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Offered languages
- Portuguese
- English
- Italian
- Spanish
Two hours on the Douro aboard a small boat, through the heart of Porto and Gaia - past the six bridges, the port lodges and the Ribeira waterfront, the city seen from the water. Small groups and an unhurried pace, with a local captain who has spent his life on the water: Olympic-class sailing, years commanding ocean-going yachts, and Master 200GT certified. Guiding in Portuguese, English, Spanish and Italian.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meet Tomás at Pontoon B
Itinerary
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Rio Douro (Pass by)
We cast off from Douro Marina onto the river that built the city. A working river of wine, granite and trade. From the water, you see Porto the way it was always meant to be seen.
Admission ticket free -
Ponte da Arrabida (Pass by)
The first great arch overhead, completed in 1963 to a design by Edgar Cardoso. At the time, it was the longest concrete arch span in the world. A bold modern gateway to the historic city upstream.
Admission ticket free -
Alfandega Porto Congress Centre (Pass by)
The long granite façade on the Porto bank is the city's 19th-century customs house, now a riverside congress and culture venue. It recalls the days when everything that entered Porto came up this river.
Admission ticket free -
Jardins do Palacio de Cristal (Pass by)
High on the Porto hillside, these terraced 19th-century gardens look straight down onto the water. The original glass palace is long gone, but the green slopes and the panorama over the Douro remain one of the city's finest views.
Admission ticket free -
Cais De Gaia (Pass by)
The Vila Nova de Gaia waterfront, lined with the port wine lodges where the wine has aged for centuries. Look for the traditional rabelo boats moored along the quay, the flat-bottomed craft that once carried the barrels down from the valley.
Admission ticket free -
Cais da Ribeira (Pass by)
Across the water, Porto's UNESCO-listed old town tumbles down to the river in a tangle of medieval lanes and tiled houses, the Church of São Francisco rising behind. The colourful heart of the city, seen from below.
Admission ticket free -
Dom Luis I Bridge (Pass by)
Porto's great double-deck iron arch, completed in 1886 by Téophile Seyrig, Gustave Eiffel's former partner. Passing beneath it is the moment most people came for, the city's defining icon.
Admission ticket free -
Ponte D. Maria Pia (Pass by)
Our turning point upriver. The elegant iron railway bridge opened in 1877, designed by Gustave Eiffel's firm and the oldest of Porto's great spans. Retired now, but still one of the most graceful shapes on the river.
Admission ticket free -
Jardim do Passeio Alegre (Pass by)
On the way back we reach the mouth of the Douro, where the river meets the Atlantic and the palm-lined gardens of Passeio Alegre open onto the sea. The calm, breezy edge of the city, far from the crowds.
Admission ticket free -
Douro Marina (Pass by)
We cruise back along the river to step ashore where the trip began.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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