Douro, Porto and Salamanca River Cruise with Porto Extension - MS Douro Elegance

Summary

Day 1 of extension - Braga & Guimarães - Today we'll say goodbye to our first-class vessel in Porto and head to the religious capital of Portugal, Braga. This conservative city is known for its Seman Santa - or Holy Week - as well as its historic centre dominated by Baroque churches. Founded by the Romans, Braga still shows traces of the empire with the ruins of an extensive bathing complex dating back to the 2nd century.  We'll visit Braga Cathedral, Sé de Braga, the oldest cathedral in Portugal, whose construction began over 1,000 years ago. The original structure has been added to throughout the last millennia in a mixture of several architectural styles, including a stunning Baroque nave decorated with gold ornamentation.  Later, we'll tour Guimarães, a UNESCO World Heritage site recognised for its unchanged architecture. There aren’t many cities that can claim they played foundational role in the history of their country, but Guimarães is a notable exception – it was the first capital of Portugal and the birthplace of its first king, King Afonso Henriques.  First, we visit the Paço do Duques de Bragançathe, the residence of the first Duke of Braganza in the 15th century. The palace has been restored to showcase its former glory, with displays of Flemish tapestries, medieval weapons, and an intricately decorated chapel with stained-glass windows. After some free time for lunch, our guide will show you further highlights of the town, which is dominated by an 11th-century castle - the birthplace of King Afonso. Close by is the Romanesque church, Igreja de São Miguel de Castelo, where the future king was baptized.  We return to Porto and check into our hotel, where we stay for three nights.Later, we'll tour Guimarães, a UNESCO World Heritage site recognised for its unchanged architecture. There aren’t many cities that can claim they played foundational role in the history of their country, but Guimarães is a notable exception – it was the first capital of Portugal and the birthplace of its first king, King Afonso Henriques.  First, we visit the Paço do Duques de Bragançathe, the residence of the first Duke of Braganza in the 15th century. The palace has been restored to showcase its former glory, with displays of Flemish tapestries, medieval weapons, and an intricately decorated chapel with stained-glass windows.After some free time for lunch, our guide will show you further highlights of the town, which is dominated by an 11th-century castle - the birthplace of King Afonso. Close by is the Romanesque church, Igreja de São Miguel de Castelo, where the future king was baptized.  We return to Porto and check into our hotel, where we stay for three nights.