Lisbon & the Beautiful Douro River

Day 1 London, Lisbon
Begin with Titan’s VIP Home Departure Service® to London Heathrow or Gatwick Airport for your scheduled Air Portugal or another leading airline flight to Lisbon. Meet your Uniworld representative on arrival and transfer to your hotel for the next three nights.

Day 2 Lisbon
Included Excursion: Lisbon City Tour
Your guided exploration of the city takes you to one of the most historical districts of the city, Belem, where you will see the Belem Tower, a fortress that kept careful watch over the great navigators who left Portugal to seek their fortunes elsewhere. You will relive the opulence of the former times with a visit to the 16th-century ornate Jerónimos Church.

Day 3 Lisbon
Spend the day at your leisure, enjoying the cosmopolitan city often referred to as the “City of Seven Hills”.

Day 4 Lisbon, Coimbra, Porto
Included Excursion: Coimbra Tour with Lunch
En route to embark Douro Spirit, you will learn about Portugal’s third largest city on a tour of Coimbra, known as the birthplace to six of Portugal’s kings and home to one of the oldest universities in Europe. Enjoy lunch in a local Pousada, a family-run restaurant, before continuing on to Porto to embark the Douro Spirit, the finest vessel on the Douro.

Day 5 Porto, Bitetos
Included Excursions: Porto city tour, visit to Ferreira Wine Cellars & Dinner at Alpendurada Monastery
Porto, also known as the “City of Bridges” is Portugal’s second largest city. Its charm stems from its dramatic position above the river, with gabled houses nestled closely together on the hill. You’ll be guided through the medieval city centre, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then on to see the Romanesque cathedral. During the afternoon, the ship sails to Bitetos, where we will spend an evening dining at the former 14th century Benedictine Monastery of Alpendurada, perched high above the river in a stunning setting.

Day 6 Bitetos, Regua, Pinhao
Included Excursion: Mateus Palace and Gardens & Vintage House Reception and Port Wine Tasting
Be amazed by the breathtaking scenery of the Douro Valley as we cruise from Bitetos to Régua in the morning. During the afternoon, you will be enchanted with a visit to the Mateus Palace and Gardens, a perfect example of baroque architecture, with an impressive façade made up of beautiful pinnacles on the roof and an ornate stairway. The gardens are among the most beautiful in Europe, with a tunnel of cypress trees shading the path. You will also visit the famous Vintage House Hotel set in a magnificent 18th Century mansion overlooking the Douro River for a Port wine tasting.

Day 7 Pinhao, Vega da Terron
Included Excursion: Port wine tasting at a local Quinta
The small town of Pinhão is the epicentre of the Port wine making area, and a place where the soil and climatic conditions are considered to be at their very best. Visit a local Quinta and learn more about the history of Port which goes back to the 17th century. Find out about the unique climate conditions of the region and the Port wine making process, and of course, get to indulge in some of this country’s most celebrated beverage. Afternoon sailing.

Day 8 Vega de Terron (Salamanca)
Included Excursion: Full-day Salamanca city tour with typical Spanish lunch and Flamenco show
The Douro Spirit will dock in Vega de Terrón this morning and from here, you will travel overland to the Spanish city of Salamanca, one of the best preserved medieval cities in Spain. Upon arrival in Salamanca you will be taken to a local venue to see a traditional Flamenco show followed by a tour of the city. Visit the historic university founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX of León and stroll through one of Spain’s largest and grandest squares-Plaza Mayor with its warm, gold-coloured sandstone. After the city tour you can will have some free time for lunch and shopping before returning to the ship.

Day 9 Barca d’Alva (Castelo Rodrigo), Regua
Included Excursions: Tour of Castelo Rodrigo
Visit the small town of Castelo Rodrigo, a medieval walled city with a parish church perched high on a hilltop that dates back to the 12th century.

Day 10 Regua, Porto (Guimaraes)
Included Excursion: Guimaraes City Tour
Leisurely cruise to Porto, where this afternoon you enjoy an excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed medieval town of Guimaraes and today is a 2012 European Cultural Capital.

Day 11 Porto, London
Disembark the ship and transfer to Porto Airport for your Air Portugal or another leading airline flight home. Arrive at London Heathrow or Gatwick where our staff will meet you and our transport will transfer you to your own front door.

Important Information

Please note for 2014
All Uniworld cruises will be all inclusive from 2014, which means they will now include unlimited beverages onboard (except top premium wines and spirits), all onboard and shore excursion gratuities and complimentary internet/wi-fi access.

Titan Travel have a reputation for innovative and enthralling escorted holiday itineraries, and through the guidance of their founding principles, “quality, service and value” which have remained unchanged since the 1970′s, their expertise and experience are second to none.

Titan Travel strive to ensure that aspect of their holidays whispers quality, before you fly, you get to appreciate a comfortable, chauffeur-driven transfer from your front door to the airport with our peerless VIP Home Departure Service, check-in assistance and complimentary porterage. All international flights are with world-renowned scheduled airlines and cruises with acclaimed operators. Touring holidays are expertly designed by the product team to present a comprehensive, imaginative introduction to the destination of choice yet still offer plenty of time for relaxation. The services of a tour manager or cruise manager are included throughout. When you return to the UK, you are met in the arrivals hall of the airport and shown to your VIP Home Departure Service vehicle, waiting to return you to your front door.

Our Opinion
“Titan Travel’s guiding principles of customer service, quality of product and value for money are undoubtedly a contributing factor to them being voted, on many occasions, the UK’s best tour operator.”