Four of the best places to explore on a River Douro cruise

Peso de Régua: A highlight of the Douro Valley, it was here that wines were collected to be transported downriver to Porto in the 18th century.

The waterside now has cafes and bars where you can enjoy a glass or two while you people watch, or you can explore the old town up the hill.

The Museum of Douro in what was once the General Company of Agriculture of the High Douro wines, tells the story of the region’s wine industry. 

Vila Real: A popular excursion on Douro river cruises is the baroque Mateus Palace – pictured on the front of the famous Mateus rose wine.

Inside the rooms are decorated in classic 18th century Portuguese style, reflecting the country’s importance during the Age of Exploration when its empire extended to the New World.

The museum there has ancient scrolls and charters, silver reliquaries plus 17th and 18th century furniture and silverware from the East India Company.

Salamanca: An ancient Spanish university city besieged by Hannibal the Great and later ruled by the Romans, Salamanca’s old quarter is UNESCO-listed and houses one of the oldest universities in the world.

The university is to Spain as Oxford and Cambridge is to England and its buildings are in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles.

A Roman bridge spans the Rio Tormes, but the city was ruled by the Moors until the 11th century.