Viking Rivers Cruises – Portugal’s River of Gold (Portugal, Spain) 10 Days

Lisbon, Portugal
Arrive and check in to your hotel. Lisbon has inspired explorers for centuries with its stunning setting at the Tagus River’s mouth. Its labyrinthine streets carry echoes of 16th-century navigators who sailed on the winds of the Age of Discovery. The city prospered greatly from its trade. And today’s streets are lined with the legacies of wealthy builders, including the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower, stunning works that introduced Manueline architecture. Savoring local cuisine and port wine are favorite pastimes here. On any evening, the strains of fadospill from clubs in the historic Alfama District.

Lisbon, Portugal
Throughout Lisbon, fascinating monuments tell this proud city’s story. Along the riverfront, in Praça do Comércio, an equestrian statue at its center represents Portugal’s King José I, who capably rebuilt the city following the devastating 1755 earthquake. Among the most recognized of Lisbon’s monuments is the grand Monument to the Discoveries on the banks of the Tagus River, displaying statues of more than 30 contributors to exploration, whose bravery and spirit still shape the culture of this vibrant European capital.

Shore Excursions – Cosmopolitan Lisbon & the Maritime Museum
Duration: 4 hours
Walk through the maritime history of the great Portuguese explorers and see the impressive Jerónimos Monastery. Embark on a scenic drive by motor coach past the bold and soaring Monument to the Discoveries and the elegant Belém Tower, where there will be time for photos. Arrive at the Jerónimos Monastery, a Manueline masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and admire its exterior. Enter the West Wing, where you will enjoy a guided tour of the Maritime Museum and explore the Golden Age of Discovery, when Portuguese caravels set sail in search of new worlds. Here, you will view naval exhibits, including ceremonial barges from the 18th century and the royal cabin from Queen Amelia’s 19th-century yacht. You will also stroll through displays of maritime artifacts, see replica maps showing the caravels’ 16th-century discoveries and admire the wooden figurine of the archangel Raphael that accompanied Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India.

Porto, Portugal
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and begin your journey to your embarkation city. Porto holds a place of great traditional importance. The town lends its name to the port wine produced in the region and throughout the nation. Located along a rocky embankment, the city boasts picturesque neighborhoods, fashionable restaurants and lively markets. Like Lisbon, Porto has a rich past; its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of narrow cobblestone streets brimming with romantic buildings spanning the centuries and a Romanesque cathedral. At the riverside, small barcos rabelos, boats once used to transport casks of wine, paint a charming scene.

Shore Excursions – Coimbra University
Duration: 8 hours 30 minutes    
En route to Porto, explore one of Portugal’s oldest cities and visit its medieval-era university. Depart Lisbon in the morning and arrive in Coimbra for lunch. The Portuguese hold this city close to their hearts, as it was the birthplace of six of their kings. The most beloved of them all, Afonso Henriques, moved his capital to this burgeoning city along the Mondego River in 1139 soon after it was taken back from the Moors. See the Santa Clara-a-Velha, once an active convent. Then, cross the river and ascend the hill to the university where 700 years of learning whisper down hushed corridors. View the library, its shelves lined with 300,000 books, and chapel, with its baroque organ. After, enjoy a delicious lunch accompanied by fado music and continue your drive to Porto.

Régua, Portugal
The peaceful town of Peso da Régua, commonly known as Régua, overlooks the Douro River with the Serra do Marão mountains as a stunning backdrop. In 1756, the Marquês de Pombal proclaimed this city as the center of his newly demarcated wine region, and it has remained so since. As such, the town is steeped in the wine-making culture. This is particularly true at Casa do Douro, the headquarters of the Port Wine Institute. Its beautiful stained glass windows are a tribute in light and glass to the rich history of port wine and its cultural significance to the region.

Shore Excursions – Mateus Palace & Gardens
Duration: 5 hours     
Visit the extraordinary Mateus Palace, the building depicted on the Mateus Rosé wine labels. Meet your guide and journey through Portuguese countryside, admiring its rolling hills and lush vineyards on your way to Vila Real. Here, visit the stunning baroque Mateus Palace, home of the last Count of Vila Real. As you explore with your guide, marvel at its pinnacled facade, grand stairway, richly appointed interiors and priceless objects on display. Wander through the palace’s enchanting formal gardens which feature cedar-lined walkways, elegantly sculpted hedges, statuary and serene bodies of water. After, visit one of the area’s port wine-making institutions, open from April to October. Here, stroll through the vineyard and bottling facility to learn how its delectable port wines are crafted before sampling the product yourself.

Pinhão, Portugal
The sleepy town of Pinhão is situated between the Douro and Pinhão Rivers, in the epicenter of the valley’s port wine-making region. The climate and growing conditions here are perfect for port grapes and the surrounding landscape, festooned with vineyards, creates a serene experience. The biggest names in port have quintas, or wine estates, nearby. During the annual grape harvest in autumn, the village comes to life, attracting workers and wine enthusiasts from across the whole of Europe.

Scenic Sailing: Douro River
Journey through the Douro River valley into the history of fine Portuguese wine. Surrounded by terraced hills, spot some of the area’s quintas, or wine estates, clinging to the slopes, nestled snugly among their vines. In this beautiful and largely unspoiled region, olive and almond groves share the river’s banks with vineyards. And it is hard to ignore the fact that this journey follows in the wake of traditional barcos rabelos that once transported wine downriver to the waiting casks in Vila Nova de Gaia.

Barca d’Alva, Portugal
Barca d’Alva is the last Portuguese town on the Douro River; this quaint river port is just a few hundred yards from the Spanish border. Cherry, almond and olive groves line the nearby banks, pointing the way to this unassuming frontier village. Its quayside sparkles in the Iberian sun, and it is the ideal port from which to truly appreciate the beauty of the Douro Valley. In either direction, terraced vineyards climb riverbanks and steep hills spill into river gorges. Simple cafés provide an authentic ambience and a bridge across the river leads to a picturesque photo opportunity of the village.

Shore Excursions – Castelo Rodrigo
Duration: 3 hours      
Head into the breathtaking countryside to visit hilltop Castelo Rodrigo, a tiny medieval fortress town that time seems to have forgotten. The town is named for its castle, which has been listed as a National Monument since 1922. Drive with your guide for about 12 miles past pine-wood forests, rolling hills and almond trees as you ascend to 2,200 feet above sea level, where an enchanting maze of cobblestone streets crisscrosses the hillside. During your tour of Castelo Rodrigo, one of Portugal’s 12 historic parishes, you will stroll among the 16th-century houses, admiring their distinct Portuguese Manueline-style windows. Explore the historic Sinagoga Street, a memento to the Jewish community established here by refugees escaping the Spanish Inquisition. After stopping to visit the local church, you will return to your ship through the same astonishing landscapes that led you here, stopping to take in the panoramic views along the way.

Salamanca, Spain
Founded by a Celtic tribe before the rise of the Roman Empire, Salamanca was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 due to its beautifully preserved buildings. It is home to one of Europe’s oldest universities, founded in 1134, and its main square, bustling with students, is often called the most beautiful in Spain. The beauty of this richly historic city, besides the enormous Romanesque cathedral whose profile dominates the town, is the grace with which Salamanca retains a traditional Spanish village feel. It is a living museum that takes visitors back to the Middle Ages.

Shore Excursions – A Day in Salamanca
Duration: 9 hours 30 minutes  
Visit Spain’s oldest college town, an invigorating tapestry of scholarly, religious and cultural pursuits. Cross the Spanish border with your guide and drive through the Iberian countryside to Salamanca, known as “La Dorada,” or “The Golden City,” due to the glow of its sandstone structures. After time exploring the vast Plaza Mayor, surrounded by beautiful baroque buildings, enjoy a visit to the local market to sample some regional cuisine. After, continue to the 13th-century Salamanca University. You will also see the House of Shells, an unusual medieval building decorated with more than 300 carved mollusks. Your tour concludes at the New Cathedral, a golden-hued Gothic-baroque masterpiece built from 1513 through 1733. After, there will be free time to explore on your own, perhaps stepping inside the Romanesque-Gothic Old Cathedral or other icons of Spanish architecture: the 15th-century Tower del Clavero, the 16th-century Monterrey Palace and many beautiful churches and convents.

Pinhão, Portugal
Pinhão is surrounded by picture-postcard terraced hillsides that are synonymous with the Douro River Valley. Its slow pace and quiet atmosphere belie the fact that it produces world-renowned port wines; some of the most recognizable names in port production operate wine estates near here. One of the “station towns” along the Douro River, Pinhão boasts a relaxing and scenic promenade along the river, perfect for strolling and drinking in the beauty of vineyard-clad hills. The village’s railway station is decorated with 24 spectacular scenes depicted in azulejos, Portugal’s distinctive blue-and-white tiles.

Shore Excursions – Favaios Bakery & Lunch at Quinta Avessada
Duration: 6 hours 
Head to the little village of Favaios and indulge in the baking and winemaking traditions of the Douro Valley. Meet your guide for a visit to this charming village, where bakers make bread the traditional way: in an oven heated with wood and old grapevines. At a bakery that pays tribute to the past, watch as the resident baker demonstrates traditional techniques. After enjoying a fresh-from-the-oven sample, visit the local museum of wine and bread to learn about the importance of these industries to this small town. Take time to explore this typical village that has retained its old-world ambience. Continue to Quinta da Avessada, a beautiful century-old wine-growing estate in the heart of the Douro wine region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you will meet the dedicated vintners, tour the atmospheric cellars and sample some local varieties of port in the rustic tasting room.

Régua, Portugal
With its historic place as the western boundary of the demarcated wine region of Portugal, Régua boasts a rich wine-making heritage. Riverside manor houses are occupied by winegrowers; some have draped their terraces with giant lettering so they can be easily identified from the water by passing ships. The country’s famous port was created when 16th-century British merchants added brandy to the local wine to prevent it from souring. Over the centuries, the process of maturing and blending has been perfected, resulting in appealing tawnies, rubies and other varieties.

Régua, Portugal
In Portuguese cuisine, pork plays a central role, appearing in paio, a pork loin sausage, and chouriço, a spicy sausage often flavored with paprika or wine. These cured meats are nicely complemented by the smooth and creamy cheeses of the region. Among main dishes, the addictive pastéis de bacalhau (small cod cakes) are enjoyed hot or cold. And Portugal’s famed soup, caldo verde, gets its deep green color from a variant of kale. At meal’s end or just as a treat, the city’s pastelarias are well worth a visit for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Shore Excursions – Charming Lamego
Duration: 3 hours   
Visit the sacred pilgrimage town of Lamego and witness the legacy of Moors. Journey with your guide to the elegant Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, or Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies, a baroque wonder dating to the 18th century. The small hilltop chapel is reached via 686 steps up a grand double staircase, interrupted by nine terraces. Along the way, the devout can admire azulejo tiles and decorative urns. Still today, pilgrims often conduct the long upward journey on their knees. You, however, will begin your exploration at the top of the stair. Visit the shrine, decorated with exquisite blue-and-white tilework. From the top, you will have spectacular views of the town and its surroundings. Descend the grand baroque staircase at your leisure. After, you will enjoy free time; perhaps step inside Lamego’s Gothic cathedral or browse the town center shops for locally crafted, handmade products.

Porto, Portugal
The magnificent 19th-century Luís I Bridge, designed by a disciple of Gustave Eiffel and opened in 1886, spans the Douro River to link Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia. Known locally as “Gaia,” the city is central to Porto’s role as a major producer of port. Here, amid ceramic, glass and soap factories, cellars of 58 companies fortify the prized wine. Visiting Gaia offers insight into how Douro River valley wines are transformed into some of the most sought-after ports in the world, and provides panoramic views of Porto, as many of the cellars are located on the banks of the river.

Porto, Portugal
Porto’s prosperous future was sealed when the distinctive, single-masted barcos rabelos delivered the first wine shipments here from vineyards up the Douro River. Before the advent of the railroad, these wooden cargo boats provided the fastest and most efficient transport of wines between the Douro River valley’s wineries and the city, from which bottles were exported all over the world. Today, the vessels are owned by port wine companies along the Douro. Though no longer in use, they still grace the river’s edge nonetheless, enriching the city’s character and cultural identity.

Shore Excursions – Porto on Foot
Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes  
Experience the intriguing city of Porto on foot and see the sights during a leisurely walk. See the city’s noted architecture, such as the iconic Luís I Bridge, a double-decked metal arch that spans the Douro River. With your guide, drive by motor coach to Porto Cathedral, a Romanesque landmark in the Old Town. Learn more about the 12th-century church, one of the oldest monuments in the city, and see the stunning interior. Continue to São Bento train station, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Monument of Portugal. View the blue and white tile panels inside, depicting historical scenes of Portugal. Then, head to Porto’s most famous street, the Rua das Flores, where you can enjoy free time to explore on your own. Continue to Ribeira’s riverfront; from here you may choose to walk back to the ship with your guide or return independently by water taxi.

Porto, Portugal
Bid farewell to your fellow guests and journey home. Or spend more time exploring, perhaps joining one of our extensions.