River Douro Cruise Holidays - cruising the 'River of Gold' through Portugal to Spain

The River Douro is one of Europe's most untouched and beautiful rivers. The river meanders through northern Portugal to the ocean and the fascinating city of Porto. A river cruise on the lovely Douro River combines delightful scenery with rural, unspoilt villages and towns and an opportunity to visit the great cities of Porto and Salamanca. Along the way we will also visit restored palaces, places of pilgrimage, cultural centres and vineyards.

Your gentle journey takes you on a wonderfully scenic path, through deep cleft gorges terraced with thousands of vineyards, past sleepy fishing villages and through a tranquil countryside of almond and citrus trees.

Porto is Portugal's second largest city and one of the most beautiful cities of the Iberian Peninsula. Its charm stems from its dramatic position above the river, with little gabled houses closely terraced down the hill. Porto owes its wealth and fame to Port wine, first discovered and exported by the British in the early 17th century.

Birthplace of the navigator Diego Cap who discovered the mouth of the Congo, Villa Real is an attractive old Episcopal town surrounded by fruit orchards and vineyards Nearby is the little village of Maters with a beautiful Baroque country house and gardens, belonging to the Counts of Villa Real. The famous Mateus Rosé wine is produced in this area.

Situated south of the Douro, Lamego is a major market centre, and is charmingly set amid vineyards and lush, fertile countryside. The town boasts several fine Baroque buildings including the 18th century pilgrimage church Nossa Schrum, a Gothic cathedral, and an 11th century castle where in 1143 Don Alfonso Henriques was elected first King of Portugal.

On certain cruises you will visit Salamanca, Spain's ancient seat of learning with its grand buildings and the Plaza Mayor, the country's most magnificent square.

One of the loveliest and best preserved of the old Spanish cities, Salamanca justly deserves its place as a World Heritage Site. With a tumultuous past, the city has been conquered, influenced and shaped by Hannibal, the Romans, the Moors and the French. Today it is a city of golden stone architecture, narrow cobblestone streets and beautiful plazas.

NEW: Read our diary of a Blue Water Holidays River Douro cruise

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