Portugal has long stood in the shadow of her powerful neighbor on the Iberian Peninsula. With 3,000 years of history dating to the time when Greek and Phoenician traders established settlements here, Portugal was once part of the Roman Empires. It was not until the mid-12th century that Portugal emerged as a nation with its own culture and language, only to become a super power in the New World by the 15th century.

You can journey along the picturesque Douro river on the M.S. Douro Prince. Completely rebuilt in 2002, the ship is a comfortable, first-class 48-passenger riverboat, an ideal size, perfectly suited the river itself with its low bridges and small locks.

We travel through mountainous scenery, winding past terraced vineyards, and barcos rabelos, long hollow boats with large square sails that carry the heavy casks of Port wind downriver. In 2001, UNESCO named the Alto Douro River Region a World heritage Site, along with the previously honored historic city centers of Lisbon, Porto, and Salamanca. Between Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city, and the lovely hilltop town of Porto, we will explore amazing architectural wonders, and stay at the Pousada Santa Cristina.

Now it is your turn to discover Portugal and venture into the western edge of Spain, revealing the very heart of Iberia along one of the greatest rivers.