Please note the tour price reflected on the brochure is subject to change. Due to seasonality, and taxes prices of the tour are subject to change without due notice. Please consult with the operator directly for the recent price.
Douro Delights
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
- Marvel At Pena National Palace: Head for the mountain town of Sintra to visit its whimsical hilltop castle, Pena National Palace
- Porto's Famous Wine: Visit Casa de Vila Verde estate in the Sousa Valley wine region, famous for its Vinho Verde since the 17th century
- Pinhão Winery Dinner: Dine on the sweet fruits of the Douro Valley's harvests at a family-owned quinta in the village of Pinhão
Short Description
Enjoy 14 days from Lisbon to Madrid with seven nights upon the Douro River on the MS AmaVida. Attractions include a journey through Portugal's rural countryside, a wine and cheese tasting in Régua, and many more cultural excursions.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Lisbon
On arrival in Lisbon, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Meet your fellow travellers and APT Tour Director at a Welcome Reception tonight.
Stay: Three Nights: Lisbon, Four Seasons Hotel Ritz
Day 2: Lisbon
On a guided tour of Lisbon, ride on the city’s iconic tramcars, then visit the Old Town and much more. Discover the World Heritage-listed Jerónimos Monastery, an incredible symbol of Portugal’s power and wealth during the Age of Discovery. Built in 1502 by King Manual I, the monument commemorates Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India. Later this evening, get to know your fellow guests during a special Welcome Dinner.
Day 3: Lisbon, Sintra
Today’s excursion takes you into the picturesque mountain range of Serra de Sintra. Visit the World Heritage-listed Pena National Palace set within a picturesque backdrop and take a guided tour of Sintra, the town below. Enjoy lunch at your leisure before returning to Lisbon via the spectacular coastal route. During your final evening in Lisbon, you may wish to try one of the many incredible local restaurants.
Day 4: Lisbon, Coimbra, Porto, Embark Ship
Journey through Portugal’s rural countryside to Coimbra, a delightful medieval city home to Portugal’s most famous university. After a tour and free time for lunch, continue to Porto. Board your river ship and enjoy a Welcome Dinner in the evening.
Stay: Seven Nights: the MS AmaVida
Day 5: Porto
On a tour, explore Porto’s Old Town and delight in its 16th-century buildings and Baroque churches. See the iron bridge built by French engineer Gustave Eiffel then enjoy a tasting at a local port house in Gaia.
Day 6: Porto, Guimarães, Entre-Os-Rios
- SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE
Visit Casa de Vila Verde, where you’ll enjoy a tour of the manor, followed by a tasting of their famous Vonho Verde before a traditional dinner.
Take a morning excursion to the World Heritage-listed city of Guimarães, an authentic and well-preserved showcase of the evolution of medieval settlement, as well as 15th to 19th-century architecture. Back on board, enjoy some scenic cruising through the Douro Valley en route to Entre-Os-Rios.
Day 7: Caldas De Aregos, Régua
Dock in Caldas de Aregos and travel to Quinta da Aveleda, a family business that has been producing wine in the Douro region since the 1870s. Explore the beautiful gardens on a tour, followed by a wine and cheese tasting. Delight in the beauty of this sun-drenched region as you cruise to Régua, where you’ll visit the Douro Museum.
Day 8: Regua, Lamego, Pinhao
- SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE
Head to a local winery in Pinhão where you’ll enjoy the superb flavours of the region during a delicious dinner and wine tasting.
Tour the ancient town of Lamego and visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies. You’ll then sample bolas de Lamego, a specialty dish of the region.
Day 9: Pinhão, Vila Real
Take a trip to Palacio de Mateus, located near the city of Vila Real. Built in 1745, the palace offers a wonderful insight into the lives of Portuguese aristocracy. Embark on a tour of the palace followed by free time to explore the extensive gardens. Enjoy time at leisure in Pinhão followed by the Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.
Day 10: Barca D’Alva
Travel to the tiny fortified village of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo today. On a tour here, see the castle ruins, and take in spectacular panoramic views of the Douro Valley and surrounding towns. Back on board, enjoy a delicious dinner this evening as you make the most of your last night on board your stylish river ship.
Day 11: Barca D’Alva, Disembark Ship, Salamanca, Madrid
Disembark in Barca d’Alva today and travel to the ancient city of Salamanca. During a tour, see the University of Salamanca and the House of Shells. Afterwards, continue to your hotel in Madrid, where you will be able to enjoy the evening at your leisure.
Stay: Three Nights: Westin Palace Madrid
Day 12: Madrid
Enjoy a tour of Madrid followed by a Farewell Dinner featuring a range of tantalising tapas later in the evening.
Day 13: Madrid
- FREEDOM OF CHOICE
Enjoy a choice of sightseeing activities in Madrid today. Perhaps learn all about the traditional flavours of delectable Spanish cuisine on a culinary tour. Otherwise, immerse yourself in Spanish art at the Prado Museum, including works from Italian and Flemish artists such as Velázquez, Goya, Raphael, Rubens, and Bosch. Alternatively you may wish to explore Bernabéu soccer stadium, home to the world-famous Real Madrid Football Club.
Day 14: Depart Madrid
After a delicious breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport.
Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with APT Touring.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click
"Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for
the final trip price.
8 APT Touring Travel Reviews & Ratings
Douro Delights
Company Reviews
Amazing trip of a lifetime from Amsterdam
Amazing 15 day Amsterdam to Budapest.
This trip exceeded our expectations.
We loved our suite the owners plus certainly worth every penny. We highly recommend this tour and apt
My wife and I have just returned from a fabulous trip
The APT duo - Andrew and Arn were friendly, helpful etc.
The food was plentiful, tasty - especially at The Playford Hotel in Adelaide - our start & finish location.
Food breaks were timely.
And we visited some iconic places - Ikara - Flinders Ranges National Park [bloody cold], Marree, a scenic flight over Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, Travelled the iconic Birdsville Track, ate a curried camel pie at the Birdsville Bakery and survived, Saw some guys make 'fools' of themselves trying to climb BIG RED in their 4WDs. O I could go on.
There are some great pubs and locals out there - see for yourselves.
Thanks once again Andrew and Arn and our fellow travellers.
Danube to experience the sight ...Magnificent night.
Where do I start ...the Paris accommodation meet every expectation, then on to Amsterdam and boarded our ship MS AMA Venita
Well, what a absolutely amazing time was had by myself and the wonderful group of fellow travelers, right from the first night my thoughts of being a solo traveler and feeling awkward disappeared .
The service from this top class crew was in my opinion top level. It would be hard to mention just one person and leave out the rest but for the group I hung out with the MS AMA Venita was renamed MS Party Ship !!
Every night the super barman Alex, put up with us and made sure we were not going thirsty I think we kept him quite busy
The Cruise Director ...Cheri Coll ......amazing,brilliant at her job,her level of energy never fell away!
The entertainment at night was fun and I attended every night, following that we had the music maestro ...Peter....his love of music showed through and he had most of us up dancing till late into evening ...Thanks Peter
My suite was just perfect. The food and service was top drawer also
Would I recommend to my friends 100%i would, I am thinking of another cruise September 2019
The highlight for me was when Captain Rozsmann turned our Party Ship around in Budapest at night when all the lights were on and took us back up the glorious Danube to experience the sight ...Magnificent night.
Do the trip, if you think this is the adventure for you. I hope you have the brilliant crew we had. Well done APT !
Were classy and there was a good variety.
Magnificent Europe River Cruise
What can I say!, Gunther, you are the Best Cruise Director Ever!!! thank you so so much for going out of your way for making it possible for Cesare and I to get from the airport to the ship on time, and we want to thank all the Crew for their fantastic service and always full of smiles, and a big thank you to the Captain and Roberto for the smooth sailing, wonderfull food.
We will never forget our Fairytale Adventure.
And a Big thank you to Rachel for giving us a wonderful and unforgettable time in Paris.
Cesare and Patricia
Details
Ship Name
MS AmaVida
Optional Activities
Explore your way with a range of APT Freedom of Choice sightseeing inclusions. Enjoy unique moments and exclusive access to Europe's attractions on our Signature Experiences.
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE
These once-in-a-lifetime moments allow you to experience an unforgettable world of exclusive moments, incredible cultures and charming surprises
FREEDOM OF CHOICE
Give your holiday a personal touch with a choice of included sightseeing or dining options
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal ground transport
Group Size
Standard Group - 25 + people
Cancellation policy
For all holiday packages the following APT cancellation fees apply:
Days of Notice: Fee Per Person
100 days or more Loss of deposit
99-61 days 50% of holiday package price
60 days or less 100% of holiday package price
All cancellations must be received in writing by APT and are not effective until this notification has been received. If your holiday has commenced, 100% of the full holiday package price is charged. There is no refund for unused services or if portions of the holiday package are missed.
Additional cancellation fees may also be charged in respect of accommodation reserved outside the holiday package dates. These cancellation fees are in addition to any fees that may be levied by APT and your travel agent (if any). You acknowledge that the amounts estimated under the Cancellation Policy are reasonable and represent a genuine pre-estimate of APT’s loss. If you request changes after APT has issued your documents, APT may charge you a fee of AUD$70 per person in addition to any applicable cancellation fees.
Trip ID#:
DouDel
We respect your privacy and take great care to protect your information. By clicking «Send my questions» you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. An account will be created for you to track your submission and a temporary password will be emailed to you.
×
You can access members-only savings of up to $700 on over 6,000 Travelstride Select trips.
Sign in to see trip eligibility
With your FREE membership you get to:
- Save up to $700 per person!*
- Access private deals and offers
- See personalized trip recommendations
- Save favorite trips
We respect your privacy and take great care to protect your information. By joining you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
You could save $ 125 per person on this trip!
