Spain and Portugal

Visit both Spain and Portugal on this wonderful tour!

Duration

Nov 8-16, 2024

Tour Includes

• 19 Meals (7 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 7 dinners including a Welcome Dinner & Reception)
• Airport transfers
• Visit two countries
• Seven-night cruise on the Douro River
• First-class service by an English-speaking crew
• Shore excursions with English-speaking local guides
• All gratuities included: Crew onboard ship, step-on guides, drivers and tour directors throughout the tour
• Personal listening device for onboard excursions
• All meals included onboard with a variety of international cuisine
• Complimentary regional wines, beer and soft drinks accompany onboard lunches and dinners
• Complimentary bottled water in your stateroom
• Complimentary WiFi onboard
• Variety of onboard evening entertainment

Itinerary

• Nov 8, 2024 – Depart St. Louis

Depart St. Louis on our overnight flight to Lisbon, Portugal with your tour directors Dea and Declan. Meal: Onboard plane

• Nov 9, 2023 – Meal: D** Porto

Welcome to Porto, where you will be met at the airport and transferred to your contemporary Emerald Radiance Star-ship. This evening, join your fellow guests for dinner on board.

• Nov 10, 2024 – Porto / Pinhão

Today is a day of sailing through the twists and turns of the Douro Valley. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this area is sparsely populated by small quaint villages and agricultural communities with beautiful vineyards and picturesque farms. This afternoon, the ship arrives in the village of Pinhão, perfectly situated on a river bend surrounded by terraced hillsides that produce some of the world’s best Port wine.
Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner and cocktail reception.

EmeraldPLUS: A Portuguese cooking demonstration onboard

Meals: B, L, D

• Nov 11, 2024– Pinhão / Vega de Terron

Begin the day with a visit to a beautiful Quinta Vineyard with spectacular views of the Douro Valley. Learn about wine production and its importance to the culture and economy. This afternoon, the ship sails for Vega de Terron, gateway to Spain. Meals: B, L, D

EmeraldPLUS: Visit to Quinta do Tedo with tasting
EmeraldACTIVE: A guided walk through the vineyards
EmeraldPLUS Kayak experience in Pinhao*

• Nov 12, 2024– Salamanca, Spain
  Today’s excursion takes us to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Salamanca, Spain. During the guided walking tour, see amazingly detailed and intricately carved buildings of the university, the 12th century Romanesque church of San Martin and the house of Shells. Regal splendor abounds in the Plaza Mayor, the heartbeat of the city. We’ll have free time for lunch and to explore independently before returning to the ship in Portugal. Meals: B, D

EmeraldPLUS: Local entertainment – Tuna music and guided tour of Salamanca*

**DiscoverMORE - Castelo Rodrigo tour (extra expense)

• Nov 13, 2024– Pocinho
  Arrive in Pocinho and disembark for a morning excursion to the Coa Valley Museum. Designed to blend in with its surroundings, the concrete structure houses prehistoric stone carvings made by the early inhabitants of the Douro which were uncovered during construction of a nearby dam project. Return to the ship for lunch and relax on deck as the ship sails through idyllic surroundings on the way to Régua. This evening, enjoy an off-ship dinner at a traditional vineyard estate. Meals: B, L, D

EmeraldPLUS: Dinner hosted at a traditional rural vineyard estate in the Régua area
EmeraldPLUS: Port Wine cocktail lesson onboard
EmeraldPLUS: Visit to the Coa Valley Museum
EmeraldACTIVE: /Archaeological tour by 4x4 at the Coa Valley Museum*(extra expense)

• Nov 14, 2024 – Régua
  After arriving in Régua, journey to the marvelous baroque village of Lamego, home to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies - one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Portugal. See the Sanctuary perched atop the hill, with its iconic 686-step granite staircase, decorated with the traditional Portuguese blue and white ‘azulejos’ tiles. Return to the ship in Régua after the excursion. Meals: B, L, D

EmeraldPLUS: Mosaic tile painting lesson onboard
EmeraldACTIVE: Climb the Sanctuary steps
EmeraldMOREVisit to Mateus Manor House (extra expense)

• Nov 15, 2024 – Porto
  Having traversed the Douro River, the ship returns to Porto – a city with an eclectic mix of modern and ancient architecture. An included tour highlights the sights from historic landmarks to the scenic beauty. And it wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a wine cave for a tour and tasting of Port wine. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure in Porto. Meals: B, L, D

EmeraldACTIVE: A guided walking tour
DiscoverMORE Visit to Quinta da Aveleda (extra expense)
DiscoverMORE Guided bike tour to the Atlantic (extra expense)

• Nov 16, 2024– Porto / St. Louis
  This morning, disembark the MS Emerald Radiance and bid a fond farewell to Portugal, filled with memories of this remarkable cruise along the ‘river of gold.’ Meal: B

Itinerary and vessel are subject to change.

Please note

• We encourage all travelers to purchase travel protection and pay with initial deposit. Please remember that certain benefits are time sensitive. Plans help provide coverage for unexpected circumstances and help protect your trip and your investment.

• Please insure that you have a valid passport for this tour. You will not be allowed to fly without the proper documents, nor enter Spain and Portugal or return to the USA. Travel protection will not cover any expenses due to not having valid travel documents.

• Call to book single, triple or quad occupancy!