How much does it cost?

From £3,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,726 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is train travel included?

Yes. The tour includes Standard Class rail travel from Lisbon to Porto on day 4, plus all coach and flight transfers from London Gatwick.

Is this an escorted or independent tour?

Fully escorted. Great Rail Journeys provides a Tour Manager throughout and a Cruise Director onboard the MS Gil Eanes; guided tours are offered in most cities.

What meals are included?

Three breakfasts and two dinners during the Lisbon stay; breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily on the seven-night cruise. Drinks are included with dinner each evening onboard.

What is not included?

Cancellation and travel insurance, tips and gratuities (at your discretion), and optional excursions such as the Salamanca guided or tapas-tasting tours.

When does this tour run?

Great Rail Journeys offers departures in May 2027, August 2027, and September 2026.

Great Rail Journeys · River cruise

Lisbon & the Douro Valley Cruise

Lisbon, Sintra, and a seven-night Douro River cruise through Portugal and Spain

Great Rail Journeys operates this 11-day escorted tour blending city culture with river scenery. You fly from London Gatwick to Lisbon for three nights in a four-star hotel, exploring Portugal's capital and the hilltop palaces of Sintra by coach. On day 4 you travel by standard-class rail to Porto, where you board the MS Gil Eanes for a seven-night cruise through the Douro Valley. The river journey takes you past terraced vineyards and small towns, with guided excursions to medieval Guimarães, the Spanish city of Salamanca, and local wine quintas. Onboard you receive daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus evening entertainment including Fado and flamenco performances. The pace is relaxed, with time for independent exploration balanced against guided tours and ship-based relaxation. This tour suits couples, history enthusiasts, and food-and-wine travellers who value organisation and prefer guided discovery over independent logistics.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has held at £3,499 every time.

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

The single supplement is GBP 1,500 (about USD 2,000), significantly more than half the per-person base price, reflecting limited single cabins on the river ship.
Day 8 in Salamanca offers optional guided and discovery tours; the core itinerary includes coach transfer and lunch only, leaving structure partly to your choice.
The trip involves multiple transport modes (flight, coach, train, river ship); the standard-class rail leg from Lisbon to Porto is relatively brief.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Lisbon
Arrival in Portugal's capital, Lisbon
We meet the Tour Manager and travel group at London Gatwick and board our flight to Lisbon. On arrival we are taken by coach to our four-star hotel for a three-night stay, with our first group dinner at the hotel's restaurant this evening.
Day 2overnight: Lisbon
Exploring Lisbon
A guided tour of Lisbon's streets, squares and boulevards, finishing in Belem with a stop to sample the famous pastries. The evening is free to explore at your own pace.
Day 3railovernight: Lisbon
Sintra's fantastical palaces
We travel by train to Sintra to see the Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and the gardens at Monserrate Palace, with free time in the historic centre. We return to Lisbon by train for drinks and dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 4railovernight: Aboard MS Gil Eanes, Porto
To Porto where we join our cruise ship
A rail journey through the Portuguese countryside to Porto, where a coach transfers us to the waterfront to board the MS Gil Eanes. After a welcome drink and dinner on board, we take a panoramic evening coach tour of Porto, including São Bento railway station.
Day 5overnight: Aboard MS Gil Eanes, Régua
Uncovering Porto and Régua
A guided tour of Porto including a wine cellar visit to sample port wine, then we rejoin the ship for lunch and cruise along the Douro to Régua, with dinner and entertainment on board.
Day 6overnight: Aboard MS Gil Eanes, Vega de Terrón
Visiting Mateus Palace and Gardens
We disembark and travel by coach to Mateus Palace, an 18th-century Baroque mansion with its chapel and 16th-century winery, then return to the ship for lunch and an afternoon cruise to Vega de Terrón, with a flamenco performance at dinner.
Day 7overnight: Aboard MS Gil Eanes
The Golden City of Salamanca
A coach excursion into Spain to Salamanca for a guided city tour taking in the House of Shells and Plaza Mayor, with a free afternoon before returning to the ship for drinks and dinner.
Day 8overnight: Aboard MS Gil Eanes, Pinhão
The renowned Porto wine route
We cruise downstream to Ferradosa, then take an excursion along the Porto wine route to São Salvador do Mundo and São João da Pesqueira, including a quinta tasting, before rejoining the ship at Pinhão for a Gala dinner.
Day 9overnight: Aboard MS Gil Eanes, en route to Porto
Baroque splendour in Lamego
A morning tour of Lamego and its Baroque cathedral with its famous 700-step staircase, followed by lunch on board and a relaxing afternoon sailing back towards Porto, with Fado-themed entertainment at dinner.
Day 10overnight: Aboard MS Gil Eanes, Porto
Exploring Porto and Guimarães
A free morning in Porto, optionally riding the Gaia Cable Car, then after lunch on board we visit the medieval city of Guimarães on a guided tour. A farewell dinner with folk entertainment concludes the evening.
Day 11
Homeward bound
A coach transfer takes us from the riverside to Porto's airport for our flight home, landing at London Gatwick this evening.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Guided tour of Lisbon's coloured streets and azulejo-tiled buildings, ending in Belem to sample pastries, with evening free to visit Miradouro da Senhora do Monte for panoramic views.
Day 4Standard Class rail journey through Portuguese countryside to Porto, then embark on the MS Gil Eanes with a panoramic evening coach tour of Porto's São Bento railway station.
Day 7Visit 18th-century Mateus Palace with its grand halls and winery, then cruise through the Douro Valley's astounding scenery to Vega de Terrón on the Spanish border.
Day 9Excursion along the Porto wine route to local quintas for port wine tasting at São Salvador do Mundo and São João da Pesqueira.
Day 10Guided tour of Lamego's Baroque cathedral, renowned for its 700 decorated steps, followed by an evening Fado performance aboard ship.

Included

Tour Manager/Cruise Director team escorted throughout
3 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
7-night cruise onboard MS Gil Eanes operated by Croisi Europe
Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi
Standard Class rail travel
All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Flights from London Gatwick to Lisbon, Porto to London Gatwick
Breakfast each day, 6 lunches, 9 dinners including a spectacular gala dinner
Drinks package with dinner every night of your cruise
A superb choice of excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour
Tips are not included in the price; tipping is at the guest's discretion

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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £3,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,726 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is train travel included?: Yes. The tour includes Standard Class rail travel from Lisbon to Porto on day 4, plus all coach and flight transfers from London Gatwick.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?: Fully escorted. Great Rail Journeys provides a Tour Manager throughout and a Cruise Director onboard the MS Gil Eanes; guided tours are offered in most cities.
What meals are included?: Three breakfasts and two dinners during the Lisbon stay; breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily on the seven-night cruise. Drinks are included with dinner each evening onboard.
What is not included?: Cancellation and travel insurance, tips and gratuities (at your discretion), and optional excursions such as the Salamanca guided or tapas-tasting tours.
When does this tour run?: Great Rail Journeys offers departures in May 2027, August 2027, and September 2026.