Intoxicating beauty of the River of Gold

ENCOUNTER quaint medieval towns and villages, ancient cities, Unesco World Heritage sites and verdant vineyards on Portugal’s Douro (above), one of Europe’s most photogenic river valleys. Leaving the romantic, pastel-coloured metropolis of Porto behind, Emerald Radiance follows the river’s twists and turns first to Pinhao. Surrounded by terraced hillsides strewn with grapevines, this beautiful village boasts some of the world’s best port. Five further captivating stops include exquisite Salamanca, Spain, with its grand squares and medieval buildings — a sight to behold. You’ll have plenty of time to explore its delicious tapas bars and listen to the traditional Spanish music that fills the streets, before returning to the ship for an evening barbecue on the terrace. So much to make your holiday memorable is rolled into a 2019 Secrets of the Douro cruise with Emerald Waterways — including a rural dinner experience at Quinta da Pachea, guided walks through vineyards, and even the option of guided canoeing. Seeing the glorious glow cast on the river by the sun and the vine-covered hills that rise from it, unchanged for centuries, you’ll soon come to understand why the Douro is called the River of Gold.