PORTUGAL RIVER CRUISE (ZZP2010)

City Highlights


Lisbon:
Welcome drink

Vila Nova de Gaia:
Welcome cocktail

Régua:
Excursion to Lamego, visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies




Barca d’Alva:
Full-day excursion to Salamanca with guided sightseeing, visit the cathedral; lunch and flamenco show

Vega Terron:
Guided sightseeing of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, visit the castle

Pinhão:
Wine tasting and dinner at a local wine estate; onboard Portuguese show

Régua:
Guided tour of Mateus wine estate, visit the palace

Bitetos:
Specialty dinner at Alpendurada Monastery

Oporto:
Guided sightseeing

Lisbon:
Guided sightseeing, visit the Alfama quarter and Jeronimos Monastery

Ship
Douro Cruiser

 

Hotels


Lisbon
Sofitel (SF)

Meals
Welcome drink and full buffet breakfast (B) in Lisbon; welcome cocktail on board; superb dining with all meals on board featuring full buffet breakfast (B), lunch (L), and dinner (D), including a specialty dinner and Captain’s dinner.

Day 1:
(Thu.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Lisbon, Portugal. (Fri.) Welcome to Lisbon! Free time to rest or start exploring the Portuguese capital. At 6 pm, meet your Local Host and traveling companions for a welcome drink.

Day 3:
Lisbon–Vila Nova de Gaia (Embarkation). (Sat.) A leisurely start to your day before heading northward. Stop for lunch en route before arriving at Vila Nova de Gaia, south of the city of Oporto, where your river cruiser is docked and the crew awaits to welcome you on board. (B,D)

Day 4:
Régua–Excursion to Lamego. (Sun.) Enjoy this first opportunity to take in the breathtaking scenery along the Douro during a leisurely morning of cruising. Arrive at Régua and after lunch on board, drive to Lamego, an old historical yet picturesque and charming town. It is home to one of the most important places of pilgrimage in the country, the SANCTUARY OF OUR LADY OF REMEDIES. After visiting this shrine there’s free time to explore on your own before returning to your ship. (B,L,D)

Day 5:
Régua–Barca d’Alva. (Mon.) Spectacularly located at the confluence of the Douro and Pinhão Rivers, the small town of Pinhão is the epicenter of the Port winemaking area and a place where the soil and climatic conditions are considered to be at their very best. Enjoy spectacular scenery while cruising towards Barca d’Alva. (B,L,D)

Day 6:
Barca d’Alva–Excursion to Salamanca, Spain–Vega Terron. (Tue.) Today a full-day excursion takes you into Spain to Salamanca, a rich city full of traditions and situated in the center of the Castillo de León region. During your guided walking tour you’ll see many of the best-known sights such as the University, the House of Shells, beautiful baroque PLAZA MAYOR, formerly the site of numerous bullfights, and you’ll also visit the CATHEDRAL. Lunch is included, followed by a FLAMENCO SHOW. This evening return to your ship at Vega Terron. (B,L,D)

Day 7:
Vega Terron–Excursion to Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, Portugal–Pinhão. (Wed.) This morning’s excursion takes you up to Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, lying 2,200 feet above sea level. Along the typically medieval, steep and narrow streets you’ll still find 16th-century façades and Manuelino-style windows! The blossoms of the almond trees that grow around the little town have given it the name “White Village.” The surrounding region has an economy based on agriculture, and wine was first produced in the 12th-century by the monks. Visit the CASTLE and learn how in former times Jews, Arabs, and Christians co-existed peacefully here and formed the social fabric of Castelo Rodrigo. With luck, you’ll see the storks that migrate to this village every year and have become the symbol of the village. Return to your vessel and cruise to Pinhão. Here, enjoy a WINE TASTING and dinner at a local estate, and later, back on board your ship, a PORTUGUESE SHOW. (B,L,D)

Day 8:
Pinhão–Régua–Bitetos. (Thu.) After breakfast, dock in Régua and join an excursion into the Trás-os-Montes region to visit the PALACE of MATEUS. On the way you’ll see small picturesque villages nestled amidst the grandiosity of the steep terraces on the side of the mountains. Although still privately owned, the palace was transformed into a cultural foundation called the Casa de Mateus, whose main aims are to preserve the building and to promote cultural, scientific, and educational activities. Your stay ends with visits to the striking chapel and the winery, producing the famous Mateus wines. Rejoin your vessel and cruise to Bitetos. This evening, enjoy a hearty Portuguese meal at the 14th-century former Benedictine MONASTERY OF ALPENDURADA. (B,L,D)

Day 9:
Bitetos–Oporto–Vila Nova de Gaia. (Fri.) This morning, arrive back in the Oporto area for a short cruise of the Douro River mouth, then visit Portugal’s second-largest city. Spreading along the banks of the Douro, Oporto owes its history and development to this river. The city gives its name to one of the finest wines in the world—the Port wine. Guided sightseeing takes you through the city’s Old Town, a UNESCO Heritage Site, down narrow streets to find 16th-century arcaded buildings, the CATHEDRAL, and baroque churches. Drive across the 19th-century iron bridge designed by Gustav Eiffel, then along the Atlantic coast road to Foz, with its fashionable villas and manor houses, at the mouth of the river. Before returning to your vessel, stop at one of the PORT WINE LODGES to visit the cellars and sample the delicious wine. (B,L,D)

Day 10:
Vila Nova de Gaia (Disembarkation)–Lisbon. (Sat.) After breakfast, bid farewell to your ship’s crew and drive south to Lisbon. (B)

Day 11:
Lisbon. (Sun.) Lisbon was the center of Europe’s longest-lived overseas empire. Portugal’s imperial ambitions date back to Prince Henry the Navigator’s 15th-century discoveries in West Africa. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide features a drive through the Baxia quarter’s main squares. Then, enjoy a walk through the cobbled alleys of quaint ALFAMA, the quarter of the seamen. Drive past the Bull Ring to Pombal Statue and along the grand Avenida da Liberdade. Stop for pictures of Belem Tower, guarding the mouth of the Tagus, and visit JERONIMOS MONASTERY with the tomb of Vasco da Gama. Afternoon and evening at leisure. (B)

Day 12:
Lisbon. (Mon.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (B)

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YOU CAN BOOK THIS TOUR ONLINE. Click here to check rates and availability online, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Or, to speak to one of our live, experienced travel consultants, Call us now at 1-800-942-3301.
Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
8/12/2010 - 8/23/2010	$2,799
10/21/2010 - 11/1/2010	$2,549
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Price Details US
Upgrade per person to Category 2: $250Upgrade per person to Category 1: $500Port charges: $86Please call for single accommodation in Category 2.Triples not available.Extra nights per person in Lisbon:in single room $275, in twin room $185

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Save up to $1,100 per couple on 2010 Greece Cruise & Tour Vacations

Standard Offers and Specials provided by Globus Tours

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