I didn’t realize the degree we covered on our recent Ama Waterways River Cruise. So much. Here’s another post on our luxury European vacation to Portugal and Spain.
We spent a balance of time in Portugal visiting a few small villages on the west side of the Douro River. In Lamego, hubby and I got our cardio workout. How? We climbed 686 steps.
What were we thinking of hiking that grand Baroque staircase? Oh, to view the 18th-century Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies Chapel overlooking the city of Lamego. We needed Our Lady of Remedies after that adventure. My hot stone spa treatment sufficed the next day.
Lamego is admired for its fantastic ray of decor and is known for its gastronomic treats. The delicacies include smoked ham, roasted goat with rice, stuffed trout with bacon, and delicious pastries worth the short visit for the day.
The Lawsons and the Hargroves did enjoy a Bôlas tasting and gastro treats while in Lamego, as well as another distinctive sparkling wine.
Spain has haciendas, and Portugal has quintas. The Portuguese quintas are private agricultural and garden estates with vineyards, olive groves, or cork trees. How about Quinta de Aveleda?
The Quinta de Aveleda was was established in 1671 with Manuel Pedro Guedes (1837 – 1899). Currently, the estate is the largest Vinho Verde (green wine) exporting company and has been a family-owned business since 1870.
And yes, another wine tasting with a good ole Sunday dinner on the premises. My new name for the Ama Waterway European River Cruises is a Vino cruise.
Castelo Rodrigo is one of Portugal’s twelve historical villages. The town features narrow streets, ruins of the former palacPalace Rocamadour Church, and an old Jewish quarter with its cistern and mikvah. In the past, Castelo Rodrigo was always a place where Jews, Muslims, and Christians lived in peace and harmony.
The ancient settlement of Castelo Rodrigo, located on the border of Spain, is next on the daily schedule. The ride to the tiny and charming fortified historic village overlooking Spain was a bit scary. We saw very few people and cars passing us as the tour bus drove to and from the site.
However, someone alerted the merchants of our arrival. The Welcome Wagon offered free samples of sparkling wine and the most delicious almonds. The gourmet gift shops provided an excellent selection of non-traditional souvenirs, i.e., chic little containers of olive oil, bags of almonds, small bottles of port wine, and cork products.
The last port of call on the Douro River Pinhão, the location of the must-see train station adorned with one of the best collections of “azulejos” ceramic tiles.
The idea of covering walls, floors, and even ceilings with tiles is credited to the Moor influence in Spain and Portugal. From the 16th century onwards, Portugal started producing decorative tiles. The advantage of using ceramic tiles is that they are easy to clean, need little upkeep, and are great for keeping a place fresh.
Also, in Pinhão, the Croft family’s Quinta Da Roêda. According to its website, Croft is one of the most distinguished porthouses. Founded in 1588, it is the oldest firm still active as a Port Wine producer.
Roēda means noise in Portuguese. Roêda recognized as one of the great Port vineyards. In the Douro Valley, there is a common saying: ‘If the wine district were a golden ring, Roêda would be the diamond.’ Poet Vega Cabral, 19th century.
On our last night on the Douro River, we were invited to dine at the Captain’s table after farewell cocktails. It was a perfect end of our 7th evening vacation on the river cruise ship to commemorate our wedding anniversaries.
But wait, there’s still more after disembarkation from the Ama Waterways River Cruise ship, including a bus ride to the first adventure in Salamanca, Spain.
Salamanca is a city in the northwest part of Spain. The town itself is considered one of the most spectacular Renaissance cities in all of Europe. The first impression is a panoramic view of the region, the Hotel Alameda Palace (How about my first attempt at a bathroom mirror selfie?) for lunch, and a walking tour to see the University of Salamanca and Old Town Center.
Next is the vibrant international city of Madrid. How about our hotel? The Westin Palace, Madrid, was commissioned in 1912 by King Alfonso XIII for suitable accommodations in Madrid. The Palace is the first hotel in Spain to have a bathroom and telephone in each guest room. And our suite had a doorbell.
How about breakfast every morning under the magnificent stained-glass dome? The dome reminds me of the Plaza Hotel when you have afternoon tea.
The local guides provided a panoramic bus tour of Madrid’s culture, which is well represented by Prado, their world-class museum, the history, art, literature, Flamenco music/dance, and bullfights.
Talk about living large. How about the Royal Palace of Madrid? It is the official residence of the Spanish royal family, although it is now only used for state ceremonies. We were among the large crowd watching the Solemn Changing of the Guards on the first Wednesday of each month.
The last day of our European vacation was spent not touring the ancient city of Toledo but casually walking around town, visiting the Prado Museum, alfresco dining, and wishing for more time in this exciting place.
How about my fascination with Portuguese pavements? It is my understanding that after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake in Portugal, an excessive amount of granite was used to rebuild the city, mainly for sidewalks.
Oh, and the Portuguese desserts, mainly the Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese egg custard tart)—yum yum. The pastéis de Nata was created before the 18th century by Catholic monks in Lisbon.
Now, the Douro River locks. On our Seine River Cruise, we passed through the locks at night when we traveled to the next city. On his trip, the Portuguese section of the Douro River had five locks we passed through during the day. Because of the daylight, we could witness how the ship lifts to a higher elevation. And did you know you/we pay to pass through these locks?
Finally, I’m happy to say I didn’t overpack for this European vacation. There was no need to mail purchases home or pay the fee for chockfull bags. I wore everything that I took on this trip. I learned how to pack and travel light when I took a carry-on to Miami last summer for my hot girl weekend.
Do you have plans for a European vacation? If so, share it in the comments sections via Disqus or Facebook.
As always, thank you for reading. Have a fabulous week.
