Escorted Portugal - Lisbon Hotel Stay & Douro River Cruise

Highlights

• Roundtrip Transportation to Logan / Boston Airport (minimum # required)
• Flights to Lisbon / home from Porto
• 3 Nts Lisbon with Sightseeing and Breakfast daily
• 7 Nt Cruise Roundtrip from Porto aboard the beautiful AMA Sintra
• All Gourmet Meals On Board
• Free flowing red & white wine from the local region, beer and soft drinks for lunch and dinner
• Complimentary “Sip & Sail” cocktail hour offering happy hour menu 5 evenings before dinner
• Captain’s Gala Dinner, Theme Dinners
• Piano music nightly
• Complimentary coffee, tea, bottled water & iced tea all day. Cappuccino, Latte & Espresso during all meals
• Ship Shop Escort throughout Tour
• Fitness Center
• Sun Deck with heated pool and walking track
• Daily Shore Excursion Program with English Speaking Guides and use of Quietvox headsets
• Port Taxes & Fees

Itinerary

Day 1

Join your Ship Shop Escort for motorcoach to Boston / Logan and your flights to Lisbon, Portugal

Day 2

LISBON—Arrive in Lisbon and transfer to your hotel. Balance of day to explore Lisbon on your own. Perched on rolling hills along the Tagus River, Lisbon charms visitors with colorful tiled buildings, historic neighborhoods, and a relaxed Old World feel.

Day 3

LISBON—One of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Lisbon, stretches across several hills along the Tagus River. On your escorted tour, you’ll see Belém Tower, a fortified 4-story tower made of limestone, and visit the late Gothic Jerónimos Monastery, the burial place of many Portuguese kings and heroes. You will also taste a typical Portuguese pastry, Pastéis de Belém—yum!

Day 4

LISBON—Enjoy a morning excursion to Serra de Sintra, one of the loveliest mountain villages in Portugal and a favorite summer residence of the Portuguese royal family for more than 500 years. Long an inspiration for artists and poets, Lord Byron once called it “perhaps the most delightful village in Europe.” High up on a rocky peak, you will tour Pena Palace, a wonderful fairytale castle dating back to Portugal’s Romantic period.

Day 5

LISBON to PORTO—Ride a motorcoach to Tomar and take in the Castle and Covent of the Order of Christ, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is a brilliant work of 12th- to 16th-century architecture. Continue on to Porto and board the ship for your Enticing Douro cruise. The AMA Sintra will be your home for the next 7 nights while you cruise the beautifully scenic Douro River.

Day 6

REGUA—Visit the Baroque-style Palacio de Mateus and its gardens. Inside the house, you’ll see interesting furnishings, paintings and a ceiling of intricately carved wood. The gardens here are considered some of the most beautiful in Portugal.

Day 7

VEGA DE TERRON, SPAIN—In the morning, spend time soaking up the beauty of this picturesque port before you visit Castelo Rodrigo, a small fortified village perched high on a hilltop with centuries-old walls, steep na

Day 8

VEGA DE TERRON, SPAIN—SALAMANCA—Drive to Salamanca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built of golden sandstone, Salamanca is known as a “living museum,” and you will have an opportunity to step back in time to the Middle Ages during your escorted tour, which includes the city’s elegant university buildings, the New Cathedral, the intriguingly decorated House of Shells and Plaza Mayor.

Day 9

PINHAO—Spend time soaking up the beauty of the Douro River as you cruise to Pinhão. Be treated to an exclusive lunch at Quinta da Avessada, where you’ll enjoy an authentic and traditional dining experience complete with entertainment. Quinta da Avessada is also a fascinating interactive museum commemorating the history and culture of wine in the Alto Douro region, so you’ll have fun discovering all the various stages of wine production as well as doing plenty of tasting. Savor the flavors of Portugal’s renowned fortified wine, vinho do porto, made exclusively in the Douro Valley. Head to a local quinta for your authentic Port-wine tasting experience and enjoy the sweet nectar of this fascinating region.

Day 10

REGUA—Travel to picturesque Lamego, home to one of the most important pilgrimage sites in all of Portugal, where you’ll go to the Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies). The shrine features a staircase of nearly 700 steps, beautifully decorated with white and blue tiles, which the more active adventurer will want to climb on a guided hike. Concluding both tours, you will have the opportunity to sample local traditional specialties, such as bôlas de Lamego, bread filled with smoked ham; presunto, a type of dry-cured ham; and Espumante, a Portuguese sparkling wine. For lunch, indulge in a traditional Portuguese meal with your fellow travelers in Regua at a local quinta – a country estate – for a truly authentic culinary experience.

Day 11

PORTO—The colorful city of Porto blends the best of old and new, which you can discover on an escorted tour of the historic quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the Cathedral, one of the city’s oldest monuments; and the São Bento Railway Station, known for its blue and white tile panels depicting scenes from Portuguese history. If you prefer to get more active, you can go on a guided hike. In the afternoon, you’ll also enjoy a tasting of Port, Portugal’s most renowned contribution to the world of wine. In the evening, enjoy the illuminated landscapes of Porto on a scenic cruise aboard your ship.

Day 12

PORTO & FLIGHTS HOME—Today we disembark in Porto and transfer to the airport for our flights home taking with us wonderful memories of Portugal. Your motorcoach awaits your arrival to transfer you back to CT.

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