Family Club – From Portugal to Spain: Porto, the Douro Valley (Portugal) and Salamanca (Spain) (port-to-port cruise)

PORTO - REGUA - VEGA DE TERRON - BARCA D'ALVA - FERRADOSA - PINHAO - PORTO

Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 5:00 p.m. We'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. Join us this evening for an optional excursion: CLASSIC Package: Porto by night. Enjoy a coach tour of Porto at night. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage area of one of the oldest cities in Europe during a panoramic tour. The country's former maritime feats transformed Porto little by little. We can see its past splendor on almost every street corner. Our tour includes the Sao Bento train station, known for its impressive Azulejo tilework. Our ship will remain in port overnight.

This morning, we propose two optional excursions:
- CLASSIC package: Porto. Join us on a coach tour of Porto. Notable stops include Bolsa Palace with a visit to the Golden Room and the lavishly decorated Arab Room, and then the Church of Saint Francis, a Gothic and baroque masterpiece. At the end of our tour, we will visit a famous wine cellar for a tasting. After our excursion, we'll return to the ship.
- FAMILY package: Tour Porto by tram and visit the Tramway Museum. Travel the picturesque streets of Porto to the mouth of the Douro River on an authentic tram. We'll stop off at the Tramway Museum to see its unique collection of the city's historical trams. We'll finish up our visit with a tasting of local products.

We'll spend the afternoon cruising. Enjoy what the valley has to offer from the comfort of our ship. Vineyards and wild, preserved natural areas border the Douro River, which has been tamed by dams and locks. We will pass through the giant Carrapatello Lock, which has the highest water-level difference in Europe. We'll arrive in Peso da Régua during the evening. Our ship will remain in port overnight. Enjoy a free evening to explore Peso da Régua on your own or cut up the rug in the lounge!

This morning, the optional CLASSIC package excursion is: the Casa de Mateus and the Douro museum. We'll leave on foot for the Douro Museum to learn about the passionate history and wine-making heritage in the region, an experience combining traditional and modern approaches. We'll continue on by coach for Mateus Palace, a beautiful 18th-century manor in Vila Real. This baroque-style manor belonged to the same family until a foundation was set up to preserve it in 1970. The dramatic splendor and details of the complex offer a unique visual relationship between geometry and space. Enjoy a stroll through the magnificent tree- and hedge-lined gardens, which include a romantic Mexican-cedar topiary tunnel. After, we’ll return to the ship in Pinhão by coach.

We'll then spend the afternoon cruising to Vega de Terron. We'll cruise through the celebrated Porto vineyards. Here, men carved the terraces in the mountains to grow the vines. Sustained through the river fog and bathed by the sun, they produce the famous Port wine. We'll travel through the Valeira and Pocinho locks before arriving in Vega de Terron at the end of the day. Our ship will remain in port overnight. Enjoy an evening of flamenco entertainment on board.

Optional proposed excursions: Spend the day in Salamanca. Salamanca, a city you will want to return to again and again. Known for its famous university founded in the 12th century, which is still open today, Salamanca is a lively and dynamic place. Its architecture is second to none, and its historic center has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- CLASSIC package: Salamanca. On foot, you'll discover the main parts of the city, including the cathedral and the internationally renowned university.
- FAMILY package: Pool time in Salamanca. Fun for the whole family, including slides and spa areas. The Aldehuela sports complex is located on the banks of the Tormes River. Big and small can take advantage of a relaxing day at the pool. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch. We'll return to the ship at the end of the afternoon. Our ship will cruise to Barca d'Alva.

This morning will be spent cruising. Join us on an optional excursion for both packages: Port Wine Route and Pinhão. Tonight's our gala dinner and evening.

This morning, join us for an optional CLASSIC package excursion to Lamego, a city bursting with personality and well known for its elegant merchants' homes and the church of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios. We'll enjoy a panoramic tour of the sites before stopping at the 18th-century baroque and rococo sanctuary Nossa Senhora dos Remédios. Seven hundred steps up an ornate stairway bring you up not only to the beautiful church but a splendid view from above. We'll return on board the ship in Peso da Régua.

We'll begin our cruise to Porto this afternoon. Head up to the Sun Deck to catch some rays and admire the scenery. Our ship will remain in port overnight. Enjoy an evening of fado entertainment on board.

Enjoy a morning on your own in Porto. Located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, the second-largest city in Portugal oozes singular charm. Its staircase streets, colorful laundry hanging above, and bright blue frescoes in the Ribeira neighborhood are testimony to its vibrant spirit, history, and beliefs.

This afternoon, the optional excursions are:
- CLASSIC package: Tour of Guimarães. We will leave by coach for Guimarães. Guimarães was the birthplace of Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, so it remains a significant historical city. The medieval city center has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- FAMILY package: World of Discoveries. This interactive museum and theme park traces the odysseys of Portuguese explorers and how they changed the world. The first rooms show us life onboard and how these ambitious men made their marks. A fun boat ride recounting the conquest of other continents follows. After our excursion, we'll return to the ship. Our ship will remain in port overnight. Enjoy an evening of traditional entertainment on board.

Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. End of our services.