Travel

Regal cruise on the

River of gold
Jeannine Williamson finds out what it’s like to travel like
royalty on the Spirit of Chartwell

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s our vessel slowly ascends
the cavernous lock at the
Carrapatelo Dam it is an
unexpected highlight – or to
be strictly correct low point –
on our voyage along Portugal’s Douro River.
The dramatic landscape of lush forests,
olive groves and steep terraced vineyards
that produce the country’s famous fortified
tipple is replaced by the impressive

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September 2019

man-made view of the immense 115ft walls
of Europe’s deepest lock.
Half an hour later Spirit of Chartwell sails
beneath the guillotine gate at the opposite
end and re-emerges into the sunshine.
Thanks to five dams built between 1964
and 1971, including the Carrapatelo,
visitors can now enjoy tranquil sailings
along the Douro, and savour the region’s
port and lesser-known wine along the way

@etcmag_south

without spilling a drop. This wasn’t the case
when the river was a turbulent, dangerous
waterway that caused many traditional
wooden rabelo boats to founder as they
transported barrels of port downstream to
the warehouses of Porto.
Whilst numerous river cruise ships now
ply the river, following near-identical sevennight itineraries from Porto to the Spanish
border and back, there are none like the