Sunday 15th March 2026
Our flight from Bristol was not until 6.20pm, so we had all day to meander up the A30 and M5. We picked David up just after 10 and had a fairly easy drive, stopping for coffee at Cullompton before arriving at the Sidcot Arms hotel for a roast lunch. We had expected the restaurant to be packed out for Mothers Day, but surprisingly there was lots of parking and several empty tables. The roast was very good, reasonably priced and served quickly so we were on our way with plenty of time in hand. Silver parking was efficient and we were soon on the bus, however the new arrangements at Bristol airport meant that we were deposited much further away from the terminal building, no fun in the rain!
Check in was quick and easy, followed by no queue for security, but they were very thorough and it took a little longer for us to go through the scanner, apart from Geoff who was well and truly frisked! The time was 4.30pm and our flight was not for another 2 hours, but we filled the time with cards, topping up steps and cups of tea.
As usual with Bristol, we had a mile to walk to the gate, but the flight was uneventful, arriving bang on time, despite leaving 20 minutes late. We had decided in advance to get a taxi to the hotel, and our driver showed us how fast his car could go and we were soon checking in to the Social Hub, a converted bank, with very modern rooms and floor to ceiling windows. After dumping our bags we went up to the roof terrace to check out the view and then went for a walk finding the closest subway station and the City Hall before retiring to bed.
Monday 16th March 2026
After a very comfortable night in a very comfortable bed with fabulous bed linen, we met David for breakfast at 9, after a quick detour via the roof terrace again for a daytime pic. Breakfast was excellent, so much so that we will repeat the experience, even though we are room only with the original intention of sourcing breakfast in the locale.
Our first port of call this morning was the Trindade subway station to buy our three day travel cards. This was not as straightforward as we expected, having to queue in a travel office for the next available booth, no smart machines here. Having secured said tickets we caught the D subway line across the famous Luis bridge, alighting at Jardim do Morro. This is a popular sunset viewing point and one which we will return to later, but the daytime views over the river, back to the city and across the bridge were amazing.
We could see the quay from which our cruise boat is due to depart on Wednesday, so we thought we would go and check it out. We walked down to the river via steps and narrow streets, emerging onto the waters edge which had been very well refurbished, presumably for the expanding cruising market. We had a delicious coffee and cake before finding our boat, the A Rosa Alva, moored alongside two other boats. We were delighted with what we saw, the boat looked amazing, a treat in store.
We then boarded the telepherique back up to the bridge, enjoying the incredible views. At the top, Geoff was moved to remove a second layer – an event of some note on 16th March! It was really very warm by this point and we appreciated the breeze which was evident as we walked across the bridge back towards the cathedral and city centre.
It was past midday by now, so we decided to catch a bus along the river edge to the Atlantic coast. The 500 was waiting for us and we were first to board, securing the top two front seats. Whilst we were waiting for the bus to depart, I was fading fast in the heat from the sun through the front window so I moved further back down the bus to the shade. It was an amazing ride along the river, affording a grand view of our boat from the opposite side of the river, then along the Atlantic coast where the swell produced crashing waves onto the beach.
Our destination was a café restaurant I had seen featured on Facebook, it was absolutely worth a visit and David and I shared a delicious bottle of Rose which went well with fish soup for him, Avocado toast for me and mussels for Geoff. A walk along the prom, followed by two bus rides back to our hotel for a belated siesta was then on the itinerary. We felt we needed a rest before tackling another sunset foray back into the city.
We made our way back to the Jardim do Morro on the subway to join the crowds waiting for sunset. Whilst we knew it was a popular thing to do, we were surprised at just how many people had gathered for sundown. We found a spot by the wall overlooking the river and enjoyed the spectacle of lots of people being showered when the sprinklers started up unexpectedly. As the sun disappeared over the hill we boarded the subway back to Avenue dos Aliados and a restaurant we had spied last night. It was still relatively early so we opted to have a drink in the Eurostars hotel first. The inclusive menu seemed to be a bargain in the Café Guarany, but Geoff was not impressed with his fried sardines, and neither man liked the accompanying rice, however my mousse au chocolat was a winner!
We have had a brilliant first day here in Porto, the weather was lovely and warm which, along with blue skies has made for a very promising start to our holiday.
Tuesday 17th March 2026
We had planned a day out of Porto today, so headed to Sao Bento station first thing. The station concourse was a sight to behold with stunning blue tile pictures on all the walls, some featuring battles, quite bloodthirsty ones from the look of it. We found the ticket office and whilst we knew that all oldies travel half price, we had to produce valid ID. This meant that 3 return tickets to Aveiro, an hour’s journey away, cost us £11.66!
Having secured our tickets, we had time on our hands, so we went into the station buffet for a light breakfast, flat whites and buns, not quite the quality we enjoyed yesterday, but OK all the same. The train was waiting on the platform and was filling up fast as this was the start of the journey. It departed to schedule at 10 and we thought we were on the right side of the train, having been instructed where to sit, but 5 minutes later, the train drove into Campanha main station and then reversed out, so we were on the wrong side for the coastal view. We had a good view over the Douro River though, whetting the appetite for our cruise, starting tomorrow.
The journey was far from picturesque despite some snatched views of the Atlantic coast with rolling waves as well as lots of storks perched on nests which somehow managed to stay put on top of telegraph poles or chimneys. We all alighted at Aveira, where the temperature was showing as 25 degrees and we headed for the canal basin. It seemed like the town had expanded in modern times, on what appeared to be a canalised river with lots of apartment blocks, the fast train to Porto only takes 30 minutes, so that would be attractive to commuters. We walked along the edge of the canal which was frequented by many colourful tourist boats, and bridges festooned with ribbons. We enjoyed coffee and mini cakes sat outside a waterside café before continuing our walk around the edge of the older part of town. We found a nice restaurant for lunch, David wanted fish with potatoes today, no more rice!
Back to the station via a maze of cobbled streets. The old station building had recently been redecorated, and the brilliant white enhanced the beauty of the blue tiles which adorned a lot of its façade. The journey home included a bus from the station to our hotel where I for one was ready for a snooze. We opted for a quieter evening, in advance of tomorrow, sadly no sunset tonight as the cloud had crept in. Geoff and I had a wander round the nearby shopping area, which was buzzing with life at 7pm before returning to our hotel with a delicious gelato!
After spending over 2 hours on trains today, we discovered that David went out this evening for another hour and a half on the subway to Povoa de Varzim!
Wednesday 18th March 2026
After a very good breakfast at our hotel this morning, we packed up and left our suitcases to be collected later when we were due to move on to the cruise boat. We retraced our steps to the Mercado do Bolhao, which was just around the corner. This popular open-air market, contained within a very striking building, was stacked full of wonderful looking things to eat, fruit, chocolate, cheese, fish, meats and all possible variation of those. They all looked enticing and even at 10 oclock in the morning, were attracting lots of buyers. We just wandered around and feasted with our eyes.
Geoff and I wanted to return to the Majestic Café which we had seen last night, this was a very grand affair, supposedly in the style of the Belle Epoque, although it was founded in 1922. We enjoyed what we hoped would prove the most expensive coffee of our visit here, but it was delicious, and we definitely appreciated it!
We then caught a bus to Trindade to buy bus tickets for our return to Porto next week, before catching another bus to the University district and a walk though the Jardim do Corouria. From here we walked down to the river via some narrow-cobbled streets, fringed with old buildings several storeys high, bedecked with iron balconies. We emerged onto the river frontage in the Ribeira area, along with hundreds of tourists, filling the cafes and the boats which departed for sightseeing trips. We stopped for a drink, which proved a salutary lesson not to come back to this spot again!
We caught a bus back to our hotel and after a coffee, I booked an Uber to take us to the Cais do Gaia to board our boat. The car had to drive a long way round to the quay and the number of roadworks in the city made for a much longer journey than expected, but we boarded the A-Rosa Alva cruise boat at exactly 3pm.
We had drinks and snacks on the deck before being shown to our cabin. Whilst it is small, it is perfectly appointed, and we unpacked our cases finding homes for everything. The only downside for me is that we are moored alongside another boat and we have no view. David, on the other side of the boat has a fabulous view of the city and bridge, of which I am most envious!
We went up on the top deck and found sun loungers which I liked, and the boys sat on chairs with me as we sipped our sparking wine in the sunshine – I had a big grin on my face – this is exactly what I had been looking forward to!
There was a welcome reception before dinner this evening and this reminded me exactly why I don’t like organised tours, but I coped with the stress and enjoyed our first dinner, the most important point being that I like the wine, both the rose and the sparkling, so I am OK for the rest of the week! We played a round of cards after dinner before retiring for the night. (Geoff was rather depressed this evening as Newcastle lost 7-2 to Barcelona).
Thursday 19th March 2026
Happy 43rd Wedding Anniversary to us!
I am not known for being an early riser, but I was keen to be up to watch the boat depart from Porto this morning. I heard the engines start at 6.15, but we had been told that we wouldn’t be departing until 7, however, I opened the curtains at 6.30 to discover we were moving away from the boat we had been moored up to. It took me a minute to throw some clothes on and run up to the sundeck and I am so glad I did as I was gifted with an amazing pink sky and a quiet, empty Porto, looking quite stunning in the early light. Geoff followed me up and, together with a few other intrepid souls on deck including a couple in their dressing gowns, it felt very special to witness the city in this way.
David joined us a little later and we watched with interest as the Captain navigated his way slowly and carefully into the first of the locks we will experience on this trip, no bumping or scraping as has been the case on some of our personal canal trips! By this time, we were feeling hungry and our first breakfast did not disappoint with a wide range of buffet items as well as a ‘speciality’ served daily, we are very boring in our choices!
The cruise this morning was excellent, so much to see and so many twists and turns in the river. We seemed to be moving quite quickly, and we reached Regua by 1pm, mooring up opposite the main town. After a good buffet lunch with wine, we were up on the sundeck and it was so warm in the sunshine that we moved under the canopy, the temperatures were in the mid to high twenties by now. The boat should have moved on to Pinhao this afternoon but we were advised that it would be staying here tonight, we weren’t sure why at the time, so David went by bus into the town, but we remained and played scrabble!
This evening, the on-board restaurant closed as we were all being taken to the Quinta de Avessada, for a tour and dinner. It was an hours coach journey, which gave some outstanding views, but the coach had blacked out windows and it was difficult to appreciate the scenery. It was an experience, but probably not one we would have chosen to celebrate our anniversary! We returned to the boat late, and unsure as to what tomorrow will bring as we discovered that the water is very high at the moment and there is a question mark hanging over the itinerary – we will wait and see!
Friday 20th March 2026
When we woke this morning it was to discover that a revised newsletter for the day had been posted under our door. We were delighted to read that the boat would be continuing to Vega Terron today, stopping briefly at Pinhao, though not for long enough to have a walk around.
We breakfasted a little later this morning to avoid the German crowd. There was an excursion to a winery leaving at 9am which did not appeal to us, especially as this meant that an attractive part of the route on the river would be missed as the excursion passengers would be rejoining the boat at Pinhao.
Our favourite part of this boat is the sundeck, for me I walk – round and round to top up my steps, listen to my audio book and to take in the amazing scenery all around the boat. We have come to realise that we are the ‘unusual people’ as we are very often alone up there apart from the Captain and his two mates, who now nod to us and say hello!
The third lock on the river, and our first lock today, was soon after leaving Regua, this was a 28m lock and it was clear that we were going to struggle to fit into it because of the water height. The crew lowered the mast, the canopy and the wheelhouse and then instructed us to lie down on the sun loungers in order to not be decapitated! We went down for lunch shortly before arriving in Pinhao and we were able to find a nice table by the window. Lunch was very good again, even included suckling pig, which David tried, but it did not appeal to us!
Sadly, we were not able to go up onto the sundeck after lunch as the Captain closed it. This was because they had to lower everything again for the next lock, and some bridges, even more so than earlier. We made the best of the view from either our cabin, with the window right down and the very front of the boat, an overflow from the lounge. This tends to be very busy, so we normally avoid it, but needs must and indeed by 5pm we were on our own sat in rocking chairs right at the front!
The final lock of the day at Pocinho was reached some 2 hours later than scheduled. We were able to go back up on to the sundeck at this point and were rewarded with a view of a fabulous sunset. We could see that there was still a way to go to our mooring point for tonight, and we had been told that nighttime cruising was not allowed, but the Captain has done us proud to get us this far. There was a point last night where we were worried that we might have to turn round at Regua and return to Porto, so today has been a real bonus.
Saturday 21st March 2026
Another good night, I think I have got the balance of alcohol just right now. The idea of ‘all inclusive’ means that I tend to overdo it to begin with! David was not feeling so good this morning, so he opted to miss breakfast and generally take it easy today. We were pleased that we had not booked the trip to Salamanca, because he would not have been able to go. As it was, we didn’t miss it at all. The idea of 4 hours on a coach did not appeal, and we were able to enjoy the peace and quiet of this lovely area.
We have come to realise that an itinerary is a rather misunderstood concept on this trip. It seems to change, not only every day, but also every hour! The boat should have moved to Vega Terron this morning, we could see the quay to which it should be moored further along the river, and it was our intention to walk there and rejoin the boat. It was a good job I asked about the time of departure as they then realised that they hadn’t told anyone of the change of plan!
Geoff and I walked around the village of Barca de Alva and up towards the abandoned station, but a couple of crazy dogs rushed out to us barking furiously, frightening me to death, so we retraced our steps and found a mini-mercado and then a bus stop! No sign of any buses though. We followed a circular walk, starting up hill, then following a sign to Spain downhill to the River Agueda, along the middle of which runs the border between Portugal and Spain. It was a lovely walk thus far, with the roadside being fringed with lots of different wildflowers. We walked up to the old railway bridge, but there were signs saying no pedestrians, so we continued to a visitor centre located next to the quay at Vega Terron, which featured a long-distance walk which follows the old railway line. A very helpful young man said that we could walk across the railway bridge, if we didn’t break a leg. This we then did, with some trepidation, but it was great fun with equally great views.
We returned to the boat for lunch, David was feeling a bit better, so he joined us. For the first time there were chips available, which pleased both men! The intention this afternoon was to have a lazy one. The Captain turned the boat round to face downstream, a manoeuvre which pleased us as we were now overlooking the river from our cabin, but David was overlooking the quay. Another shorter walk, over the bridge, afforded a great view of our boat before an hour or so on the sundeck, lying in the warm sunshine.
Dinner tonight was planned to be after the return of the excursion, this works to our favour in terms of the queues at the salad bar but proves a problem in securing a nice table. Fortunately, we managed the latter and there was no queue. Sadly, David was not well during the meal and retired to his cabin, we are hoping he is better for the start of the return journey tomorrow.
Sunday 22nd March 2026
We woke to the most amazing view of the bridge at Barca de Alva this morning with wisps of cloud floating above the river. After breakfast Geoff and I went off for another walk, first into the village and then up above the village to a modern building, which was supposed to be a Science Museum, but was closed today. The best bit though, was the view from it, down into the valley with our boat below us moored next to that bridge.
We were intending to do a circular walk, but the barking of another huge scary looking dog, sent us scurrying back the way we had come, so we diverted down the river bank in the opposite direction to yesterday. David walked over to Spain via the railway bridge we traversed yesterday and then returned via the redundant railway line. When we returned to our cabin we were surprised to see the arrival of a Riviera cruiser, the Douro Elegance. It sailed past and moored at Vega Terran. Then, just before we left, another boat, the Douro Queen arrived and moored just the other side of the bridge.
We departed from Barca in blazing sunshine, indeed the sundeck was full of sunbathers, too hot for us, but once we were cruising, we utilised the sun loungers after enjoying an excellent lunch. A glass of wine coupled with the sun made us all sleepy, but not so much that we could not appreciate the amazing scenery under the bluest of skies. We passed miles and miles of vineyards, with famous names such as Grahams, Taylors and Cockburns emblazoned across the hillsides.
Geoff and I retired to our cabin when the heat became too much for us and we enjoyed the views from our huge open window, the panoramas of which emphasise the curves of the river and the narrowness of some parts. The novelty of going down in the locks was an experience too, as the walls towered above as we descended into the dark abyss. Back up on the sundeck later in the afternoon, we got very excited as two trains went by on the very scenic railway line which ran alongside the river.
We arrived in Pinhao around sundown, in time to walk into the town before dinner. We wanted to see the railway station which is known for the tile pictures of the Douro Valley which decorate its façade. It was worth the walk up the hill and we returned via the promenade which looked very romantic in the moonlight.
By the time we went into dinner this evening there were no free tables, so we played a couple of rounds of cards in the lounge first and then found a table next to Fiona and Brian from Wexford in Ireland, which ended with copious quantities of red wine being consumed by Brian and a deep discussion about Brexit etc etc!
Monday 23rd March 2026
We were scheduled to depart at 7am from Pinhao this morning, but true to form, that changed and we actually left at 6.45am. I opened the curtains to see us drifting away from the quay, and, after watching from bed, decided to get up and out on to my favourite place, the sundeck, for a walk in the early morning sunshine. There were few people up there with me as it was very cold, despite the sun, so I marched around for a while before joining G and D for an earlier than usual breakfast.
Today we were off on an excursion. This was scheduled to depart from our first stopping point today, but we were delayed at one of the locks so coaches arrived at that point to collect us and take us to the Mateus Rose Palace. It was a 45 minute drive up into the hills above the river to Vila Real and just outside to the village of Mateus, which gave its name to the stately home. Apparently, the wine of the same name, took the picture of the palace and put it on an oddly shaped bottle containing wine made from grapes from another place, and marketed it, very successfully, across the world. As a result, this place is a popular tourist destination, under false pretences! The palace itself was very small, but with interesting rooms and artefacts, but the gardens are pleasant, with two low intricate mazes and avenues of overhanging vines. There were a couple of large, beautiful magnolias, but very few other flowers to view at this time of year. Later on, the rose gardens would be a picture, I’m sure.
We returned to the boat, now moored on the opposite bank to Regua. The guide referred to the boat as the ‘ship’, and the Cruise Director does the same although it doesn’t seem right to me. We went in for lunch and it was a very good one, we prefer lunch to dinner as it is all buffet and the choices are extensive. The evening dinner is usually a buffet starter and dessert with a served main course, which none of us have felt like eating.
We retired to our cabins for a rest before the boat left for a long afternoon sail to Cais da Lixa, a last stopover point before heading back to Porto tomorrow. We went up on the sundeck for a while but we were all asked to leave as we approached a section with low bridges and another lock which necessitated the canopy and rails to be lowered. We watched the river go by in our cabin aided by refreshing drinks and pastel de nata! One thing we noted was that there was a lot of new green with trees much further on then when we sailed upstream a few days ago.
Dinner tonight was a gala affair! We all had to be in the lounge by 6.30pm for a disembarkation lecture, followed by a farewell from the staff. We are not getting off the boat until Wednesday morning, but apparently it is quite usual for the farewell activities to be the night before the night before, bonkers. I’m afraid this pantomime does nothing for me. The saving grace was a wonderful last glimpse of the sun.
The farewell dinner was a set menu, not all of which appealed to everyone. David and I were not impressed with the first couple of courses, but the final three were very good. It has been another good day, with fabulous weather. Not quite as hot today, but with bright blue skies and temperatures in the low twenties – pretty perfect we thought.
Tuesday 24th March 2026
Our last full day on the cruise and we started by sailing into the last lock of the trip whilst enjoying an excellent breakfast, pancakes this morning, my favourite! The short trip back to Porto in brilliant sunshine, was through more populated, softer country than we had become used to further upstream. The sight of the first big road bridge, followed by the newer railway bridge and then the Luis bridge heralded our arrival into Porto. We were fortunate to have the benefit of an additional treat as the boat continued down to the mouth of the Douro to turn round and return to the Cais de Gaia.
We were worried that we might be sandwiched between two cruise boats, which would have meant both cabins, situated on either side of the boat would have been butted up against another boat, but we were on the outside of three, and David had the Porto view. We are not complaining as we had the best view when we were berthed at Barca de Alva.
Once we were tied up, we set off on our first foray into the city. We caught the bus up to Sao Bento and then walked up to the Cathedral. It was very hot, but once inside, the cool interior was a welcome relief. The gold smothering the high alter was breathtaking, and we sat for a while just looking. From the main sanctuary, we walked up to the inner balcony, edged with the familiar blue tiles telling a story, and within we viewed our boat from a window out of a tiled room.
We could hear haunting sounds drifting from the square below, a cellist was playing Simon and Garfunkel and John Lennon music, which was very moving. We sat for a while listening before setting off down the hill, down numerous steps into the heart of the Ribeira district, to emerge onto the waterfront amidst all the cafes. Our plan was to return to the boat for lunch, so we pressed on over the Luis bridge on the lower level and back along the riverside.
Lunch today was superb, so much choice, which when paired with the excellent Rose (for me) or White wine (for Geoff and David) proved a perfect meal, only to be followed by a siesta! Geoff and I lay on sun loungers in the shade on the sundeck for a couple of hours before setting off on another mini adventure. Our plan was to catch a bus (the 9021) along the riverside to the coast and then, after a walk by the seaside, return on the 9012. We waited 20 minutes for the bus, which did not appear, so we gave up and started to walk back to the boat, only to have it drive by us, some 30 minutes later than scheduled! We returned to the boat fed up with this turn of events, but soon cheered up with drinks on the sundeck as the sun set behind the hill.
Our last dinner tonight was a triumph … for David in terms of a Portuguese fish dish, and for me – in terms of dessert! Geoff enjoyed the cheese, then both men retired to the lounge to drink port while I returned to the cabin to write this!
We have had a fabulous cruise. It has revealed an area to us, which we have really appreciated, having had a ring side seat. The food and wine on this boat have been superb and the cabin has been perfect for us …. and very well serviced.
Would we do it again? Speaking for Geoff and I, probably not. We do not enjoy being ‘organised’ or herded, told what we can or can’t do or where we can or can’t go. I hate the pantomime of welcome or farewell events, and if we did this again, would avoid such assemblies like the plague!
Wednesday 25th March 2026
Our last breakfast, before disembarking at 9. The weather was just as good this morning and I had a brief farewell walk around the sundeck to say goodbye to the boat. We booked an Uber to take us back to the Social Hub hotel and we could not believe that we were checked in with our bags in store by 9.20am.
I had worked out that if we hurried we would be able to connect with the bus route we tried to board yesterday afternoon. Geoff and I planned to do this so we set off to the nearest subway station with David saying that he would come on the same train and carry on to the end of the line. We managed to jump on a metro, but the doors shut on David! We watched him through the windows, it was like the film Sliding Doors!
The 9021 bus was bang on time today, it was empty and the bus driver couldn’t believe that we wanted his bus, but I showed him my google map and assured him it was where we wanted to go. The route was back down to the quay where our boat was moored, then along the riverside out to the Atlantic, to a suburb called Lavadores. We got off the bus next to a Marina and then walked around the coast via a nature area, on a very well maintained and popular foot and cycle path. The views over the river mouth, and then the beaches was superb. The beach was backed with large, rounded granite boulders, and the sea crashed against them which was great to witness.
We walked a long way around to find a café and enjoyed cappuccino and pastel de nata’s right on the edge of the beach. Keeping an eye on the time as we had booked lunch, we caught the 902 bus back into Porto, to the metro at Casa da Musica. We got off the bus next to the Rotunda da Boavista, with its magnificent war memorial and then walked to the station. It was a long trip on the A line to the Mercado at Matosinhos, David had visited this earlier in the day on his adventure, and had seen it full of stalls selling fish, but only a couple were still open when we walked round.
The 500 bus back into the city ran along the coast, right past the restaurant we had booked for lunch today, the Restaurante Homem do Leme. This was the same one we visited on day one of our trip and we loved it, so returned for an excellent lunch and even better wine!
The last treat of the day was a ride on an old tram. We caught the 500 bus again back into Foz, where the tram terminates. We had to queue for a while but it was definitely worth it. 6 euros each to ride back into the centre on the opposite side of the river to that which Geoff and I did this morning, and opposite our boat. It was a great ride and ended the day perfectly. A quick hop on the 906 back to our hotel, then a sundowner on the roof terrace – it doesn’t get much better than this.
Whilst I said yesterday that the cruise was brilliant, it has been enhanced by two days before and one after based in Porto which have given us a real flavour, not only of the main tourist sites, but the wider city, that where people actually live and work. It has been a real pleasure to experience all that we have, and we have been truly blessed with fabulous warm weather.
