Avalon Waterways

Daily Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Lisbon

   Portugal

   

   Lisbon, Portugal's enchanting capital, stands out for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture. Must-try experiences include savoring local dishes like bacalhau à brás and pastéis de nata at Mercado da Ribeira. The best time to visit is during the spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the city is alive with festivals and events.

2. Day 2

   Lisbon

   Portugal

   

   Lisbon, Portugal's enchanting capital, stands out for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture. Must-try experiences include savoring local dishes like bacalhau à brás and pastéis de nata at Mercado da Ribeira. The best time to visit is during the spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the city is alive with festivals and events.

3. Day 3

   Lisbon

   Portugal

   

   Lisbon, Portugal's enchanting capital, stands out for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture. Must-try experiences include savoring local dishes like bacalhau à brás and pastéis de nata at Mercado da Ribeira. The best time to visit is during the spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the city is alive with festivals and events.

4. Day 4

   Lisbon

   Portugal

   

   Lisbon, Portugal's enchanting capital, stands out for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture. Must-try experiences include savoring local dishes like bacalhau à brás and pastéis de nata at Mercado da Ribeira. The best time to visit is during the spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the city is alive with festivals and events.

5. Day 4

   Lisbon

   Portugal

   

   Lisbon, Portugal's enchanting capital, stands out for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture. Must-try experiences include savoring local dishes like bacalhau à brás and pastéis de nata at Mercado da Ribeira. The best time to visit is during the spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the city is alive with festivals and events.

6. Day 4

   Porto

   Portugal

   

   Porto, set dramatically on the granite bluffs above the Douro River, is among Europe's most romantically dishevelled cities — a place where baroque church towers rise above terracotta rooftops and century-old azulejo tilework lines every alley. Cross the iron Dom Luís I Bridge for sweeping views and descend into Vila Nova de Gaia's atmospheric wine lodges for a tasting of aged tawny port direct from the barrel. Seafood is magnificent: salt cod prepared a hundred ways, barnacles glistening with lemon, and custard tarts still warm from the oven. Spring and early autumn offer the finest conditions.

7. Day 5

   Mainz

   Germany

   

   Mainz is where the modern world was printed into existence: Johannes Gutenberg's invention of movable-type printing around 1440 transformed this ancient Rhine city into the birthplace of the information age, a legacy honoured at the extraordinary Gutenberg Museum, home to one of the surviving original Bibles. The Romanesque cathedral of St. Martin, built over a millennium from the year 975, anchors a charming old town of wine taverns and market squares where Rhenish Rieslings flow freely. Visit between spring and autumn for the famous Mainz Wine Market held beside the Rhine. A day-cruise port with surprising cultural depth.

8. Day 5

   Porto

   Portugal

   

   Porto, set dramatically on the granite bluffs above the Douro River, is among Europe's most romantically dishevelled cities — a place where baroque church towers rise above terracotta rooftops and century-old azulejo tilework lines every alley. Cross the iron Dom Luís I Bridge for sweeping views and descend into Vila Nova de Gaia's atmospheric wine lodges for a tasting of aged tawny port direct from the barrel. Seafood is magnificent: salt cod prepared a hundred ways, barnacles glistening with lemon, and custard tarts still warm from the oven. Spring and early autumn offer the finest conditions.

9. Day 6

   Regua

   Portugal

   

   Régua, gateway to Portugal's vertiginous Douro Valley wine country, sits at the point where the river enters its most dramatic gorge — terraced vineyards climbing impossible slopes on every side, their schist walls a testament to generations of viticultural determination. The Wine Museum in Pinhão's art nouveau azulejo station captures the region's soul, while the great quintas — Ramos Pinto, Croft, Niepoort — open their cellars for intimate tastings of vintage port and luminous dry whites. Harvest season in September and October transforms the valley into a festival of colour and ferment.

10. Day 7

    Pocinho

    Portugal

    

    Pocinho marks the easternmost navigable point of the Douro River — the terminus of the valley where port wine's history began and where the landscape reaches its most elemental and dramatic expression: near-vertical schist slopes terraced into vineyard stairways, the river running silver between them in the early morning light. The restored rabelo boats that once carried casks of wine downriver are now a romanticised memory, but the valley's working quintas welcome visitors for tastings of the upper Douro's increasingly celebrated unfortified wines. The Douro International Natural Park, bordering Spain, protects rare Egyptian vulture colonies on the surrounding plateau. September through October, during harvest, is the unmissable season.

11. Day 8

    Barca d’Alva

    Portugal

    

    Barca d'Alva, a remote frontier village at the uppermost navigable point of the Douro River, marks the eastern terminus of Portuguese river cruises where the landscape shifts from terraced port wine vineyards into the austere granite borderlands of Trás-os-Montes. The abandoned azulejo-tiled railway station, the almond orchards cascading to the river's edge, and the silence of the surrounding Côa Valley archaeological park — protecting the world's most important collection of open-air Palaeolithic rock art — make this an unexpectedly rich stopping point. Spring brings almond blossom along every hillside; autumn arrives golden with the vendange harvest. The Spanish city of Salamanca lies an hour's drive east.

12. Day 9

    Lucerne

    Switzerland

    

    Framed by snowcapped Alps and the mirror-bright waters of Lake Lucerne, this medieval Swiss gem centres on the 14th-century Kapellbrücke — one of Europe's oldest covered bridges — and a colourful Altstadt that has changed little in five centuries. Ride the cog railway to cloud-wreathed Mount Pilatus, savour Älplermagronen in a timber-beamed tavern, and explore the nearby wonders of Interlaken and Grindelwald. Late spring through early autumn offers the most spectacular lake reflections and settled mountain weather.

13. Day 9

    Ferradossa

    Portugal

    

    Ferradossa, a charming port on the Douro River, is renowned for its stunning landscapes and rich history dating back to Roman times. Must-do experiences include savoring bacalhau à brás and exploring local markets, while nearby attractions like Vale Da Telha and Évora enrich the journey. The best time to visit is during the spring and early fall, when the weather is mild and the local festivities are in full swing.

14. Day 10

    Porto

    Portugal

    

    Porto, set dramatically on the granite bluffs above the Douro River, is among Europe's most romantically dishevelled cities — a place where baroque church towers rise above terracotta rooftops and century-old azulejo tilework lines every alley. Cross the iron Dom Luís I Bridge for sweeping views and descend into Vila Nova de Gaia's atmospheric wine lodges for a tasting of aged tawny port direct from the barrel. Seafood is magnificent: salt cod prepared a hundred ways, barnacles glistening with lemon, and custard tarts still warm from the oven. Spring and early autumn offer the finest conditions.

15. Day 11

    Lake Como

    Italy

    

    Lake Como, Italy is a distinctive port city where deep cultural heritage meets authentic local atmosphere, featured on itineraries by Uniworld River Cruises. Must-do experiences include walking the historic center to experience the layered architectural heritage, and seeking out the regional culinary traditions at a locally favored establishment away from the port area. The optimal time to visit is May through September, when mild temperatures and long days favor unhurried exploration.

16. Day 11

    Porto

    Portugal

    

    Porto, set dramatically on the granite bluffs above the Douro River, is among Europe's most romantically dishevelled cities — a place where baroque church towers rise above terracotta rooftops and century-old azulejo tilework lines every alley. Cross the iron Dom Luís I Bridge for sweeping views and descend into Vila Nova de Gaia's atmospheric wine lodges for a tasting of aged tawny port direct from the barrel. Seafood is magnificent: salt cod prepared a hundred ways, barnacles glistening with lemon, and custard tarts still warm from the oven. Spring and early autumn offer the finest conditions.

17. Day 12

    Funchal

    Portugal

    

    Funchal — Madeira's radiant capital, its name derived from the wild fennel that greeted Portuguese settlers in 1419 — cascades down volcanic hillsides to a deep-water harbour that has welcomed mariners and wanderers for six centuries. The Reid's Palace, opened in 1891, remains one of the Atlantic's most legendary hotels, its clifftop terraces commanding views that inspired Churchill, Shaw, and a century of distinguished guests. The city's floating flower market, levada walks through ancient laurisilva forest, and the exhilarating toboggan descent from Monte combine for days of effortless discovery. The subtropical climate makes Funchal appealing year-round, with spring particularly spectacular for wildflowers.

18. Day 13

    Funchal

    Portugal

    

    Funchal — Madeira's radiant capital, its name derived from the wild fennel that greeted Portuguese settlers in 1419 — cascades down volcanic hillsides to a deep-water harbour that has welcomed mariners and wanderers for six centuries. The Reid's Palace, opened in 1891, remains one of the Atlantic's most legendary hotels, its clifftop terraces commanding views that inspired Churchill, Shaw, and a century of distinguished guests. The city's floating flower market, levada walks through ancient laurisilva forest, and the exhilarating toboggan descent from Monte combine for days of effortless discovery. The subtropical climate makes Funchal appealing year-round, with spring particularly spectacular for wildflowers.

19. Day 14

    Funchal

    Portugal

    

    Funchal — Madeira's radiant capital, its name derived from the wild fennel that greeted Portuguese settlers in 1419 — cascades down volcanic hillsides to a deep-water harbour that has welcomed mariners and wanderers for six centuries. The Reid's Palace, opened in 1891, remains one of the Atlantic's most legendary hotels, its clifftop terraces commanding views that inspired Churchill, Shaw, and a century of distinguished guests. The city's floating flower market, levada walks through ancient laurisilva forest, and the exhilarating toboggan descent from Monte combine for days of effortless discovery. The subtropical climate makes Funchal appealing year-round, with spring particularly spectacular for wildflowers.

20. Day 14

    Lisbon

    Portugal

    

    Lisbon, Portugal's enchanting capital, stands out for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture. Must-try experiences include savoring local dishes like bacalhau à brás and pastéis de nata at Mercado da Ribeira. The best time to visit is during the spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the city is alive with festivals and events.

21. Day 15

    Lisbon

    Portugal

    

    Lisbon, Portugal's enchanting capital, stands out for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture. Must-try experiences include savoring local dishes like bacalhau à brás and pastéis de nata at Mercado da Ribeira. The best time to visit is during the spring or fall, when the weather is mild and the city is alive with festivals and events.

Cabin Categories

Deluxe Stateroom

Outside

172–180 sq ftMax 2E

Stateroom Features: Elegant, contemporary design Fixed window Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Full-length mirror Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Direct-dial telephone Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Bathrobes & slippers Full shower with glass door Large mirror in bathroom Lighted makeup mirror Premium Hairdryer Writing desk and chair Complimentary Wi-Fi USB Ports

Queen or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service Available+8

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Deluxe Stateroom

Outside

172–180 sq ftMax 2D

Stateroom Features: Elegant, contemporary design Fixed window Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Full-length mirror Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Direct-dial telephone Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Bathrobes & slippers Full shower with glass door Large mirror in bathroom Lighted makeup mirror Premium Hairdryer Writing desk and chair Complimentary Wi-Fi USB Ports

Queen or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service Available+8

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Panorama Suite

Suite

200 sq ftMax 2P

Stateroom Features: Elegant, contemporary design Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Window with Open-Air Balcony Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Full-length mirror Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Direct-dial telephone Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Bathrobes & slippers Full shower with glass door Lighted makeup mirror Marble countertops in bathroom Premium Hairdryer L'Occitane bath products 6-person sitting area Writing desk and chair Sofa Coffee table Complimentary Wi-Fi USB Ports

Queen or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service Available+10

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Panorama Suite

Suite

200 sq ftMax 2A

Stateroom Features: Elegant, contemporary design Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Window with Open-Air Balcony Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Full-length mirror Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Direct-dial telephone Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Bathrobes & slippers Full shower with glass door Lighted makeup mirror Marble countertops in bathroom Premium Hairdryer L'Occitane bath products 6-person sitting area Writing desk and chair Sofa Coffee table Complimentary Wi-Fi USB Ports

Queen or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service Available+10

View Details ›

Panorama Suite

Suite

200 sq ftMax 2B

Stateroom Features: Elegant, contemporary design Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Window with Open-Air Balcony Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Full-length mirror Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Direct-dial telephone Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Bathrobes & slippers Full shower with glass door Lighted makeup mirror Marble countertops in bathroom Premium Hairdryer L'Occitane bath products 6-person sitting area Writing desk and chair Sofa Coffee table Complimentary Wi-Fi USB Ports

Queen or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service Available+10

View Details ›