Tuesday, 15 June 2010 14:06
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is proud to announce a new luxury ship, the Douro Spirit, along Portugal and Spain’s UNESCO World Heritage Douro River. In 2011, the NEW Douro Spirit will be the most elegant ship to sail through the magnificent Douro River Valley. The Douro Valley is being increasingly recognized for its wine making, natural beauty and exceptional value. Its wine heritage—Port—dates back over 2,000 years with the oldest demarcated wine region in the world. The Douro Valley is also a cultural landscape of exceptional beauty with rambling vineyards and charming quintas clinging to the steep slopes of its valley, creating an incomparable backdrop to one of Europe’s most unspoiled regions. And this is what you can expect to see and experience from the comfort of Uniworld’s new Douro Spirit. Every riverview stateroom and suite onboard features a French balcony, so guests can get closer than ever to the breathtaking scenery of the region’s unspoiled natural landscapes. Staterooms and suites also feature hotel beds draped in fine linens, built-in closets, flat-screen televisions with satellite, and complimentary bottled water; and each bathroom is stocked L’Occitane bath and body products. The Douro Spirit’s common areas provide added comfort with a main lounge featuring a full-service bar and dance floor, a restaurant, a sun deck with Jacuzzi® and small swimming pool, a lovely onboard restaurant with open seating, a fitness room, a massage room, a beauty salon, and a boutique. And all of this is presented on an intimate ship built to accommodate a maximum of 128 guests and provide the small-ship ambiance preferred by our experienced travelers. Of course, even a great ship is incomplete without a great itinerary. Explore the seven hills of cosmopolitan Lisbon, uncovering a treasure trove of Old World architecture. Visit Coimbra, the “Birthplace of Kings;” Porto, the beautiful “City of Bridges” with its UNESCO World Heritage-designated Medieval city center; Guimãres, which has its own UNESCO-listed Medieval city center. Taste a variety of wonderful local wines from village vineyards, including the famed Port wine. And, dine at the Vintage House Hotel, a magnificent18th-century wine quinta overlooking the Douro River. And all along the way, uncover a land of genuine beauty and breathtaking charm, as well as meet warmhearted, friendly people with welcoming open arms.
Uniworld’s
11-day Portugal, Spain & the Douro River Valley Cruise includes: three nights in Lisbon at a deluxe hotel with breakfast; a 7-night cruise in a stateroom with a French balcony onboard the new Douro Spirit; all meals with complimentary fine wine, beer, and soft drinks served with dinner onboard; 10 fully-hosted shore excursions by English-speaking local guides; and transfers on arrival and departure days. Prices start from $2,999 per person, exclusive of airfare. And, if the trip is paid in full at time of booking by October 31, 2010, travelers can enjoy up to $400 per person savings depending on the category stateroom.
Portugal National Tourist Office