Exploring the Douro, plus Lisbon & Madrid - Eastbound 2024
Dates & Prices
Start Date | End Date | Offers | Brochure Land Price | Quote |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday, Apr 03, 2024 | Sunday, Apr 14, 2024 | $7,990 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024 | Sunday, Apr 28, 2024 | $8,290 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, May 08, 2024 | Sunday, May 19, 2024 | $8,990 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 | Sunday, Jun 09, 2024 | $8,990 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Jun 19, 2024 | Sunday, Jun 30, 2024 | $8,690 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2024 | Sunday, Jul 21, 2024 | $7,690 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Jul 24, 2024 | Sunday, Aug 04, 2024 | $7,690 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Aug 14, 2024 | Sunday, Aug 25, 2024 | $7,690 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Sep 04, 2024 | Sunday, Sep 15, 2024 | $8,990 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2024 | Sunday, Oct 06, 2024 | $8,990 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Oct 16, 2024 | Sunday, Oct 27, 2024 | $8,690 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Oct 30, 2024 | Sunday, Nov 10, 2024 | $7,990 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
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Tour Itinerary
Centuries of vineyards, wine and timeless Port traditions along an enchanting "river of gold"… white-painted quinta estates lined with terraced vineyards… Lisbon's treasures from the Age of Discovery and beyond… art and architecture royally inspired and the joys of tapas in Madrid… Cruise through the heart of one of the world's oldest and most beautiful wine regions on a 12-day journey bookended by stays in Lisbon and Madrid, featuring a 7-night cruise aboard Tauck's ms Andorinha , custom designed for exploring Portugal's "golden" Douro River. Visit quintas for wine tastings, hike through vineyards and villages, and discover the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, where the Douro kisses the Atlantic and timeless Port traditions steal your heart. Spend two nights each in Lisbon, the gate to the "New World," enticing with palaces aplenty and azulejos chronicling life from Moorish times to present day – and Madrid, Spain's bigger-than-life capital, with its bar culture and bevy of baroque and belle époque architecture.
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Day 1
Arrive Lisbon
Tour begins: 6:00 PM, InterContinental Lisbon. A transfer is included from Lisbon Airport to the InterContinental Lisbon, located between Eduardo VII Park, Marques de Pombal Square and the luxurious Avenida da Liberdade. Join us tonight for a private visit and welcome dinner at 18th-century Queluz National Palace, a blend of Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical architectural designs graced with gardens inspired by French styles.
Meals: Dinner -
Day 2
Lisbon at Leisure or Sintra & Cascais
Crafted atop seven hills over centuries, Lisbon is home to cobbled lanes, castles in the clouds and maritime monuments that pay lasting tribute to Portuguese explorers like Vasco da Gama who changed the world. You'll have a choice of excursions today. One option offers you a chance to stay put in Lisbon for some city sightseeing! Discover landmark places steeped in history, including Eduardo VII Park, Trade Square, the Monument to the Discoveries, Jeronimos Monastery where Vasco da Gama and Portugal's kings are buried and a visit to the National Coach Museum to see its world-renowned collection of historical carriages. Your other option is a visit to the town of Sintra for a visit to Sintra National Palace, the best preserved medieval residence in Portugal and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy some free time in Sintra before driving to the seaside town of Cascais for a guided walk in the town's center followed by lunch. Regardless of your choice, spend the remainder of the day at leisure exploring the sights of Lisbon as you wish.
Meals: Breakfast -
Day 3
Captivating Coimbra & On to Porto
Drive back in time to Coimbra, Portugal's medieval capital for more than a century. A walking tour along the tiered cobbled lanes of this hilltop city brings you to its esteemed university, founded here in 1537, where its caped students evoke images of Harry Potter's Hogwarts School, its majestic buildings line squares steeped in history and cloistered arcades lead to architectural showpieces beautiful to behold. Learn about student life, past and present; many of its centuries-old traditions still exist today with time to explore on your own. Continue on to Porto, where Tauck's riverboat, ms Andorinha, is docked on the Douro and awaiting your arrival. Settle into your cabin and enjoy a welcome reception followed by dinner onboard the ship.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 4
Discover Porto, Your Way
Culturally rich and historically charming, Porto's pleasures are diverse and delightful, blending old and new to reveal a fascinating portrait of the city through art and architecture, wine and food, and magnificent waterfront views. Explore the city by land, river, and air when you ride a historic tram from the Foz Quarter to the medieval riverfront district of Porto, before boarding a water taxi that takes you across the river for a cable car ride to the top of the Luiz I Bride, rewarding with a stunning panorama. Or, if you prefer, join a local guide into the historic heart of Porto. Your tram ride will take you up to the top of the city for a robust walking tour with stops to taste local culinary treats.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 5
Vinho Verde and the Charms of Guimarães
The Douro River cuts a 200-mile path through one the world's most beautiful and prolific wine regions as it makes its way from Porto and the Atlantic Ocean through rugged wilderness to the Spanish frontier. The wine growing regions of the Douro surprise visitors with an array of vintages, young and old. Today unfolds with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Guimarães, regarded as the birthplace of Portugal and renowned for its well-preserved medieval buildings and national monuments. Then, drive to Aveleda to discover uniquely produced "green wines" during a tasting lunch at a quinta in a Vinho Verde vineyard. Green refers to its age not its color; the grapes they use for these wines are typically consumed within three to six months after bottling and can be red, white, or rosé. Chart a course for Peso da Régua this afternoon and dine onboard your riverboat tonight.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 6
Port wine, Peso da Régua, & a special dinner
Step off the boat into Peso da Régua and begin a day of discovery – you'll learn about the town's historic role in the production of port wine. An important transport junction, this is where barrels of wine were boarded onto traditional rabelos bound for Gaia in the 18th century, where the wine was aged in local lodges. A choice of morning activities includes joining a local guide for a bicycle ride that entices with scenic views of terraced vineyards, or joining a local guide for a visit to a local wine-making estate called a quinta, rewarding with a port cocktail making class. Spend the afternoon cruising the Douro, then tonight entices with a special culinary experience. Dine with a riverside view at DOC, an acronym for "Degustar Ousar Comunicar" (translated: "Taste, Dare, Communicate"), savoring gourmet cuisine by acclaimed chef Rui Paula who delights in blending traditional Portuguese dishes with contemporary fare along with the Douro's famous wines.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 7
Pleasures of Pinhão
The idyllic village of Pinhão, situated at a scenic bend of Portugal's Douro River, is considered the gateway to the quintas and large wine estates of the Douro River Valley, one of Europe's oldest and revered wine making regions. A choice of shore excursions today includes a walk in pretty Pinhão, nestled in the heart of port wine country, with a visit to its historic tile-covered train station, a vision of blue and white Azulejo tiles – or a vigorous hike through the area's lush, sloping terraced vineyards with striking views of the town and river. Dine onboard the riverboat at your leisure tonight.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 8
Discover the secrets of Douro vineyards
Spend the day enjoying a leisurely cruise in the heart of port wine country, past sloping terraced vineyards and picturesque villages; your riverboat was custom designed for Douro cruising and offers an expansive sun deck for viewing the scenery, cooling off in the pool or enjoying a casual café or cocktail at the rooftop bistro. Disembark in Pocinho for a choice of excursions that include a visit to a wine estate in a local village for a tour, presentation and tasting; activities in Pocinho rotate between this afternoon and tomorrow morning.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 9
Cave Art on the Douro & A Medieval Castle
20,000 years ago prehistoric man called the Côa Valley home, leaving evidence of their residence on rocks in the Coa Valley. Visit the Museum of Art and Archaeology of the Côa Valley, stunning exhibits of rock art from the valley's Paleolithic era, discovered in the 1990s when excavations began for a Côa River dam. Return to the riverboat; as the river courses its way to Spain, it passes the ruins of hilltop castles hidden in the hills. Disembark in Barca de Alva to visit Castelo Rodrigo, standing watch over the medieval village of Rodrigo since the 13th century when its defensive battlements were built and fought over by both Spain and Portugal. A walking tour of the site reveals remnants of its storied roots on the river, before your cruise continues towards the Spanish border.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 10
Salamanca Sights & Magnificent Madrid
Disembark your riverboat and drive to the UNESCO World Heritage City of Salamanca for a guided walking tour of its ancient heart, viewing the "living room of Salamanca," the elegant arcaded Plaza Mayor, its stunning 12th-century Romanesque Cathedral, and its esteemed 800-year-old university, one of the oldest in the world. Continue on to Madrid for a two-night stay at a legendary palace hotel commissioned by King Alfonso XIII in 1912 and located in the heart of the city's renowned art triangle with easy access to its three most famous museums, El Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza. Tapas tantalize with small bites of local culinary fare on a tasting walk with an expert guide who knows where to find the best samples of this regional specialty.
Meals: Breakfast -
Day 11
Palatial Treasures of Madrid
Choose either a guided one-mile walk – or a short drive via coach – before making your way to Madrid's 18th-century Royal Palace, home to a succession of Spanish kings from Charles III to Alfonso XIII, and reigning today as the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family in name only. Your visit to this 2,000+ room jeweled palace, by square feet Europe's largest palace, takes you on a journey through history and time-honored splendor with a local guide as you view rooms and salons overflowing with art treasures and antiques, and gilded, floor to ceiling, with fine fabrics, magnificent mosaics, crystal chandeliers and more. Highlights may include the Reception Room, the State Apartments, the Armory, the Throne Room, the Banquet Room and the Royal Pharmacy. Head-turning art welcomes you to the Museo del Prado, one of the world's premier art museums with over 4,000 works of art masterpieces, including works by iconic Spanish artists Goya and Velázquez, many of them acquired by kings through the ages. Join us for a farewell reception and dinner at your hotel tonight.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 12
Journey Home
Tour ends: Madrid. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The Westin Palace, Madrid to Madrid-Barajas Airport or Madrid's Atocha Station. Allow a minimum of 3 ½ hours for flight check-in.
Meals: Breakfast
OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-935-2620
Centuries of vineyards, wine and timeless Port traditions along an enchanting "river of gold"… white-painted quinta estates lined with terraced vineyards… Lisbon's treasures from the Age of Discovery and beyond… art and architecture royally inspired and the joys of tapas in Madrid… Cruise through the heart of one of the world's oldest and most beautiful wine regions on a 12-day journey bookended by stays in Lisbon and Madrid, featuring a 7-night cruise aboard Tauck's ms Andorinha, custom designed for exploring Portugal's "golden" Douro River. Visit quintas for wine tastings, hike through vineyards and villages, and discover the UNESCO World Heritage city of Porto, where the Douro kisses the Atlantic and timeless Port traditions steal your heart. Spend two nights each in Lisbon, the gate to the "New World," enticing with palaces aplenty and azulejos chronicling life from Moorish times to present day – and Madrid, Spain's bigger-than-life capital, with its bar culture and bevy of baroque and belle époque architecture.
- TAUCK EXCLUSIVE - Tour and private dinner in Queluz National Palace in Lisbon
- 7-night cruise aboard a brand new riverboat custom designed to sail on the Douro River
- A choice of excursions that includes active hikes, a port cocktail-making class, a tour of wine caves, bicycle rides and more valued at $4,142!
- In-depth exploration of 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain and Portugal
- Private wine tastings in quintas along the Douro River
Health and Safety Protocols for Tauck Tours
Traveling with Peace of Mind
Our commitment never wavers – to earn your trust by always doing the right thing. As we explore the world together again, this will be more important than ever as we adapt to living and traveling in the presence of COVID-19.
Tauck is 97-years young this year, and our ability to weather many storms over the decades is a result of our values and beliefs – as a family and as a family-owned and led company. In addition to the guiding light of these values, our extensive experience, local knowledge and global support network help to ensure your safety on every Tauck journey. Building upon our bedrock of award-winning guest care, we have worked tirelessly to prepare for your return following the COVID-19 hiatus in travel. With guidance from leading experts, including the CDC and WHO, together with our internal Global Response Team and, most importantly, with feedback from thousands of our guests, we have redefined how we will conduct our experiences as we resume travel.
Tauck is Prepared for the Unexpected
For decades, Tauck has operated in over 70 countries in all 7 continents. Over this time, our staff and network of supplier partners have always been there to support our guests and team on the road. Our guests travel with a comprehensive, built-in support system that starts with the care and local knowledge of our Tauck Directors and extends to our network of partners around the world, including hoteliers and transportation companies.
At the core of our ability to quickly and effectively respond to the unexpected is our Global Response Team - a group of over 50 employees across all departments who stand ready to spring into action around the world. This team has plenty of experience, from weather events, high and low water on rivers, earthquakes, volcanic ash, civil unrest and work stoppages. They have also dealt with past virus outbreaks including the SARS and Zika viruses.
The Tauck Travel Well Pledge
Before we operate tours and cruises, all Tauck employees, our supplier partners and our guests will take Tauck’s Travel Well Pledge.
As a company, we will follow our enhanced protocols with diligence and rigor; review them frequently as the landscape changes and always make common-sense decisions grounded in purpose and pride. We embrace these new and necessary measures to combat COVID-19 and will do our very best to provide the Tauck care we have been honored to deliver for 97 years.
OUR NEW HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Consistent with our commitment to the well-being of our guests, we are implementing enhanced health and safety protocols. These protocols may vary by geographic regions and will certainly evolve over time, as science and society respond to new realities:
Tauck Staff
Prior to interacting with guests, each member of Tauck’s field staff is trained in enhanced protocols and participates in a personal health screening.
Once on tour, our Tauck Directors and supporting staff are responsible for maintaining these protocols with a special focus on cleanliness and physical distancing. They will relay critical information regarding requirements, advise when protocols are mandatory – such as wearing a face covering in group settings – and help facilitate guest care through communication with appropriate parties should a guest become ill on tour. All Tauck staff will adhere to the same requirements.
Guest Responsibility
When joining a Tauck journey, every guest is responsible for their own health and, in turn, the protection of their fellow travelers, the Tauck staff, our suppliers and the places we visit. Guests will pledge to follow the direction of the Tauck staff and adhere to health and safety protocols.
Guests are expected to wear face coverings in all group settings, to wash their hands frequently and to adhere to supplier and government regulations. While supplies of face coverings, gloves, and hand sanitizer will be available, guests are asked to bring such personal items for their own comfort.
Small is BIG
For many years, Tauck has emphasized and invested in more choices of activities, resulting in smaller groups for activities like sightseeing and events. This is consistent with our mantra that “Small is Big” – small groups and smaller ships with fewer guests.
We initially focused on these elements to improve the guest experience. Yet today they take on an additional dimension; small group experiences and more personal space are critical in providing the peace of mind our guests expect. Accordingly, we are offering even more small group experiences and limiting guest numbers across all of our journeys.
We have been working diligently with our partners to be prepared to welcome you back when the time is right.
Tauck has worked meticulously with our global supplier partners to plan for every itinerary following the hiatus in travel. All partners, whether they be a hotel, museum, small ship/riverboat, restaurant or other partner, have been thoughtful about how to provide a Tauck experience in this environment.
And while it's impossible to list all of the enhanced health and safety protocols for the hundreds of Tauck partners across the globe, we would like to share a representative sample of what you can expect:
Hotels
Our hotel partners all have world-class health and safety protocols. However, these guidelines may vary depending on local situations and regulations. Here are some typical examples:
- Upon-arrival, health questionnaires and temperature checks may be required. Some hotels may even require daily temperature scans.
- Social distancing may be required in public areas, bars and restaurants.
- High-touch areas such as railings, door handles and elevators will undergo enhanced cleaning.
- In-room measures may include removal of tent cards and magazines. Common use items, such as coffee makers and minibar amenities may be on demand.
- High-touch areas, such as light switches, thermostats, remote controls and door handles will be subject to enhanced and frequent cleaning.
- Guests will have the option to determine housekeeping frequency.
- All hotel staff will undergo daily health screenings.
Ships and Riverboats
We have worked closely with our cruise partners to ensure the best possible health and safety protocols and to ensure the care and service you expect from Tauck:
- Guests on cruises and river journeys will be required to complete a health questionnaire and will undergo a temperature check prior to boarding. In some instances, our ship partners will conduct daily temperature checks.
- Face coverings and physical distancing will be required in most public spaces for guests and crew alike.
- Meals may be offered at staggered times and self-serve buffets will be eliminated.
- In-cabin measures include removing common use items. Coffee makers, minibar amenities and housekeeping will be on demand at guest discretion.
- Ship staff will undergo daily health screenings.
- All vessels will have medical staff onboard.
Sightseeing and Local Activities
Many of our experiences are exclusive and/or private and that’s important in taking care of you. Whether it be a guided tour, a visit to an iconic museum or private home, a musical performance, or any other special Tauck activities, we are applying the same rigor to health and safety protocols:
- Tauck listening devices will be sanitized thoroughly and frequently.
- Sightseeing is being adjusted to ensure proper physical distancing.
- Admission times at venues may be altered to ensure no crowding.
- Paper tickets, handouts and the like may be eliminated.
Dining
Tauck has always been known for a la carte dining; having more freedom to decide when and with whom to dine now has more value than ever. Additionally, our partners whether they be hotels, ships, special venues or restaurants, are raising their already rigorous hygienic standards. Here are some examples:
- Waitstaff will likely be wearing face coverings and gloves.
- Seating will be adjusted to accommodate physical distancing.
- Self-serve buffets will be eliminated. Common use menus will no longer be used unless sanitized.
On-Tour Transportation
Keeping on-tour transportation safe is a major focus of our team who has worked with hundreds of partners to ensure continuity in health and safety protocols:
- On motorcoaches and other on-tour ground transportation, such as airport transfers, guest should expect physical distancing and will be required to wear face coverings.
- Prior to each trip, our motorcoaches, vans, airport transfer vehicles and on-tour aircraft will undergo a deep sanitizing process.
- Luggage may also be sanitized at each movement.
- Drivers will wear gloves and face coverings during all guest-facing interactions.
- Drivers will frequently clean handrails, door handles, arm rests, tables, seats, air conditioning/HVAC units, restrooms and overhead storage areas.
Our Supplier Partners are ready for you
Tauck is proud to have worked closely with our partners around the world, many of them for decades, to deliver the quality, comfort and safety you expect. Whether it be hotels and resorts, riverboats and small ships, restaurants, event venues or transportation companies, their meticulous health and safety protocols reflect their leadership and well-earned respect in the travel industry. The following are some select health and safety protocols. We will update these on a regular basis.
In addition to our supplier partners, we have also been actively engaged with global travel organizations to standardize health and safety protocols throughout the travel industry. TourCare is one example:
TourCare are health and sanitation guidelines developed by the tour industry's major global associations: the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) and the European Tourism Association (ETOA). Tauck, and our supplier partners, meet and exceed these guidelines that require members to adhere to the highest standards in the industry.
OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-935-2620
InterContinental Lisbon
The Westin Palace, Madrid
ms Andorinha
OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-935-2620
Question: How many suitcases can I take with me on my trip?
Question: Is Airfare Included in the Price?
Can't go wrong with Tauck...outstanding!
We were very impressed with Tauck Tours and would book with them through you again!
We spent more money on this Tauck tour than a Luxury Gold trip to Spain and Portugal (top of the line) which required international travel and was for a longer duration. Also, I've said this before about Tauck. Although a good company, there is too much food offered and too much time spent sitting down to a meal when we could be sightseeing.
Our goals were met and exceeded by Affordable Tours.
Wonderful Tauck Tours..we will travel with them again..thank you for the suggestion..
This is our 7th Tauck tour/river cruise and they have never disappointed.
Our trip was amazing and we had to he most amazing guide Leah she went above and beyond
Ms Lawren Farias was our agent. She went out of her way to make sure that everything went smoothly and it did I would defiitely use her again. She was outstanding.
Maya was absolutely wonderful! I only want to book with her for any future travel.
The Tauck tour exceeded our expectations.Our tour director was exceedingly well informed and organized.She was the best.
The tour was one of our best. Tauck's attention to detail and covering nearly 100% of our costs or fees and booking 5* hotels is why we liked the trip.
Fantastic vacation! Exceeded all our expectations! Trip of a Lifetime!!!
Tauck delivered as promised and more. The tour director was very helpful and knowledgeable. We wouldn't hesitate to book with them again.
Tauck provides great tours. This is our 4th with Tauck. They provided transport for us even when our itinerary was different than usual. The Tauck tour director was wonderful.
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