MS Gil Eanes, 7 Night From Portugal to Spain: Porto, the Douro Valley (Portugal) and Salamanca (Spain) ex Oporto (Porto), Portugal Return

Climb aboard an unforgettable cruise through the magnificent Douro Valley, where each port of call promises captivating adventure and enriching discoveries. Get ready for breathtaking scenery, history-laden locations, and unique experiences in this emblematic region. You'll begin your journey in the lively city of Porto, which oozes an exceptional charm and captivating atmosphere. Next stop will be Regua, where you'll dive into the region's history and winemaking traditions. You'll also cross the border into Spain, for an exciting trip to remarkable Salamanca. For wine connoisseurs, the Port Wine Route will be heaven on earth. You'll wrap up your vacation with stops in Lamego, Guimarães, and the charming village of Afurada—destinations packed with cultural heritage, gorgeous architecture, and genuine friendliness.

Day 1
Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 5:00 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail before dinner. In the evening, we'll set out on an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion by coach to see Porto by night.

Day 2
Join us for the optional excursions proposed:CLASSIC: Guided tour of Porto.DISCOVERY: Touring Porto via tram and visiting the tram museum followed by a tasting of some of the local specialties in the old city.In the afternoon, we'll cruise through the Douro Valley with its fabulous landscapes. Enjoy an evening of dancing or time at leisure in Regua tonight.

Day 3
Join us on an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion: the Casa de Mateus and the Douro museum. 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. In the afternoon, the cruise continues to the heart of the most famous vineyards in Porto to Vega de Terron. We'll arrive in the evening. Enjoy an evening of Flamenco entertainment.

Day 4
Join us for the optional excursions proposed:CLASSIC: Salamanca. This town of dazzling beauty houses some extraordinary Roman, Arabic, and Christian architectural treasures.DISCOVERY: Salamanca tapas tour.We'll return on board in Barca d'Alva. Enjoy an evening of entertainment.

Day 5
This morning will be spent cruising. Join us on an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion: Port Wine Route and Pinhão. Tonight's our gala dinner and evening.

Day 6
Join us on an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion: Guided tour of Lamego. This afternoon will be spent cruising. Enjoy an evening of Fado-themed entertainment.

Day 7
This morning, enjoy time at leisure in Porto. In the afternoon, join us for the optional excursions proposed:CLASSIC: Discover Guimaraes.DISCOVERY: Quaint Afurada.Enjoy an evening of traditional folk entertainment.

Day 8
Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. End of our services.

Named after the famous Portuguese navigator, Gil Eanes is a Premium three-deck ship specially designed for the river Douro in Portugal. Launched in 2015, this elegant-designed ship with a bright, modern feel has ample space throughout for passenger comfort with splendid panoramic windows. Its elegant taupe, bronze, and white interior tones combine perfectly with the blue shades and these conjure up the Portuguese tile designs and colours. The upper and middle deck cabins have French balconies. These decks share four suites. Two suites on the upper deck come with sun loungers. The large windows on the main deck provide great views from the privacy of your cabin. All meals during the cruise are served in the cozy dining room on the main deck. All onboard fun, music, and dancing happen in the lounge and bar on the middle deck bow. An outdoor area is found near the bow. The sun deck has a pool for cooling off and sun loungers to relax while catching some rays.

CroisiEurope has a fleet of Prestige category boats with cabins, which ply the most beautiful rivers in Europe. Spacious and light, they offer a welcoming and refined setting. Accommodation capacity varies from 100 to 180 passengers depending on the boat's design. At the cutting edge of technology, their facilities offer comfort and safety.

Carefully maintained and partially renovated each year, the CroisiEurope fleet is largely made up of recently built vessels, less than five years old, all with Veritas certification. The leading European river tour operator, our company owes its international reputation to its seriousness, its dynamism, its sense of innovation and its recognised value for money of long standing.

Vessels are rated four-star and food is superb – as you’d expect on a French-owned cruise line, staffed by French chefs and with top French and German wines aboard. One cruise of the Rhone and Saone Rivers in France concentrates on gastronomy and traditional French cusine, visiting Collonges Abbey, renowned for its great French chef, Paul Bocuse.

CroisiEurope is a family-owned and operated firm, with brothers and sisters running different aspects of the company and keeping a close eye on all operations to ensure excellence.

River cruising offers much free fun. Wake in the morning and observe the passing riverside scenery through your cabin window – perhaps from your bed. Gaze upon village churches or a patchwork of fields sparkling in the morning sun.

CroisiEurope’s network traverses a phenomenal number of European rivers and waterways. They range from the Guadalquivir and Guadiana (flowing through Spain and Portugal respectively); the Douro in Portugal, the Po and Venice Lagoon in Italy; the Rhone in Provence, plus the Seine from Paris to the Normandy Coast. And there’s more: the Moselle, the Neckar, the Saar, the Oder, the Havel, the Baltic Sea, the Camarge, the Rhine, the Main and the mighty Danube; the Tisza and the Black Sea; the Belgian and Dutch waterways. Everything from tulip time in Holland to Christmas Markets in Germany.

Drinks included with on board meals: mineral water, house wine, beer, fruit juice, and tea or coffee.