Why Europe s golden waterway could be first in line for river cruisers
Portugal s inclusion on the green list means Douro river cruises could be a proposition for Brits once more
The Douro is sometimes called the River of Gold
Credit: gkuna/iStockphoto
It is a glorious way to sail, soporifically along Portugal’s Douro river, its flowing waters as silky smooth as the port wines this region famously produces.
And with the country making an appearance on the UK’s debut travel ‘green list’ announced on Friday May 7, those looking to cruise though the dramatic gorges of the Douro Valley have been given a big confidence boost.
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A few years ago, I found myself with a couple of days to spare in Porto (as one does), the historic coastal city where Portugal’s sweet, fortified red was traditionally made and shipped out (mostly) to its favorite market, Great Britain. During the days, I prowled the old port cellars themselves, marshaled along Vila Nova de Gaia, and explored the breathtakingly terraced vineyards along the Douro River. In the evenings, though, I set myself a challenge on a different wine front a how-low-can-you-go experiment with bottles of dry red from a tiny corner wine shop near my hotel. Turns out, low indeed. Even dipping under $10, the wines were sound and pleasing; moving up from there, they became complex and fascinating dark-fruited, earthy, spicy and structured.
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Portugal could soon be added to holiday green list
Credit: Getty
In the new dawn of travel, when the starting gun has sounded and we are all longing for a taste of the unknown, exotic or merely different, Portugal is that rare thing of being near but with beaches that rival the Caribbean, of being foreign but familiar. Best of all, they love us. After all, Portugal is England’s oldest ally – with a friendship formalised in 1386 when Richard II of England agreed the Treaty of Windsor with John I of Portugal, promising, among other things, “If in time to come… we shall need the support of the other, the ally shall be bound to give aid and succour to the other”.