Day 01: Porto, Portugal
Arrival at Porto International Airport, you will be met for private transfer to your hotel in Porto. Check-in and free time to unpack and relax. Enjoy an afternoon city tour of Porto featuring; the Cathedral, the Clérigos Tower and church, the Church of São Francisco, a convent constructed in gothic style during the 14th and 15th centuries. On the way back to your hotel, stop at an old port lodge at Vila Nova de Gaia, in the south bank of Douro River, for a tasting of famous Port wines. Pestana Carlton Hotel or Fenix Porto HotelDay 02: Braga & Guimaraes
Morning departure to visit Braga and Guimarães. Guimarães - a museum town and cradle of Portugal’s Nationhood, overlooked by its legendary castle, houses a magnificently well-preserved historic center. Enjoy free time for lunch on own in Braga and return to Porto mid-afternoon. Pestana Carlton Hotel or Fenix Porto Hotel (Breakfast)Day 03: Porto
Full day at leisure in Porto, stroll among typical quarters, especially the riverside area - “Ribeira” (means riverside) stretch along the Douro river, with its quays, markets, shops, restaurants and the cool, somber cellars where Port Wine is aged or to visit some of the museums in town such as: Soares dos Reis National Museum, Serralves Foundation, the Stock Exchange / Bolsa Palace. Also free time to shop: the city best jewelers and goldsmith hide behind the traditional shop fronts of Rua das Flores, not far from S. Bento train station. A good market lies north of the Sé Cathedral. There is also a delightful central shopping center in Via de Santa Catarina. Douro River short cruise (55 minutes) – cruise below the famous bridges. A different way to admire the old city of Porto with its typical houses, the hustle and bustle of “Ribeira,” the old Cathedral and the Port wine lodges. Pestana Carlton Hotel or Fenix Porto Hotel (Breakfast)Day 04: Aveiro & Bussaco National Park
Departure from Porto head south, visiting en route: Aveiro – famous for its lagoon, this town is crisscrossed by canals where colorfully painted “moliceiro” boats sail. Arrival at Bussaco by mid-afternoon. Check-in at the hotel and free time to relax and get acquainted with the beautiful surroundings, before dinner. Palace Bussaco Hotel or Astoria Hotel Coimbra (Breakfast)Day 05: Conimbra & Coimbra
Enjoy a full day tour of the region. Conimbriga - see various houses, the public baths, the Forum and the walls with fascinating mosaics. Also visit Coimbra – one of Europe’s oldest university towns, it kept its secular academic traditions as seen in the black-caped students, in the soulful tones of the “Fado de Coimbra” (traditional song sung to the sound of guitars by the students.) Palace Bussaco Hotel or Astoria Hotel Coimbra (Breakfast)
Day 06: Central Portugal - Lisbon
Leave the central region and drive to Lisbon, visiting Batalha, Nazaré, Alcobaça and Obidos en route. Batalha - Portuguese Gothic masterpiece and classified in UNESCO’s International Heritage list, the Santa Maria da Vitória Monastery (14th-16th centuries) is a national landmark. Nazaré – fishing village, full of tradition and legends. Alcobaça - Monumental Cistercian Abbey of Santa Maria, founded in 1152 (classified in UNESCO’s International Heritage list), housing the tombs of King Pedro and Queen Inês, a love and dramatic legend of the Portuguese History. Óbidos - a charming old Moorish stronghold surrounded by the walls of the Castle, conquered by the first King of Portugal in 1145, still keeps the atmosphere of medieval times. Arrive Lisbon late afternoon.Fenix Lisboa Hotel or Hotel Lutecia (Breakfast)Day 07: Lisbon
Half-day city tour of Lisbon. Leave the hotel to the historical area of Belém. In this section of the city we can admire some of the most representative monuments of Lisbon. Proceed by the riverside to “Praça do Comércio”, the main riverside square with the Triumphal Augusta Arch and the equestrian of King José, in downtown. A little walk will lead us to St. Jorge’s Castle, that was the royal residence until the 16th century, and from where we may enjoy a fabulous view over the city and the Tagus estuary. Balance of the day at leisure. Fenix Lisboa Hotel or Hotel Lutecia (Breakfast)Day 08: Sintra
Depart for a full-day tour of Sintra featuring misty “Mountain of the Moon,” with craggy hills and luxuriant forests, houses a fabulous collection of monuments from a wide range of eras. Free time for lunch in Sintra. Drive from Sintra to Colares along an exceptionally beautiful valley and taste the local “Colares” wine. Proceed to Azenhas do Mar, set into the cliffs right over the sea. Continue along the scenic rocky coastal road to the majestic Roca Cape, the most westerly point of continental Europe, a magnificent cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Continue to Cascais, famous holiday resort, known for the elegant fashion shops, dozens of gourmet restaurants, Discos and Pubs, the Marina Yacht Club and its nautical facilities – and Estoril - with the largest Casino in Europe, luxury hotels, home of the jet set, aristocrats and a golfers paradise. Return to Lisbon late afternoon. Fenix Lisboa Hotel or Hotel Lutecia (Breakfast)Day 09: Lisbon - Depart
Departure transfer to Lisbon International Airport. (Breakfast)
