Depart From: Overnight flight from the US

Arrive To: Flight arrival in Porto, Portugal from USA

Afternoon: Check in at your hotel in Porto and attend an early evening orientation meeting with your group. Please meet in the lobby at 5 PM.

Dinner: Welcome dinner in O Porto.

Evening: Evening at leisure to rest and relax.

Lodging: Mercure Porto Centro

Meals Included: Dinner

Note: Walking up to 4 KM over cobbled stone streets, expect some mild inclinations and hills.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at hotel

Morning: This morning you will have your local Art Historian give an introductory lecture on the history of Portugal. Afterwards you will leave the hotel for a lecture/field trip discovering the city of O Porto. Check out of rooms by 12:00 Noon and store luggage at the reception.

Lunch: Lunch on your own in Porto.

Afternoon: Continue the afternoon on your own. We meet again at the hotel in the late afternoon to transfer to the ship with our luggage. We overnight onboard the ship in O Porto this evening. Check into cabins around 5 PM, and have an ship orientation before dinner.

Dinner: Dinner on the ship.

Lodging: MS Infante

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet on board ship

Morning: This morning we set off by coach for our second visit of Porto. We have the opportunity to visit the cathedral (a fortified church from the 12th century), the Pàlacio da Bolsa, Clerigos church and tower, Liberdade Square and the Town Hall. We also visit a port wine cellar for some tastings in Vila Nova de Gaia, a commune located on the left bank of the Douro. Later we return on board for lunch and set sail.

Lunch: Lunch is served on board the ship.

Afternoon: This afternoon admire the wonderful landscapes and scenery as we cruise to Regua. We pass through the Crestuma and Carrapatello locks on our journey. The Carrapatello lock, at some 36 metres, is the highest in Europe. Later in the afternoon attend a lecture led by your Study Leader: Introduction to the Douro Region, its wines and landscape. We arrive in Regua around 8pm

Dinner: Dinner is served on board the ship.

Evening: Evening at leisure to rest and relax or enjoy some dancing in the lounge or take an evening walk in Regua.

Lodging: MS Infante

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Cruising the Historic Vineyard of the Douro Valley. Hiking Alvao Park and Reserve

Note: HIKER Program: Walk of 2½ to 3 hours, 7km (4.5miles) with a climb/incline of around 320m.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet is served on board the ship.

Morning: Today's PROGRAM FOR HIKERS(NOTE: Road Scholar will have an exclusive group and Group Leader only on the Hiking program): This beautiful walk provides an interesting route through the heart of the Natural Park of Alvão. Mountainous scenery, granite statues, deep valleys and remote villages line our route. ALTERNATIVELY for those not interesting in hiking Road scholar participants may join other ship passengers on a PROGRAM FOR NON HIKERS: set off on our trip to Vila Real, a town with a great variety of religious architecture. A little later, we have a beautiful walk through the magnificent gardens at Solar de Mateus. Both groups return on board at Pinhão for lunch

Lunch: Lunch is served on board the ship.

Afternoon: This afternoon we cruise through the heart of the most famous vineyards in Porto, passing alongside hills covered in vines planted in steps as high as 700 metres which cascade majestically down to the river banks. We pass through the lock at Valeira and arrive in Vega de Teron during the evening. Later in the afternoon, attend a lecture to learn more about the history of the Vineyards of the Douro."

Dinner: Dinner is served on board the ship.

Evening: After dinner on board, we are treated to an evening’s entertainment by the crew.

Lodging: MS Infante

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Extensive walking over cobbled stone streets and uneven sidewalks. Walking up to 2.5 miles in the morning and afternoon during the tour.

Breakfast: Breakfast is served on board the ship

Morning: This morning discover the city of Salamanca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. this morning before setting off on an excursion to Salamanca today where we have a guided visit. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this beautiful town has many extraordinary Roman, Arabic and Christian architectural treasures. We discover the ancient and new cathedrals, the Plaza Mayor, the house of Las Conchas (whose façade is covered with the scallop symbol of the Compostela pilgrims), the façade of the University in golden stone from the Villa Mayor quarries, the Roman Church of St Martin, the Clerecia (church of the Holy Spirit) and the Town Hall.

Lunch: Lunch will be at a local restaurant in Salamanca.

Afternoon: This afternoon continue your exploration of Salamanca. During our excursion, the ship continues its journey to Barca d’Alva where it awaits us when we return in the late afternoon.

Dinner: Special Spanish dinner is served on board the ship.

Evening: Enjoy a special Flamenco Dance show

Lodging: MS Infante

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: HIKER Program: Walk of 3 hours, 8km (5miles) with a climb/incline of around 530m

Breakfast: Our ship sails from Senhora da Ribeira early this morning, and we have breakfast on board as we cruise. Our cruise takes us past beautiful, wild landscapes and through impressive rocky gorges. We arrive in Ferradosa around 8am.

Morning: Today's PROGRAM FOR HIKERS(NOTE: Road Scholar will have an exclusive group and Group Leader only on the Hiking program): “Vultures’ Cliff”. This walk begins in a wild mountainous setting with magnificent panoramic views over the Douro and Spain. Located in the Douro Natural Park, famous for its protected flora and fauna, the route gives us the ideal opportunity to admire eagles, vultures and kites. Binoculars are strongly recommended. Picnic lunch is provided. ALTERNATIVELY for those not interesting in hiking Road scholar participants may join other ship passengers on a PROGRAM FOR NON HIKERS: set off for our excursion to Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo. Set high upon a rocky peak, in the middle of flat cultivated plains, this village with its restored narrow streets has managed to retain much authentic charm. From here there are wonderful views of the valley. We return on board for lunch

Lunch: Lunch is served on board the ship.

Afternoon: Spend the afternoon gently cruising along the Douro as we head for Senhora da Ribeira. This afternoon is the ideal time to relax on the sun deck and admire the magnificent scenery along the Douro Valley. We arrive at the end of the day in Senhora da Ribeira. During the afternoon attend a lecture led by your Study Leader.

Dinner: Dinner is served on board the ship.

Evening: Enjoy an early evening or join in the lounge for music and dancing

Lodging: MS Infante

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Senhora da Ribeira, Ferradosa, Pinhao, Regua and Walking the Vineyards of the Douro.

Note: HIKER Program: Walk of 4 hours, 14km (9miles) with a climb downwards/decline of around 500m

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet on board the ship.

Morning: Today's PROGRAM FOR HIKERS(NOTE: Road Scholar will have an exclusive group and Group Leader only on the Hiking program): We transfer by coach to São João da Pesqueira where we set off on our day’s walk through the vines. For those who love walking, this is a real paradise where nature has been protected (picnic is provided). Return on board around 3pm at Regua. ALTERNATIVELY for those not interesting in hiking Road scholar participants may join other ship passengers on a PROGRAM FOR NON HIKERS: Follow the wine route and stop at a panoramic viewing point in the middle of the vines for a tasting of Porto wines in a quinta. Rejoin the boat at Pinhão for lunch.

Lunch: Lunch is served on board the ship.

Afternoon: From Regua, we continue our cruise to Bitetos, where we arrive during the evening. Spend the afternoon enjoying the scenery and relaxing on deck.

Dinner: Dinner on board the ship.

Evening: Portuguese Fado presentation

Lodging: MS Infante

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: HIKER program: a flat, level walk of 2 to 2½ hours, 8km (5 miles).

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast onboard the ship

Morning: We spend this morning afloat, heading gently towards Porto, Attend a last lecture led by your Study Leader. We arrive in O Porto around 11am.

Lunch: Lunch is served on board the ship.

Afternoon: Today's PROGRAM FOR HIKERS(NOTE: Road Scholar will have an exclusive group and Group Leader only on the Hiking program): We walk along the banks of the Douro to its estuary, then we head south along the Atlantic shoreline. Throughout our walk we have breathtaking views of the town and the ocean. ALTERNATIVELY for those not interesting in hiking Road scholar participants may join other ship passengers on a PROGRAM FOR NON HIKERS: Enjoy an afternoon visit to Braga, often nicknamed “Portugal’s Rome”, thanks to its magnificent, religious architecture. Prior to dinner join your Road Scholar Group Leader for a cocktail in the lounge and a brief program wrap up.

Dinner: Farewell dinner on board the ship.

Evening: Enjoy a Portuguese Folkloric Show.

Lodging: MS Infante

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet on board the ship.

Morning: This morning we transfer to the airport. Transfer times are in the morning and all passengers must be off the ship by 9 AM.

Meals Included: Breakfast