How much does it cost?

From £5,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $7,428 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is all train travel included?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys includes Standard Class rail travel from Lisbon to Porto and all rail and coach travel throughout the tour. Flights from London Gatwick to Lisbon and return from Porto are also included.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. An experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team escort the group throughout, and guided tours are provided in Lisbon, Porto, and Salamanca. Excursion choices in Porto on Day 10 include a guided tour or an excursion to Guimarães.

What is the ship and what are onboard amenities?

The MS Estrela is a brand-new river ship built in 2024 with 60 cabins offering five-star service. Amenities include a lounge, outdoor pool, sun deck with barbecue, outdoor bar, and golf putting green. Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi is available. Optional activities include Portuguese language and history lessons.

What excursions are included?

Included are excursions to Lamego Cathedral, Castelo Rodrigo, Salamanca (with flamenco performance), Mateus Palace, and Quinta de São Luiz port wine estate. On Day 10 in Porto, you choose between a guided tour with port tasting or an excursion to Guimarães. Optional extras include London hotels and UK rail connections.

What is not included?

Cancellation and Travel Insurance are not included and must be purchased separately.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour & river cruise

Lisbon & Premium Golden Douro

Lisbon city stay and seven-night Douro River cruise on luxury MS Estrela

Great Rail Journeys combines Portugal's cultural treasures with luxury river cruising on the MS Estrela, a brand-new ship built in 2024. This 11-day escorted tour opens with three nights in Lisbon, where a guided tour reveals the city's colourful squares and the waterfront district of Belém. Travellers visit the fairytale palaces of Sintra, then board the ship in Porto for a seven-night cruise down the Douro River through Portugal and Spain. Days on the water are punctuated by guided excursions to Lamego Cathedral, the medieval town of Castelo Rodrigo, the UNESCO city of Salamanca with a flamenco performance and lunch, and the 18th-century Mateus Palace. The itinerary includes a Portuguese barbecue on the ship's sundeck, port wine tastings at a historic quinta, and dinner at a traditional quinta near Pinhão. All meals, drinks, tips, and most excursions are included, along with flights from London Gatwick and onboard Wi-Fi.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £1,200 since 4 Jul, to £5,499.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Only one departure listed: October 2026. Confirm availability and book well in advance.
Day 2 and Day 3 are swapped on the 24 May departure, affecting the day-by-day sequence.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Lisbon
Flight to Lisbon, Portugal's capital
Fly direct from London Gatwick to Lisbon and transfer by coach to the hotel, with a welcome drink and dinner on arrival.
Day 2overnight: Lisbon
Touring Lisbon's sights
A guided tour of Lisbon's main attractions, finishing in Belém to sample the famous pastries, with the afternoon free to explore independently. (On the 24th May departure, Days 2 & 3 are swapped.)
Day 3overnight: Lisbon
Exploring the colourful palaces of Sintra
Time at leisure in Sintra to discover the colourful summer palaces of Portuguese royals, including Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and Monserrate Palace. Return to Lisbon for dinner.
Day 4railovernight: Onboard MS Estrela (Porto)
Boarding our luxury ship in Porto
Travel by rail to Porto and transfer to the MS Estrela, built in 2024 with just 60 cabins, followed by a sunset cruise introduction to Porto. The ship stays moored in Porto overnight.
Day 5overnight: Onboard MS Estrela
Lamego Cathedral and dinner at a quinta
A leisurely cruise along the Douro, passing the Barragem do Carrapatelo, Europe's deepest lock, before visiting Lamego Cathedral and enjoying a traditional Portuguese dinner at a quinta near Pinhão.
Day 6overnight: Onboard MS Estrela
Ancient Castelo Rodrigo on the Spanish border
Sail to Vega de Terrón, then a coach journey to the historic walled town of Castelo Rodrigo. In the evening, a barbecue (churrasco) on the ship's sun deck.
Day 7overnight: Onboard MS Estrela
Discovering Salamanca, Spain's golden city
A guided tour of Salamanca, including the House of Shells and Plaza Mayor, followed by lunch and a flamenco performance, then a four-course dinner onboard with drinks included.
Day 8overnight: Onboard MS Estrela (Peso da Régua)
Touring ornate Mateus Palace
Cruise back downstream, then transfer to Vila Real to visit the 18th-century Mateus Palace and its gardens, returning to the ship in Peso da Régua for dinner and a Portuguese folk music show.
Day 9overnight: Onboard MS Estrela (Entre-os-Rios)
Along the port wine route
Visit the Quinta de São Luiz port wine estate, founded in 1638, for a tour and tastings, then cruise to Entre-os-Rios for a four-course Captain's Dinner.
Day 10overnight: Onboard MS Estrela (Porto)
Return to Porto for a guided tour and port tasting
Sail back to Porto with a choice of a guided city tour and wine cellar tasting, or an optional excursion to UNESCO-listed Guimarães, followed by the final dinner onboard.
Day 11
Homeward bound
Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for the flight back to London Gatwick.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Guided tour of Lisbon reveals the brilliant colours of the city's streets, squares and boulevards, finishing in the waterfront Belém district to sample traditional pastries.
Day 3Visit the fairytale Pena Palace in Sintra, the colourful summer retreat of Portuguese royals on the edge of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.
Day 4Board the MS Estrela in Porto and enjoy a sunset cruise of the city's skyline as the ship settles in for the night.
Day 6Journey to medieval Castelo Rodrigo on the Spanish border, a walled historic town with castle ruins offering views across both countries, returning to the ship for Portuguese barbecue on the sundeck.
Day 7Excursion to Salamanca, a UNESCO World Heritage city, includes a guided tour of the House of Shells and Plaza Mayor, lunch and a flamenco performance.
Day 9Visit Quinta de São Luiz, a prestigious port wine estate founded 1638, to tour vineyards and sample port varieties on the terrace.

Included

Escorted throughout your tour by an experienced Tour Manager/Cruise Director team
3 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
7-night cruise onboard MS Estrela with five-star service onboard and complimentary Wi-Fi
Standard Class rail travel; all rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Flights from London Gatwick to Lisbon, Porto to London Gatwick
3 breakfasts, 2 dinners on the Lisbon tour; breakfast, lunch and dinner each day of the cruise including a gala dinner
Drinks package with dinner every night of the cruise
A superb choice of excursions
All tips and gratuities throughout the cruise (worth up to £100pp)

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £5,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $7,428 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is all train travel included?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys includes Standard Class rail travel from Lisbon to Porto and all rail and coach travel throughout the tour. Flights from London Gatwick to Lisbon and return from Porto are also included.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. An experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team escort the group throughout, and guided tours are provided in Lisbon, Porto, and Salamanca. Excursion choices in Porto on Day 10 include a guided tour or an excursion to Guimarães.
What is the ship and what are onboard amenities?: The MS Estrela is a brand-new river ship built in 2024 with 60 cabins offering five-star service. Amenities include a lounge, outdoor pool, sun deck with barbecue, outdoor bar, and golf putting green. Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi is available. Optional activities include Portuguese language and history lessons.
What excursions are included?: Included are excursions to Lamego Cathedral, Castelo Rodrigo, Salamanca (with flamenco performance), Mateus Palace, and Quinta de São Luiz port wine estate. On Day 10 in Porto, you choose between a guided tour with port tasting or an excursion to Guimarães. Optional extras include London hotels and UK rail connections.
What is not included?: Cancellation and Travel Insurance are not included and must be purchased separately.