Wednesday, July 30th, 2025
Early this morning we left our over night pier. Around 7:30 AM we arrived at our first lock. The sky was really hazy due to the wildfires.
This first lock was Crestuma Lever. It was built finished in 1985. We will go up 46 feet. The lock worked by raising and lowering boats in a device between stretches of water of different levels on the river. The locks made the river more easily navigable. First our ship approached the lock. The first door opens and we entered the lock compartment.
The door closed behind the ship. The lock compartment was filled with water that raised the ship. Then the far door opened and the ship departed at the new higher level.
Close to 10:30 AM we arrived at our second lock called the Carrapatelo Lock. It was the biggest on the river going up 115 feet!
Not long after going through the second lock we went under a very low bridge. We sat in chairs so we didn’t hit our heads!
In between the locks we sailed along the scenic Douro River. At first the sky was filled with wildfire smoke but then it cleared after we passed the area of the fires.
After lunch we arrived at the Lamego Pier. We then left the ship for a tour of the Mateus Palace and Gardens. On our way we passed some of the Sandeman wine vineyards. Their logo was well recognized. It featured a caped man and word a wide traditional Andalusian type hat.
The Mateus Palace was a baroque style manor house. The house appeared on the labels of the Mateus Rosé wine. It was built in the early 18th century and finished by 1744.
Our tour started in the first floor salon which had a magnificent wooden ceiling that featured family coat of arms.
Looking through one of the first floor windows could see the courtyard.
The Mateus Palace was lived in by 12 successive generations of the same family until the Casa de Mateus Foundation set up in 1970.
The library was remodeled in the mid-20th century. It contained volumes that dated back to the 16th century.
After our tour of the house and chapel, we explored the beautiful gardens. The gardens that we saw today were laid out in the 1930s and 1940s.
There was a vast cedar tunnel that was formed from cedars planted in 1941. It was 115 long and 25 feet high.
When we got back to the riverboat we set sail to Peso da Régua Pier.
We enjoyed trying the wines under the guidance of Gabriel, the sommelier.
After dinner we were treated to a Portuguese Folk Show. It was an authentic and entertaining show.
After the show we walked on deck and saw the lights around town. There was a festival of some kind happening in town. We thought about walking into town but we were too tired.
The temperature today was 98˚ F and that didn’t include the “real feel”! The heat wore us out! Off to bed we went!
