Lively, commercial Oporto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. Also called Porto for short, the word easily brings to mind the city’s most famous product – port wine. Oporto’s strategic location on the north bank of the Douro River has accounted for the town’s importance since ancient times. The Romans built a fort here where their trading route crossed the Douro, and the Moors brought their own culture to the area. Oporto profited from provisioning crusaders en route to the Holy Land and enjoyed the riches from Portuguese maritime discoveries during the 15th and 16th centuries. Later, port wine trade with Britain compensated for the loss of the spice trade and the end of gold and gem shipments from Brazil. In the 19th century, the city went through a period of new prosperity with the rise of industries. In its wake followed the building of workers’ quarters and opulent residences. Since the declaration of Oporto as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city aims to build up a cultural reference that will provide it with a new image, based on deep historical roots. Among the attractions that make Oporto such an interesting place are its graceful bridges spanning the Douro River, a picturesque riverfront quarter and, most notable, its world-famous port wine lodges. Although Oporto is a bustling centre and home to many different businesses, the source of its greatest fame is the rich, sweet fortified red wine we know as port.
Arrive in Porto, the port city at the mouth of the Douro.
Lively, commercial Oporto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. Also called Porto for short, the word easily brings to mind the city’s most famous product – port wine. Oporto’s strategic location on the north bank of the Douro River has accounted for the town’s importance since ancient times. The Romans built a fort here where their trading route crossed the Douro, and the Moors brought their own culture to the area. Oporto profited from provisioning crusaders en route to the Holy Land and enjoyed the riches from Portuguese maritime discoveries during the 15th and 16th centuries. Later, port wine trade with Britain compensated for the loss of the spice trade and the end of gold and gem shipments from Brazil. In the 19th century, the city went through a period of new prosperity with the rise of industries. In its wake followed the building of workers’ quarters and opulent residences. Since the declaration of Oporto as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city aims to build up a cultural reference that will provide it with a new image, based on deep historical roots. Among the attractions that make Oporto such an interesting place are its graceful bridges spanning the Douro River, a picturesque riverfront quarter and, most notable, its world-famous port wine lodges. Although Oporto is a bustling centre and home to many different businesses, the source of its greatest fame is the rich, sweet fortified red wine we know as port.
Portugal’s second city (after Lisbon), Porto gave its name to the nation’s most famous export, Port wine, and to the nation itself. Today, choose to explore Portugal on foot or by panoramic drive.
Today is all about wine, which has been cultivated in the Douro River Valley since ancient Roman times. Get a crash course on the history of Port during your visit to the Douro Museum.
Go medieval today at Castelo Rodrigo, both the name of a hilltop castle as well as the village that surrounds it. The view from the top is incredible and the village is a charming place to ramble, relax and replenish. Alternatively, lace up your hiking boots and unleash your inner Indiana Jones with an up-close gander at some prehistoric carvings at an archaeological park.
Today, you can visit the historic university town of Salamanca—the “Golden City”—famous for its sand-colored buildings and abundance of churches. Feel the centuries fall away as your ship winds its way through the pristine, dramatic UNESCO-protected landscapes of the Douro River Valley.
Head ashore for a choice of excursions, including a tasting at a prestigious Port wine estate or a vineyard hike with a wine tasting at a local quinta.
Lively, commercial Oporto is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. Also called Porto for short, the word easily brings to mind the city’s most famous product – port wine. Oporto’s strategic location on the north bank of the Douro River has accounted for the town’s importance since ancient times. The Romans built a fort here where their trading route crossed the Douro, and the Moors brought their own culture to the area. Oporto profited from provisioning crusaders en route to the Holy Land and enjoyed the riches from Portuguese maritime discoveries during the 15th and 16th centuries. Later, port wine trade with Britain compensated for the loss of the spice trade and the end of gold and gem shipments from Brazil. In the 19th century, the city went through a period of new prosperity with the rise of industries. In its wake followed the building of workers’ quarters and opulent residences. Since the declaration of Oporto as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city aims to build up a cultural reference that will provide it with a new image, based on deep historical roots. Among the attractions that make Oporto such an interesting place are its graceful bridges spanning the Douro River, a picturesque riverfront quarter and, most notable, its world-famous port wine lodges. Although Oporto is a bustling centre and home to many different businesses, the source of its greatest fame is the rich, sweet fortified red wine we know as port.
Explore Guimarães, the town where Portugal was born. Its well-preserved architecture and stylish young residents make it a pleasure to visit.
Set on seven hills on the banks of the River Tagus, Lisbon has been the capital of Portugal since the 13th century. It is a city famous for its majestic architecture, old wooden trams, Moorish features and more than twenty centuries of history. Following disastrous earthquakes in the 18th century, Lisbon was rebuilt by the Marques de Pombal who created an elegant city with wide boulevards and a great riverfront and square, Praça do Comércio. Today there are distinct modern and ancient sections, combining great shopping with culture and sightseeing in the Old Town, built on the city’s terraced hillsides. The distance between the ship and your tour vehicle may vary. This distance is not included in the excursion grades.
Disembark the ship and board a motorcoach, heading south through Portugal’s picturesque countryside to Lisbon where you will check in to your hotel.
Located on Cape Verde Deck
More information coming soon
The Coffee Station can be found on the Cape Verde Deck.
VILLAGE DAY
Get an in-depth look into the quaint destinations we visit and the local people who bring them to life.
LET’S GO
These active excursions feature walking, hiking, cycling, kayaking and golfing activities.
DO AS THE LOCALS DO
Experience life like a local, from riding the subway to stopping into a café for a local treat.
NIGHTS OUT
Private after-hours tours of popular attractions and fun local nightlife experiences.
From visiting a museum without the crowds to an after-hours tour of a famous landmark, these included, once-in-a-lifetime experiences are arranged privately for Uniworld guests.
Tasting cheese with a cheese affineur in Rüdesheim or cruising through the streets of Bordeaux in a retro sidecar–if going above and beyond is what you’re after, you’ll be sure to enjoy our selection of Masterpiece Collection optional experiences, available for an additional cost.
Guests looking to treat themselves and their loved ones to a private, extraordinary experience can arrange a Curated Service. These experiences can be booked onboard, are often accompanied with a private car and/or guide, are fully customizable, and provide guests with an opportunity to create an exceptionally special moment just for them.
The Lounge Bar can be found on Azores Deck.
The Shop can be found on Azores Deck.
You can find sun loungers and the pool on the Sun Deck.
The Reception can be found on Azores Deck.
The Wine Cellar can be found on Cape Verde Deck.
Located on the Madeira Deck.
Located on the Madeira Deck.
Travel has provided us the chance to give back and lift up others, and we strive to do so whenever possible. We focus on making a positive impact and advocating for environmental, social and economic responsibility with the help of our not-for-profit TreadRight Foundation. Founded in 2008 by our parent company, The Travel Corporation, our collective mission is to safeguard people, wildlife and the planet for generations to come and to #MakeTravelMatter.
People
We work with local artisans and small business everywhere we travel, so we can bring you authentic local experiences while also supporting the livelihoods of the people who make these communities special.
Planet
Every year, we find more ways to cut back on our carbon footprint, from committing to eliminate more than 60 types of single-use plastics to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 or sooner and ensuring that at least 50% of our electricity is renewable by 2025.
Wildlife
Partnering with leading wildlife organizations, we work to protect and rehabilitate elephant, rhino and big cat populations around the world, while also educating our guests on ethical wildlife experiences.
We’re Committed to Carbon Neutrality by 2030 or Sooner.
Our five-point plan starts with Measuring our emissions in order to Reduce and Offset our carbon footprint, supports third-party efforts to Remove the existing carbon in the atmosphere and forms critical partnerships so that we continue to Evolve. We’re also ensuring that at least 50% of our electricity is renewable by 2025.
You can get involved too! With our leading carbon offset provider, South Pole, you can purchase carbon offsets to cancel out the emissions produced by your travel. They have 700+ high quality and verifiable offset projects to choose from around the world.
Make Travel Matter® experiences
On our cruises and trips across our TTC family of brands, we offer a selection of included MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences. They are chosen for the positive environmental or social impact they have on the guests who experience them, and the people and places they visit, and they support one or more of the United Nation’s Global Goals.
Make Travel Matter® pledge
We’ve partnered with TreadRight and The Travel Corporation to launch the MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Pledge. Uniworld employees, alongside our 10,000 colleagues across 42 travel brands worldwide, have been asked to take this pledge to make travel matter and help protect people, the planet and wildlife. As travellers, travel providers and members of the global travel industry, this pledge serves as the next step in our long-standing commitment to sustainable tourism and conscious travel.
Say Goodbye to Single-Use Plastics
It is estimated that an additional eight million tons of plastic pour into our oceans every year. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, if nothing is done to push back against the deluge of plastics currently overwhelming our oceans there could be more plastic in the oceans than fish by 2050.
Under the guidance of The Travel Corporation and TreadRight, we will ban more than 60 types of single-use plastics across all operations—including straws, water bottles and plastic bags—by 2022. It’s all part of our commitment to ensure the environment remains vibrant for generations to come.
It’s best to pack for a range of weather conditions, depending on the season and regions visited. Wearing layers will allow you to easily adjust to temperature changes. Limiting your wardrobe to a simple mix-and-match color scheme will keep your bags to a minimum.
We recommend wearing comfortable, smart-casual clothing both onshore and onboard. We also suggest sturdy walking shoes, as you will do a significant amount of walking on shore excursions, often over cobblestones or uneven terrain. A sun hat, rain gear, and a coat or wrap for chilly evenings are useful items to have. For dining ashore, concerts, special events onboard, etc., men may want to bring a sports jacket and women a cocktail dress or pantsuit. Neckties are optional. Please note that shorts are not allowed at dinner aboard the ship.
Most ships have either a self-serve laundrette (with ironing board) or laundry service for an additional fee. Please contact info@uniworld.com to find out what services your ship offers. No dry cleaning services are available on any ship.
Kindly inform us in advance if you have specific dietary requests (e.g., low-fat, low-calorie, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegetarian, etc.). This information can be provided to us when completing your Passenger Information Form. We have a “Travelling Lite” menu for guests seeking more health-conscious options, as well as light lunches, vegetarian options, and generous buffets that offer something for everyone. We will do our very best to accommodate your needs given the resources available to us.
Select ships offer complimentary Wi-Fi access. Please view your ship’s specific information page on our website or email us at info@uniworld.com to find out if Wi-Fi is available onboard. Service may be briefly interrupted in remote areas, while sailing, or when moving through locks, and the speed will likely be slower than what you are used to back home.
For the comfort of all our guests, smoking is only permitted on the sun decks of our ships. Smoking is not permitted on motorcoaches. This policy applies to all forms of smoking materials including vapor e-cigarettes.
We also ask guests to refrain from smoking on shore excursions/tours, especially since many historical sites and other tourist attractions are now smoke-free as well.
There’s all-inclusive, and then there’s the unmatched level of inclusive luxurious amenities that only we provide. To ensure truly carefree and effortless travel, we’ve gone ahead and included it all–so the only thing you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy your vacation.