Cruising the Douro, River of Gold with CroisiEurope
June 16-28, 2026
The Douro river offers some of the best scenery of any river cruise in Europe.
Travac Tours is pleased to be offering a special cruise on the Douro and into the heart of Portugal and Spain’s wine country at an incredible price.
Travac’s river cruise includes round trip airfare from Canada, an eight day seven night river cruise on the Douro River with refined French cuisine (three meals a day), all your drinks with meals and at the bar (specialty drinks excluded), a gala dinner and evening, a host of onboard activities, two nights’ accommodation in the vibrant city of Lisbon with breakfast daily, one night’s accommodation in Fatima, one night’s accommodation in Porto, and the services a Travac Tours Director.
Space is limited- early booking is essential to take part in this fabulous adventure!
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
Ottawa to Lisbon
This late afternoon, we will depart Ottawa by chartered coach for Montreal, where we will board our overnight Air Transat flight to Lisbon.
Day 2
Arrival in Lisbon
Upon our arrival in Lisbon, we will be transferred to our hotel. Check-in is not available until mid-afternoon. Your Travac Tour Director will have a few options to help you discover this fabulous city. (B)
Your hotel for the next 2 nights – Hotel HF Fenix Urban or similar.
Day 3
Lisbon
After breakfast, we will depart for an included full-day tour of Lisbon led by a knowledgeable local guide. A stop will be made for lunch ($). Expect to return to the hotel in the early evening. (B)
Day 4
Lisbon to Fatima
We will travel North from Lisbon to Fatima after breakfast. Before checking in, we’ll visit an important religious pilgrimage site the Catholic shrine of Our Lady, one of the most famous in the world with lunch included. (B, L)
Your overnight hotel – Hotel Santa Maria or similar.
Day 5
Fatima to Porto
Enjoy breakfast before we continue north to Porto. Along the way, we’ll stop in Coimbra for a walking tour, with free time for lunch ($) before arriving in Porto. Upon arrival, you will board your ship, MS Gil Eanes, at 5:00 p.m. After settling comfortably into your cabins, join us for a welcome cocktail and crew introduction before dinner. In the evening, you may choose to take an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion by coach to experience Porto by night. (B, D)
Your ship for the next 7 nights – MS Gil Eanes.
Day 6
Porto – Regua
Join us for the excursions proposed: CLASSIC: Guided tour of Porto. We’ll leave for Porto’s city center by coach. Our first stop will be a tour of St. Francis Church. A stone’s throw from the Douro riverbank, it is among the most symbolic buildings in Porto. We’ll then head over to see the inside of Bolsa Palace—also known as the Stock Exchange Palace—a magnificent, neoclassical mansion in the heart of the historic downtown. The next stop will be an azulejo tile workshop. This tour is a unique occasion to discover this age-long art form. We’ll return to the ship.
DISCOVERY: Touring Porto via tram and visiting the tram museum followed by a tasting of some of the local specialties in the old city.
In the afternoon, we’ll cruise through the Douro Valley with its fabulous landscapes. Enjoy an evening of dancing or time at leisure in Regua tonight. (B, L, D)
Day 7
Regua – Vega De Terron
Join us on an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion: the Casa de Mateus and the Douro museum. We’ll leave on foot for the Douro Museum to learn about the passionate history and wine-making heritage in the region, an experience combining traditional and modern approaches. We’ll continue on by coach for Mateus Palace, a beautiful 18th-century manor in Vila Real. This baroque-style manor belonged to the same family until a foundation was set up to preserve it in 1970. The dramatic splendor and details of the complex offer a unique visual relationship between geometry and space. Enjoy a stroll through the magnificent tree- and hedge-lined gardens, which include a romantic Mexican-cedar topiary tunnel. After, we’ll return to the ship in Pinhão by coach. In the afternoon, the cruise continues to the heart of the most famous vineyards in Porto to Vega de Terron. We’ll arrive in the evening. Enjoy an evening of Flamenco entertainment. (B, L, D)
Day 8
Vega De Terron – Salamanca – Barca d’Alva
Join us for the excursions proposed:
CLASSIC: Salamanca. This town of dazzling beauty houses some extraordinary Roman, Arabic, and Christian architectural treasures.
DISCOVERY: Salamanca tapas tour.
We’ll return on board in Barca d’Alva. Enjoy an evening of entertainment. (B, L, D)
Day 9
Barca d’Alva – Ferradosa – Pinhao
This morning will be spent cruising. Join us on an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion: Port Wine Route and Pinhão. Tonight’s our gala dinner and evening. (B, L, D)
Day 10
Pinhao – Porto
Join us on an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion: Guided tour of Lamego. This afternoon will be spent cruising. Enjoy an evening of Fado-themed entertainment. (B, L, D)
Day 11
Porto
This morning, enjoy time at leisure in Porto. In the afternoon, join us for the optional excursions proposed:
CLASSIC: Discover Guimaraes.
DISCOVERY: Quaint Afurada.
Enjoy an evening of traditional folk entertainment. (B, L, D)
Day 12
Porto
Enjoy one final buffet breakfast on board before disembarking the ship at 9:00am. After leaving the ship, we’ll visit the WOW Museum, a unique collective of six different museums, for a self-guided experience. Lunch will be on your own at your leisure. Following the museum visit, we’ll head to the hotel in time for check-in at 3:00pm. The remainder of your day will be free. (B)
Your overnight hotel – Hotel HF Ipanema Park or similar.
Day 13
Porto to Ottawa
Early this morning you will be transferred from the hotel to the airport for your flight to Montreal. On arrival in Montreal, there will be a chartered coach for your return to Ottawa. (B)
Itinerary and hotels are subject to change. Cruise itinerary is subject to change by cruise line.
Please note this is not an appropriate tour for individuals with walking disabilities or limitations. No walkers or wheelchairs are permitted. Accessible rooms are not available.
Hotel Information
Hotel HF Fenix Urban or similar
Hotel Address
Av. António Augusto de Aguiar 14LIsbon, Portugal
1050-016
+351 21 351 5000
Hotel Santa Maria or similar
Hotel Address
R. de Santo António 79, Cova da IriaFatima, Portugal
2495-430
+351 249 530 110
MS Gil Eanes (ship)
Hotel HF Ipanema Park or similar
Hotel Address
R. de Serralves 124Porto, Portugal
4150-702
+351 22 532 2121
Canary Islands and the Costa del Sol, Spain
February 3-25, 2026
Tenerife is the island of a thousand experiences. You can get lost in nature, relax on the beach, climb Teide (a local volcano), go shopping, see a show, walk the old town cobbles or simply enjoy life at your leisure. In Tenerife, options for your leisure time are endless thanks to its year-round climate, natural surroundings and tourist infrastructure designed to let you make the most of your holiday.
The Costa del Sol region of southern Spain is remarkable for its diverse landscapes, fabulous beaches and coastal sites as well as a wealth of small villages that dot the shore line. This Mediterranean coastline is one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations, hosting millions of tourists on an annual basis. Villages have grown into robust towns with great restaurants, shopping and nightlife. The area’s history dates back thousands of years and it has developed a unique and warm culture that defines the region.
This fabulous three week program will feature stays at the Sunset Beach Club in the Costa del Sol and the Hotel Semiramis in Tenerife.
The Sunset Beach Club consists mostly of one-bedroom hotel apartments, all with their own terrace and fully equipped kitchenette- an ideal choice for a delightful vacation. The resort also has a restaurant, bakery, bar and supermarket on site. Two swimming pools and entertainment most evenings make this fabulous property one of the most sought after in the Costa Del Sol region. Upgrades to sea view and deluxe sea view rooms are available for an additional cost.
This welcoming holiday has limited space- early booking is essential!
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
Depart from Canada
Departure from Ottawa to Montreal via private motorcoach. You will arrive at the Montreal airport 3 hours prior to your flight time. Your flight with Air Transat from Montreal to Malaga. Our office staff will be happy to give you more flight details.
Day 2 - 11
Costa del Sol, Benalmadena (no meals)
Upon arrival, you will be transferred by private motor coach to the Sunset Beach Club in the Costa del Sol. Your Travac Tours Director will assist you with check-in.
The Sunset Beach Club is a four-star resort hotel located beachfront in the popular holiday destination of Benalmadena in the Costa del Sol. Accommodations consist of one bedroom hotel apartments, all with their own balcony and kitchen, making it an ideal choice for a delightful vacation. The towns of Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Málaga, Fuengirola, Mijas and Marbella are all close by and can be easily reached by public transportation. You will also have the opportunity to visit some of the cities ($) in the region including Seville, Malaga, Granada and the jewel of the Mediterranean, Gibraltar. There are also local markets in each village that operate on different days of the week. For independent travelers, car rentals ($) can easily be arranged at the hotel. Details and costs of these tours will be presented to you on your second day in Spain.
Day 12
Fly from Malaga to Tenerife
Today you will be transferred to the Malaga airport for your flight to Tenerife. The office staff will be happy to give you flight details. Upon arrival in Tenerife, you will be transferred by private motorcoach to Hotel Best Semiramis. Your Travac Tours Director will assist you with check-in.
Day 13 - 21
Tenerife, Puerto de la Cruz (includes breakfast and dinner daily)
Your time in the Canary Islands is at your leisure. Hotel Best Semiramis is a comfortable four-star hotel in the quiet residential area of La Paz, 1.5 kilometers from the center of Puerto de la Cruz and the entertainment complex of Lago Martiánez. It offers unbeatable views of the sea and the north coast of Tenerife.
Your Travac Tours Director will assist you with optional tours and activities throughout your stay. Details and costs of these tours will be presented to you locally in Tenerife.
Day 22
Fly from Tenerife to Malaga
Today you will be transferred to Tenerife North airport for your flight to Malaga. Our office staff will be happy to give you flight details. Upon arrival in Malaga, you will be transferred by private motorcoach to your overnight hotel (Sol Principe). Your Travac Tours Director will assist you with check-in.
Day 23
Return to Canada
Today you will be transferred to Malaga airport via private coach for your flight with Air Transat to Montreal. Once you arrive in Montreal you will proceed through customs and pick up your luggage. Return from Montreal to Ottawa via private motorcoach.
**Itinerary and flights are always subject to change**
Day 23
Back to Canada
Today you will be transferred to Malaga airport via private coach for your flight with Air Transat to Montreal direct. You will meet up with your Travac Tours Director at the baggage claim and he/she will transfer with you via private motorcoach back to Westgate Mall. Our office staff will be happy to give you more flight details.
Itinerary and flights are subject to change.
Hotel Information
Sunset Beach Club (Costa del Sol)
Hotel Address
Av. del Sol, 5Málaga, Spain
29630
+34 952 57 94 00
Hotel Semiramis (Canary Islands)
Hotel Address
Calle Leopoldo Cólogan Zulueta, 12Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
38400
+34 922 37 32 00
Sol Principe (Malaga)
Hotel Address
P.º del Colorado, 26, 29620Torremolinos, Málaga, Spain
+34 952 38 41 00
Portugal- Cerro Mar Atlantico and Cerro Mar Garden
Experience the unique beauty and charm of the Algarve!
Portugal’s Algarve province, with its magnetic Moorish appeal, has become a Mecca for snowbirds trying to escape the harsh reality of winter. It’s also one of Europe’s most picturesque and friendly holiday destinations. The Algarve is what most of us envision the Mediterranean to be. The whitewashed villages cascade into the sea. Cobblestoned streets are lined with outdoor cafes, bistros, wine bars, and markets full of fresh fruits and vegetables. The weather is wonderfully spring like and invigorating.
Your Portugal holiday includes transportation (as selected), accommodation (as selected), local transfers (airport/hotel/airport), and the services of a Travac Tours Director while at your destination.
Early booking is your best guarantee of enjoying this great holiday.
2026 Packages to Cerro Mar Atlantico and Cerro Mar Garden:
Albufeira, Portugal
