Explore The Charm Of Portugal On A Douro River Cruise

Highlights of the Douro River Cruise Chasing the sun! From Porto to Régua, Pinhão, Barca d'Alva, Vega Terron, Pinhão, Régua and Leverinho to Porto. What do you have in mind when it comes to Portugal? Spectacular cliffs, the taste of port wine or melancholic fado? Everything's right. From 2019 on, a new puzzle piece will be added: Our new A-ROSA vessel. Come aboard, discover the beauty of the Douro and have a look directly into the soul of Portugal! The port of departure and destination of our trips on the Douro is Porto. So you have plenty of opportunities to stroll through the beautiful old town, enjoy the view from Portugal's highest church tower or enjoy one of the 365 Bacalhau dishes, Portugal's favourite dried fish. And don't miss out on a trip to Salamanca in Spain, which is a UNESCO World Heritage City with its university from the 13th century. Porto - A mesmerising city carved in granite: in Porto you’ll find new, exciting perspectives at every turn – whether you’re beside the steadily flowing Douro, with its six different bridges, or in the lively city quarters of this northern Portuguese metropolis. As well as the imposing buildings of light-coloured granite, the symbols of Portugal’s second-largest city include gleaming azulejo tiles adorning church walls and townhouses, which look particularly handsome when it isn’t raining. You’ll need to be in good shape here – Porto is very hilly! But it’s worth the effort, because Porto – whose old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is pure poetry. Pinhão - The little town of Pinhão is located in the famous port wine region, in the area where the Douro and its surrounding landscape are at their most picturesque. It is surrounded by enchanting vineyards and the quintas that produce the wine. You can visit them from Pinhão and enjoy tours and wine tasting. To get there, you can either follow walking trails with glorious views or take a boat that also ferries visitors to interesting stretches of the river. One of the best-known walking trails takes you from the Douro bridge up seven kilometres of the hilly Rua Praça de Oliveira as far as the Casal de Loivos viewing point. Salamanca - This provincial capital situated at about 800 metres on the banks of the Río Tormes, is in a league of its own. It has one of the most beautiful central squares (Plaza Mayor) and one of the oldest universities in Spain (13th century). The latter gives Salamanca a lively student scene. This city has always been popular – the Romans and the Moors certainly liked it here. In 1085, King Alfonso VI returned it to Spanish rule during the reconquest of Islamic Spain. The old town, with its variety of architectural monuments, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city’s Holy Week processions have a long tradition and are very popular.