Book your boat trip
Choose the trip, the date and the number of places. The boat is capped at twelve people.
In short
- Two sailing trips on the Douro, leaving from Douro Marina in Vila Nova de Gaia.
- Shared departures: €53 per person for the daytime cruise (1h30), €80 for the sunset trip (2h).
- Private charter: €523 for the daytime run (1h30), €791 for the sunset trip (2h), covering the whole boat.
- Twelve people maximum on board, skipper-guide included.
- A drink and snacks served on deck: a house cocktail in the daytime, Porto tónico at sunset.
- Daily departures at 11.30am, 2pm and 4pm in the daytime, and at 6pm for the sunset trip.
Porto looks better from the water. The Gaia cellars lined up along the bank, the Ribeira stacked on the opposite side, the six bridges one behind the other: it is the only angle where the whole city fits in the frame. Both our trips are under sail, on a twelve-seat boat, with a skipper who talks you through what you are looking at. Nothing like the big barges moored along the Ribeira.
Douro Sailing Daytime, Shared Departure: €53 per person
Ninety minutes of sailing between the Ribeira, Vila Nova de Gaia and the river mouth. A local guide covers the Douro of the rabelo boats and the port wine trade while the house cocktail goes round the deck. This is the one to take if you want the view without giving up half a day, and it slots neatly between a morning cellar visit and lunch in Gaia.
Practical: 1h30, departures at 11.30am, 2pm and 4pm. Twelve people maximum on board, priced per person. Included: all fees and taxes, house cocktail, snacks. Meeting point at Douro Marina, R. da Praia 430, Vila Nova de Gaia.
Douro Sailing Daytime, Private Charter: €523
The same ninety-minute run, with the boat to yourselves. Skipper and guide on board, house cocktail and snacks served on deck. This is what we suggest for a family, a birthday or a small group who would rather set the mood than share it.
Practical: 1h30, departures at 11.30am, 2pm and 4pm. Flat rate for the whole boat, up to twelve people. A two-hour version is available at €657 on request. Meeting point at Douro Marina, R. da Praia 430, Vila Nova de Gaia.
Douro Sailing Sunset, Shared Departure: €80 per person
Two hours at the point where the light drops and the Ribeira facades turn orange. The boat runs along the cellars, back up towards the bridges, and the skipper takes the buildings one by one as you pass. Porto tónico and Portuguese snacks, in a considerably calmer setting than a cocktail bar.
Practical: 2 hours, departure at 6pm. Twelve people maximum, priced per person, running from three participants. Included: all fees and taxes, Porto tónico, Portuguese snacks. Meeting point at Douro Marina, R. da Praia 430, Vila Nova de Gaia.
Douro Sailing Sunset, Private Charter: €791
The evening trip with nobody else on board. Two hours on the river while the city lights up, with the skipper and the guide to yourselves. This is the one people book for proposals and company evenings, and in summer it needs booking well ahead.
Practical: 2 hours, departure at 6pm. Flat rate for the whole boat, up to twelve people. Included: all fees and taxes, Porto tónico, Portuguese snacks. Meeting point at Douro Marina, R. da Praia 430, Vila Nova de Gaia.
Frequently asked questions about our boat trips
Where is the meeting point?
Douro Marina, R. da Praia 430, Vila Nova de Gaia, downstream of the Arrábida bridge. Around fifteen minutes by taxi from the Ribeira, a little longer on public transport.
Do I have to choose between shared and private?
Both exist on each trip. Shared means you pay per person and sail with other travellers, twelve at most. Private means a flat rate for the whole boat, however many of you there are up to twelve.
How is this different from the six-bridges cruises?
The standard cruises take forty to fifty people on a motor boat for a fifty-minute loop. Here there are twelve of you at most, under sail, with a skipper who talks and something to drink on board.
Do I need any sailing experience?
No. The skipper handles everything. You can take the helm if you feel like it and conditions allow, but nobody expects you to.
What happens if the weather turns?
The skipper decides on the day. If the trip is called off for weather, it is moved to another date or refunded in full.
Is the boat wheelchair accessible?
No, neither boarding nor the deck allow for it. Write to us if you have difficulty getting about and we will point you to another option on the river.
Can we charter the boat privately?
Yes, on both trips, and you can book it straight online. It is €523 for the daytime cruise and €791 for the sunset trip, up to twelve people either way.
What time do the trips leave?
The daytime cruise leaves at 11.30am, 2pm or 4pm. The sunset trip leaves at 6pm. The same times apply to shared departures and private charters.