Tour of Portugal & The Douro River Valley

If you purchased airline tickets from YMT, a representative will meet you at the airport and transport you to the hotel. Relax before your included welcome dinner at the hotel begins. 

Enjoy a guided city tour through Portugal’s coastal capital, watched over by 7 picturesque hills. The peaks’ view of Lisbon’s historic cobblestoned streets and stately ruins, mixed seamlessly with the modern world around them, is one of Europe’s prettiest. Located in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains, Sintra is home to charming pastel buildings surrounded by lush terrain. Enjoy an included walking tour of the Old Town, followed by lunch on your own. Next, continue to Obidos for a short walking tour, including outside views of the Obidos Castle. You’ll have some free time for photos before we head to Leiria for an evening at leisure.

Start your morning in Leiria, watched over for centuries by the magnificent Leiria Castle. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the UNESCO-listed Monastery of Batalha, commissioned in the 14th century by King John I and among Portugal’s most beloved historic monuments. Continue to Coimbra, one of Portugal’s loveliest college towns. Enjoy lunch on your own before taking a guided tour of the library and grounds of Universidad de Coimbra, originally founded in 1290. The university is dazzling, and you will visit many of its most impressive sites, including the Great Hall, Baroque Library, and Natural History Collection. Arrive in Porto for an included dinner and enjoy the evening at leisure. 

Porto is one of Portugal’s oldest cities, and is a spectacular place to spend the day. First settled around 300 BC, it has since been captured by the Romans, the Moors, and even Napoleon; its historic centre is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a city tour and an included port wine tasting at one of Porto’s many vineyards! After your free time and lunch on your own, board A-ROSA’s brand-new Alva to enjoy dinner on board before leaving port early tomorrow. 

Depart Porto this morning at 7:00 AM and watch the sights of Portugal drift slowly by on your first morning on the Douro. The countryside of the UNESCO-listed Douro River Valley promises to stun you en route to Régua. Blessed with near-constant sunshine, Régua has a colourful past as an epicenter of Renaissance-era port wine production and is now the perfect place for a leisurely stroll. Return to the ship, then continue on to dock in Pinhão for the night.

Begin your day with a few leisurely hours in Pinhão, a small town nestled in a particularly scenic Riverbend. It is surrounded by vineyards— look up to see lush hills and terraces encircling the city. You’ll be awed by the beauty of the Douro International Natural Park on the way to Vega de Terrón, Spain. The granite cliffs rise high above the river, the rugged home to numerous rare birds. Look to the sky, and if you’re lucky you just might see peregrine falcons, golden eagles, or the extraordinarily high-flying Griffon vulture, which has a wingspan of 9 feet! Arrive this evening in Vega de Terrón, a classically Spanish community with quiet streets, friendly people, and delicious food. Visitors love its proximity to Salamanca, a popular 12th-century tourist destination known for having intricate sandstone architecture, and for its UNESCO-recognized Old City.

Today we cross back into Portugal to spend a leisurely evening in Barca d’Alva.

Enjoy the Medieval architecture and stunning views of Barca d’Alva in the clear morning light, then continue down to Pocinho and Pinhão.

Return this morning to Régua and visit Bitetos, a tiny village teeming with Roman-era ruins. Ask about joining an optional tour to the mustsee attraction for visitors, the Benedectine Monastery of Alpendura, which doubles as one of the village’s top restaurants!

After a quick stop in Cais da Lixa, pull into Porto for a full day in Portugal’s second largest city. As you wander its historic streets, keep an eye out for Portugal’s signature blue azulejos tiles—a delightful reminder of the region’s Moorish influences. Book lovers will enjoy the ornate Lello Bookstore. Built in 1906, the longtime hangout for Porto’s creatives and intellectuals features a winding staircase with carved wooden handrails, a stained glass skylight, and intricately plastered ceiling. Finally, Porto is a mecca for intrepid foodies due to Tripas à Moda do Porto, the town’s signature dish.

Disembark from the Alva and travel by coach to Fatima for a self-guided tour of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, the location of a 1917 miracle and an important Catholic pilgrimage site. Tour the spacious grounds, and visit the many beautifully arranged buildings and structures. There are incredible sights to see throughout the compound; from the colonnade to the numerous chapels to the Monument of the Berlin Wall. Stop in Cascais for an included three-course farewell lunch, a panoramic tour, and free time for shopping. Arrive in Lisbon for the evening. 

Leaves Lisbon and departs for home.

Included: