2027 Spain & Portugal with Douro River Cruise

Late this afternoon, we report to the airport and join the flight to Dubai.

We arrive in Dubai early this morning and after clearing Customs and Immigration formalities, we are met and transferred to our hotel for an overnight stay. There is time to rest up after the flight until mid-afternoon when we visit the Museum of the Future. One of Dubai’s most famous landmarks, the museum takes pride of place along the city’s superhighway, Sheikh Zayed Road. Founded by the Dubai Future Foundation and launched on 22 February 2022, the museum explores how society could evolve in the coming decades using science and technology. Termed a ‘living museum’, it incorporates elements of traditional exhibitions, immersive theatre and themed attractions, so visitors can look beyond the present and towards the future’s limitless possibilities. Visitors have the chance to engage with this game-changing technology. Each floor of the museum is designed like an expansive, interactive movie set, brought to life by expert storytellers, technologists and visionary artists. There is time for exploration before we return to the hotel for dinner this evening

Enjoy a relaxing morning, before we make our way to the airport around lunchtime. We arrive in Barcelona this evening, where we are met and transferred to our hotel for a three-night stay.

We enjoy a sightseeing tour of Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia and one of Spain’s most spectacular and vibrant cities. Our tour includes the Gothic Quarter with its magnificent Cathedral and also Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia including an inside visit. We also visit Park Guell. After some time for lunch, we take a stroll through Olympic Port, home of the 2024 America’s Cup. This evening it is time to sample the local cuisine at our dinner together at a local restaurant.

This morning, we enjoy a guided walk through the food stalls of La Boqueria Market where we can collect our lunch provisions to take on our excursion to Monserrat. We visit the mountain-top shrine and monastery, home to the Black Madonna, and enjoy fantastic views over the landscape below.

Mid-morning, we join the high-speed train to Madrid (approx. 3hrs), arriving early afternoon.

On arrival, we are met and transferred to our hotel for check in and time at leisure, until we meet to enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant this evening.

This morning we enjoy a guided tour of the city, down the tree lined avenues to see the Puerta del Sol, Gran Via, Pasco de La Castellana, Royal Palace, Park Retiro, Cibeles Fountain and the Cervantes Monument in Plaza de Espana. The afternoon is at leisure before we meet up for dinner this evening.

Today’s excursion takes us to El Escorial Monastery followed by a visit to the Valley Of The Fallen Monument erected in memory of the millions who died in the Spanish Civil War. We learn about Spain’s intriguing history shaped by church, monarchy and 20th century conflict. Later we visit Segovia, strategically sited on a rocky ridge, it is deeply and haughtily Castilian, with a panoply of squares and mansions from its days of Golden Age grandeur, when it was a royal resort and a base for the Cortes (parliament).

Leaving Madrid this morning, we travel first to Toledo spectacularly situated on a hill surrounded by the Tagus River. The ancient capital attracts more sightseers from all over the world than any other Spanish town.  We continue our journey south to hilltop Granada.

We have a full day exploring Granada – the Cathedral, Royal Chapel and Granada’s amazing parks and gardens. The highlight of today’s tour will be a guided tour through the world famous Alhambra – a palace and fortress that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

Today we make our way to Ronda. On the way we will make a stop in the picturesque towns of Nerja and Frigiliana to enjoy a typical Mediterranean atmosphere. We will visit a family-owned winery where we will enjoy a wine tasting and lunch.

Today we visit the hill top town of Ronda.  Set in and around a deep gorge spanned by an impressive bridge, Ronda is famous for dramatic views.  We will proceed to Zahara de la Sierra to visit a local olive oil producer where we will enjoy a tasting of the olive oil and selection of local products. Return to Ronda for time at leisure. Enjoy the small-town atmosphere, the views and maybe sample the local fare at one of the many delightful restaurants.

From Ronda, we first travel to Gibraltar, a British territory since 1704.  We will explore the most iconic highlights in a guided visit including Europa’s point, St. Michael’s Cave, Ape’s den and Great Siege Tunnels. We will then proceed towards Jerez de la Frontera where we will visit a sherry wine producer with tasting before continuing on our journey to Seville.

We enjoy a guided tour of Seville in the morning followed by a free afternoon. You’ll see Plaza de España and Parque Maria Luisa, Barrrio de Santa Cruz and the famous Alcazar. This evening we get together for a flamenco show including dinner.

Today we head to Portugal, travelling via Faro to Lisbon for a two-night stay. On our way to Faro we visit a small tile factory in a typical Portuguese town of Azeitao to learn about this typical Portuguese handcraft.

Our guided tour of Lisbon takes us to the historic district of Belem and the Belem Tower, the traditional starting and ending point of Portuguese voyages of discovery. We will view (from the outside) the magnificent church of San Jeronimos built in the early 16th century as a celebration of Portugal’s territorial expansion and an expression of a unique national style. Later in the day we visit magnificent Sintra and Cascais. This evening we enjoy a dinner featuring traditional Portuguese cuisine.

Take a break from touring today and do what you want to do. Enjoy a devine “pasteis” at a local café and watch the world go by, wander the cobbled streets of the Alfarma district, shop in the pedestrianised Rua Augusta …  The choice is yours.

In the morning, we head north to Porto. En route, we stop in Portugal’s third-largest city, Coimbra, birthplace of six of Portugal’s kings and home to one of the oldest universities in Europe. Within the university is the Biblioteca Joanina, a gem of a library with books from the 12th-century. After our library visit, enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before continuing to Porto where we embark on the “MS Amalia Rodrigues”, our floating hotel for the next 7 nights.

This morning, on our included excursion, we enjoy a guided tour of Porto. We’ll leave for Porto’s city centre 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. The next stop will be an azulejo tile workshop. This tour is a unique occasion to discover this age-long art form. We’ll return to the ship at the conclusion.

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.

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.

In Vega Terrón, the Agueda joins the Douro. Both rivers form the natural border between Portugal and Spain. From here, you can take a trip to the Spanish city of Salamanca. With its new cathedral, old town and famous university, the city has a very special flair. Don’t miss Salamanca’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. This town of dazzling beauty houses some extraordinary Romanesque, Arab and Christian architectural treasures. We’ll return on board in Barca d’Alva. Enjoy an evening of entertainment.

This morning will be spent cruising before our excursion of the Port Wine Route and Pinhão. Tonight we enjoy a gala dinner.

Today there is the option of joining a guided tour of Lamego (supplement applies), before we enjoy an afternoon cruising to Porto. Tonight on board we have an evening of Fado-themed entertainment.

This morning, enjoy time at leisure in Porto. In the afternoon, we enjoy a guided tour of Guimaraes. The town is celebrated for its authentic medieval atmosphere, narrow cobblestone streets, and traditional 14th-century houses featuring unique wooden balconies.

Enjoy an evening of traditional folk entertainment.

At the conclusion of our memorable river cruise, we will commence our journey back to Lisbon. Enroute we will stop at the picturesque town of Aveiro famous for its traditional boats. Our next stop will be the small Portuguese town of Obidos, where we will taste a typical cherry-made liquor called ‘ginginha’ and enjoy some free time for lunch on your own. Arrive in Lisbon for our final night. We have one final dinner together this evening.

After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and make our way to Lisbon airport to check in for our flight to Dubai. We arrive late this evening and overnight at the airport hotel.

This morning, we join our onward flight to Auckland.

Arrival time in Auckland is mid-morning.