2026 – France & Iberia Cruise (Part 2)
OPORTO
Our next port of call, better known locally as Porto. We chose a tour of the local fishing village and were surprised to find that Frances and I were joined by just one other couple from a shipboard complement of some 650 guests. Since researching Oporto, we may have chosen our trip unwisely. That said, we enjoyed our virtual private trip and got to know our guide very well. Knowing we’d miss some of the famous port wine cellars (my favourite being Fonseca), our guide arranged a short stop at a small but exclusive port house.
Porto sits on the north bank of the river, while Vila Nova de Gaia (to the left in the photo above) is famous for its Port wine cellars, which lie directly across on the south bank. Rabelo boats are the traditional wooden cargo boats once used to transport port wine barrels down the river. The narrow, cobbled streets of Ribeira on the north bank are dotted with small bars and eateries serving classic Portuguese fare like grilled sardines.
LISBON
Our third visit this year to this wonderful coastal capital and Portugal’s largest city on the Tagus River estuary. Two one-day visits by cruise ship and a week booked to explore this exciting city and its environs. After exploring Lisbon during our recent visit, we chose to walk from the cruise terminal to Belém Fort. A riverside walk of some 8 miles.
Our tired legs were rewarded with a carton of the famous PASTÉIS DE BELÉM and a Tuk Tuk ride back to the cruise ship terminal. You can view my blog and photos from our last visit to Lisbon by following this link.