and home to old ruins and a castle, hence its name!

Salamanca, Spain

The Douro River flows for 900kms across Portugal and Spain (where it is called ‘Duero’). Many Douro River Cruises take guests to Salamanca in Spain. Known as the ‘Golden City’ for its glowing sandstone monumental buildings, Salamanca is a lively university city home to one of Europe’s oldest universities and UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Sources: DouroValley.org, VisitPortugal.com

These are some of the highlights of a Douro River cruise, talk to our expert cruise team for more advice on different cruise line options and styles and to book your next river cruise.