DAY 1 / LISBON  

Arrive in Lisbon and check in to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to explore the Portuguese capital on your own.

DAY 2 / LISBON 

One of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Lisbon lies sprawled across the hilly banks of the Tagus River. On a guided tour, see Belém Tower, a fortified four-story limestone tower, and visit the Late Gothic Jerónimos Monastery, the burial place of Portuguese kings and heroes.

Spend an afternoon exploring the city’s many attractions at your leisure, including the Castle of São Jorge or the Santa Justa Elevator overlooking the castle, river and Rossio Square. Mooring overnight.

DAY 3 / LISBON 

Enjoy a morning excursion to Serra de Sintra, one of Portugal’s most charming mountain villages and the preferred summer residence of the royal family for more than five hundred years. A long-time source of inspiration for artists and poets, Lord Byron once called this village “the most delightful in Europe.” You will also tour the Romantic-era Castelo da Pena, a storybook castle perched atop a rocky hilltop.

DAY 4 / PORTO / EMBARKATION 

After breakfast, enjoy a scenic drive through the Portuguese countryside to Porto, where your ship awaits. Tonight, gather on board for a welcome dinner. Mooring overnight in Porto.

DAY 5 / PORTO 

Your sightseeing tour of Porto reveals 16th-century arcaded buildings, Baroque churches, and the magnificent iron bridge built by renowned French engineer Gustave Eiffel. You will also have a chance to see the elegant residential section along the Atlantic coast. This afternoon, more active guests may wish to take part in a guided hiking tour of Porto, where they will explore the old harbour quarter, passing through the medieval streets of Porto, and cross the Dom Luis Bridge on foot. Alternatively, enjoy some free time to explore the Old City on your own. For some modern culture, you may want to head to the Boavista area, where you will find the Casa da Musica and the Museum of Modern Art. The ship moors overnight in Porto.

DAY 6 / PORTO / ENTRE-OS-RIOS / RÉGUA 

Today, see Guimarães, one of the most historic towns in all of Portugal and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On your way to Entre-os-Rios, admire the lush vineyards and rocky gorges of the Douro Valley. Upon arrival, journey to a nearby wine estate for a traditional Portuguese dinner at Casa de Vila Verde. Mooring overnight in Entre-os-Rios.

DAY 7 / RÉGUA 

After breakfast, embark on an excursion to Penafiel, where you’ll visit the local wine museum before touring Quinta da Avelada, one of Portugal’s most famous wineries. This historic, family-owned vineyard and estate is renowned for its Vinho Verde, a light and refreshing white wine. Following the tour, enjoy a tasting of delicious wines and cheeses. Afterwards, you’ll have some time to explore the grounds, including its revered gardens, before returning to the ship. Later, explore the region’s time-honoured tradition of wine-making in a museum in Régua. Mooring overnight.

DAY 8 / RÉGUA / PINHÃO 

Set off on an excursion to picturesque Lamego, home to one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in all of Portugal, the Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies). The shrine features a staircase of nearly seven hundred steps, all beautifully decorated with white and blue tiles. Other attractions include a Gothic cathedral, a museum, and charming cafés. Alternatively, you may wish to visit Quinta da Pacheca, where you will enjoy breathtaking views over the Douro River and picnic in a terraced vineyard.

This afternoon, take in the wild, rugged scenery as your ship cruises through the dramatic gorges of the Duoro river valley on the way to Pinhão. Upon arrival enjoy a wine tasting at Quinta Avessada.

DAY 9 / PINHÃO 

This morning, travel to see the Baroque-style Palacio de Mateus and its gardens the beautiful Trás-os-Montes region near the city of Vila Real. Inside the house, you’ll see exhibits of religious images and paintings, as well as stunning furnishings, all under a ceiling of intricately carved wood. The gardens here are considered some of the most beautiful in all of Portugal. This afternoon, enjoy a special lunch and wine tasting at Quinta da Roêda. Finally, sample some of the region’s famous port wine at Quinta do Seixo, which offers sweeping views of the Douro River.

DAY 10 / BARCA D’ALVA / VEGA TERRÓN 

Spend a leisurely morning soaking up the beauty of the Douro River as you cruise from Pinhão to Barca d’Alva. Upon arrival, join a tour of the Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, a small fortified, 16th-century village perched high on a hilltop with centuries-old walls, steep narrow streets, and fantastic views. Stop in the market square to admire the Chafariz dos Pretos, a distinctive fountain decorated with black faces. This evening, the ship sails to Vega Terrón and moors overnight.

DAY 11 / VEGA TERRÓN / DISEMBARKATION / SALAMANCA / MADRID 

Disembark and set off for Salamanca, Spain today for a tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, located at the center of the Spanish Castilla y León region. Built of golden sandstone, Salamanca is a living museum, offering visitors the opportunity to step back in time to the Middle Ages. During your guided tour, you will see the city’s elegant university buildings, the twin-towered Cathedral, and the intriguingly decorated House of Shells. Later, travel to Madrid and check into your hotel.

DAY 12 / MADRID 

Set off on a guided tour of Madrid, the capital and largest city in Spain. Known for its many historic districts as well as its modern infrastructure, the city’s top landmarks include the elaborate Royal Palace, Buen Retiro Park, Plaza Mayor, and world-renowned art galleries such as the Prado Museum and Centro de Arte Reina Sofia.

DAY 13 / MADRID 

Enjoy an unforgettable excursion to the walled city of Toledo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the former capital of Spain. Populated since pre-Roman times, the city’s landmarks include the Alcázar, Cathedral of Toledo, and the El Greco Museum.

DAY 14 / MADRID 

This exciting journey through Portugal and Spain comes to an end in Madrid, where you’ll bid farewell to your fellow travelers and prepare for your onward journey.

• 3 nights hotel accommodation in Madrid at the Westin Palace (or similar), including daily buffet breakfast
• Transfer from the hotel in Madrid to the ship in Vega Terrón
• 7 nights deluxe cruise accommodation in an outside stateroom – most staterooms with balconies
• Life enriching tours and excursions daily with personal headset included
• Complimentary Internet access in all staterooms
• Complimentary Wi-Fi access on board
• Fine dining including complimentary local wine, port wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner on board
• Bottled water in every stateroom replenished daily
• Cocktail Reception, Welcome Dinner & Captain’s Gala Dinner
• Sail Away Mimosa and Sun Deck BBQ
• Special highlights including lectures, theme dinners, onboard music performances and afternoon/evening piano music
• Transfer from ship in Porto to hotel in Lisbon
• 3 nights hotel accommodation in Lisbon at the InterContinental (or similar), including daily buffet breakfast
• Special highlights including lectures, theme dinners, onboard music performances and afternoon/evening piano music
• Services of professional Cruise Manager
• All English language on board in a non-smoking environment (smoking permitted only on the Sun Deck)
• All transfers with the purchase of cruise, land & air package
• All local taxes

Travel Documents / Visas

1. Passport

Canadian citizens must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the last date of travel to enter Spain or Portugal (EU).

Citizens of other countries should consult with their travel agent or our office.

2. Visa

No visa is required for citizens of Canada travelling to Spain or Portugal for leisure stays of up to 90 days.

Packing List

A handy checklist of what to bring on your trip can be downloaded here.

Insurance

We very strongly recommend the purchase of appropriate travel insurance for any trip outside of Canada. Information on travel insurance options can be found here.

Smoking

Not permitted anywhere indoors. There are designated areas on the outside decks.

Weather

April / May – warm days usually in the high 10’s to low 20’s. Occasional rain.

June to September – warm to hot days in the mid to high 20’s. Evenings in the low 20’s. Mostly dry.

October – cool days in the low to mid 20’s. Minimal rain.

Arrival / Departure

Upon booking, we will provide detail instructions on how to meet your ship on embarkation day. If you have not made any pre or post tour arrangements with us, you will have to arrange your own transportation to and from the port of embarkation. We are happy to provide advice or to assist in arranging transfers.

The ship will not be ready for check-in before mid-afternoon. If you have luggage that you need to deposit so you can enjoy some free time in port, the purser may be able to accommodate you provided we know in advance.

The cruise will finish in the morning (usually around 9am) on the final day. It is necessary to have settled your onboard account and to have disembarked by this time as instructed by the cruise director on the day before.

Money

The currency is the EURO. It is uncommon for local shops and restaurants to accept any other currency.

Credit cards are acceptable for larger purchases in retail shops, but often not in restaurants or cafés.

ATM’s accepting most international debit and credit cards can be found in abundance.

Gratuities (Tipping)

Gratuities suggested by the cruise line are:

• EUR 3.00 per guest per day for the cruise director
• EUR 12.00 per guest per day to be divided amongst the entire crew.

Laundry

Laundry  service  is  available  onboard  at  a  nominal  additional  cost.  Unfortunately  dry cleaning services are not available.

Excursions

Most of our programs include a full complement of excursions. Some additional excursions may be available on board at an extra cost. Please check with us or consult the purser onboard for additional information.

Excursions will usually involve a lot of walking, often on cobblestone streets. If you have difficulty walking any distance, please let us know in advance and we will advise how best we can accommodate you.

Regrettably, many of our excursions are not suitable to those in a wheelchair due to the amount of stairs involved.

Activity Level / Strenuousness

Light – At most, participation in the shore excursions requires the ability to walk reasonable distances and some stairs.

Food

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included in your cruise fare so you shouldn’t be too hungry. It is worthwhile to sample the local cuisine though.

The ‘catch of the day’ (so to speak) in Portugal are “sardinhas” which are sardines. In fact a large variety of seafood is available in this region and it’s all well worth sampling. If seafood isn’t your fancy, try the “Quejo da Serra da Estrela” which is a superbly rich cheese, among the best in the country.

While stopping over in Lisbon, you would be remiss for not trying the “Pastéis de nata” which are basically little custards in pastry shells. One will unfortunately not be enough.

Portugal is probably also most famous for its port wine, which originates from the area of the Douro Valley. However, there are many other fantastic red and white wines to choose from.

Language

Your shipboard staff all speak English of course, but when you are wandering through the shops in small villages, the local folk may have little English. Bring along an English-Portuguese phrasebook or a suitable translation app.

Medical Facilities

There are no medical personnel onboard the ship. However, the purser can contact onshore medical people for emergency and non-emergency situations and rapid evacuation can easily be facilitated in the most urgent cases.

Phone & Internet

There is a phone in each cabin. As is typical, the charges for overseas calls are relatively high.

Free Wi-Fi is available in the main public areas of the ship but not necessarily in all cabins. As internet is provided through a mobile network, bandwidth (speed) will vary depending on the number of concurrent users, the proximity to a cell tower and other factors.

If you would like to have regular data and phone connection, we suggest either arranging an overseas roaming plan with your mobile operator, or pick up a local SIM card if you have an unlocked phone.

Health / Vaccinations

There are no vaccinations required to travel to Portugal. As always, we recommend being in good health prior to any long distance travel. Consult your physician with any specific concerns in regard to this program.

Safety & Security

Despite recent events in Europe, Portugal is extremely safe. Particularly the small cities and towns on this voyage, you should have nothing to be concerned about. This being said, being constantly aware of your surroundings and not taking unnecessary valuables with you is always recommended. Leave your passport, extra money and any other belongings you do not need during the day in the safe in your cabin.

You can access current information about the security situation in Portugal by referring to the Canadian government travel advisory site at https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/portugal

Suggested Reading

The Portuguese: The Land and Its People

Portugal: A Companion History

Port and the Douro