Douro River cruises are from Porto, Portugal to Vega de Terron, Spain. Most trips are roundtrip from Porto, which is a coastal city in western Portugal located near the Atlantic Ocean. Vega de Terron is located about 125 miles west of Porto and is the farthest east cruise ships travel.
Although, it’s becoming a more popular river to cruise, many companies still do not offer itineraries on the Douro River.
What We Like About Douro River Cruises
Beauty meets brains.
The Douro River Valley has been a UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2001. It’s not only gorgeous but also culturally significant.
Friendly people - The Portuguese are among Europe’s friendliest – and warmest – people.
Port wine and paella. You get a mix of Portugal and Spain on Douro River Cruises. That means good Port wines from Portugal and paella from Spain, along with Flamenco dancers and Portuguese pingo (like espresso).
About the Douro River
The Douro River is located in the Iberian Peninsula. It flows for about 550 miles from northern Spain through Portugal. Much of the river in Spain is not considered navigable. Therefore, river cruises take place mainly in Portugal and on the far western portion of the river in Spain.
Between Portugal and Spain, the Douro forms a natural border for about 70 miles. A few protected areas along this part of the river, include the International Douro National Park in Portugal and the Arribes del Duero National Park in Spain.
After joining the Agueda River near Barca de Alva, Portugal, the Douro River begins to flow into Portugal and away from Spain.
Douro River Cruiseso River cruises usually begin and end in Porto, Portugal. However, there are two companies that offer a cruise that begins in Vega de Terron, Spain and travels one way to Porto.
Douro River cruise packages range in length from 6 to 15 days. The longer itineraries include land travel along with a cruise and may include cities, such as Lisbon or Madrid. The cruise itself generally lasts for an average of 8 days.
Most of the river cruise is spent in Portugal. Ships only travel as far east as Vega de Terron, Spain. While docked in this city, most itineraries include a trip to Salamanca. It’s located about 165 miles southeast of Vega de Terron. Transportation to Salamanca is by motor coach.
Prominent cities often visited on Douro River cruise include:
Porto, Portugal
Régua, Portugal
Pinhão, Portugal
Barca d’Alva, Portugal
Vega de Terrón, Spain
Salamanca, Spain
Who Cruises the Duoro?
There are only two cruise lines who own and operate ships in the region. One of them is Azul and the other is Croisi who we feature. So if your looking for a cruise to the Duoro the only company which operates and runs its own ships will be Croisi.
