CroisiEurope, like the other Douro River cruise companies, offers optional shore-side excursions.  The choices are a little limited, but well-worthwhile. Sidetrips to the Mateus family estate, to Salamanca, Spain, and to the town of Pesqueira in Portugal provide a dry-land counterpoint to the riverside processions of vineyards and olive crops on the river banks and the successions of locks and dams. 

The Mateus family estate is visually impressive. The baroque castle is surrounded by fine gardens that intersperse hedges and flowers, mainly roses. The reflecting pool contains a bronze sculpture by noted Portuguese sculptor João Cutileiro. 

Salamanca is a bus ride away in Spain. Its university and town core and bike-friendly trails are attractions. 

Salamanca has religious celebrants.

Pesqueira is a a scenic, semi-rustic agricultural town. It has a fine old church and interesting side streets. Whether it is totally comfortable with busloads of tourists is not obvious, even though the outdoor market displays in the plaza in front of the church seem largely geared to visitors.

Doors to somewhere:

Textures, colors, graphics:

Above: the dog encourages departures.

A vistor to the Douro Valley can't leave Portugal without stopping at a vineyard, here, Quinta do Tedo, to sample and compare Port wines.

Industrial quantities are produced.

The cellar looks out onto terraced hillsides.