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    Home » On the Road

    Portugal’s River of Gold : Cruising the Douro with Viking -Part One

    Published: Oct 30, 2019 · Modified: Aug 19, 2021 by Chef Dennis Littley

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    Portugal’s River of Gold had been on my bucket list for years and last summer I finally got to experience the beauty and deliciousness of that region on a Viking River Cruise.

    This post has been sponsored by Viking River Cruise. All opinions, text and images are 100% my own.

    people sitting in deck chairs on the end of the Viking Helgrim looking at the Douro Valley in Portugal

    Nothing is more relaxing than sitting on the deck of a small cruise ship as it sails through the countryside. Whether you’re lounging on one of the sofas or watching the world go by on a comfy rocker it’s a great place to be.

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    And there’s always a member of the crew trying to help make your day a little happier. Whether it’s with a taste of this delightful almond liqueur, a snack or just a kind word, the Viking crew knows how to keep their guests happy.

    Table of Contents:

    • What can I expect on a Viking Douro River Tour?
    • Where is the River of Gold?
    • What can you see in Lisbon and the surrounding area?
    • Where to stay in Lisbon?

    What can I expect on a Viking Douro River Tour?

    The optimum word in that description is tour. What makes this different from most Viking River Cruises is the length of the Douro River Valley that’s set up for Cruise Ships. And that accessibility limits the ports available.

    rooftop bar at hotel Tivoli Avenida Liberdade in Lisbon, Portugal

    The tour also includes time in Lisbon at a five-star hotel. The rooftop bar was a great spot for a cocktail, people watching and enjoying a view of the city. And Lisbon is ah-mazing! I could definitely live there.

    view of Commerce Square in Lisbon, Portugal

    The location is perfect for sightseeing with great restaurants, parks and the Tagus River within walking distance. Commerce Square down by the river was an easy walk. But if you get tired and need a taxi or Uber, don’t hesitate to call one. It will be the least expensive ride you’ve ever had. I’m not sure why prices are so low in Lisbon, but both Uber and taxis are inexpensive options.

    Where is the River of Gold?

    After your time in Lisbon, you’ll take a Viking motor coach to Porto where you’ll board your ship. We were onboard the Helgrim one of the newly commissioned “Baby Longships” on our River of Gold cruise in the Douro Valley.

    Viking Helgrim upper deck with pool in foreground with Douro Valley in background

    They’re smaller than the normal Viking Longship due to the constraints set by the Portuguese government. But you’ll find everything you love about a Viking cruise ship and even more! You can see the now have a pool on the upper deck.

    street car in lisbon

    We spent four days in Lisbon prior to leaving for Porto and our ship the Helmgrim. Two days were part of the Viking Cruise Tour. Lisbon still has streetcars that operate regularly and also provide an easy form of transportation.

    view down the street to an outside elevator in Lisbon, Portugal

    We also found an elevator that was included in the local transportation pass as well as an adventure and photo op for tourists.

    What can you see in Lisbon and the surrounding area?

    We added an additional two days to our stay so we would have more time to explore Lisbon and get acclimated to the time difference. Our four days in Lisbon was a delightful experience and left us wishing we had more time to explore the city.

    Menu handwritten on a tile wall at Damas in Lisbon

    The extra days gave us time to meet with friends that live in Lisbon for dinner. We ended up at Damas one of Lisbon’s best-kept secrets in the Graça’s district.

    Garlic Shrimp with the shell on in a small bowl at Damas restaurant in Lisbon

    Add it to your list of must-visit restaurants when you visit Lisbon. The restaurant is tapas style with its menu handwritten on the tile wall by the kitchen. These garlic shrimp were a hit of the evening!

    hand holding a Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata) with a bite out

    After dinner, we went back into the main part of the city and sampled Portugal’s signature pastry a custard tart called “Pasteis de Nata” at Pastelaria Versailles. Long known as the ‘grande dame’ of Lisbon’ Pastelaria Versailles was recently declared a part of the national heritage. Don’t miss this little gem when you visit Lisbon!

    view of the sea in Cabo de Roca Portugal

    Lisbon truly was a beautiful, safe city and I can see why my friends decided to move there. Seeing the city with the help of Viking Tour Guides made it even more enjoyable. On one of our excursions, we went to the westernmost point of Portugal, Cabo da Roca. It was truly breath-taking.

    Royal Palace with a fountain in front in Sintra, Portugal

    We also visited Sintra, a resort town in the foothills of Portugal’s Sintra Mountains, not far from Lisbon.

    cured meats and cheese on a rectangular piece of slate on a checkered tablecloth

    The town of Sintra was a little overcrowded and touristy for me but we did get a pretty amazing lunch on a side street in a small cafe. And it is a stop in Portugal you should make.

    people on the beach in Cascais, Portugal

    We also made it to the beach town of Cascais. This coastal resort town can be found just west of Lisbon and is known for its sandy beaches and busy marina. We were told we might see the president of Portugal there since he often frequented the beach and would happily take a selfie with us. Sadly he wasn’t on the beach that day.

    Chef Dennis and Lisa on the tree lined streets of Lisbon

    The world is your oyster when you travel with Viking. They take all the work out of the adventure, leaving you with time to enjoy the experience and discover the city on your own.

    inside the Time Out Market in Lisbon

    And we all know I love to eat! When you’re in Lisbon you must experience the Time Out Market!

    The Time Out Market is a great place for dinner, drinks and music. You’ll find 26 restaurants, 8 bars, and a dozen shops to keep you well-fed and happy.

    oysters on the half shell on a white plate

    From Oysters on the half-shell to some of the best beef you’ll find in the city, the Time-Out Market has something for everyone’s tastebuds.

    octopus tentacle on a hot dog roll with potato chips on the side

    And if you’re looking for something a little different sit down to this Octopus Hot Dog. It’s not really a hot dog but its what the locals refer to this creation as. And it was a popular item on the menu. 

    Where to stay in Lisbon?

    When you book a tour with Viking you can be assured that you’ll be staying in a 5-star hotel. On our trip, we stayed at the Tivoli Avenida Liberdade located in the center of town on the prestigious Avenida Liberdade.

    lobby of the Tivoli Hotel in Lisbon

    This was a beautiful property, centrally located so we could walk (or take an uber) into the city. And speaking of Uber they were plentiful and very inexpensive as were the taxis.

    white bowl with seafood and rice, know as a rice bowl in Lisbon

    We had cocktails on the rooftop overlooking the city and had an amazing dinner in their restaurant. This seafood rice bowl was ah-mazingly delicious and something I need to recreate at home. If you love good seafood the Restaurant Cervejaria Liberdade  inside the Tivoli Hotel is one of the best choices in Lisbon.

    Chef Dennis eating a pork kabob in Lisbon

    As you can see our Viking Cruises “River of Gold” Tour was pretty amazing. In Part One of this series, I’ve covered our time in Lisbon sharing what we saw and more importantly what I ate…..sigh. 

    In Part Two of this series, I’ll share our travels to Porto where we boarded our baby longship and all the deliciousness we enjoyed during our cruise on the Douro River aka The River of Gold.

    Click on the link if you’d like to learn more about Viking Cruises. You might also like these posts about my other cruise experiences.

    • My First Viking Cruise – The Danube Waltz
    • Visit Northern Burgundy on a Luxury Barge Cruise
    • Wine and Dine with Viking Cruises
    • What you need to know for your Disney Cruise

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Eva

      July 25, 2022 at 10:41 am

      Where is part 2- your review of Porto?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        July 25, 2022 at 11:25 am

        that is a good question, it seems to have disappeared from my blog. Thanks for pointing that out, and now I need to try and find it

        Reply
    2. Rosemary

      November 03, 2019 at 11:36 pm

      Love Lisbon and looking at your pictures took me down beautiful memory lane.The pasteis de nata, octopus and all the amazing wine. You can’t really go wrong. Love the variety of options at Time Out Market. A must visit experience in Lisbon. Looking forward to reading about the cruise 🙂

      Reply
    3. Swathi

      November 03, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      Looks like great place to visit. food looks awesome. Clear sky and sea. I wish I can make it some day. your pictures and post is awesome.

      Reply
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