Douro River Cruises

Travel with Emerald Waterways through the Douro River Valley, where the Age of Discovery began.  Meaning "River of Gold" and now designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Douro River was not navigable until a series of dams built in the 1950s and '60s allowed a more controlled flow of the river. On this unforgettable river cruise, you’ll travel the Douro aboard our newly built Emerald Star-ship – the 112 passenger Emerald Radiance.

Visit the lively city of Porto, famous for its riverside cafés and extensive wine cellars in the area of Vila Nova de Gaia. Traditional villages of Pinhão, Pocinho and Regua have occupied the shores of the river for many centuries. It’s like time has stood still, with secret methods in fortified winemaking being handed down by each generation. Salamanca lies just over the border in Spain. Enjoy exploring this lively student town known as the ‘Oxford’ of the Spanish language.

Discover a corner of Europe cherished by those lucky enough to visit its curving landscapes, gorgeous family run wine estates and cities fashioned by the architects of foregone eras.

The Douro River winds its way from Spain into Northern Portugal, an area almost lost in time. Discover the mysteries of this charming and lovely niche of Europe, scattered with gorgeous family-run wine estates, quaint villages and working family farms producing world-famous port, wine and other specialties of the region.

Start your cruise in the lively city of Porto, famous for its fascinating Old World architecture, riverside cafés and extensive wine cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia. As you sail through the breathtaking Douro Valley, visit the traditional villages of Pinhão, Pocinho and the historic town of Regua that have stood on the Douro’s shores for centuries; sample the excellent regional port, created through secret fortified winemaking methods handed down through the generations; visit the Coa Valley pre-historic museum, with its fascinating stone carvings. Just across the border in Spain, take a day to explore Salamanca, a lively student town known for its amazing tapas and for being the seat of the Spanish language—as much as for the splendid Moorish, Roman and Celt-inspired sandstone architecture of Old Salamanca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Enjoy a hosted dinner at the family-run Quinta da Pacheca local wine estate in Pocinho; in Porto, make an exciting excursion to Guimarães, the seat of the first king of Portugal, or to the splendid Palacio da Bolsa.