11 Day Lisbon With Douro Discovery
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
This tour features a combination of escorted and independent travel. Part of your journey will be enjoyed as a group experience, led by expert tour leaders or local guides. The remainder is self-guided—whether by rail, cruise, or overland—allowing you the freedom to travel between destinations independently and explore at your own pace.
River cruises are a relaxed, informal way to travel - there are fewer passengers on board compared to an ocean cruise, which means ample opportunity to make lifelong friends. You will pass through the world's most loved cities and towns; disembark and enjoy a shore excursion or two, or simply wander around and explore on your own.
✓ Travel with Travelmarvel
✓ 3 nights in beautiful Lisbon
✓ 7 nights on a premium river ship, the MS Douro Serenity
✓ 22 meals - 10 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 7 dinners
✓ Services of a Travelmarvel Tour Director, Cruise Director and local guides
✓ Onboard water stations, plus tea and coffee, soft drink, beer
✓ Local wine during lunch and dinner on your cruise
✓ Explore 12 towns, villages and cities
✓ In Pinhao, enjoy a sumptuous dinner of traditional dishes
✓ Dessert at a picturesque local quinta
✓ Enjoy a Flamenco show and lunch and be entranced by captivating Flamenco dancers
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Your adventure begins as you fly into Lisbon today, Portugal’s invigorating capital. Upon arrival, be transferred to your centrally located hotel and enjoy free time.
On a guided tour, explore the alleyways of the Alfama district and marvel at the Manueline-style Jeronimos Monastery. Then, visit World Heritage-listed Belem Tower and admire the beautiful Castelo de Sao Jorge.
Today, enjoy a full day at leisure to explore this vibrant city. Perhaps enjoy an optional excursion to the Sintra Mountain range of Serra de Sintra. Visit the World Heritage-listed Pena National Palace and take a guided tour of Sintra.
This morning after breakfast, you will travel by coach to Vila Nova de Gaia where you’ll board your premium river ship. Later this evening, meet your fellow travellers at a Welcome Reception as you take in the sights along the Douro River on a sunset cruise.
Today you begin your cruise along the spectacular Douro River. As you cruise this morning, you’ll take part in a Portuguese language lesson, during which you’ll learn some essential phrases of this beautiful language. Disembark your ship in Regua and join an excursion by coach to the splendid Gardens and Palace of Mateus. Tour this living museum which is still owned by the Count of Vila Real. Afterwards, travel by coach to Pinhao for a special dinner.
Insider Experience: Enjoy a sumptuous dinner of traditional dishes and dessert at a picturesque local quinta, a Portuguese winery.
Today, cruise across the border into Vega de Terron in Spain. Enjoy some time at leisure before joining an excursion to Castelo Rodrigo. This tiny village sits atop a hill overlooking both Spain and Portugal, and features a number of well-preserved ruins, an impressive castle and a magnificent stone statue of Santiago Matamoros. After exploring this charming little town, you’ll board a coach and return to your ship.
Today you’ll board a coach and set off for Salamanca, a glorious Spanish city that boasts sunlit sandstone buildings along with a majestic city square. Here you’ll enjoy an Insider Experience. Afterwards, return by coach back over the border to Barca d’Alva, the last Portuguese village along the Douro, where your ship awaits. Back on board this evening, enjoy a traditional Portuguese barbecue dinner.
Insider Experience: Enjoy a Flamenco show and lunch and be entranced by captivating Flamenco dancers as they astound you with their stomping feet in a fiery performance.
This morning after breakfast, enjoy a Portuguese cooking demonstration on board as your ship cruises past Pinhao to Regua. On arrival, head to a local quinta, which boasts outstanding views over the Douro Valley. Afterwards, board a coach and take a scenic drive past swathes of expansive vineyards, visiting the village of Lamego and the elaborately decorated baroque cathedral, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies, an important Portuguese place of pilgrimage. While in Lamego, visit one of Portugal’s best museums, home to a vast collection of paintings, tapestries and jewellery.
Insider Experience: Enjoy a tasting of local port wine, Portugal’s most famous tipple.
This morning, enjoy free time to explore Regua — you may like to wander along the riverfront, or venture into the lovely Old Town. Afterwards, continue on to the riverside town of Entre-os-Rios. On arrival, enjoy free time to explore this gorgeous, vibrant town as you please. Tonight, be treated to an energetic performance of traditional Portuguese folk music back on board at a special Captain’s Dinner.
After breakfast, cruise back to the enchanting city of Vila Nova de Gaia. On arrival, join a fascinating tour of nearby Porto, which sits just across the river. Here you’ll be led past a collection of the city’s most famous attractions, and visit a local port winery for a tour and tasting. This afternoon, there’s ample time for you to step back out to explore Porto at leisure. You may choose to take an optional excursion to the World Heritage-listed city of Guimaraes. This evening back on board your ship, enjoy a final Farewell Dinner.
After enjoying a final breakfast on board, transfer to the airport in Porto for your onward flight.
Bedding on board the cruise is restricted to the following configurations. If you wish to upgrade your cabin, the following amounts are payable in addition to the package price prior to travel:
Window Stateroom
Category: D & E, 130 sq. ft / 12 sq. m
Panorama Balcony
Category: B, C & A, 150 sq. ft / 14 sq. m
Junior/Master Suite
Category: Panorama Balcony, 204 sq. ft / 19 sq. m / 312 sq. ft / 29 sq. m
Please request your cabin upgrade in the 'special requests' field. Availability and price will then be confirmed and added to your invoice upon acceptance.
Wind your way through the heavenly scenery of the Douro Valley on a journey aboard the MS Douro Serenity. The pace is gentle, the wine rich and the smiles warm.
Aboard the MS Douro Serenity, you’ll cruise beneath a sapphire sky down Portugal's tranquil waterways, watching as lush hills and plunging valleys dripping with grapevines appear from every side.
Onboard Features
To know more about your ship, please click HERE.
Deposit & Installment Payment Option:
Booking Process
Booking On Request
COVID-19
Due to COVID there maybe disruptions to standard operating schedules of particular components of this itinerary. Should a component be effected a substitute will be confirmed prior to departure.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $5,150.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Not Available
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.
Tour Documentation
Final documentation including, e-tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.
Group Size
Group size varies from package to package. Depending on the services provided, the group size might range from private 2 person experiences up to coaches of 50 people depending on your selected holiday.
Children
Children must share a room with parents at all times and are charged the same price as adults.
For all international voyages, it is the traveller's responsibility to ensure that they have a valid passport and they meet the visa requirement. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.
This package is sold as land only, however you do have the option of adding domestic & international airfares to your booking. Simply click on’ book now’, and under upgrades , you will be asked “Would you like us to contact you around our flight service?”. By selecting this option Inspiring Vacations will contact you to discuss adding flights to your chosen destination. We can then assist with turning your booking into a flight inclusive package.
Upon completing the purchase of your package and fulfilling the following booking requirements, you will be granted access to our flight portal via your Traveller Hub.
Once these criteria have been met, access will be made available to you via Traveller Hub to book your flights via our flight portal.
The following requests are able to be processed through the online flight portal:
The online flight portal is unable to process the following requests and you must book these yourself independently:
Online check-in
Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.
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