On this tour along the Douro River, we’ll reveal how Porto and Portugal became a naval and colonial empire, thanks to their brave explorers. Located at Europe’s edge, with only Spain and the Atlantic Ocean as neighbors, Portugal was pushed to seek fortune beyond the known world, sparking revolutions in trade, navigation, and naval engineering.

Though Portuguese ships sailed far and wide, Portugal also conquered palates with grilled sardines and salted cod, all perfectly paired with wine—not just famous Port wine, but also refreshing vinho verde. In our tours, there’s always room for gastronomy; after all, life isn’t lived by history alone. And when we talk wine, we talk about Gaia—the neighboring city where you get the best views of Porto.

We’ll explore the rise of an empire, its decline, and its rebirth through early attempts at modernization—a country that often marched to a different beat than the rest of Europe. We’ll share stories of eternal allies like the English and their legendary club.

France also left its mark, through one very famous Frenchman you might know: Eiffel. Yes, the same one with the tower—who gifted Porto a stunning bridge with its own fascinating history.

But that’s not all: floods, cork, graffiti, and the city’s reputation as an undefeated fortress (SPOILER: it wasn’t) will all be part of our tales.

Our route winds through ancient walls, iconic neighborhoods, breathtaking viewpoints, and historic bridges—filled with stories, thousands of them: sad and happy, heroic and cowardly, admirable and infamous.

OPTIONAL: At the end, you can join the 6 Bridges River Cruise, sailing between Porto and Gaia and admiring the breathtaking bridges that connect these two historic cities.