Riviera Rose – exploring the Douro Valley (part 2)

Laura and Craig – Cruise Lifestyle – have recently travelled on the Riviera Rose and kindly agreed to share their experiences – this is part 2.

Find part 1 here.

If you would like to find out more or book this river cruise, get in touch with me for the latest offers, and availability.

The Itinerary and Excursions on our Riviera Travel Douro River Cruise

One of the standout features of our Douro river cruise was the amount of scenic daytime cruising included in the itinerary. Because parts of the Douro are too narrow for night navigation, much of the sailing happens during the day, which was a real treat.

We made a conscious decision to spend our first two days soaking up the scenery of the Douro Valley from the sun deck. The views of terraced vineyards, small villages, and winding river bends were mesmerising. Sitting back in a plush chair with a coffee in hand, it felt like we were gliding through a living postcard.

One of the most fascinating parts of the journey was passing through the Carrapatelo Lock, the highest lock in Europe. This engineering marvel lifts ships 35 metres (115 feet). Entering the dark, cavernous chamber felt almost eerie at first, but watching the water rise so efficiently was impressive and surprisingly smooth.

All Riviera Travel excursions are included in the fare, and on our cruise, there were usually two options per day. Many of these involved an hour-long coach journey, which is worth considering when planning how much you want to do. We’ve learned from experience that trying to do every excursion can feel rushed, so we chose a mix of organised tours and independent exploring. This was a balance that worked perfectly for us.

Mateus Palace

Set amid beautifully landscaped gardens, the 18th-century baroque palace is instantly recognisable from the famous Mateus Rosé wine label.

What we did learn during our excursion is that the iconic wine that was so popular in the UK in the 1970s has never been made on the palace estate. Mateus simply used the palace as part of its branding!

Inside the palace, we admired elegant rooms filled with period furniture and family portraits that offered a glimpse into Portugal’s noble past.

The guided tour was informative bringing the history of the estate to life. Afterwards, we strolled through the immaculate gardens and took in the view made famous by the wine label – the picture-perfect end to a charming afternoon.

Linha do Douro Railway

Whilst all excursions were included, we did have the freedom to explore independently. This is something we do enjoy doing on all our cruises as we can go at our own pace and experiencing local culture.

In Pinhao, we decided to take a train journey along the Douro, part of the Linha do Douro, one of Europe’s most scenic railways.

The pretty train station at Pinhao is adorned with Azulejos tiles (blue and white painted tiles). Whilst at the train station admiring the tiles, we decided to buy return tickets to the end of the line in Pocinho.

This was a spontaneous decision we made whilst at Pinhao train station, but it rewarded us with stunning scenery of the river from a different perspective. Passing over bridges, we had cruised under a day earlier.

We would highly recommend doing this in Pinhao. The train journey took three hours in total, and we were able to make it back to the ship in time to take the afternoon excursion.

Port Cellar Tour and Tasting

Back in Porto at the end of our river cruise, we had the opportunity to visit one of the many port cellars situated on the banks of the Douro in Vila Nova de Gaia.

This excursion with Riviera Travel, took us inside the Ferreira port cellar, the only port wine company that has always remained in Portuguese ownership.

It was fascinating to see the huge barrels of port and the vintages on display that go back to 1815. Our guide gave us an insight into the port-making process and the excursion finished with a tasting of two different ports.

Porto Food Tour

Having a late flight home from this cruise gave us a whole day in Porto to explore. We decided to book an independent food tour with a local guide to learn more about the cuisine this city is known for.

The three-hour walking tour took us to local cafes and restaurants we would never have discovered ourselves and included 10 delicious tastings of traditional dishes and produce.

Learning about Porto through its food was wonderful. The chance to taste authentic Portuguese food was a highlight to wrap up our cruise on the Douro.

 

Our Douro River cruise with Riviera Travel exceeded expectations in every way. The combination of scenic daytime cruising and excursions was a good balance, and it was as much about the journey as the destinations.

Laura and Craig, Cruise Lifestyle

To watch a tour of Riviera Rose by Laura and Craig on YouTube – click here.