Pipadouro redefined the concept of river tourism on the Douro River and has gained worldwide fame over the last 17 years with luxury offers that meet the high standards of a market that favours superior quality, comfort and exclusivity.

The company continues to diversify its offer and has just launched a new classic program, Vintage Wild Travel, which offers a unique and authentic foray into the acclaimed Douro Superior, exploring the wildest and most unspoilt side of the river aboard Friendship I, a 66-foot-long Wooden Yacht Classic that was built in 1957 to serve the British Navy.

Specialising in designing experiences that last in time and memory, Pipadouro suggests an immersive journey between their private pier in Pinhão and Barca D’Alva, a beautiful village on the border with Spain.
The proposal includes passing through iconic straits of the oldest Demarcated and Regulated Region in the world, including the famous Cachão da Valeira, the scene of the tragic shipwreck of the rabelo boat carrying D. Antónia Ferreira, eternalised as Ferreirinha, and Baron Forrester, who disappeared in the once stormy waters of the Douro on that day in 1861.

Between the Valeira and Pocinho locks, memorable stages on the route, the Douro Superior presents itself to those who visit it with its imposing and majestic cliffs, dramatic cuts in a landscape dotted with hillsides filled with vineyards, olive groves and almond trees, awakening all the senses to a true connection with nature.

Vintage Wild Travel starts at 9am in Pinhão and finishes at 5pm in Barca D’Alva, with lunch served on board the Friendship I, a classic superyacht that stands out from the competition for its grandeur, beauty and unique features, combining original features with guarantees of comfort, charm and exclusivity.

Comfort is a priority for the operator and, in this sense, customers have a range of options to complete the classic program. You can return the same day, by car or train, or the following day, after an overnight stay in a selected accommodation or on the Pipadouro boat, classified as a Gentleman’s Vintage Boat, which has two suites with a maximum occupancy of four people.

‘As this is a full day offer, we think it’s important to combine the classic program with a range of options to suit each client’s needs. Vintage Wild Travel reinforces Pipadouro’s status as a specialist in trips to the upper Douro, aboard a unique boat, full of charm, which has the comfort, space and decoration of a five-star hotel, while guaranteeing the exclusivity and personalised service that our clients value and that they can’t find on a hotel boat’, says Ana Clara Silva, the company’s Operations Director.