In Roman times, the river was personified as a god, Durius.
One of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, the Douro flows from its source near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province across northern-central Spain and Portugal, to its outlet at Porto. 557 miles long in total, for 70 miles the river forms part of the national borderline between Spain and Portugal.
Rio Douro roughly translates from Portuguese as “river of gold,” a name that comes to life when the setting sun makes the waters gleam. But besides its beauty, the real treasures of the Douro are its grapes, which have been grown along its steeply rising banks and harvested to produce its legendary port wines for centuries.
On any of the dozens of week-long cruises offered by numerous river cruise lines, lucky passengers can explore a land filled with natural beauty, ancient wonders, and romantic, medieval architecture, stopping often to enjoy wine-estate tastings and opportunities to sample the world-famous local delicacies. Cruise the magical and enchanting Douro for your next vacation.
