Kirbys Coaches (Rayleigh) Ltd | Tel: 01268 777777

The Spirit of Portugal on the Douro River Cruise

Fully Escorted by Karen Kirby! New for 2024!

Visit Spain and Portugal connected by the Golden River. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Douro opens its doors where you will discover terraced vineyards, typical villages, quintas and their wines all along the river. Explore Salamanca, named as “the small Rome” classified World Heritage by UNESCO. Embark for an unforgettable journey through these magnificent countries.

Day 1

UK TO PORTO, PORTUGAL
We depart home area and make our way to Stansted Airport for our flight to Porto. Karen will be there to help us check in and go through security. Flight duration is approximately 2 and a half hours. Upon arrival at Porto our transfer will be waiting for us to take us to our ship. After comfortably setting into our cabins we are invited to attend a welcome cocktail meeting where we will meet the crew. Afterwards, enjoy a delicious evening meal followed by an excursion by coach to see Porto by night.

Day 2

PORTO TO REGUA
After breakfast we enjoy a guided tour of Porto to discover one of the oldest cities in Europe, the historic centre is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Afterwards we visit the cellars at Vila Nova de GaÏa for a delicious wine tasting. We return to our ship for lunch. This afternoon is spent at leisure on board while we cruise to Regua.

B, L, D

Day 3

REGUA TO VEGA DE TERRON
After breakfast this morning we enjoy an excursion to Vila Réal (Royal Village). A town with a great variety of medieval monuments and architecture. We will stroll through the gardens at the Mateus Palace. We return to our ship for lunch. This afternoon we cruise to Vega de Terron. Enjoy an evening of Flamenco entertainment on board our ship tonight.

B, L, D

Day 4

VEGA DE TERRON - SALAMANCA - TO BARCA D’ALVA
After breakfast we visit Salamanca for a full day excursion (lunch included). We’ll visit its unusual cathedral and its famous university dating back to 1218, making it one of the oldest in the world. We’ll return on board after our tour and enjoy an evening of entertainment.

B, L, D

Day 5

BARCA D’ALVA TO FERRADOSA TO PINHAO
This morning will be spent cruising. After lunch on board we set off on our excursion along the Porto Wine Route where we’ll discover the vineyards, famously arranged in rows, followed by a wine-tasting in a true Portuguese quinta. We return to our ship with time to freshen up for our Gala evening.

B, L, D

Day 6

PINHAO TO PORTO
We start our day with an excursion to Lamego which is nestled among the terraced slopes of the Druro Valley port wine growing region, and overlooked by an ornate shrine. The town is elegant and infused with Baroque style. Atop one of its two hills stands the 13th century keep and a castle 100 years its senior. The Porta dos Figos gateway arch leads into the narrow streets of the inner town. We return to our ship for lunch and spend the afternoon sailing towards Porto. Tonight we enjoy some Fado entertainment.

B, L, D

Day 7

PORTO
We can enjoy time at leisure in Porto at our own pace this morning, returning to our ship for lunch. This afternoon we visit the charming historical town of Guimaräes, known as the ‘cradle of Portugal’, it was the birthplace of the country’s first king. After dinner, we enjoy our last night on board with entertainment.

B, L, D

Day 8

PORTO TO UK
After breakfast we join our transfer to take us back to Porto Airport for our return flight to Stansted. Our coach will be waiting for us at Stansted Airport to return us to home area.

B=Breakfast Included, L=Lunch Included, D=Dinner Included

MS AMALIA RODRIGUES

This superior category 3 decked Croisi Europe ship pays homeage to the Queen of Fado, Amalia Rodrigues, the famous Portuguese singer and actress. The ship offers ample space in each cabin and public areas. Large picture windows on the Upper and Mid Decks display all the scenery as the ship cruises. All the meals during the cruise are served in the restaurant on the Main Deck. Onboard fun, music, and dancing happen in the lounge and bar on the Mid Deck bow, where a cozy patio also provides great landscape views.

The Sun Deck has a pool and sun loungers that everyone can enjoy.

PRICE INCLUDES

• Return transfers to/from Stansted Airport, provided by Kirbys

• Return flights from Stansted Airport to Porto Airport

• Return transfers from Porto Airport to ship

• 20kg of luggage

• 7 nights full board accommodation on board ship

• Free Wi-Fi in lounge & bar on board ship

• Unlimited complimentary on-board beverages, including beer, fine wines, spirits, bottled mineral water, soft drinks, speciality coffees and tea from 12noon to midnight

• Captain’s welcome cocktail reception

• Gala evening with 4-course dinner

• All excursions as described

• Fully escorted by Karen Kirby

(Please Note: Lunch is not included on the ship on days 1 & 8)

Unique ATOL Reference 5114. Passport details will be requested by our Sales Advisors at time of booking. All prices are subject to increase of flight costs. For all River Cruises, a deposit of £250 per person is required. Full payment will be due on all cruises 120 days prior. All prices are per person. Single Room Supplements are subject to change. Cruise itineraries & couriers are subject to change. This holiday cannot be booked through a Travel Agent due to ATOL license laws. Kirbys Coaches are acting as agent for Success Tours.

TRAVEL OPTIONS

Upgrade your room (subject to availability). Supplements apply, call 01268 777 777, option 1

Please find below our pick up points (not all pick up points will be available on all departure dates). View the pick-up point you require, then you’ll see a list of dates which are/aren’t available from your pick up point.

Name	Address	Times
Barking	Station Parade, IG11 8TU	Failed View
Barkingside	Fullwell Cross, Bus Stop A - IG6 2EA	Failed View
Basildon	Cherrydown East Bus Stop, SS16 5GT, Basildon	Failed View
Brentwood	Brentwood, Outside The Dairyman	Failed View
Chalkwell Park	Chalkwell Park Bus Stop, London Road	Failed View
Chelmsford Victoria Road	Victoria Road CM1 1JR	Failed View
Collier Row	White Hart Lane - Bus Stop out Tythe Court RM7 8LZ	Failed View
Corringham Town Centre	Gordon Road, Bus Stop near Grover Walk SS17 7EY	Failed View
Cranham	Front Lane/Moor Lane Junction Bus Stop RM14 1XJ Outside Restaurant Opp. Car Park	Failed View
Dagenham	Church Elm Lane, Bus Stop L - RM10 9QS	Failed View
Depot	Depot, Princess Road, Rayleigh	Failed View
Galloway Pickup	Pickup tba for Galloway	Failed View
Hadleigh Church	Hadleigh Church, Bus Layby	Failed View
Harold Wood	Bus Stop A, Gubbins Lane, RM3 0DR	Failed View
Hockley Spa	Hockley Spa, Bus Stop outside the Library	Failed View
Holiday Inn, Brentwood	Holiday Inn Brentwood	Failed View
Hornchurch.	Hornchurch Town Centre, outside Sutton Arms	Failed View
Hutton	Hutton, Bus Stop just past the Chequers Pub	Failed View
Ilford	Ilford, Bus Stop outside 6 Clements Road, IG1 1BA	Failed View
Kavanaghs Rd	Kavanaghs Road/London Road, Brentwood	Failed View
Palace Theatre	Palace Theatre Bus Stop	Failed View
Pitsea	Outside what was Gala Bingo Hall, Pitsea	Failed View
Queensway	Queensway Bus Stop (Behind the Odeon Cinema)	Failed View
Rayleigh Stn	Rayleigh Railway Station	Failed View
Romford	St Edwards Way - Bus Stop H - RM1 3DQ Out: Romford Shopping Hall	Failed View
Sadlers Farm	Bus Stop on A13, just before Sadlers Farm roundabout, nr Romsey Road	Failed View
Shenfield Stn	Shenfield Station, outside what was Barclays Bank	Failed View
Shepherd & Dog Crays Hill	Shepherd & Dog, Crays Hill	Failed View
Shotgate	Shotgate Post Office	Failed View
South Green	Grange Parade Bus Stop, South Green, Billericay	Failed View
Stanford Rookery Corner	Rookery Corner Stanford	Failed View
Sun Corner	Sun Corner London Road - Billericay	Failed View
Thames Drive	Thames Drive Bus Stop	Failed View
The Elms	Bus Stop outside Elms Public House, Leigh on Sea	Failed View
The Oak Grays	The Oak Public House, Lodge Lane, Grays	Failed View
Thorpe Bay Stn	Thorpe Bay Station, Acacia Drive (opp Station)	Failed View
Thurrock Services,	Thurrock Services Coach Park, RM16 3BG	Failed View
Upminster	Bus Stop M, St Mary's Lane- Upminster Outside St.Laurence Church RM14 2QJ	Failed View
Vic Hse Cnr, Rayleigh Rd	Vic House Corner, (Rayleigh Road)	Failed View
Websters Way	Websters Way, Rayleigh	Failed View
White Horse	White Horse,Southchurch Road, Southend	Failed View
Whittinghams Grg	Whittinghams Garage, opp Rochford Railway Station	Failed View
Wickford	Halls Corner, opposite Police Station, Wickford	Failed View
Woodford Green	Snakes Lane East, Bus Stop R - IG8 7HU	Failed View