Porto Prelude: Cruising the Douro

A two-night prelude in Porto eases you into a week-long journey along the Douro River. From the Atlantic coast, where the river meets the sea, to the Spanish border, travel across Portugal past rolling vineyards, sunlit terraces, and hillside quintas that have defined this valley for centuries. Begin in Porto, where Portugal's maritime and winemaking heritage comes into focus, then continue east through the Douro Valley aboard your riverboat. Along the way, visit towns shaped by centuries of trade and cultivation, explore the region's history at the Douro Museum in Peso da Régua, and gain insight into early human expression at the Côa Museum, which interprets Paleolithic rock art found in the surrounding valley. As you travel through the eastern Douro, learn how ongoing rewilding efforts are restoring native landscapes and wildlife in this remote stretch of the river, before returning to Porto – bringing into full view the river that has shaped northern Portugal for generations.