Data available from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2024 *. For other uses, see, "Duero" redirects here. Massive wildfires swept through the region during the summer of 2017, with columns of smoke choking skies and water bombers roaring overhead in an attempt to control the blaze. WOW-- some fun!The grand finale was at the end of the time they asked us to fill out a survey of the tour but then proceeded to tell us how to do it by saying that "they did the best they could under the circumstances" and therefore we should not reflect poorly on their effort. In 1998, Portugal and Spain signed the Albufeira Convention, an agreement on the sharing of trans-boundary rivers to include the Douro, Tagus and Guadiana. The region around Pinho and So Joo da Pesqueira is considered to be the centre of port, with its quintas (or farms/estates) that extend along the steep slopes of the river valleys. Does any one have experience with this river and any suggestions on the best time to go to avoid a problem. This article is about the river. Europe's Drought: Will It End River Cruises? - Out Traveler The convention superseded an agreement on the Douro, signed in 1927, that was expanded in 1964 and 1968 to include tributaries. Viking Cruises' website states that "low water levels will affect select river itineraries." Impacted travelers will be contacted by the cruise line. Rising in the Sierra de Urbin in Spain, the river crosses the Numantian Plateau in a pronounced bend and flows generally westward for 556 miles (895 km) across Spain and northern Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean at Foz do Douro. The cruise-ship tours, while good overviews of the making of port and the history of the area, are by no means satisfying enough. On sounding boards like TripAdvisor, many disgruntled river cruisers wonder publicly why they werent informed prior to their international flights, suggesting that, given the choice, theyd opt to cancel and take a refund or another sailing date. The reason for this was as there had been so much rain, the dam in Spain was full and head waters had to be released - this making the river unsafe for such trips. On the other hand, you run the risk of a modified itinerary because your riverboat may not be able to get under a low bridge due to the high water caused by snowmelt and rains. Explore more travel destination possibilities and experience the world first hand. Porto, Portugal's second-largest city, has some 2,000 years of history behind it. We came to Porto (having made our own flight and hotel arrangements in September) with the specific of doing a day cruise to Pinhao and the train back. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.