Discoveries Along the Douro: Portugal’s Best-Kept Secrets

After you enroll, we’ll ask you to provide or update your personal information and preferences, which includes your health information, lodging and meal preferences for your program.

US citizens require a valid US passport to visit the program sites. No visa is required to visit Portugal if you are a US passport holder. Check your passport to ensure that it is valid at least 6 months beyond the end of your stay abroad. Participants who are not US citizens must contact their consulate or embassy to determine if there are any special visa requirements.

A passport is required for this program. It must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

This information about travel documents pertains to participants holding U.S. passports. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

United States citizens don’t need a visa for any of the countries you’ll be visiting. Non-U.S. citizens should refer to their country's requirements to ensure they have the necessary documentation for travel.

Face masks will be required where obliged by local laws.

If Road Scholar is arranging your air travel to and from the program, and you travel on the scheduled start and end dates, you’ll receive free round-trip transfers from the airport to the hotel.

Arrival day is on October 8, 2025

Meet the group at HF Tuela Porto in Porto

Start of Trip:  3:00 p.m. hotel check-in; 6:00 p.m. Orientation; 7:30 p.m. Welcome Dinner.

Getting to the site: An arrival transfer is organized for all participants who purchased an air inclusive program and arrive on the group arrival date. Transfer vehicles vary by group. Program Only Participants (POPs) or participants who are arriving early must make their own way to the hotel in Porto at their own cost. Taxis are readily available at the Oporto Airport (OPO) and cost about 30 to 35 euros per car. The ride is about 15 km or about 9.3 miles and should take anywhere from 20-30 minutes depending on time and traffic patterns. We do not recommend using the buses, unless you are capable of easily handling your own luggage and are comfortable navigating the system in Portuguese. Taxis are available from the airport and are equipped with a meter on which the fares are displayed. During Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and on all other days from 9.00 pm at night until 6.00 am in the morning, a surcharge of 20% is automatically added to the fare on the meter. Don't accept any taxi ride offers from anyone touting for business inside the airport buildings. Go to the official taxi rank located outside the terminal building.

Getting to the site by train or bus: Metro and bus transportation is available to/from the airport of Porto.

Your trip ends on: Friday, October 17, 2025 in Porto at CroisiEurope’s Gil Eanes

End of Trip: 8:30 a.m after breakfast. 9: 00 a.m disembarkation. Airport transfers beginning from approximately 3:00 a.m.

Getting to the airport: Participants who booked their air through Road Scholar and are leaving on the designated departure day from the designated airport will be provided with a departure transfer. The group leader will let you know the exact time of your transfer during the program. If you are unsure about guaranteed transfers, please refer to the “Important Transfer Policy Information for Independent Travelers” section of your first mailing. Program Only Participants (POPs) or those participants extending their stay must make their own way to the airport in Porto at their own cost. Taxis from Quebrantões where the boat is docked to the airport will cost between 35 euros and 40 euros.

Information if you are purchasing your own airfare: Participants who have not purchased airfare through Road Scholar are responsible for making their own transfer arrangements to the first site at the beginning of the program, as well as from the last site at the end of the program. The Information Packet Road Scholar sends in advance of the program includes details needed to make your transfer arrangements. If you wish to purchase airfare through Road Scholar, please call (800) 241-1404. Please note: In the unlikely event Road Scholar must make changes to the program's arrival or departure details, we will notify all participants as soon as possible. Participants who have purchased Road Scholar airfare are protected against airline change fees; however, anyone who has not purchased Road Scholar airfare will be required to make their own adjustments and may incur fees imposed by the airline.