We boarded the Royal Barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, in Porto, a lovely old town that tumbles down the river banks to the Douro. It is best known as the home of port wine.
We cruised up-river through vineyards and villages, following the route of the railway line that used to go to Salamanca in Spain, and passing through some of the deepest locks in Europe.
The first port of call was Pinhao where much of the port wine was loaded initially onto boats, and later onto trains, to be transported to Porto. Pinhao railway station is decorated with wonderful blue and white tiles.
The ancient pilgrimage town of Lamego has an impressive cathedral and the Shrine of Our Lady of Remedies Sanctuary reached by a 686 step Baroque staircase
The medieval hilltop town of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo looks as if it has been unchanged for centuries. The ruined castle dominates the landscape for miles and miles and there are several interesting churches on the Pilgrims' Way to Santiago..
When we reached the Spanish border, the river became unnavigable, so we took a coach through empty mountainous landscape to the grand city of Salamanca with its two cathedrals and the oldest university in Spain.
Back in Portugal, the most beautiful place we visited was the Mateus Palace, the home of Mateus Rosé, with its stunning gardens, chapel and winery.
