{"id":556,"date":"2020-01-13T15:55:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-13T16:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/?p=556"},"modified":"2024-06-12T18:23:43","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T18:23:43","slug":"what-makes-a-cruise-on-portugals-douro-river-unique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/2020\/01\/13\/what-makes-a-cruise-on-portugals-douro-river-unique\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes a Cruise on Portugal\u2019s Douro River Unique"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Porto<\/figure>\n

I\u2019ve been on a number of river cruises over the years, mostly in Europe traveling along rivers in Hungary, Austria, and France to name a few. With these experiences under my belt, I thought I knew what to expect before joining Viking River Cruises <\/a>on a cruise along Portugal\u2019s Douro River. I did not. No, due to the peculiarities of the river and the very special destination that is Portugal, a river cruise experience on the Douro is a singular event, totally unlike its cousins across the continent. Since I was surprised by, well, almost everything, I thought today I would share what some of those differences are and what makes the cruise experience not just unique, but incredibly special as well.<\/p>\n

\"Lisbon<\/figure>\n

Pre-Cruise in Lisbon<\/strong><\/p>\n

Several river cruise companies operate on Portugal\u2019s Douro River, but few include time in Lisbon beforehand. Sure, they have options to pay for a pre-cruise experience, but on the cruise I took with Viking it was part of the total trip and, therefore, wasn\u2019t an extra charge. For me, that time in the capital city was essential and a highlight of the trip. It was my first time in Lisbon and I couldn\u2019t wait to get out and explore the city. What I discovered quickly became a new favorite destination, from the incredible architecture to the food and the remarkably kind people. Viking made my time there easy as well with transfers, lots of staff on-site to help and answer questions and a 5-star pre-cruise hotel on one of the city\u2019s major thoroughfares. No matter how you ultimately decide to experience the Douro River though, having that time in Lisbon is, I think, important.<\/p>\n

\"Porto
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Recurring Theme of Porto<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cruises start and end in Porto, making this popular tourist
\ndestination an important part of anyone\u2019s cruise experience. I didn\u2019t know a
\nlot about the city before arriving, but I had read dozens of accounts by fellow
\nwriters all lauding the ancient city, many even naming it the best in Europe. A
\nnatural skeptic, I went into my time there with some initial detachment, but I
\ntoo fell for the allure of Porto. Porto is one of Europe\u2019s oldest cities,
\nfounded in the 300s by the Romans and it\u2019s Porto that eventually lent its name
\nto the country of Portugal itself. Walking around the hilly city on a guided
\nViking hike, I found it impossible not to be charmed by the colors and sights
\nof the historic center, while also trying to catch a view of the important
\nDouro River whenever possible. I had plenty of time on my own in the city as
\nwell, and I used that time to delve even deeper into Porto\u2019s neighborhoods and
\nhistory, while also eating a fair amount of local delicacies along the way.
\nYes, Porto was another highlight of many for me on my Douro River Cruise, but I
\nknow I\u2019m not unique in that feeling.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

The Ships<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have sailed with Viking many times in all corners of Europe, and I have come to know and love the design and amenities onboard their signature Longships. So it was with a lot of surprise that I first stepped onboard the Longship docked in Porto, because, while beautiful, this was not the Longship I have come to know so well over the years. The Douro River is navigable only due to a series of locks, not unlike many other European rivers. The key difference in Portugal is the size of these locks. They\u2019re different than on the Danube or Rhine, which means the ships must also be different. The result is a fleet of \u201cBaby Longships\u201d that only sail on the Douro River. They have the same general layout, the same design aesthetic and other amenities as one would find across Viking\u2019s fleet, but they\u2019re decidedly smaller, or intimate. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

At once though I was a convert; I loved almost everything about these particular Longships. They carry fewer people than the traditional European river cruise ships, about 100 people or so, and this decrease in the manifest made the experience a lot more fun. I became friends with more people on this river cruise than any other, and I attribute that entirely to the more intimate setting. Add to that the same size staterooms and a pool on the Sun Deck and I was almost immediately won over.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

Food & Wine<\/strong><\/p>\n

A big reason why many people choose to take a river cruise
\non the Douro River is for the wine, and Porto provides a hint as to why. Although
\nwine has been produced in Portugal for more than 2,000 years, Port wine didn\u2019t
\ncome about until the 1600s. I won\u2019t go into what is ultimately a long story
\nabout the relationship between England and Portugal, but suffice it to say that
\ntheir diplomatic friendship is the oldest in the world and Port wine has played
\nan important role in this relationship for centuries. I\u2019d like to say that
\nfortified Port wine came about in some romantic fashion, but the truth is that
\nthe Portuguese developed it to better match the tastes of the English
\nconsumers. Eventually this wine, which was shipped from Porto (hence, Port
\nwine) had brandy added to the juice during fermentation, creating a stronger
\nand sweeter wine that was a perfect match for the palate of wealthy English
\nclients.<\/p>\n

That history of Port wine is well-celebrated not only in the
\ncity of Porto, but all along the Douro Valley. Naturally, Viking provides
\nplenty of opportunities to experience this unique wine in both included
\nexperiences as well as optional excursions. Food and wine isn\u2019t only relegated
\nto Porto, throughout the week passengers learn about the other wines produced
\nin Portugal, along with the delicious food traditions that, when paired
\ntogether, create meal experiences that are truly unforgettable.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

Local Communities<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, Lisbon and Porto are amazing, but there\u2019s a lot more to
\nPortugal than its largest cities. The opportunity to visit small towns and
\nvillages isn\u2019t just a perk of a Douro River sailing, it\u2019s a reason why I love
\nriver cruising in general. Many times we visited spots I would never have
\ndiscovered on my own, and my trip was made all the better for having
\nexperienced them. A great example on my sailing was the morning spent in
\nFavaios. A very small community, it has long been known for its moscatel wines,
\nwhich is where the Viking passengers started the day. Visiting a local winery,
\nwe learned all about the wine making process, before tasting some of their best
\nvintages of course. From there we visited a local bakery to learn about and try
\nthe town\u2019s equally famous four-cornered bread and ended our visit with a walk
\nthrough the village and a stop at the local wine and bread museum (yes,
\nreally). Afterwards the Viking passengers were taken to another local winery
\nfor a long and leisurely lunch that was as much fun as I\u2019ve had in a long time.
\nPut all together, that day spent in a very small village was special, certainly
\nunique and nothing I would have discovered on my own.<\/p>\n

European river cruises have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years for a variety of reasons and, from my experience, it\u2019s well deserved attention. The cruises on the Douro River though are completely unlike others I\u2019ve experienced, in all the best ways possible. So if you\u2019re considering a river cruise but also looking for something a little different, I highly recommend learning more about the itineraries and programs Viking has put together on the Douro River<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The post What Makes a Cruise on Portugal\u2019s Douro River Unique<\/a> appeared first on LandLopers<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve been on a number of river cruises over the years, mostly in Europe traveling along rivers in Hungary, Austria, and France to name a few. With these experiences under my belt, I thought I knew what to expect before joining Viking River Cruises on a cruise along Portugal\u2019s Douro River. I did not. No,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/556"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=556"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/556\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":557,"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/556\/revisions\/557"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=556"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=556"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cookertv.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=556"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}