Viking Cruises

2019 River Cruises

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140 For complete itinerary details and videos, visit vikingcruises.com.au PORTUGAL'S RIVER OF GOLD 10 day cruise/tour with 8 guided tours Day 1 Lisbon, Portugal Welcome to Lisbon; transfer to the superior first-class Hotel Tivoli Lisboa (or similar) in the heart of Lisbon. Day 2 Lisbon, Portugal After breakfast, embark on a half-day tour of Lisbon. Begin at Belém with a tour of the Jerónimos Monastery, one of the most prominent examples of Portuguese late Gothic Manueline style of architecture. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Tower of Belém that you also explore. National Tile Museum Learn about the history of Portugal's finely made decorative tiles and try your hand at making your own. (B) Day 3 Porto, Portugal Check out of your hotel and take a scenic ride to Porto. You will stop for lunch in Coimbra, birthplace of six Portuguese kings and home to one of Europe's oldest universities. After boarding, you can relax and get settled in your stateroom before a welcome cocktail and dinner is served. (B, L, D) Day 4 Porto, Portugal Take a city tour of Porto, whose historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire its graceful bridges, baroque cathedrals and romantic 16th through 19th-century buildings nestled together on narrow cobbled streets. Visit a typical port making facility, then return to your ship for lunch. Historic Guimarães Visit the nation's first capital, a city beloved to the Portuguese, to view its medieval quarter of palaces, monasteries and squares. (B, L, D) Day 5 Régua, Portugal This morning we sail along the Douro, arriving late morning in Régua. After lunch, disembark for a tour to Vila Real, site of the extraordinary Mateus Palace. This stunning baroque palace was the home of the last count of Vila Real; its richly appointed interiors and priceless objects on display will astonish you, as will the palace's enchanting formal gardens featuring cedar-lined walkways, sculpted hedges and serene bodies of water. (B, L, D) Day 6 Barca d'Alva, Portugal We sail east along the Douro and see dramatic rock formations, picturesque terraced vineyards and graceful bridges; and pass through two of the river's locks at the Valeira and Pocinho Dams. We arrive at Barca d'Alva, not far from the Spanish border, during lunchtime. This afternoon, enjoy a tour to Castelo Rodrigo, located approximately 2,200 feet above sea level and surrounded by almond trees. The streets are narrow and steep, and its houses still present 16th-century facades including the distinctively Portuguese Manueline-style windows. (B, L, D) Day 7 Salamanca, Spain Today you have a full-day excursion to Salamanca, Spain. This ancient city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a living museum of the Middle Ages; yet it is also a cosmopolitan and multicultural city. Take a ride through the countryside to Salamanca, then spend time exploring the shops and cafés of the Plaza Mayor (Main Square) on your own. Your afternoon guided city tour takes you to the Gothic House of Shells, the 13th-century Salamanca University and the New Cathedral, built from 1513 through to 1733. The Old Cathedral still exists and can be visited during free time. (B, D) Day 8 Pinhão, Portugal We sail west along the Douro, passing some of the area's quintas (vineyards), then disembark for a scenic drive up to the little village of Favaios, and make our way to one of the last traditional bakeries in the Douro River Valley. Discover how bread was made in the old days and how it tasted with a sample fresh from the oven. Continue for lunch at Quinta da Avessada, a rustic centuries-old winery in the heart of the Douro Wine District a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and sample some local varieties of port, such as muscatel. (B, L, D) Day 9 Régua, Portugal Arrive in Régua after breakfast then disembark for a visit to Lamego, a small town known for its baroque Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies, dating back to the 14th century and still used by pilgrims today. Visit the shrine, decorated with exquisite tilework in the Moorish manner, and descend the grand baroque staircase. You'll also see the town's Gothic cathedral and the ruins of 12th-century Lamego Castle with its unusual vaulted cistern. (B, L, D) Day 10 Porto, Portugal After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight. Or, extend your time in the region with a two night extension to Braga, Portugal and Santiago de Compostela, Spain. (B) D O U R O R I V E R , P O RT U G A L Key Example of Optional Shore Excursion

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