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OPTIONAL PRE-CRUISE TOUR: 3 NIGHTS LISBON, 1 NIGHT PORTO
Friday, April 10 – Tuesday, April 14, 2026
DAY 1: FRIDAY, APRIL 10
ARRIVE IN LISBON, PORTUGAL
Arrive in Lisbon and check in to your hotel. In the heart of Lisbon. The PortoBay Liberdade is ideally located, with easy walking access to the city’s finest restaurants and shopping.
OVERNIGHT: PORTOBAY LIBERDADE HOTEL OR SIMILAR (3 nights)
DAY 2: SATURDAY, APRIL 11
LISBON
One of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Lisbon, stretches across several hills along the Tagus River. On your escorted tour, you’ll see Belem Tower, a fortified 4-story tower made of limestone, and visit the late Gothic Jerónimos Monastery, the burial place of many Portuguese kings and heroes. You will also taste a typical Portuguese pastry, Pastéis de Belém, before going to Discoveries Monument, built in honor of Portugal’s greatest maritime explorers. Tonight we have a special Portuguese fare dinner booked at the delightful Nacional Restaurant. (B,D)
DAY 3: SUNDAY, APRIL 12
LISBON / SINTRA
Enjoy a morning excursion to Serra de Sintra, one of the loveliest mountain villages in Portugal and a favorite summer residence of the Portuguese royal family for more than 500 years. Long an inspiration for artists and poets, Lord Byron once called it “perhaps the most delightful village in Europe.” High up on a rocky peak, you will tour Pena National Palace, a wonderful fairytale castle dating back to Portugal’s Romantic period. (B)
DAY 4: MONDAY, APRIL 13
LISBON / FATIMA / COIMBRA / PORTO
Depart Lisbon this morning traveling north toward Porto.En route stop for one hour in Fatima, a major Catholic religious site well worth seeing.The vast white square beneath the beautiful basilica often has crowds of 60,000 or more when the Pope holds mass here. Afterward, travel 90 minutes to the riverfront city of Coimbra, home to Portugal’s premier university. After lunch in a wonderful restaurant, enjoy a brief tour of the University of Coimbra and its famous library to arrive in Porto city late this afternoon. (B,L)
OVERNIGHT: PESTANA VINTAGE PORTO HOTEL OR SIMILAR
DAY 5: TUESDAY, APRIL 14
PORTO / EMBARKATION
This morning, enjoy sightseeing of Porto city, with its delightful architecture and gracious plazas. Hear the story and history of the port wine business and why so many of the companies that make port have centuries-old ties to England. Afterward experience a private tour, vintage tasting and leisurely lunch at Taylor Fladgate, Portugal’s oldest and most distinguished port wine “producer”, Licensed Purveyor to His Majesty King Charles. Board AmaDouro approximately 4pm. (B,L,D)
Enticing Douro Cruise
Saturday, April 14 – Saturday, April 21, 2026
DAY 1: TUESDAY, APRIL 14
EMBARKATION – PORTO, PORTUGAL
Board the ship AmaDouro for your Enticing Douro cruise. (D)
DAY 2: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15
PORTO / RÉGUA
This tranquil village offers an authentic slice of Douro River life. Indulge in a traditional Portuguese lunch with your fellow travelers in Regua at a local quinta – a country estate – for a truly authentic culinary experience. In the afternoon, visit the Baroque style Palacio de Mateus and its gardens. Inside the house, you’ll see interesting furnishings, paintings and a ceiling of intricately carved wood. The gardens here are considered some of the most beautiful in Portugal. (B,L,D)
DAY 3: THURSDAY, APRIL 16
VEGA DE TERRÓN
In the morning, spend time soaking up the beauty of this picturesque port before you visit Castelo Rodrigo, a small fortified village perched high on a hilltop with centuries old walls, steep narrow streets and fantastic views. You can also opt to hike up to the village should you wish a more active
exploration. (B,L,D)
DAY 4: FRIDAY, APRIL 17
VEGA DE TERRÓN, SALAMANCA, SPAIN
Drive to Salamanca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built of golden sandstone, Salamanca is known as a “living museum,” and you will have an opportunity to step back in time to the Middle Ages during your escorted tour, which includes the city’s elegant university buildings, the New Cathedral, the intriguingly decorated House of Shells and Plaza Mayor. (B,L,D)
DAY 5: SATURDAY, APRIL 18
PINHÃO
Spend time soaking up the beauty of the Douro River as you cruise to Pinhão. Be treated to an exclusive lunch at Quinta da Avessada, where you’ll enjoy an authentic and traditional dining experience complete with entertainment. Quinta da Avessada is also a fascinating interactive museum commemorating the history and culture of wine in the Alto Douro region, so you’ll have fun discovering all the various stages of wine production as well as doing plenty of tasting. Savor the flavors of Portugal’s renowned fortified wine, vinho do porto, made exclusively in the Douro Valley. Head to a local quinta for your authentic Portwine tasting
experience and enjoy the sweet nectar of this fascinating region. (B,L,D)
DAY 6: SUNDAY, APRIL 19
REGUA
Travel to picturesque Lamego, home to one of the most important pilgrimage sites in all of Portugal, where you’ll go to the Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies). The shrine features a staircase of nearly 700 steps, beautifully decorated with white and blue tiles, which the more active adventurer will want to climb on a guided hike. Concluding both tours, you will have the opportunity to sample local traditional specialties, such as bôlas de Lamego, bread filled with smoked ham; presunto, a type of drycured ham; and Espumante, a Portuguese sparkling wine. (B,L,D)
DAY 7: MONDAY, APRIL 20
PORTO
The colorful city of Porto blends the best of old and new, which you can discover on an escorted tour of the historic quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the Cathedral, one of the city’s oldest monuments; and the São Bento Railway Station, known for its blue and white tile panels depicting scenes from Portuguese history. If you prefer to get more active, you can go on a guided hike. In the afternoon, you’ll also enjoy a tasting of Port, Portugal’s most renowned contribution to the world of wine. In the evening, relax on board during scenic cruise to Afurada, a magical fishing village, where you can explore during your free time. (B,L,D)
DAY 8: TUESDAY, APRIL 21
PORTO / DISEMBARKATION
Disembark the ship and prepare for your flight home. (B)
PLEASE NOTE:
A reasonable degree of mobility is required for all passengers on this program. Most of the guided tours provided on your cruise are walking tours. Many historic villages in Europe are located on hilltops, where it is necessary to walk up and down hilly, cobblestone streets that may have narrow passageways. Ships docked in port are often rafted side-by-side to another river ship. Passengers are then required to ascend and descend flights of 12 or more stairs to walk up to observation deck, down to gang planks to enter or exit the rafted ships. To participate in tours and get on and off the ship, travelers must be able to walk unaccompanied.
Disabilities and Wheelchairs
Persons with a walking disability or an injury, or who require a wheelchair/scooter or other mobility device, must have another dedicated person traveling with them to assist/push etc. The ship’s crew and other cruise guests are not available to assist persons with limited mobility. On customized pre or post cruise land programs, the Expanding Horizons tour manager is authorized to remove, or ask to leave from the tour, any traveler incapable of, unwilling to, or impeding the overall movement and progress of the tour group.