The tranquil River Douro in the north of Portugal is the perfect setting for a leisurely cruise, as you can see from this photograph taken from the banks of the sleepy town of Pinhão.
On the Douro, visitors can spend a week cruising in comfort and style, watching the region’s spectacular scenery gradually unfold.
This majestic river crosses the province from one end to the other, threading along the plains of the high plateaux of Castile to become a mountain river once it reaches Portugal.
Deep gorges alternate with tranquil valleys and rocky hillsides laboriously sculpted into ancient terraces planted with row after row of precious vines, for this is the land of Port wine.
‘In the Douro’ goes the ancient proverb ‘there is no Sunday without a festival, no heart without love and no house without devotion’.
Need more inspiration for your next visit? Why not listen to or download the Portugal Travel Show, the podcast for people planning a trip to sunny Portugal…