Sailing Trials on the Douro River in Porto, Portugal

Learn how to sail like a pro with this fantastic sailing tour on the Douro River.

Venture through the Vila Nova de Gaia with a fully qualified skipper, past the pastel coloured architecture that line the Douro riverbanks. Using only the wind as your guide you will discover one of the oldest and most admired forms of water transport on this fantastic sailing tour on the Douro River!

The Douro river starts in northern Spain and runs 897km to Porto where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. It passes through the Vila Nova de Gaia region near Porto, an area famed for its production of the fortified wine, Port. Every stage of the wine production takes place in and around this region from the Vineyards that grow the grapes to the distilleries and cellars that make and preserve the wine.

Choose your departure time then meet your skipper for a safety brief for your sailing tour on the Douro River. Once on the water, the skipper will introduce you to basic manoeuvring such as tacking and jibing, as well as weight distribution when changing direction. This activity is all about teamwork and working in tandem to move the boat in the right direction. There is an optional visit to Port Wine and Caves Ferreira, where you will discover the traditional production and storage of fortified wine. In this sailing tour on the Douro River you will spend a total of two hours 30 minutes sailing on the Douro. An extra hour should be counted if you choose the wine visit.

The sailing tour on the Douro River used for this activity is a Beneteau Platu 25. It is 7.5 metres long with a 2.5-metre width. This vessel has a maximum capacity of six including the skipper. The waters of the Douro River are relatively calm, with winds often creating moderate swell making it suitable for beginners. This part of the Douro river features only small boats and vessels, creating very little traffic and larger margins for manoeuvring.