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Home > Country information > Europe > Portugal > The Golden River - Valley of the Douro

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The Golden River - Valley of the Douro - 8 days from £1329

Europe | Portugal
Excellent range of excursions

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SIMILAR HOLIDAYS

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Terraced vineyards, ancient churches, imposing castles and majestic palaces are just some of the attractions on this fantastic holiday. Visit the historic city of Oporto, home of the port industry, before setting sail on your river cruiser for a delightful and scenic voyage along the River Douro, through the heart of Portugal. Along the way you’ll discover charming towns and a host of wonderful sights.

Highlights

Oporto
Regua
Barca d'Alva
Vega de Teron
Pinhao

Optional excursions

Oporto by night
City tour of Oporto
Braga
Vila Real
Salamanca
Port wine tasting
Lamego

Meal arrangements

7 nights full board, commences with dinner on your day of arrival and finishes with breakfast on your day of departure

Also included

Services of an experienced Page & Moy Tour Manager
Porterage to and from cabin
Return scheduled flights to Oporto
Airport transfers
The services of an air-conditioned executive coach
Cruise itinerary as detailed
Welcome drink
Evening entertainment as detailed
All UK and overseas airport/port taxes and security charges

Your Accommodation

MS Infante D.Henrique

Part of the CroisiEurope fleet, the excellent 3-star superior MS Infante D Henrique has a lounge, dining room, large sun deck and small outdoor swimming pool. There are three grades of cabin available, situated on the main, middle and upper decks. All cabins feature private facilities, radio, TV, hairdrier and safe. Dining on board is one of the highlights of a river cruise, with buffet breakfast, lunch and evening meals with local and international dishes all included.

Your Itinerary

DAY 1 UK/Oporto

We fly to Oporto. On arrival, transfer to your river cruiser, the MS Infante D. Henrique. Enjoy a welcome drink and dinner on board this evening, and enjoy a optional panoramic tour of Oporto by night.

DAY 2 Oporto & Regua

This morning join our optional tour of Oporto, Portugal’s second city, known worldwide as the home of port wine. After a walk through the steep, winding streets of the old town, with its grand archways and magnificent churches, we make our way to Vila Nova de Gaia, where you will visit one of the producers of the port that the region is famous for, followed by a wine tasting.

In the afternoon we begin cruising through the spectacular scenery of the Douro Valley, through the Crestuma and Carapatello locks, the highest in Europe, to the town of Regua. After dinner, there will be live music and dancing on board.

DAY 3 Barca d’Alva

After breakfast, we take an optional tour to the town of Vila Real. The town is famed for its Gothic cathedral, 16-arch Roman bridge and the beautiful gardens of Solar de Mateus whose magnificent country house belonged to the Counts of Vila Real. The famous Mateus Rose is produced in this region. Enjoy a walk through the gardens, before rejoining the ship in Pinhao, the centre of the port producing region.

This afternoon your ship continues through rolling hills dotted with steep, terraced vineyards, picturesque villages and the locks of Valeira and Pocinho, arriving in the evening at Barca d’Alva, located on the Portuguese/ Spanish border. Dinner is followed by a show with Flamenco dancers this evening.

DAY 4 Salamanca & Vega de Teron

After breakfast on board, join our optional full-day excursion to the old university city of Salamanca, the Spanish equivalent of Oxford and Cambridge. Salamanca’s university is one of the oldest in the world – you’ll marvel at the historic university buildings, beautiful squares and two magnificent cathedrals. Wonderfully well preserved, we will also see beautiful stone noblemen’s houses, convents and ornate palaces scattered all around this fascinating city.

The architecture reflects its Roman, Arabic and Christian past, and it is also said to have the most impressive town square in the whole of Spain. We rejoin the ship for dinner and entertainment on board as we sail towards Vega de Teron.

DAY 5 Ferradosa & Pinhao

We pass back through the Valeira and Pocinho locks this morning en route to Ferradosa. From here we enjoy an optional port wine excursion to discover the route of the vineyards and enjoy a tasting in a local quinta. Return to your river cruiser early evening in time for dinner and gala evening before docking for the night in Pinhao.

DAY 6 Lamego & Oporto

Join our optional excursion to Lamego. Situated south of the Douro, Lamego is set against a backdrop of vineyards and rich agricultural landscapes. We take a coach ride to this mediaeval town this morning and enjoy a full tour. The town has a wealth of ornate Baroque buildings, including the celebrated shrine of Nossa Senhora dos Remedios with its impressive 18th-century stairway. Its reputation for healing miracles attracts pilgrims from all over the country. Our guide will take us around the main mediaeval sights, including the Nossa Senhora de Remedios sanctuary, the mediaeval castle, the church of Almacave and the cathedral. We return to the ship in time for lunch and an afternoon cruise back through the stunning scenery to Oporto.

DAY 7 Oporto

Enjoy some free time to explore Oporto this morning and in the afternoon, join the optional excursion to Braga, one of the most delightful towns in Portugal, known locally as ‘Portuguese Rome’. Enjoy a farewell dinner followed by a traditional folklore show.

DAY 8 Oporto/UK

Our cruise ends this morning, and we disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

Dates, Prices & Departure

holiday ref:EEPTRC

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Departure Date	Price from		Book Holiday
04/07/2011	£1329
22/08/2011	£1329
05/09/2011	£1369

Surcharges

The Pound has recently fallen significantly in value against other European currencies and, in common with many other businesses, our prices now include an additional charge for all new bookings which has been introduced to cover these additional costs.

Supplements

Single cabins £290 on all decks
Holiday Insurance

Travel Information

Flights
TAP between Gatwick and Oporto;
departs 1345h / return arrival 2140h.
All timings are approximate and may be subject to variation

Connecting Flights to London

If it’s not possible to fly direct to your destination, usually you will have the option of taking a connecting flight to Heathrow or Gatwick from as little as £35 per person return on worldwide holidays or £69 per person return on European holidays. Fly from Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Jersey, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle or Newquay. On many occasions you will be able to check your luggage through to your final destination.

Transfers

Airport transfers approximately 30 mins

Make Your Own Way

You may want more flexibility to combine your trip with visits to friends and relatives or travel from an airport that we do not offer. If so, we offer a price reduction of up to £150 on many of our European holidays when you make your own way to your holiday hotel. Please remember that these arrangements do not include flights or transfers to and from your hotel and you will need to make your own travel arrangements.

Essential Information - General

Booking Conditions | Insurance

We know that your holiday is very important to you. It is also extremely important to us since we want you to enjoy it and continue to entrust your holiday arrangements to us in years to come. We also care about our reputation and want to be sure that you understand both your and our obligations when you book a holiday with us. Please therefore spend a few minutes reading the following Booking Conditions together with the Essential Information, as they form the basis of your contract with us. All bookings are subject to these Booking Conditions and the Essential Information.

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Essential Information - Booking Conditions

General Information | Insurance

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Essential Information - Insurance

Booking Conditions | General Information

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Travel Extras

We know that picking your dream destination is the biggest part of making your perfect holiday come true. But there are a number of other decisions that have to be made such as where to park at the airport and who to change your money with, to name but a few. So to really get every aspect of your holiday sorted we have set up a one stop travel shop and useful links section for you to organise all your travel needs, leaving you to concentrate on having a memorable and relaxing holiday with Page & Moy.

Holiday Extras - save up to 60%

You can benefit from access to Holiday Extras, a separate company that can organize a whole range of services from airport hotels and secure airport parking to VIP liunges in airports, and more, at 23 airports across the UK.

To book go to http://www.holidayextras.co.uk/pageandmoy.html.

If you find the same parking facility or hotel for less within seven days of booking, tell Holiday Extras and they will match the price or refund the difference. Conditions apply.

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Airport Lounges from Lounge Pass

Start your holiday off refreshed and relaxed by taking advantage of our VIP airport lounge offer, available at a number of airports, both here and abroad. From as little as £15 each, you’ll enjoy a peaceful and tranquil environment, where you can enjoy complimentary drinks and snacks, read the papers, check your email or simply relax and watch TV until your flight is called.

For details, please click here.

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Casual Clothing from Lands’ End

Lands' End offer an extensive range of high quality casual and tailored clothes for men and women. Choose from their selection of jackets, knitted tops, trousers, dresses, skirts and more.

For details, please visit www.landsend.co.uk

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Photography from Jessops

Jessops is the UK's leading specialist photographic retailer. With great on-line savings on hundreds of products, including digital cameras, camcorders, lenses, batteries and much more, plus free delivery on mainland UK orders over £75, Jessops has all your photographic needs covered.

For details, please visit www.jessops.com

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Travel Accessories from Travel with Care

Travel With Care offers a comprehensive range of travel accessories, with everything you need for your holiday. From First Aid, DVT Prevention and Healthcare to money belts, wallets, waterproofs, toiletries, alarm clocks, and much, much more.

For details, please visit www.travelwithcare.com

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Getting you there - European Holidays

Fly direct from your local airport Giving you choice is one of our main priorities, so when it comes to flights, instead of offering just Heathrow or Gatwick as departure airports, whenever possible we offer to fly you direct from your nearest airport to your holiday destination either free or for a supplement of just £29 per person.

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Choice of 20 airports

You have the choice to fly direct to your holiday destination from up to 20 regional airports throughout the UK for a supplement of no more than £29 per person return.

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Regional connecting flights to London from only £69

If you can’t fly direct to your destination from your local airport (see individual holiday details), usually you will have the choice of taking a regional connecting flight to Heathrow or Gatwick from as little as £69 per person return. If your connecting flight and your flight from Gatwick or Heathrow is with British Airways or British Midland, your luggage will automatically be checked through to your final destination, so there’s no need to collect or check your luggage in twice.

Fly from:
Aberdeen, Belfast, Durham Tees Valley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Jersey, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay

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Make your own way and save up to £150 per person

You may want more flexibility to make your own travel arrangements to combine your trip with visits to friends and relatives or travel from an airport which we do not offer. If so, why not take advantage of our make your own way option. We offer a reduction of £150 off many of our holidays to allow you to make your own arrangements, if that is what you want. Details of where this option is available are shown on each holiday.

Please remember that these arrangements do not include flights or transfers and you will need to make your own travel arrangements at the beginning and end of your holiday.

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Visit the historic city of Oporto, before setting sail on your river cruiser for a delightful voyage along the River Douro, through Portugal with Page & Moy holidays. Terraced vineyards, ancient churches, imposing castles and majestic palaces are just some of the attractions on this fantastic holiday.

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