River Tours Along The Douro

If you are in the mood for a cruise during your stay in our part of the world then you are in luck!

The Douro river provides ample opportunity for such an endeavor and you will find that there is no better place to see the beautiful scenery of Portugal, and even a bit of Spain if you stay on the boat long enough.

The Douro river starts near Duruelo de la Sierra, and runs for 897 kilometers until it reaches into Spain. Note that some parts of the river cannot be traveled by large watercraft, but fear not, there is enough river for everyone!

There are a number of companies that offer cruises along this river, and you can find them easily with an internet search. There are many different prices, but the good news is that they are affordable for the most part. If you wish you could even consult your travel agent to determine the best time to book your cruise and depart. You may even end up booking several months in advance.

As with anything else though, you will want to see exactly what is offered before you choose a cruise line. For example it would be prudent to find out what the ports of call are. The ports of call are the places where the cruise ship would make port and refuel. During this time the passengers are permitted to leave the ship and perform various activities. If there is a specific port of call you wanted to visit, then you should ask the following questions:

• Will we be going to that port?
• How long will we be there?
• Are we permitted to leave the boat?
• What kind of accommodations are available?

At many ports of call you might be permitted to stay on the ship, and many people will choose to do so. However there may very well be some where you will be required to exit the ship. Some of these circumstances might include the boat needing to be cleaned, or certain maintenance checks needing to be run. These are all things that you will need to be prepared for and should probably ask about prior to committing.

You should also ask about food. There are some who can do with very little food, and then there are some that actually rely on it. Find out what type of food is being served and how often this will happen. If you have any medical conditions, see if the crew will adjust to make sure you are eating healthy. Remember that you could be spending up to eleven days on a boat, and for those eleven days that boat will be your home. You want to make sure everything is perfect!

There are many things to see on the river. Most of it comes in the form of beautiful scenery, and chances are you will get to see the Douro Vinhateiro region which is actually a World Heritage Site. If you aren’t really into scenery then you can just sit back in the lounge and enjoy the games. After all, a cruise just wouldn’t be complete if you couldn’t gamble to some extent now would it? This and many other activities will be available aboard the cruise ship, and one of the activities might even involve swimming. On that note though, if you have children it would probably be wise to ensure that there are actually activities suitable for children. There are some cruise ships that have sections build specifically for families, so always see what is available first.

When you choose to sail the winding river Douro you are undertaking a breathtaking adventure to not only relax and enjoy yourself, but also to view the country of Portugal from afar in all of it’s beauty. If this sounds like your type of adventure, then start looking for a cruise today.