Afternoon excursion to Aveiro by coach. Often called the "Venice of Portugal”, and known as the salt capital of Portugal, Aveiro is surrounded by salt marshes, beaches and lagoons and is dominated by the Central Canal that runs through the town. This little medieval town, built on a lagoon, expanded rapidly during the 15th and 16th centuries as a sea port thanks to cod fishing. It is also a center for baroque art with its many buildings and monuments. Aveiro has kept several of its typical boats with half-moon shaped prows, the "moliceiros”. Nowadays, Aveiro and its surroundings form a very significant industrial region with naval shipyards, engineering, iron and steel works, cellulose-producing factories, porcelain and pottery, and where salt production and fishing are still important activities. Its university is one of the largest in Portugal and there are also several further higher studies buildings. Aveiro is a bright and friendly little town with art-nouveau style architecture, brightly colored houses and charming little alleyways for you to take a lovely stroll. Afterwards, we'll set off for Costa Nova, a typical little fishermen town and former family-friendly resort which has now been restored. The resort is located between the beaches on the Atlantic coast and the lagoon and is open onto the ria. Here there are lots of traditional multi-colored, striped wooden houses lining the promenade which is also planted with palm trees. Return on board by coach in Porto.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

We’ll spend the morning on a guided visit of Lisbon. Ruled by Germanic tribes beginning in the fifth century, captured by the Moors in the eighth century, Aphonso Henriques conquered the city during the Crusades, and it has since been the major political, economic, and cultural center of Portugal. The city spans seven rolling hills, and its colors, accents, and charm have not faded over the thousands of years it has existed. Discover the distinctive buildings and landmarks the Belém District, including its famous tower and the Jerónimos Monastery—the most prominent example of Late Gothic Manueline architecture in the country. The imposing monastery also houses the Maritime and National Archeology Museums. We’ll have lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we’ll take a panoramic tour of Lisbon (known as Portugal’s “City of Lights”) and discover the São Jorge Castle, as well as the traditional neighborhoods of Alfama and Mouraria.

PLEASE NOTE

• For optimal organization of your excursion, the order of the visits can be modified.
• Times are approximate and can change according to navigational conditions.

We’ll leave by coach for Coimbra, once the medieval capital of Portugal and the site of the country’s largest university. We’ll have lunch in a local restaurant. Enjoy a guided visit of this charming city that cascades down the hillside to the Rio Mondego. You'll discover its laid back atmosphere, gorgeous medieval old town packed with history, narrow and picturesque streets, and majestic cathedral built in the 13th century (exterior only).

PLEASE NOTE

• For optimal organization of your excursion, the order of the visits can be modified.
• Times are approximate and can change according to navigational conditions.

Departure by coach towards Salamanca where you'll meet up with your guides.
Since 1988, the Old Town of Salamanca has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The classified area extends on the major part of the city as it used to be until the middle of the 20th century and is responsible for its growing popularity. We'll visit the cathedral whose successive extensions created a mixture of styles going from late Gothic to Baroque, including Renaissance. Afterwards, we'll visit one of the world's oldest Universities which first opened in 1218. Also known as "Escuelas Mayores”, the University building has a sumptuous gate adorned with the city's most famous design: a frog atop a skull - symbolic of the sin of lust being punished after death. Its wonderful library brims with old manuscripts dating back from prior to the 19th century. You'll enjoy lunch and be free to discover the city on your own. Return on board in Vega de Teron.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• Lunch in a restaurant included (drinks are not included).
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

We'll leave for Porto's city center by coach. Our first stop will be a tour of St. Francis Church. A stone's throw from the Douro riverbank, it is among the most symbolic buildings in Porto. We'll then head over to see the inside of Bolsa Palace—also known as the Stock Exchange Palace—a magnificent, neoclassical mansion in the heart of the historic downtown. Built in the 19th century, the landmark is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace is one of the most interesting landmarks to visit in Porto. We’ll ascend the magnificent marble and granite staircase to visit the Golden Room and the lavishly decorated Arab Room, where official receptions are still held. The next stop will be an azulejo tile workshop. The striking bright blue frescoes seen throughout the country are an art form that dates back to the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. The name comes from the Arabic word zellij, meaning polished stone. The blue and white tiles often depict flowers, animals, or historic events. This tour is a unique occasion to discover this age-long art form. We’ll return to the ship.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

A unique opportunity to admire the city of Porto by night during a panoramic tour by bus. You will love the old, preserved districts of this city of immense character, classed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Porto is not only a city rich in vestiges from a glorious past, but also the young-spirited, warm capital city of a region marked by its winemaking as well as its closeness to the ocean. During the tour of the historic center, your guide will schedule a stop at the Sao Bento railway station to look at its magnificent azulejos. Return on board by coach.

PLEASE NOTE

• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure by coach from Regua to Lamego for a guided tour of the city center by coach and on foot. Lamego is a charming episcopal and commercial town where you'll get to discover the Nossa Senhora dos Remedios Sanctuary. This 18th century church stands out with its white façade dominating a baroque staircase with 686 steps ending in a shrine built in the rocaille style and adorned with azulejos. The first stone was laid on February 14th, 1750 and gave way to the construction of a massive temple overlooking the city and providing a breathtaking view over the misty mountains of the surrounding landscape. Return on board in Regua.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.
• Please dress appropriately to visit the sanctuary.

We'll leave from Regua or Pinhão for Vila Real, where aristocrats built grand palaces during the 16th and 18th centuries. The architecture of the religious buildings is here extremely varied. We'll take a panoramic tour of the city by coach, followed by a tasting of the local pastry, Cristas de Galo.
We'll then set out to explore Mateus Palace, the most beautiful and astonishing manor in all of Northern Portugal. This 18th-century beauty is set in a hilly landscape reminding us of Mexico. The subtle mixture of granite, white walls and extravagance from the Age of Enlightenment such as ledges covered in statues and Baroque style pilasters is a striking feature. Behind the manor is a delightful garden with box hedges, more statues, and a spectacular 115-foot cedar tunnel. After our tour, we'll return to our ship in Regua or Pinhão.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

We'll leave by coach from Porto for Guimarães. With our guide, we'll begin the tour of this university town on foot to discover its historical treasures. We'll get the chance to discover the Nossa Senhora de Oliveira Church (outdoors), the most important religious building in the city. The medieval heart of Guimarães is a labyrinth of lanes and picturesque plazas framed by 14th-century buildings. We'll continue on to the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza, a medieval estate and former residence of the first Dukes of Braganza with striking architecture. The palace is closed on May 1 and Easter Day.
At the end of our visit, we'll return on board in Porto.

PLEASE NOTE

• Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

This tour will begin on foot, accompanied by our onboard host or hostess. The first stop is the Douro Museum to learn about the passionate history and winemaking heritage in the region. Afterwards, we'll leave by coach for the Quinta do Tedo, a magnificent 18th-century estate that offers dramatic views of rivers on each side of the terraced hill it sits on. We'll visit the estate and enjoy a tasting of its wine and olive oil.*

PLEASE NOTE

• *Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.
• If not available, visit another quinta.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

We'll leave on foot for the Douro Museum to learn about the passionate history and wine-making heritage in the region, an experience combining traditional and modern approaches. We'll continue on by coach for Mateus Palace, a beautiful 18th-century manor in Vila Real. This baroque-style manor belonged to the same family until a foundation was set up to preserve it in 1970. The dramatic splendor and details of the complex offer a unique visual relationship between geometry and space. Enjoy a stroll through the magnificent tree- and hedge-lined gardens, which include a romantic Mexican-cedar topiary tunnel. After, we’ll return to the ship in Pinhão by coach

PLEASE NOTE

• *Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

You’ll leave by coach with our team from Barca d’Alva for Salamanca, where you’ll meet up with the local guide for a tapas food tour in several eateries in the city center. Discover the wide range of Spanish delights and flavors served as appetizers or snacks. The most well known include patatas bravas, salads, and cold cuts (chorizo, lomo, Jamón ibérico)—all sublime when served with a glass of Spanish wine. You’ll have lunch in a local restaurant to prolong your immersion in Spanish cuisine. Afterwards, enjoy some free time to stroll about the town on your own. At the end of our tour, we’ll return on board the ship in Vega de Terron.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• Lunch in a restaurant included (drinks are not included).
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

We’ll leave by coach to travel along the Port Wine Route. Portugal has cultivated vineyards since the Roman Empire. In 1756, the Marquis of Pombal created a monopolistic company demarcating the Douro wine region to regulate the production and trading of its wine. The route winds through gorgeous scenery and valleys with the river flowing below. We'll continue on to Pinhão and stop at a quinta for a wine tasting. After, we'll visit the historic Pinhão train station, known for its superb azulejo frescoes. We’ll return to the ship.

PLEASE NOTE

• Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

We’ll leave by coach for the mouth of the Douro River to set off on an atypical stroll to Afurada, located on the southern bank. We'll visit the Afurada Heritage Interpretive Center. The space was designed to keep the local traditions and livelihoods in the fishing village alive. Permanent and temporary exhibits showcase fishing tools and traditional clothes so that each visitor understands the daily life and cultural distinctions in the community. Enjoy some time on your own in this charming village. Lose yourself in the backstreets lined with colorful homes. Don't forget to sample delicious seafood dishes at a local tavern! We’ll return to the ship.

PLEASE NOTE

• Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

We'll leave from Vila Nova de Gaia by coach for downtown Porto. Once we arrive, we'll board one of the city's trams and partake in this urban-tourism experience all the way to the mouth of the Douro. Our visit will include a stop at the tram museum (Museu do Carro Eléctrico), housed in a former thermo-electric power plant. The museum collection comprises the oldest cars pulled by horses, called "Americanos,” to the last trams from the 1950s and 1960s. We'll finish up our excursion with a tasting of some of the local specialties*. At the end of our tour, we'll return to the ship by coach.

PLEASE NOTE

• Times are approximate.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• *Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.

Transfer to the Wold of Discoveries interactive museum. Follow in the explorers' footsteps and discover how they navigated without modern technology. Follow their journey and board a replica of a 16th-century ship. You will be able to sail through the equatorial forests, as far as India, Japan... and discover the odyssey of discovery. Adventure guaranteed! Return by coach to the ship.

We will leave by coach for Salamanca for the pool located in the center of town; it is easily accessible on foot. This is the perfect moment for everyone in the family to relax and have fun. We will then take you to the restaurant for lunch. You’ll have some free time to sightsee on your own before heading back to the ship by coach.

Situated in the northern foothill of Marofa Mountain, in the middle of cultivated plains, this once-medieval town is a historic treasure thanks to the outstanding renovations that preserved the houses and important buildings. Here, we'll visit the Museu de Escalhão. Don't forget to take in the magnificent view of the valley. We'll return to the ship in Senhora da Ribeira.

PLEASE NOTE

• The excursion lasts all day. Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.