Cruising Portugal’s River Douro by Air
8 days from £1,349pp.
Visit: Vineyards on the River Douro, Portugal
Visit: Cruising Down the River Douro, Portugal
About the Tour
Fly in to picturesque Portugal for a scenic river cruise along the famous Douro River. Begin your holiday sightseeing in Porto, then set sail into the world renowned wine region enjoying the delights of the Douro valley. Get a taste of true Iberian serenity as we flow through stunning settings taking time to visit towns such as Régua, Salamanca and Ferradosa for the chance to visit the vineyards and enjoy a spot of wine tasting.
Tour Includes
- 7 nights cruising with full board
- Included on board ship - all meals, tea or coffee after each meal, all drinks onboard (excluding Champagne, premium brand spirits and wines), entertainment, welcome cocktail
- Return flights to Porto
- Airport transfers in Porto
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your tour either online, or by telephone ( 01709 787 463 ), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can:
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Your Itinerary
Day 1
Porto By Night
Fly to Porto, and transfer to your cruise ship the MS Infante Don Henrique, for seven nights. Depending on your flight arrival time you may wish to join our optional Porto by Night excursion (subject to availability on arrival), a unique opportunity to admire the city of Porto by night during a panoramic tour by coach. During the tour, your guide will schedule a stop at the Sao Bento railway station to look at its magnificent azulejos.
- Included meals: Dinner
Day 2
Porto
Porto
Enjoy free time this morning or join our optional sightseeing tour of Porto (subject to availability on arrival). Porto is one of the oldest cities in Europe and has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. It stands out from the steep banks of the Douro river with its mixture of grey facades and red tiles interspersed with unusual architectural masterpieces. We’ll discover The Palácio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Building), built in 1834 by the city's Commercial Association. After climbing up the beautiful granite and marble stairway, we’ll visit the former Tribunal Room, the Golden Room and the Arab Room, decorated in the exotic Moorish Revival style. We’ll also visit the Igreja de São Francisco (Church of Saint Francis), known as the “Golden Church”, and visit a port wine cellar to taste the ‘precious nectar’ made from local grapes grown along the banks of the River Douro. Tonight, we enjoy a Fado themed evening.
- Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3
Porto to Régua
Guimaraes
Today, we offer an optional excursion to Guimaraes. This charming Portuguese town boasts winding cobbled streets lined with bars and cafes. We explore on foot to discover Nossa Senhora de Oliveira Church, the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, a medieval estate and former residence of the first Dukes of Braganza with striking architecture, as well as the labyrinthine lanes and picturesque plazas of the medieval heart of Guimaraes. We return to the ship and sail to Régua, through fabulous scenery and the gigantic lock at Carrapatello. We enjoy dinner on board this evening.
- Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
Régua to Vega de Teron
Solar de Mateus
Join our optional excursion to Vila Real, which enjoys a spectacular location between the gorges of the Corgo and Cabril Rivers and is famed for the diversity of its religious architectural styles. Aristocrats built grand palaces here during the 16th and 17th centuries. Stroll through the beautiful gardens of Solar de Mateus, the most beautiful and astonishing manor in northern Portugal, made with a subtle mixture of granite, white walls, statues and Baroque style pilasters, before returning to the ship. The cruise continues into the heart of the most famous vineyards in Porto and we enjoy dinner on board ship.
- Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Salamanca & Barca d’Alva
Salamanca
Join our included excursion to Salamanca; another UNESCO World Heritage site, the Old Town of Salamanca has been listed since 1988. Visit the cathedral whose successive extensions created a mixture of styles from late Gothic to Baroque, including Renaissance, and then see one of the world’s oldest universities (opened in 1218), the “Escuelas Mayores”.The university building has a sumptuous gate adorned with the city’s most famous design: a frog atop a skull, and the library brims with old manuscripts dating back to before the 19th century. Enjoy time to explore the city on your own before returning to the ship and enjoying your evening meal and an evening of entertainment.
- Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6
Barca d’Alva to Ferradosa to Pinhão (Wines of Porto)
Wines of Porto
We spend the morning sailing before stopping in Ferradosa for an optional excursion to visit the ‘Wines of Porto’: follow the sinuous road, which extends over 100km along the Douro river all the way to the Spanish border, through the vineyards to San Salvador do Mundo and Sao Joao da Pesqueia, stop at an overlook surrounded by vines and visit a quinta (wine cellar) to taste the famous Porto. We return to the ship in Pinhao to enjoy free time exploring at your own pace, see Pinhao’s splendid ‘azulejos’ (typical Portuguese tiles) before returning to the ship for tonight’s gala evening.
- Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
Pinhão to Porto
The Church of Nossa Senhora dos Remedios
Join our optional guided tour of Lamego and discover the Nossa Senhora dos Remedios sanctuary, with its 686 step Baroque staircase ending in a rocaille style shrine. The first stone was laid in 1750 and gave way to the construction of a massive temple overlooking the city and providing breath-taking views over the misty mountains of the surrounding landscape. We return to the ship and spend the afternoon sailing back to Porto through a number of large locks. Tonight we enjoy a traditional folklore themed evening.
- Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8
Disembark this morning. Transfer to Porto airport for our return flight to the U.K.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Your Excursions
Included Excursions and/or Ports of Call
- Porto
- Régua
- Vega de Teron
- Salamanca
- Barca d’Alva
- Pinhão
Optional Excursions & Visits
- Porto by Night Tour
- Porto Sightseeing Tour
- Guimaraes
- Vila Real
- Wines of Porto
- Lamego
Notes
| Cabin Upgrades (per person) | Twin |
| Middle Deck Cabin | £159 |
| Upper Deck Cabin | £199 |
No single rooms/cabins available.
Frequently asked questions about our tours
Accommodation
Ms Infante Don Henrique
The MS Infante Don Henrique is a 3-deck ship which sails on the Douro river in Portugal. The vessel is air-conditioned and has three decks. Facilities include a restaurant, bar with dance floor, large Sun Deck and boutique. All cabins have shower and toilet, T.V., hairdryer, safe and radio.
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Hairdryer
- Bath and/or Shower
Frequently asked questions about accommodation
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
Stay overnight near Dover
Find out moreWhy not go the night before your holiday for a relaxing start? You can park for FREE for up to nine days at the Holiday Inn Ashford North and enjoy an overnight stay with English breakfast from just £38 per person. This offer is subject to availability and based on two sharing a twin/double room on a B&B basis. We’ll then collect you from the hotel on the day of departure and return you there at the end of your holiday.
To book this package, please call the hotel on 01233 713333, quoting ‘Leger Holidays’ and your booking reference. If your holiday is longer than nine days you can pay for additional days’ parking. Ask one of our friendly reservations team for more details when you book your holiday.
Single supplements and terms and conditions apply.
Our Door-to-Door service
Find out moreOn Single Traveller holidays and coach holidays of 7 days’ duration or more, you don’t even have to think about getting to your local joining point. If you live within 20 miles of one of our free joining points we’ll pick you up from your home and take you to meet your transfer vehicle, then return you back home at the end of your holiday. The cost is from £35 per booking each way for up to four people per booking.
If you live a little further afield, you can also take advantage of this convenient option for an additional charge – please enquire at the time of booking.
Flight Information
If your chosen airport indicates a supplement may apply, we will contact you shortly to discuss.
Frequently asked questions about travel options
Flight times are given at the time of booking. The times given are for guidance only and may change.
Exact flight times will be confirmed on travel document which are sent 7-10 days before departure. For more information on flight times please contact our Reservations Department on 0844 324 9265 or email us at reservations@leger.co.uk.
Luggage allowances vary from airline to airline. The luggage allowance is normally up to 20kg (44lbs) and 5kg for hand luggage. Ryan Air's luggage allowance is normally up to 20kg (44lbs) and 10kg for hand luggage. All allowances are subject to changes made by the airline.
For more information on luggage allowances please contact our Customer Service Department on 0844 324 9265 or email us at reservations@leger.co.uk.
OR
Call our reservations team on:
01709 787 463
To book this tour, just give our friendly team a call on 01709 787 463 or book online at www.leger.co.uk