Douro River Cruises

Before reaching the Atlantic Ocean, the Douro dissects the ancient city of Porto on its final leg. The entire Portuguese nation owes its existence to the Douro, around which the country was founded. Our Secrets of the Douro river cruise starts and ends in Porto, offering a cultural bookend to a journey boasting beautiful scenery every step of the way.

With much of the region remaining untouched and unchanged over the past few centuries, the Douro Valley provides a wonderful step back in time. From the peaceful wineries producing Portugal’s much-loved port wine to the ancient Spanish city of Salamanca – the Douro is a rustic region of simple pleasures.

As one of the continent’s foremost and best-loved wine-producing regions, the Douro Valley provides plentiful opportunities to sample delightful vintages. As part of Emerald Waterways’ Secrets of the Douro river cruise, you’ll be afforded exclusive opportunities to learn more about the ever-popular local produce and find your inner sommelier.

A tour of the Douro Museum is a must-do for wine lovers on-board the Emerald Radiance. Included as part of the Secrets of the Douro river cruise, this museum explores the region’s wine-making heritage and secrets.

One of the undoubted highlights of the Secrets of the Douro river cruise is an EmeraldPLUS experience, a dinner in a Pinhão wine estate. Regional dishes and local wines provide an exceptional taste of local life as you raise a glass to toast the beauty of the Douro.

In 2017, we introduced the magnificent Emerald Radiance to our fleet of Star-Ships, custom-built to navigate the waters of the Douro Valley and make the most of the delightful Portuguese climate. Our most intimate European ship to date, the Emerald Radiance has been carefully designed to reflect the beauty of its surrounds.

Boasting a spacious open-air Sun Deck, wonderful dining areas and generously appointed suites and staterooms, every inch of this vessel has been designed for your comfort and enjoyment. Settle in and relax as the on-board team takes care of everything, from answering any questions that you may have about your itinerary to helping with your independent exploration.

Discover the highlights of this beautiful Portuguese river in our video guide below.

Wherever you choose to stop by and explore on your Douro river cruise, one thing’s for sure, with Emerald Waterways, you’ll experience unrivalled service and experiences on board our first-class cruise ships.

Our itineraries include the 8-day Secrets of the Douro, where guests will discover Portugal’s UNESCO world heritage sites, including the village of Pinhão. Later in the week, travelers will visit Salamanca, Pocinho, Régua and then Porto again. Our Three Rivers Discovery Douro, Rhône and Saône river cruise combination, which takes you on a picturesque journey through Porto, Salamanca, Régua, Lyon, Tournon and more, gives guests a wonderful insight to the quaint charms of Europe.

View our complete list of Douro river cruise itineraries below and book your adventure of a lifetime today.