The Douro: Porto, the port-wine valley and Spain’s Salamanca on Europe’s warmest river.
The Douro runs from Porto through the terraced vineyards of the port-wine country to the Spanish border, with Régua, Pinhão, Lamego and a day trip to Salamanca. The ships are small, the locks are the deepest in Europe, the quintas pour the port, and the season runs warm from March to November. Most lines add two or three nights in Lisbon. Every Douro sailing from AmaWaterways, Avalon, Viking, Uniworld, Scenic, Emerald, CroisiEurope and Tauck is here, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. Call 1-800-444-1560 and a river cruise expert prices the lines against each other for your week.
Three ways to sail the Douro
Pick a departure and the list below filters to it.
Porto round trip
- Porto, Régua, Pinhão, Barca d’Alva for Salamanca, Lamego and Vila Real
- Every line runs it, with port and wine tastings at the quintas
- 7 nights on ships built for the river’s narrow locks
Best for: wine lovers, warm-weather river cruising, a first Portugal trip
Lisbon stays before the cruise
- Two or three hotel nights in Lisbon, then Coimbra or Fátima on the way to Porto
- AmaWaterways, Viking, Uniworld and Scenic sell it as one 10 to 11 night trip
- The easiest way to see both Portuguese cities
Best for: first-time visitors to Portugal
Spring and harvest
- Almond blossom in March, the vindima grape harvest in September and October
- Lower fares at both ends of the season
- The valley at its greenest in April and May
Best for: photographers, lower fares, cooler walking weather
Douro river cruise deals: SmartCruiser picks first
Every Douro sailing from every river line, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra; below them, every departure with full sorting by line, month, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery Douro sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Pick your embarkation city
Each button filters the list above.
Which line for the Douro?
Every line is on the list above. Our one-line take on each, with a link to its deals page.
When to go
The Douro sails from March to November and is the warmest river in Europe. Match the month to what you want.
Douro river cruise questions we answer every day
Where does a Douro cruise go?
Round trip from Porto: Régua and Lamego, Pinhão in the heart of the port-wine country, Barca d’Alva at the Spanish border with a day trip to Salamanca, then back downstream with a port tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia.
Why are Douro ships smaller?
The river’s five locks, including Carrapatelo at 115 feet, limit ship size, so Douro vessels carry 80 to 130 guests and cannot sail elsewhere. They are purpose-built for the valley.
How hot does it get?
July and August regularly pass 95F in the valley. Spring and fall are comfortable, and the harvest weeks in September and October are the most sought after.
Is Lisbon included?
On many itineraries, yes: two or three hotel nights in Lisbon with a coach transfer to Porto via Coimbra or Fátima. We price the cruise with and without the Lisbon stay.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, gratuities where not included and optional excursions are extra.
Do you have other rivers?
Yes: every river on our river cruises page, with its own page for the Rhine, Danube, Seine and Rhône.
Talk to a Douro river cruise specialist
Tell us your week and your budget, and we price every Douro line side by side, with taxes and port fees included and the Lisbon nights and flights worked out. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.