France & Portugal Uniworld Luxury Wine Country River Cruise Combo with A$2,000 Flight Credit

Your cruise begins in Bordeaux, France and ends in Porto, Portugal, with two nights of pre-cruise accommodation in Bordeaux and three nights of post-cruise accommodation in Lisbon.

Check-in at your pre-cruise stay in Bordeaux is available from 3pm on Day 1 (2 May 2025). Your cruise onboard S.S. Bon Voyage then departs from Bordeaux on Day 3 and returns on Day 10. Your cruise onboard S.S. São Gabriel departs from Porto on Day 10 and returns on Day 17, followed by transfer to Lisbon. Check-out from your post-cruise accommodation is at 10am on Day 20 (21 May 2025). Information on boarding times will be provided prior to your departure date; please ensure you arrive in time for boarding.

Please note this cruise package combines two seven-night back-to-back cruises. A one-way economy class flight from Bordeaux to Porto is included on Day 10 of your package.

Return international flights are not included in your package and must be purchased separately. A flight credit of A$2,000 per person is included with your package, bookable through Luxury Escapes (see Fine Print for details). Please do NOT book your flights until your cruise is confirmed.

Transfers from Bordeaux Airport (BOD) to Mercure Bordeaux Chateau Chartrons Hotel on Day 1 and from Mercure Bordeaux Chateau Chartrons Hotel to Bordeaux Port on Day 3 are not included. You will need to make your own way to the cruise ship, please plan accordingly.

Transfers from Bordeaux Port to the Bordeaux Airport (BOD) and from Porto Airport (OPO) to Porto Port on Day 10 are included in your package. Transfers from Porto Port to Tivoli Avenida Liberdade on Day 17 and from Tivoli Avenida Liberdade to Lisbon Airport (LIS) on Day 20 are also included in your package.

A visa may be required for the destination you are visiting. It is each traveller’s responsibility to ensure they are holding a current visa. Please take the time to visit our preferred vendor website Visas Direct to assist you with any visa application requirements and processes. If you require any supporting documentation when applying for your visa please let us know and we would be more than happy to assist. Click here to visit the website.

Need flights? Our dedicated flights concierge can assist with your flight requirements (subject to availability). Contact sales@luxuryescapes.com.

Day 1: Arrive Bordeaux, France

Bonjour and welcome to France! Touch down in Bordeaux, the hub of the famed wine-growing region and home to galleries, museums and impeccable Gothic architecture. After clearing customs and immigration, make your way to your accommodation and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Mercure Bordeaux Chateau Chartrons Hotel (Classique Double Room) or similar

Day 2: Bordeaux

After breakfast, make the most of your day at leisure in Bordeaux. Visit the famed Bordeaux Cathedral, the Grand Theatre de Bordeaux, Place des Quinconces or the Musee d’Aquitaine. You may also like to get a head start on sampling the region’s famous wines with a visit to a local winery or nearby restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Mercure Bordeaux Chateau Chartrons Hotel (Classique Double Room) or similar

Day 3: Embark Bordeaux

Enjoy one final morning in Bordeaux at your leisure – grab a coffee and a croissant or spend your time exploring the city’s historic streets. Alternatively, visit La Cite du Vin, the city’s spectacular wine museum, built to resemble a massive wine decanter. With a permanent exhibition showcasing the world of wine – and Bordeaux’s place in it – it’s a must-visit for travellers looking for the deeper meaning behind each precious drop.

In the afternoon make your own way to Ponton d’Honneur, embark and settle into your cabin before heading out on deck to admire the remarkable Garonne River. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure before your first night onboard.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: S. S. Bon Voyage

Day 4: Cussac-Fort-Medoc

Wine lovers rejoice – today is all about the magical drop. Learn about the legendary Medoc region that abounds with prestigious wine chateaux in a dizzying array of architectural styles, as well as boundless grapevine slopes.

Today, go ashore to enjoy a fresh Medoc oyster tasting, then explore the area with a choice of excursions. Either pedal through the storied vineyards and the landscapes of historic estates or explore the Medoc Chateaux route, savouring a private wine tasting.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: S. S. Bon Voyage

Day 5: Cadillac

Discover a slice of 14th-century medieval history in Cadillac. Take in spectacular views from the ancient stone walls of the Chateau Royal de Cazeneuve, then follow narrow cobbled lanes to the village and discover the deliciously sweet dessert wines the region is known for.

Today you’ll visit the Chateau, the former residence of Henry IV and Queen Margot. Choose to enjoy a glass of Sauternes with Louis and Caroline de Sabran-Ponteves, the owners of the property, before embarking on a private tour of the Château, or take a visit to Château Malrome, home of artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. After visiting the area that inspired much of his career, venture to the nearby town of Verdelais, where de Toulouse-Lautrec is buried. After, you’ll be treated to an absinthe tasting at Cafe Les Pelerins.

Please Note: Sailing this leg of the Garonne is dependent on tides. If it is not possible to sail to Cadillac, you will be transferred to your destination by road.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Accommodation: S. S. Bon Voyage

Day 6: Blaye – Bourg sur Gironde

Today you’ll make the journey along the Route de la Corniche Fleurie to historic Blaye. Upon arrival choose to visit the magnificent Blaye Fortress, passing through one impossibly picturesque hamlet after another. Discover the wonders of this historic fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site that once protected Bordeaux from attacks by sea.

Alternatively, enjoy an intimate wine tasting hosted by the owner of La Petite Cave, one of the town’s charming wine bars, with an included tour of their art studio and wine collection.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: S. S. Bon Voyage

Day 7: Saint-Emilion

Today you’ll dock in Libourne before travelling by road to the medieval town of Saint-Emilion to immerse yourself more deeply in the region’s history and wine culture. Wander the cobblestone laneways lined with boutique wine sellers, bakeries and ateliers. Visit the breathtaking rock-hewn church carved out below the city streets, visiting a nearby cellar, where a wine tasting awaits.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Accommodation: S. S. Bon Voyage

Day 8: Libourne – Bordeaux

Today in Libourne, excite your tastebuds as your expert guide shows you around the lively farmer’s markets. Pick up some fresh cheeses, bread or pastries. After your tour of the markets, enjoy an intimate visit to the ateliers, homes and shops to meet the artisans who make some of the goods arrayed so enticingly in the market.

As dusk falls, head to nearby Bordeaux for an after-hours excursion to the Bassins Des Lumieres, a submarine base reclaimed by the city’s artistic scene. A spectacular light show, projected against the building’s high walls, offers an unforgettable experience.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: S. S. Bon Voyage

Day 9: Bordeaux

Wake up to a full day to explore Bordeaux, starting with a city tour. Choose to either explore on foot with a local expert or on two wheels, the locals’ preferred way to navigate the city’s charming backstreets. Stopping by bakeries, antiquaries and boutiques as you explore one of France’s most charming cities.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: S. S. Bon Voyage

Day 10: Disembark Bordeaux – Embark Porto, Portugal

After breakfast, it’s time to say farewell to the storied city of Bordeaux – and the magnificent S.S. Bon Voyage – as you disembark for the final time. Here, a coach awaits to transfer you to the airport for your onward flight to Portugal and the picturesque city of Porto.

Your included international flight will take approximately two hours; on arrival at Porto’s Francisco Sa Carneiro Airport (LPPR), you’ll be met and transferred to the S.S. São Gabriel for the second part of your European wine country adventure.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: S.S. São Gabriel

Day 11: Regua

Wine lovers rejoice – today is all about the magical drop.

Visit the Douro Museum and learn about port wine – cultivated in the Douro River Valley since ancient Roman times – before taking your choice of excursion, each offering a unique snapshot into the magic of the region. Choose to embark on a vineyard hike, or instead tour a local quinta, the Portuguese equivalent of a French chateau. Both include local wine tastings.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Accommodation: S.S. São Gabriel

Day 12: Pinhao – Pocinho – Vega de Terron

Today, go ashore for a full day of excursions in Portugal’s spectacular countryside:

• Castelo Rodrigo: Journey past lush lavender fields and almond groves to Castelo Rodrigo, the name of both the historic castle and surrounding village. Contested throughout the centuries between the powerful kingdoms of Spain and Portugal, it offers a fascinating glimpse into medieval life in the region.
• Archaeological Park of the Coa Valley: Lace up your hiking boots and unleash your inner Indiana Jones with an up-close look at some prehistoric carvings at an archaeological park in the Coa Valley. Your visit starts at the Coa Museum, where you can see both reproduction and original rock art and learn about the amazing area. Then venture out with your knowledgeable guide into the valley to explore these sites for yourself. Be sure to wear sturdy footwear for this experience.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: S.S. São Gabriel

Day 13: Vega de Terron (Salamanca) – Barca D’Alva

For a dose of history, visit the historic Spanish university town of Salamanca — the ‘Golden City’ — famous for its sand-coloured buildings and abundance of churches. Follow your guide on foot through Plaza Mayor to the university, which was founded by Alfonso IX in 1218. Next, hit up Salamanca’s food hall and sample chorizo, cheese, olive oil and ham. Take some time to browse through the shops on Rua Mayor and enjoy a tapas lunch.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: S.S. São Gabriel

Day 14: Barca D’Alva – Regua

Enjoy another day in Portugal’s idyllic countryside, with a day full of activity. Start by visiting the charming town of Lamego – known for its spectacular sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Los Remedios, a title of the Virgin Mary – for a tasting of delicious sparkling wines and cold cuts, discovering the importance of Lamego’s heritage.

Then, as the sun starts to go down, savour a traditional dinner brimming with regional flavours at a local quinta, the Portuguese equivalent of a French chateau.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: S.S. São Gabriel

Day 15: Regua – Porto (Braga)

Today enjoy a tour of Portugal’s oldest city, Braga, traditionally an extremely important stop for pilgrims making their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain’s north. Braga’s baroque churches, ringing belltowers and wide open spaces offer an excellent day of exploration – the architecture alone is breathtaking.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Accommodation: S.S. São Gabriel

Day 16: Porto

Today you will have the chance to explore Portugal’s second-largest city with a choice between two sightseeing activities.

• Porto Panoramic Tour: Head out on a Porto city tour and take in the 19th-century Stock Exchange Palace and its famed Moorish-style Arab Room. Wander past colourful townhouses, medieval alleys, UNESCO World Heritage-listed neighbourhoods enclosed by 14th-century walls and baroque church towers.
• Porto Walk with Conservas Tasting: Walk over the Ponte Dom Luis and embark on Porto’s historical tram (the Eléctrico) to the Clérigos quarter. Enjoy free time around Clérigos Tower before visiting Sao Bento Station and the Azulejos Murals portraying Porto’s rich history. Take in sweeping panoramas from the cathedral before heading down narrow old-town alleys to Portugues de Gema for a taste of the city’s renowned sardines.

After your explorations, celebrate your extraordinary adventure with a Captain’s Farewell reception and dinner.

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Accommodation: S.S. São Gabriel

Day 17: Disembark Porto – Lisbon

After breakfast, say goodbye to the S.S. São Gabriel as you disembark and transfer by coach bus to Lisbon, Portugal’s soaring capital (approx. two hours).

Portugal’s coastal capital is known for its spectacular Gothic cathedrals, bustling neighbourhoods and sensational hilltops. After checking in to your post-cruise accommodation, the afternoon and evening are yours to enjoy at leisure – be sure to wander the narrow cobblestone streets of this city, stopping along the way at a museum or one of the city’s countless charming cafes.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Tivoli Avenida Liberdade (Standard Room) or similar

Day 18: Lisbon

Spend today discovering Lisbon’s extraordinary historic and cultural treasures. A city tour offers the perfect introduction – visit the spectacular Jeronimos Monastery, established on the banks of the Tagus River and one of the country’s best examples of Portuguese late Gothic architecture, or spend the day exploring Alfama’s Moorish-inspired streets, a wonderful example of traditional Lisbon.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Tivoli Avenida Liberdade (Standard Room) or similar

Day 19: Lisbon

With another full day at your leisure in wonderful Lisbon, now’s the perfect chance to explore some of the city’s galleries and museums. Of note are the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation – boasting a dazzling collection of world art, including ancient Egyptian and Renaissance masterpieces – and the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, located within the majestic Palacio de Alvor-Pombal and home to one of the largest displays of Portuguese art in the world.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Tivoli Avenida Liberdade (Standard Room) or similar

Day 20: Lisbon

It’s time to say farewell to the storied city of Lisbon, as you take advantage of the included group transfer and make your way to Lisbon International Airport (LIS) for the next part of your onward journey.

Meals: Breakfast