Villages and Vintages: Cruising the Douro River Valley 2021

8 days
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USTOA

River Cruise
An 8-day riverboat cruise on Portugal’s Douro River! Beginning and ending in Porto, our cruise-only 8-day Portugal riverboat adventure offers an authentic taste of daily life in the Douro River Valley… a UNESCO World Heritage Site steeped in a legacy of wine making for 2,000+ years!
From$4,390
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Overview

Trip type
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy

Highlights

    • Discover the bohemian heart of the city that gave Port-wine its name... sample its treasures in the wine caves of Vila Nova de Gaia... sail deep into the mountain landscapes of Portuguese wine country to find wine estates
    • lush vineyards
    • idyllic riverside villages
    • baroque castles
    • hilltop medieval ruins
    • and rock art from the valley's earliest inhabitants...Our eight-day riverboat cruise on Portugal's Douro River offers an authentic taste of life and world-class wines in a region steeped in winemaking for over 2
    • 000 years. Explore the colorful city of Porto
    • an enticing labyrinth of winding streets
    • baroque churches and blue-tiled houses
    • where port wine is made and stored. Board ms Andorinha and trace the wine to its source

What's this trip about?

    An 8-day riverboat cruise on Portugal’s Douro River! Beginning and ending in Porto, our cruise-only 8-day Portugal riverboat adventure offers an authentic taste of daily life in the Douro River Valley… a UNESCO World Heritage Site steeped in a legacy of wine making for 2,000+ years!

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Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start City Porto, Portugal
End CityPorto

Travel Themes

  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Portugal

Attractions

  • Porto

Activities

  • Culture

Trip includes

    • TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Private dinner with wine pairings at Quinta do Portal, a Douro Valley wine estate TAUCK EXCLUSIVE –Port wine cocktail-making workshop TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Bicycle tour through Vinho Verde wine country Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director All private Tauck shore excursions – $1,215 Value! Seven nights on the Douro aboard ms Andorinha, a new riverboat designed for Tauck

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Arrive Porto

Tour begins 5:00 PM.
A transfer is included from Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (Porto Airport) to your riverboat, ms Andorinha, on the Douro River. Settle in, then join us for a welcome reception followed by dinner and onboard entertainment.

MEALS : D

LODGING : ms Andorinha

PORTOFCALL : Porto, Portugal

Day 2 Porto and The Douro Valley

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. Choose a walk...

Day 3 Peso da Régua and Pinhão

Dock in the historic town of Peso da Régua, once a busy hub where wooden boats called rabelos, laden with barrels of Port, sailed downriver to Vila Nova de Gaia. At the Museo do Douro, housed in a renovated 18th-century mansion, multimedia...

Day 4 Along the Douro to Vega de Terron

The Douro River Valley and its unique landscapes of terraced mountains, villages, and wine estates unfolds today on a full day's sail to the small Spanish port town of Vega de Terron, where the Douro forms the border between Spain and Port...

Day 5 Castle Ruins and Paleolithic Art

At the town of Pocinho you have a choice of shore excursions. 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 pa...

Day 6 Pinhão and Mateus Palace

Your choice of excursions this morning includes a walking tour of Pinhão and its early-20th century train station, adorned with blue-painted tiles (azulejos); or a vigorous hike in the hilltop vineyards with striking views of the town and ...

Day 7 Guimarães or Amarante to Gaia

Today, you have a choice of full day excursions; one option offers you a chance to explore the medieval town of Guimarães, known as the “Cradle City; the kingdom of Portugal was born here after a famous battle in 1128. The city center, a U...

Day 8 Journey Home

Tour ends:
8:00 AM Porto. Disembark and fly home anytime.  A transfer is included from your riverboat to Porto Airport. Allow at least 3 hours for flight check-in.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Porto, Portugal

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Dates & Availability

Price From $4,390
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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Tour Operator

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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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-QD2021

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