Douro Discovery: A Family River Cruise in Portugal plus Madrid 2021

10 days
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USTOA

Small Group Tour
Join us in 2021 for a 7-night riverboat adventure designed for enriching family travel, celebrating the Age of Discovery during two nights in Madrid, the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, and seven nights aboard our brand-new riverboat purpose-built for cruising Portugal’s golden Douro River.
From$5,490
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Highlights

    • Visit an opulent royal palace
    • cycle through Madrid's historic Casa de Campo
    • andimmerse in art at the Prado. Ride a 4x4 to an archaeological site; breathe romance andheroic legends in Salamanca and Guimaraes; navigate mazes of colorful streets on abicycle in Porto; kayak on the Douro River; learn the origins of azujelos andFado music; wind along scenic bicycle trails in Vinho Verde country; and sail to postcard villages
    • castles
    • winetowns
    • and vineyards in the Douro Valley
    • a winemaking region unlike any other in the world.This ten-day tour of Portugal and Spain includes Madrid
    • Salamanca
    • Porto
    • and ariverboat cruise deep into the Douro River Valley for an authentic taste of life in aseldom-visited region steeped in a wine-making culture thousands of years old.Along the way

What's this trip about?

    Join us in 2021 for a 7-night riverboat adventure designed for enriching family travel, celebrating the Age of Discovery during two nights in Madrid, the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, and seven nights aboard our brand-new riverboat purpose-built for cruising Portugal’s golden Douro River.

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Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeSmall Group - 24 max
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start City Madrid, Spain
End CityOperator does not provide

Travel Themes

  • Family Friendly

Destinations

  • Europe

Attractions

  • Porto

Activities

  • Kid-friendly activities

Trip includes

    • TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Three-wheel taxi tour of Porto's historic center TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Choice of a vineyard hike or kayaking on the Douro River TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Bicycle tour through Vinho Verde wine country Seven nights on the Douro aboard a new riverboat designed for Tauck A bicycle tour of Porto's colorful Ribeira district Ride a 4x4 in search of prehistoric art at an archaeological site in Foz Coa

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Arrive Madrid

Tour begins: 5:30 PM, The Westin Palace, Madrid.
Welcome to Madrid! A transfer is included from Madrid Airport to the Westin Palace, a Parisian-style grand hotel in the heart of the city, only steps from the Parliament and the Prado; commissioned by King Alfonso XIII in 1912, the hotel has hosted royalty, heads of stat...
Day 2 Madrid as you please

You have a choice of sightseeing. Explore a neighborhood market where you can get a taste of tapas, artisan foods, and delicacies from all over Spain; your visit ends sweetly with churros and hot chocolate! Or go on a bicycle excurs...

Day 3 Salamanca & Barca d'Alva

Drive to beautiful Salamanca, a center of learning since medieval times, where a walking tour through the Old City reveals opulent Baroque, Moorish, and Gothic architecture, Romanesque cathedrals steeped in glorious frescoes, and th...

Day 4 Castel Rodrigo & a rock safari

Visit Castelo Rodrigo, a medieval hilltop village with a turbulent history, where battles were once fought against Moors and Spanish rule; the empty ruins of its 13th century palace still stand guard over the walled town with its ch...

Day 5 Valeria Gorge & Charming Pinhão

Spend the morning cruising the Douro River Valley where rugged conical mountains and shale hills carved by concentric vineyard terraces tell of a winemaking history thousands of years old. Since the 18th century, when Britain discov...

Day 6 Pinhão to Régua

Explore the picturesque area around Pinhao by kayaking along the slow, easy river, or drive to a nearby hilltop village for spectacular views over the valley, and hike back down; on the way, you'll be able to appreciate up close the...

Day 7 The Douro Museum and More

Before there was a railroad, Peso da Régua was an important shipping hub where rabelos took on cargoes of port from the local wine estates. Roads from here reach in many directions, offering you a choice of sightseeing possibilitie...

Day 8 Cruising to Porto

Wind through the Baixo Corgo region of the Douro Valley, where quintas and terraced vineyards rise on both sides of the river, showing their age; the oldest terraces are buttressed by stone walls, others have dirt walls; the valley'...

Day 9 Porto Sights

Rising on staggered hills along the river, colorful Porto beckons you to its labyrinthine streets and stairways, medieval alleys, baroque churches, fountains, and bell-towers, beaux-arts buildings, and bohemian neighborhoods. It's hard to ...

Day 10 Journey home

Tour ends: Porto. 
Fly home anytime. Transfers are included from the riverboat to Porto Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport or Porto train station.  Allow at least three hours for flight checkin.

MEALS : B

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,490
Price per day$549
Last Updated: 5/15/2023

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Tauck.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

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.

Tauck Reviews & Ratings

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Other Tauck Reviews

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Susan

Jun 2023

Written on

Nine Tours and Done

Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done o...

C

Cougess

Jan 2023

Written on

Skip this cruise - not worth it

My husband and I went on the Treasures of the Mediterranean Isles Trip jn October 2022. This was our third Tauck cruise with Ponnant but our first post covid and the...

H

Harry

Sep 2022

Written on

Tauck/Aon terrible travel insurance

Tauck partners with Aon for travel insurance. We bought this insurance through Tauck specifically to cover us in case of a positive for test for Covid and could not ...

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Tauck

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It's easy to see the world's sights. To stand in long lines, push through the crowds, and generally have the same standard-issue vacation as everyone else. But that's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for you. We believe that travel should be easy. It should be fun. It should be worth your time and the price you paid. It should re-energize and transform. And above all else, it should be beyond the ordinary. Because how you see the world matters.

In 1882, Herman Tauck arrived in New York City from Germany in search of the American dream. His determination and values were passed on to his son, Arthur Tauck, who would realize that dream. With ingenuity and an innovative spirit, Arthur started Tauck Motor Tours, a travel company that would give birth to a new industry. The first tour, through the back roads of New England, was created by this 27-year-old in 1925. It embodied the same successful formula used by Tauck today: do the right thing. Craft a life-enriching travel experience; provide it at a single all-inclusive price; ensure there is great value for money; and rely on recommendations of satisfied customers to build a following and grow the business.

Two elements that did change over the next 90+ years – and three generations of Taucks – were the scope of destinations served and the variety of modes of travel used. Today Tauck delivers life-enriching travel experiences to every corner of the globe, incorporating small cruise ships, premium riverboats, trains, helicopters and more. What started as a New England motor coach tour company has truly evolved into an extraordinary global travel company. The fourth generation of Taucks is now involved in the company. While remarkable in any business, this seamless continuity across generations speaks to shared vision and values.

Throughout its history, the concept of “family” at Tauck has gone far beyond those sharing the surname to include hundreds of valued employees, and hundreds of thousands of loyal guests. The story of Tauck is the story of a unique American family company celebrating a passion for travel – a story that will continue to inspire generations to come.

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What they’re known for
Fun group tours and cruises that are culturally-focused and great for families and seniors on vacation.

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Logistics

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
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Age Requirements
No age restrictions
ALL_AGES
Trip ID
tauck-ZD2021

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