Wine is king in the Douro Valley(2)
The locks on the Douro are quite shallow and narrow by most river boat standards, which greatly limited the first boats in the marketplace. They were comfortable, clean, and small, often "kissing" the sides of the lock as they were cleared for their onward journey. Travelers did not go for the boat experience. They went to see the mist rising from the river in the early morning which revealed miles and miles of vineyards growing on a rugged mountainside. They went for the peace on the river, to watch the boats traverse the locks, to wave to the locals who cheered them along the way or to relax amidst the stunning scenery.
Clients who have taken the Douro River cruise tell me it compares to the Yangtze in China. If you are interested in seeing towns and cities which have left their mark on history, this is the wrong trip for you, but, if you want to see spectacular scenery and century old villages, don't miss it! For the wine lover, this river cruise is especially incredible, and, as the market demand for Douro has grown, I am happy to report the ships have gotten a whole lot nicer, too.
One of the most popular boat trips we sell at my travel agency is aboard an intimate boutique boat called the Douro Queen. Every September and October, this 130 passenger ship makes a 12-day run from Lisbon to Porto to give travelers a chance to enjoy the best time of year in the valley — the harvesting of the grapes. Not only do you get to taste plenty of local wines from the village vineyards, you get to visit Lisbon and the medieval town of Porto, but you go to Salamanca, Spain.
I might take the trip just to go to Salamanca again. This city is known for its famous university, which is one of the four most famous places of academic learning in the world. In a city of 160,000 population, 50,000 are students, so, as you might guess, it is a very lively, happening place.
Salamanca has been nicknamed the Golden City, not for its brain power, but because so many of its buildings are made of sandstone. Since sandstone never needs to be cleaned, the cathedrals, churches and university look almost as good as the day when they were first built in the 1200s. What an amazing place to visit.
