The Via Navegável do Douro, that is, the stretch of the Douro River that runs from Porto to the border with Spain, has become one of the most successful river cruise routes in Europe.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 66 – September 2023
The Douro estuary is 208 km long, with five locks separating it from Barca D'Alva (Portugal) and Vega de Terrón (Spain), the last two ports on the Portuguese-Spanish border accessible to riverboats. Just a few kilometers upstream lies the Saucelle Dam, the first of seven dams that harness the river's hydraulic power in the so-called Douro Falls, making navigation impossible.
The navigable section also has 5 small dams with hydroelectric power plants, but they have locks that allow the navigation of ships up to 83 meters in length and 11.40 m in beam.
The locks overcome the 125-meter difference in elevation between the mouth of the Douro River and Barca D'Alva, with drops ranging from 13 to 25 meters at each lock. Vessels with a draft of up to 3.8 meters can reach Pinhão, while upstream, only vessels with a draft of 2 meters are permitted.
The Douro is one of the most sought-after river cruise destinations in the world.
The route is undeniably beautiful, and for this reason many captains request transfers to the Douro. The steep slopes of the Douro, often sculpted by human hands to shelter vineyards on their terraces, change color with each season.
It is precisely the region's winemaking that has brought it international fame. The Romans were already cultivating vines here in the early centuries, but from the 17th and 18th centuries onwards, trade in Port wine with Great Britain intensified, and the traffic of rabelo boats, used to transport wine in barrels along the river, grew exponentially.
Today, Porto is a vibrant and modern city, which has recovered all the splendor of its wine cellars and rehabilitated countless buildings, to welcome a whole tide of tourists from all over the world eager to explore its fascinating riverfront, the area that is in direct contact with the Douro River.
This Porto fever has also been reflected in ocean cruise ship calls, thanks to investments in the construction of the Leixões cruise terminal, but also in river tourism. Portuguese businessman Mario Ferreira was the first to recognize the river's tourism potential, founding Douro Azul in 1996. Just three years later, he signed an agreement with Uniworld, opening Douro river cruises to Americans.
Then other international companies began to arrive, such as Croisieurope, which operates no less than six ships here, while the North American companies AmaWaterways and Viking have 2 and 4 ships respectively, and the Australian company Scenic has only one.
The route reaches the border with Spain, where dams prevent further navigation.
But there are many more; the APDL has up to 26 river cruise ships accounted for with a capacity for 3,718 guests in 2022.
One of the differences between cruise lines is also the embarkation point in Porto. The Miragaia Cais (pier) is the most central, just a few meters from the Ribeira, followed by the Gaia Cais, on the opposite bank, but also very central. Croisieurope prefers the Quebrantoes Cais, further from the hustle and bustle of the city center but connected to it by a recently renovated path that passes through the Escarpa Cais, where cruise ships also dock.
The route:
Week-long cruises on the Douro River are usually round-trip. Some cruise lines, especially American ones, offer shore extension programs either before or after the cruise, with a stay in Lisbon or even Coimbra. American cruise lines also tend to include an overnight stay in Porto before disembarkation so that passengers can enjoy the city.
The basic program for all of them is to start from Porto and stop in Regua and Pinhao, then arrive at Vega de Terrón and/or Barca d'Alva, on the border with Spain, to take an excursion to Salamanca, and stop again in Pinhao and Regua on the return, but offering different excursions.
In Régua, an excursion is offered to Vila Real, home to the Mateus Palace, an 18th-century Baroque gem with remarkable romantic gardens. The estate also houses the winery where the famous Mateus wine is produced. Another classic excursion from Régua is to Lamego, one of Portugal's most famous pilgrimage sites, where the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios is located. This 18th-century Baroque church sits atop a hill 600 meters above sea level. A staircase of 686 steps, designed by Nicolau Nason, allows visitors to reach the summit. But Lamego's historic center also boasts other notable buildings.
Guimaraes is also an excursion offered in Regua, to a beautiful town that proudly declares itself to be the place "Where Portugal was born", as it was the home of the first king of Portugal, Afonso I. Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The excursions visit sites such as the Mateus Palace, Salamanca, or Lamego.
Along the route, you'll also have the opportunity to enjoy lunch or dinner at one of the wonderful country estates (quintas) that dot the rugged banks of the Douro. These estates are large country houses with beautiful rustic houses and ample grounds. Those chosen by river cruises often offer spectacular views of the Douro, which become even more scenic at sunset.
The estates may or may not have wineries, but there will always be opportunities on a Douro cruise to enjoy a wine tasting at one of the many wineries along the river. Hiking and cycling excursions are also plentiful, taking place in a stunning natural setting.
In Vega de Terrón comes one of the highlights of the cruise, the excursion to Salamanca, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while in Barca d'Alva a visit to Castelo Rodrigo is proposed, one of the historic towns of Portugal that preserves its walls and other medieval buildings.
Passing through the locks is also an exciting moment for passengers, as some of them overcome a considerable difference in elevation.
The rise of river cruises can only bring more traffic to the Douro, as there are still companies that do not operate on one of the most beautiful routes in Europe.
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